Wet Hot American Summer is an American satirical comedy media franchise created by David Wain and Michael Showalter with stories centered on Camp Firewood, a summer camp located near Waterville, Maine. Since the release of the 2001 film, the franchise has expanded to include a documentary film, two television series, two books, a tabletop role-playing game and a soundtrack. The originating film was Wet Hot American Summer (2001), which was for 14 years the only produced media in the franchise. There were speculations and reports on a possible sequel for years, including a 2003 pilot, written for Fox, which was eventually not picked up. In 2015, Netflix, released the first of two web miniseries, Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp, followed by Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later two years later. Hurricane of Fun: The Making of Wet Hot, a documentary film, with footage taken during the 2001 film's production, was also released in 2015 and in 2016, the original film's soundtrack was released for the first time. In 2017, a tabletop role-playing game was released after a successful Kickstarter campaign. A book version of the screenplay of the original film and a graphic novel were released in 2018. The film was released on both VHS and DVD formats in 2002 and re-released on Blu-ray in 2015 which included additional features. Wain, Showalter and other members of the cast have kept public interest in the franchise with events including a 10th anniversary event and a live radio play at SF Sketchfest which both featured appearances of original cast members. The SF Sketchfest event produced a complete play of the film with replacements for missing original cast members by other accomplished actors and comedians. Both event recordings were released in 2015 as part of the film's Blu-ray edition.
Cinematic work
Films
Wet Hot American Summer (2001)
In 1981, Camp Firewood, a summer camp located near Waterville, Maine, is preparing for its last day of camp which culminates in a talent show. Meanwhile, the counselors have one last chance to have a romantic encounter with another person at Camp Firewood before the day ends. Directed by David Wain and written by Wain and Michael Showalter, the film is based on the experiences Wain had while attending Camp Modin, a Jewish camp, located in Belgrade, Maine, and Showalter had at Camp Mohawk in the Berkshires in Cheshire, Massachusetts. According to Wain, they wanted to make a film structured like the films Nashville, Dazed and Confused and Do the Right Thing—"films that take place in one contained time period that have lots of different characters". The film had its premier at the 2001 Sundance Film Festival. The film's financing took three years to assemble; in a June 2011 interview, Wain revealed the film's budget was $1.8 million and noted that during the 2001 Sundance Film Festival, the film had been promoted as costing $5 million in an attempt to attract a better offer from a distributor. Because of the film's relatively small budget, the cast was paid very little; Paul Rudd has stated that he is uncertain that he received any compensation at all for the film. The film was eventually picked up by USA Films for a very low price and released on July 27, 2001, in only two theaters, both in New York City, later releasing it to 20 more theaters.
Hurricane of Fun: The Making of Wet Hot (2015) Alongside the prequel Netflix web miniseries, a making-of documentary film, Hurricane of Fun: The Making of Wet Hot, was released on digital platforms on August 6, 2015. Directed by Amy Rice, who served as the set photographer of the original Wet Hot American Summer, the documentary features behind-the-scenes interviews and footage shot during the filming of the film.
Netflix miniseries
Wet Hot American Summer: First Day of Camp (2015)
In 1981, weeks prior to the events of the film, Camp Firewood, is starting its first day of summer camp. The web miniseries has four main plot threads: The head counselors discover Xenstar is dumping toxic waste on the camp grounds and expose a conspiracy which includes the U.S. government and President Ronald Reagan; sex and romance; Camp Tigerclaw's rivalry with Camp Firewood; and Electro City musical production starring the camp's counselors. After years of speculations and reports on a possible sequel to Wet Hot American Summer, shooting began on the miniseries in January 2015, with it being released on Netflix on July 31, 2015. The eight-episode Netflix miniseries, created by Wain and Showalter, is a prequel to the 2001 film. The entire adult cast of the film returned in the same roles, in addition to cameos and guest roles from other recognizable actors.
Wet Hot American Summer: Ten Years Later (2017)
On August 18, 1981, the junior counselors of Camp Firewood made a vow to meet again in 10 years to see what kind of people they would turn into. In 1991, the ten-year reunion has arrived. The counselors, now in their mid-20s have grown up and with their lives taking different paths, with some having found love, and some having found professional success. Seeking vengeance, former U.S. President Ronald Reagan is trying to destroy the camp with the help of current U.S. President George H. W. Bush and former Camp Tigerclaw counselors. The eight-episode Netflix miniseries, created by Wain and Showalter, was released on Netflix on August 4, 2017. and is a sequel to both the 2001 film Wet Hot American Summer, and the 2015 prequel miniseries. Almost the entire adult cast from the film and 2015 miniseries returned in the same roles, in addition to a group of new characters from other recognizable actors. Bradley Cooper was unavailable to reprise his role, as he was directing and starring in A Star Is Born, but he appears in still images and his character is played by Adam Scott. Actors Judah Friedlander and Kevin Sussman (Ron and Steve, respectively) did not return as well.
Recurring cast and characters
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