Movieweb is reporting that Blumhouse’s Firestarter remake of the classic Stephen King story is poised to begin filming this year, according to screenwriter Scott Teems (The Quarry).
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During an interview, Teems was asked about the status of the upcoming adaptation of King’s 1980 novel: “I’m still the writer. We just got a new director named Keith Thomas and he made a great film called The Vigil coming up this year, and Universal and Blumhouse, they want to make Firestarter. It has always been an important project to them. I think we’re making active steps toward that happening this year. You know, the industry shut down notwithstanding, and that may change things, but right now, I’m really hopeful that it might happen this year.”
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.
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. A TV miniseries titled Firestarter: Rekindled followed in 2002 starring Marguerite Moreau, Malcolm McDowell, and Dennis Hopper.
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No casting news or possible release date has yet been announced for Blumhouse and Universal’s new Firestarter movie.
