The Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk-led horror comedy Hell of a Summer has received an earlier release date. The upcoming slasher film, which NEON had initially scheduled for release on April 18, 2025, has now been rescheduled for April 4. The movie originally premiered at the 2023 Toronto International Film Festival to positive critical reviews, with a 50% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. Now, audiences are about to see the slasher throwback feature a few days earlier than its initial release date.

In addition to starring, both Wolfhard and Bryk — who first worked together in Ghostbusters: Afterlife and When You Finish Saving the World — wrote, directed, and produced Hell of a Summer as their first collaborative project together as first-time filmmakers. The newest filmmaking duo previously shared with Collider during the film’s world premiere at TIFF that their film is inspired by classic features like Shaun of the Dead and some of Wes Anderson‘s early films, with Byrk saying, “I think what we kind of tried to do was just share the kind of films that Finn and I referenced so much in the writing of it and in the preparation for directing it, specifically with comedy, just kind of what we were looking for. We always wanted everything to feel very real and character-based.”

Having shared the same love and passion for cinema, the two actors’ debut feature has garnered favorable feedback from critics, with Collider‘s Nate Richard calling it a “bloody fun horror throwback.” After making names for themselves in their respective projects, best friends Wolfhard and Bryk have turned to directing, making them the latest actors to venture into the filmmaking business. Bryk has also appeared in Wynonna Earp and Night Shifts, while Wolfhard is best known for his portrayal of Mike Wheeler in Netflix‘s horror series Stranger Things and Richie Tozier in Andy Muschietti‘s It adaptation.

What Is ‘Hell of a Summer’ About?

The summer camp theme in horror is nothing new, with Friday the 13th being one of the most well-known examples. Hell of a Summer, however, promises to provide a nostalgic cinematic experience. It follows camp counselor Jason Hochberg (played by Fear Street‘s Fred Hechinger), as he soon realizes his teenage co-workers might be the least of his concerns, with a masked killer on the loose beginning to kill each of the staff. Hell of a Summer also stars Abby Quinn, D’Pharaoh Woon-A-Tai, Rosebud Bake, Adam Pally, and more.

Apart from announcing an earlier release date, NEON has also unveiled a new poster. Check it out above.