Idle Hands Reboot Writers Finally Offer Update and Address Devon Sawa Return

Stranger Things star Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk spoke with ComicBook about their upcoming horror comedy Hell of a Summer, teasing their reimagining of 1999’s Idle Hand with Ghostbusters: Afterlife director Jason Reitman. While speaking with host Chris Killian, the pair shed some light on their plans with the remake and if they’ll have star Devin Sawa involved in some fashion. The remake was revealed back in November, with the pair reported to direct while Reitman takes the producing role. Sawa portrayed a high school stoner named Anton who has his hand possessed by a murderous force, killing his friends played by Seth Green and Elden Henson — they stick around as stoner zombies – and threatens his girlfriend played by Jessica Alba.

With Hell of a Summer set for a wide release in April from Neon after premiering at the Toronto International Film Festival in 2023, the co-directors and Fred Hechinger chatted with Killian, who couldn’t resist asking about the remake and the inclusion of the 1999 film’s star.

“TBD. TBD on both, I would say,” Finn Wolfhard said about the possibility of both directing and bringing back Sawa.

“We’re just super excited about the script, and the story, and the idea. I mean, Sawa is a legend,” Billy Bryk added. “That performance in that first movie is so incredible…that movie was really a major influence on [Hell of a Summer] in a lot of ways, so it feels like a cool, full circle moment that we’re kind of developing the reimagining of Idle Hands.”

[RELATED – Stranger Things’ Finn Wolfhard Rebooting Cult-Classic ’90s Horror Movie With Ghostbusters Director]

Devin Sawa spoke about his desire for a remake with ComicBook back in 2020, noting his excitement at the prospect of a remake.

“I know it’ll never happen, but to reboot Idle Hands and have a new, young Anton and see what somebody does with the hand stuff,” he said at the time. “There’s such young, fresh talent nowadays, I would love to see what a non-’90s version of Idle Hands looks like. I’m all for that stuff.”

Sawa also shared his hopes for a sequel to Idle Hands, noting just how fun the set was during production. If it were to happen, he said he’d return “in a heartbeat.”

“If there was one film that I want to do a sequel to that would be the one. Just because that set was, between Elden [Henson], and Seth Green, and Vivica Fox, [Jessica] Alba, Jack Noseworthy, and all those people, it was like summer camp and it was so much fun.

Idle Hands was one of those cozy, fun Comedy Central staples after it hit home video, likely helping to propel it to its cult status. It’s also a nice mix of some really horrific sights, like a decapitated friend, another friend with a bottle jammed in his head, and a hand that survives being trapped in the microwave. A remake or even a loose sequel should be perfect for young filmmakers like Wolfhard and Bryk. If Reitman has given them the nod, fans should be confident that the results will at least be entertaining.

Hell of a Summer will get a wide release in the summer of 2025, placing it against some hefty competition. Will you be seeing it? Let us know in the comments.