SOUTHPORT — Though Southport’s Mel Gibson Day takes place closer to the holidays, a locally shot film that secured him the honor in 2021 will finally see a release date ahead of Halloween.
READ MORE: Mel Gibson shooting fantasy thriller in town this winter, alongside ‘The Black Phone’ actor
Come Oct. 4, “Monster Summer” will open nationwide. A new trailer for the movie gives off “Stranger Things” vibes, as a supernatural unknown hunts — and haunts — teenagers on Martha’s Vineyard.
“Something’s happened to Ben that I can’t explain,” Mason Thames as Noah says in the trailer. “It’s like he’s a zombie from ‘Night of the Living Dead.’”
To save the island, retired detective Gene (Mel Gibson) embarks on a journey to help the kids and the township. It leads to a few spooky scares, but mostly madcap adventures and obstacles to overcome, plus the discovery of a witch who has retired to their island.
In addition to Thames — who filmed “Black Phone” in Wilmington in 2020 — the cast includes Abby James Witherspoon (“Secret Headquarters”), Noah Cottrell (“The Spiderwick Chronicles”), and Julian Lerner (“The Wonder Years”). It also includes local actress Lilah Pate, whose father Jonas is the co-creator of “Outer Banks” and is currently filming “The Runarounds,” with his daughter also securing a starring role.
Seasoned actors appear in the movie including Lorraine Bracco (“Sopranos,” “Goodfellas”) and Kevin James (“The King of Queens”). “Monster Summer” also stars Patrick Renna, who got his fame from “The Sandlot”; he makes a cameo as an umpire for the kids’ local baseball team.
But it was Gibson who turned most heads while in town filming three years ago. The controversial actor was spotted frequently out and about in Southport, dining at Castucci’s Italian Restaurant and Mr. P’s, and working out at Cape Fear Fitness.
Then-Mayor Pat Hatem made a proclamation on set with Gibson on Dec. 16, 2021, declaring it Mel Gibson Day. He gave the actor keys to the city.
“Mr. Gibson, just to be in the same room with you is an extraordinary honor for me,” Hatem said in a video. “I’m very happy Hollywood has returned to North Carolina. We thank you for being an important part of that successful return. We have not seen this much excitement in Southport since the filming of ‘Safe Haven.’”
The quaint coastal town of Southport is showcased in the trailer, released last month. It features patriotic-decorated historic homes, the Oak Island lighthouse and area baseball fields. The fantasy-adventure thriller shot under the pseudonym “Boys of Summer.” From actor-turned-director David Henrie (“How I Met Your Mother”), “Monster Summer” was written by Bryan Schulz and Cornelius Uliano, who co-wrote “The Peanuts Movie.”
Hernie — who performed as Justin in “Wizards from Waverly Place” — told one blogger last month that “Monster Summer” brings pure nostalgia.
“I’m a millennial as well, and I wanted to recreate films that I grew up watching with my family, like ‘The Sandlot,’ like ‘The Goonies’, like ‘E.T’. I wanted to recreate that fun, worry-free family experience I had as a kid that I feel like is lacking right now,” he said.
He added the “monster” represents fears hidden deep in the psyche and what it takes to find power within to overcome them.
The film is produced by Novo Media Group, Nickel City, Pastime Productions, and Reserve Ent.
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