As production continues on the Firestarter remake, Deadline brings word that Helstrom star Sydney Lemmon has been cast to join Zac Efron in Blumhouse’s newest film adaptation of Stephen King’s classic horror thriller novel of the same name. Lemmon is set for the role of Charlie’s mother and Andy’s wife, who was previously portrayed Heather Locklear in the original 1984 film. Her casting also comes after a month since American Horror Story alum Ryan Kiera was tapped for the leading role of Charlie, a character famously portrayed by Drew Barrymore.
This project marks Lemmon’s first major feature project after only appearing in a small role on Netflix’s 2019 thriller Velvet Buzzsaw. She is also guest-starred in Fear the Walking Dead and was most recently seen in Hulu’s now-cancelled Marvel series Helstrom.
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Firestarter centers on an organization called the Department of Scientific Intelligence, aka “The Shop.” Two participants in their mysterious research program end up getting married and having a child. Their offspring, Charlie McGee, inherited pyrokinetic powers from her parents, who were given a low-grade hallucinogen called “Lot Six” during their college years. Now the government is trying to apprehend the young Charlie in order to harness her powerful and unique skills as a weapon.
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The remake will be led by Ryan Kiera as Charlie, Zac Efron as Andy McGee, and Michael Greyeyes as John Rainbird, described as a relentless and powerful man who has been pushed into a violent life.
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The Firestarter remake is being directed by up-and-coming filmmaker Keith Thomas (The Vigil) from a screenplay written by Scott Teems. It is a production by Universal Pictures, Blumhouse, and Weed Road Production. Producers are Jason Blum and Akiva Goldsman, with original film’s associate producer Martha De Laurentiis set as the executive producer.
Drew Barrymore previously played Charlie in Mark L. Lester’s 1984 adaptation that also starred David Keith as Charlie’s father Andy. Written by Stanley Mann, the movie earned $17.1 million at the box office from a $12 million budget.
