Stephen King is known as “The King of Horror,” and while this story does have some horrific elements, he also likes to dabble in the “what ifs” of the world. He has written several stories that involve a person (usually a child) who discovers they have a natural ability that sets them apart from the rest of the world. Many people focus on the horror aspect of The Shining, but oftentimes forget that the term “shining” is used in reference to Danny Torrence’s abilities. His 2019 book, The Institute, focuses on a group of children who have been kidnapped by a secret agency because of their supernatural abilities. The Green Mile (1999) was about a man who had the ability to remove illness and injury from others. King is no stranger to this sub-genre, whether it gives you nightmares or not.
On February 9, 2022, the official trailer for Firestarter was released, exciting horror fans worldwide. With a runtime of 110 minutes, this movie is a remake of the 1984 film of the same name, adapted from the 1980 Stephen King novel. Directed by Keith Thomas and produced by Jason Blum's Blumhouse Productions, the film will be distributed by Universal Pictures. The score is composed by none other than John Carpenter and his son, Cody Carpenter. According to Jason Blum, Stephen King has read the completed script by Scott Teems (Halloween Kills) and has given it his approval.
The original 1984 film featured 8-year-old Drew Barrymore as Charlie McGee, the daughter of Andrew McGee (David Keith). Before Charlie was born, her parents Andrew and Vicky (Heather Locklear) sign up for an experimental drug test, which results in them acquiring weak forms of telepathy and telekinesis. Years later, when their daughter, Charlie, begins to develop pyrokinesis, they are hunted down by a government agency known as “The Shop.”
Even though she is very young, her power is much stronger than that of either of her parents. While they fight for their lives to protect her, it turns out that she is much better at protecting them… once she learns to control her power, which is fueled by her emotions. Sounds like an easy enough task for a young girl to do, right?
This article will tell you everything we know so far about the upcoming remake of Firestarter.
Watch the Firestarter Trailer
When and Where Is Firestarter Coming Out?
According to the trailer, Firestarter will be released on May 13, 2022. The movie will have a theatrical release, but it will also be available to stream same-day on Peacock.
Who’s in the Cast of Firestarter?
The cast is small but not lacking in star power.
Charlie’s father, Andy McGee will be played by Zac Efron, who is commonly known for his younger role in the High School Musical movies, but has shown off his acting chops in more recent roles such as Ted Bundy in Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile (2019).
Charlie is portrayed by Ryan Kiera Armstrong. She may be young, but she is building an impressive portfolio with large roles in The Tomorrow War and American Horror Story. Sydney Lemmon (Velvet Buzzsaw) will be playing Vicky McGee, Charlie’s mother.
Other cast members include Gloria Reuben (Lincoln) as Cap Hollister and Kurtwood Smith (Amityville: The Awakening) as Dr. Joseph Wanless. Michael Greyeyes (Wildwood) will play John Rainbird alongside John Beasley, who has been cast as Irv Manders.
What Is Firestarter About?
As this is a remake of the 1984 movie, the storyline is going to be very similar... but with much better special effects.
When his daughter Charlie (Armstrong) starts to exhibit signs of developing pyrokinesis, Andy (Efron) has to do whatever it takes to protect her from a secret government agency known as “The Shop,” which is set on taking her captive. They want to study her because she was born with the capability to create and manipulate fire, compared to her parents, who developed their powers only after an experimental drug test. While both of her parents suffer from side effects when they use their powers, Charlie is unaffected, which is what makes her such an important target for The Shop, who created the drug that gave people superpowers in the first place.
While the story will likely remain mostly the same as the book and the original 1984 movie, there’s no doubt that director Keith Thomas will throw a few curveballs for audiences to keep things fresh and exciting.
Are There Any Major Changes From the Book or the 1984 Firestarter?
It’s hard to say without having seen the movie yet, but one takeaway from the trailer could imply a shift in the story.
In the book, Charlie’s parents both have superpowers of their own, with Andy’s being a “push” which is a form of mind-control. The mother’s power is a weak telekinesis, allowing her to move objects with her mind. Together, they share some telepathic powers and can read each other’s thoughts, however, both of them suffer from side effects of using their powers, such as severe migraines or bloody noses.
According to the book, the two of them participated in a study with “The Shop,” where they were given an experimental drug known as “Lot 6.” This is what gave them their powers and explains how they know they need to be on a constant lookout for “The Shop.” Since Charlie was born with supernatural abilities, she does not suffer from side effects when using her power.
There have been speculations about the changing of the storyline regarding the parents and their own powers because the trailer for the 2022 movie states that Charlie is the “first of her kind,” and has significantly downplayed the existence of abilities within her parents.
But if you look closely, during the scene in the trailer when John Rainbird (Greyeyes) has a knife to Charlie’s throat you might catch something. Andy warns Rainbird that things will get worse if he doesn’t release her immediately, and when he does, he is slammed backward into the wall. This isn’t a fiery blast that does this, but it looks like it could be Andy’s power or possibly Vicky's.
If anything, the line from the trailer about Charlie being the “first of her kind,” could simply mean that she was the first person who was born with inherent powers instead of as a result of Lot 6. Filming has wrapped at this point and the release date is inching closer, so we’ll just have to wait and see for ourselves on May 13!