From Hawkins to Punk Rock: Finn Wolfhard’s Unexpected Journey into The Replacements’ Legacy
Sometimes the most intriguing stories in Hollywood emerge from the most unexpected places. Take, for instance, the recent news that Finn Wolfhard — yes, that curly-haired kid who’s been fighting interdimensional monsters for what feels like forever — is tackling something possibly even more chaotic than the Upside Down: the legendary tale of The Replacements.
The 22-year-old “Stranger Things” star isn’t going it alone, though. In what might be the most refreshing father-son collaboration since the Coppolas (okay, maybe that’s a stretch), Wolfhard is teaming up with his dad, Eric, to bring Bob Mehr’s “Trouble Boys: The True Story of the Replacements” to the screen.
Let’s pause for a moment to appreciate the beautiful irony here. A Gen-Z actor-musician, born decades after The Replacements’ heyday, is now shepherding their story to film. But maybe that’s exactly what this project needs — someone who can look at the band’s notorious legacy with fresh eyes while maintaining the raw energy that made them legendary.
The Replacements weren’t just another punk band from Minneapolis. They were beautiful chaos incarnate, the kind of group that could deliver heart-wrenching songwriting one minute and completely demolish their stage presence the next. Their infamous 1986 “Saturday Night Live” performance — which got them permanently banned from the show — stands as a testament to their gloriously unhinged approach to fame. (Wonder if Lorne Michaels has softened his stance after all these years?)
Wolfhard, fresh off co-directing the Neon horror flick “Hell of a Summer” and currently promoting his debut album “Happy Birthday,” seems to get it. “I’ve been writing a lot of music and writing this movie with my dad, which has been really amazing,” he told Variety, adding with surprising insight, “It’s about a band that I think weirdly I have a lot in common with, a lot of the members.”
The timing feels particularly poignant. As Wolfhard prepares to bid farewell to “Stranger Things” (with its final season rolling out in an unconventional schedule starting November 26th), he’s simultaneously embracing a project that could define his post-Hawkins career. Rich Peete’s involvement through Neighborhood Watch — hot off their collaboration on A24’s “The Legend of Ochi” — adds another layer of indie credibility to the mix.
But perhaps the most compelling aspect of this whole endeavor is the father-son dynamic at its core. While many young stars might shy away from family collaborations (especially during those critical career-transition years), Wolfhard seems to be leaning into it. There’s something oddly fitting about exploring The Replacements’ complicated history — complete with its own thorny family dynamics — through this particular creative partnership.
As Hollywood continues its seemingly endless mining of 80s nostalgia, this project promises something different. It’s not just another retro cash grab or by-the-numbers music biopic. With Wolfhard’s youthful energy and his father’s perspective, “Trouble Boys” could capture something rare: the authentic spirit of a band that helped shape alternative rock while steadfastly refusing to play by anyone’s rules but their own.
Now that’s a story worth telling — even if it takes an unlikely storyteller to bring it to life.