When a mysterious force threatens their summer, Noah and his friends join forces with a retired detective to face a monstrous challenge and save their island.
Monster Summer (previously Boys of Summer) is an upcoming American adventure horror film directed by David Henrie, with a screenplay by Cornelius Uliano and Bryan Schulz. The film stars Mel Gibson, Mason Thames, and Lorraine Bracco.

Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down in-person with Mel Gibson and Mason Thames to talk about their work on ‘Monster Summer’, Thames’ first reaction to the screenplay, Noah’s friendship with Gene, Gibson’s approach to his character, and his experience working with the young cast and actor-turned-director David Henrie.

Monster Summer, which hits theaters on Friday, October 4, follows Noah (Mason Thames) and his friends as their summer on Martha’s Vineyard gets disrupted by a mysterious force. Together, they team up with the reclusive, retired police detective Gene (Gibson) for a spooky adventure in hopes of saving their island.

Although casting Gibson in the role of Gene initially put Henrie on edge, his nerves were quickly calmed by the Braveheart star, 68, who was the “exact opposite” of who he feared. In addition to becoming a welcome collaborator on set, Henrie said Gibson elevated the story by leaning into being the only adult actor in a film that centers around young teens.

“[It was] so freaking cool. The kids kind of woke up a young side of him,” Henrie gushed, noting that Gibson hasn’t done a children’s movie since 1995’s Pocahontas. “This is a newer thing for him, [and] he was having fun. He’s like, ‘This is different. I can have fun. I can be a kid again.’ And you sense that from him.”

Henrie noted that Gibson was the first actor who “immediately” came to mind for Gene, sharing that the character demanded a talent who could deliver.

“It needed a really good actor who could go from this pessimistic third act in his own life, lacking hope, meeting a boy, renewing hope and going on this huge arc,” he continued. “He has the biggest arc in the whole film. And I knew I needed a really good actor to be able to pull that off. And Mel [is] one of the best. I couldn’t think of anyone better, and he was great. He was such a partner.”

Henrie added that Gibson “really cared” about his performance, telling Us, “I really can’t wait for people to see how he did.”

Gibson isn’t the only recognizable face in the film. Patrick Renna, best known for 1993’s The Sandlot, plays an umpire who pops up during the kids’ baseball games. Henrie said it was important that Monster Summer, which is set in 1997, had a “recognizable face from that decade” that would be a sweet and subtle shout-out to the movie’s millennial and Gen X viewers.

“To me, getting Patrick Renna in this film was a huge win and a huge hug to anyone who came up in the ’90s,” he said. “I remember I was sitting in a rental car when all we had was a script and I was with my producing partners going, ‘Man, how do we cast this thing? I don’t know how we’re gonna make this movie, but let’s try.’ And I just remember saying to them, ‘I would love for Patrick Renna to be in this film somehow. We gotta figure that out.’ And lo and behold, we made it happen. And he really does add a feeling to this film that I think just helps give a nostalgic hug to everyone watching.”