Finn Wolfhard is bringing the Replacements’ story to the screen

by

I used to spend nearly thirty years teaching and writing about movies, but my enthusiasm faded during the COVID pandemic. It’s not important why, but essentially, American movies weren’t being made as well as they used to, and it became harder to see interesting foreign films in theaters.

Honestly, I don’t get super hyped about movies very often anymore. But this week, I was genuinely thrilled to hear Finn Wolfhard is going to be in a movie based on Bob Mehr’s amazing biography of The Replacements! I haven’t been this excited about a film project in years.

In 2016, Alex Mehr released *Trouble Boys*, a biography that quickly became known as one of the best ever written about a band. The book had everything needed for a captivating story: The Replacements – affectionately called “Mats” by their fans – perfectly embodied the spirit of the 1980s post-hardcore punk scene.

These figures were larger than life, incredibly talented, and known for their dramatic personalities, struggles, and misfortunes. Author Mehr cultivated strong connections with key people involved, allowing them to gather a wealth of firsthand information.

Finn Wolfhard is the ideal filmmaker to tackle the messy story of the Replacements

Finn Wolfhard, the 22-year-old actor famous for playing Mike Wheeler on Stranger Things, is co-writing a screenplay with his father, Eric Wolfhard. They’re working with producer Rich Peete, who was also involved in the acclaimed 2013 crime film Blue Ruin.

It’s unclear if Wolfhard will direct or star in the new film, but he could potentially do either. He previously directed the 2023 slasher-comedy *Hell of a Summer* with Billy Bryk, which, while receiving mixed reviews, showed a lot of creativity and was enjoyable to watch.

The Mats were a band known for their energetic performances and a bit of wildness. Unfortunately, that wildness often involved heavy drinking and stemmed from deep-seated insecurities, leading to self-destructive behavior. They’re perhaps best remembered for their 1986 performance on *Saturday Night Live*, which went so off the rails – thanks to the band’s intoxication and frontman Paul Westerberg’s swearing – that producer Lorne Michaels permanently banned them from the show.

But really, that was just another Saturday for the Mats.

The Wolfhards have plenty of source material to work with when writing their screenplay. The Mats’ full story is too extensive for a typical two-hour movie, so they might focus on their famous Saturday Night Live appearance, or one of the many other challenges the band faced.

Instead of telling the band’s whole story, concentrating on a specific event will simplify things during filming. A key question is how they’ll depict bassist Tommy Stinson in the movie.

Tommy, best known later as the bassist for Guns N’ Roses for a decade, started making music with his stepbrother Bob Stinson and drummer Chris Mars when he was just twelve years old. Eventually, Paul Westerberg joined the group, and Tommy grew into the band’s second most famous member.

Showing a character grow from childhood to adulthood on screen usually means needing two different actors, and that can be difficult.

Honestly, finding someone to play Westerberg shouldn’t be a huge deal. But I’m pretty sure Finn Wolfhard is the perfect fit – I’d be shocked if he *didn’t* get the role. He just seems made for it! He’s got that charming, slightly awkward look, but you can tell he’s really smart, and plus, he’s a musician too, which is awesome.

Paul Westerberg’s debut album, *Happy Birthday*, came out earlier in the year. While it has a slightly different, more upbeat sound than his later work, it still hints at the songwriting style he’d become known for with his band.

The Wolfhards will also face a common challenge when adapting the story for film: how to portray the Mats. They weren’t nice children, and while a movie could try to make them seem like charming rebels – similar to the Beatles in their early films – that would miss the point. The title ‘Trouble Boys’ fits them well. They were often needlessly mean and acted immaturely, and they actively sought to hurt the people who cared about them.

Bob Stinson’s life was a heartbreaking story. He endured terrible abuse as a child, which sadly led to struggles with violence, addiction, and ultimately, his premature death. While he achieved musical success and showed moments of strength, his life was largely marked by hardship.

As a big fan, I’m a little worried about how they’re going to handle portraying the Replacements. Finn Wolfhard seems to really admire Westerberg and Stinson, who are still around and well-known, so it’s tricky. I haven’t heard anything about whether any of the original band members who are still with us, or their families, will be involved in the show, and that makes me a bit nervous. It feels important that they have some say!

There’s no release date for the movie yet, so we’ll have to wait for updates on the script, actors, and filming. However, music lovers will be excited to hear that *Trouble Boys* is being made into a film, and it seems to be in good hands with a team that’s passionate about the story.

Read More

2025-10-07 19:00