Okay, so a remake of Idle Hands wasn’t something we had on our 2024 bingo card, but at this point, not much surprises us anymore. According to Variety, Finn Wolfhard and Billy Bryk have agreed to write a reboot of the ’90s horror-comedy classic that starred Devon Sawa and Jessica Alba. Jason Reitman is on board to produce the film, which will see the trio get the band back together following their collaboration on the two most recent Ghostbusters movies, and Reitman’s biographical comedy, Saturday Night.
Wolfhard and Bryk are also in talks to direct the Idle Hands reboot following the success of their hit Hell of a Summer, which debuted with high praise at TIFF in 2023, and was picked up by Neon for a wide release next year. The flick “follows counselors who are getting Camp Pineway ready the night before campers arrive when a masked killer begins slaughtering the staff.”
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The news of Idle Hands comes at a time when Wolfhard and Bryk are looking to change the landscape of teenage horror movies by offering a more realistic representation of today’s youth. At the premiere of Hell of a Summer last year, Wolfhard basically said that if you want something done right, you have to do it yourself, which led to the creation of his slasher, and now the ’90s remake.
Our number one conversation was how annoying it is to see new teen movies and how badly our age group is represented. And we’re like, ‘Why don’t we just do it?’
Devon Sawa Reacts to Idle Hands Reboot
Starring Sawa as Anton Tobias, Idle Hands focused on his teenage stoner characters’ hand being possessed and going on a murderous rampage, even after it’s cut from his body. Produced on a budget of $25 million, it only managed to gross a sad $4.2 million at the box office, but in the years since, it’s become a beloved cult classic despite its 16% Rotten Tomatoes score. Kind of a strange choice for a remake, but hey, we guess Wolfhard, Bryk, and Reitman know what they’re doing, right?
Sawa took to social media to respond to the news, posting on X: “I mean if anyone’s gonna do it, better be them two fine lads. Good luck fellas.” His words drew a variety of responses from his legions of fans, with many obviously calling for a cameo by him in the reboot. Some weren’t as kind, asking questions like “why remake perfection?” and others adding, “that’s way more diplomatic than I would’ve been.” Sure it is, buddy.
No matter how you feel about an Idle Hands reboot, it’s clear that Wolfhard, Bryk, and Reitman will do their best to honor its legacy while at the same time presenting something fresh for a 21st century audience. While we wouldn’t necessarily call the original “perfection,” it was fun for what it was, and we can totally see a new version offering up some humorous social commentary on what the world’s become since 1999.
- Release Date
- April 30, 1999
- Director
- Rodman Flender