Zac Efron’s daughter is a ticking time bomb in the trailer for Firestarter
The upcoming Blumhouse production is based on the 1980 Stephen King novel of the same name
Aux News Zac Efron
In his first fatherly role, Zac Efron plays a dad to a young girl with explosive emotions. Firestarter follows the child whose fiery feelings of anger and pain have combustible consequences. Sydney Lemmon (Helmstrom), Gloria Reuben (Mr. Robot), Ryan Kiera Armstrong (American Horror Story), and Michael Greyeyes (Home Before Dark) are all set to star alongside Efron in the forthcoming film.
In Firestarter, based off of the 1980 Stephen King novel of the same name, a young girl named Charlie (Armstrong) possesses pyrokinetic abilities which ignite during moments of heightened emotions. Once her secret abilities become exposed at the age of 11, she and her father must go on the run from a secret government agency that wants to harness her powerful gift as a weapon. Efron plays Andy McGee, who sets out to protect Charlie while teaching her how to control her powers, he may or may not possess some abilities of his own.
Director Keith Thomas (The Vigil) helms Firestarter, with horror movie and music icon John Carpenter on as the composer of the film’s score. Carpenter will be joined by his frequent collaborators Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies. Scott Teems has penned the script for the updated adaptation. Teems previously worked with John Carpenter as a writer on the recent Halloween Kills and is also set to write the new The Exorcist feature.
The first film adaptation of King’s novel came in 1984, with a very young Drew Barrymore playing the fiery child in the film in one of her first roles. Directed by Mark L. Lester, the film also starred David Keith, Freddie Jones, and Heather Locklear. Martha De Laurentiis, who served as an associate producer for the original film is taking on the role of executive producer for the new feature.
Following the lead of so many other streaming services, Firestarter will debut simultaneously in theaters and on Peacock on May 13, 2022.
33 Comments
Are they going to supply alcohol to Armstrong while filming as they apparently did to Barrymore?
Hard seltzer, lower carbs.
“Charlie Armstrong! Fuck yo’ couch!“
One of my favorite King books, one of my least favorite King movies. I hope they get it right this time.
I liked the book; don’t think I’ve seen the movie.
I liked the book; don’t think I’ve seen the movie. Don’t bother. A series of misfires all around – Barrymore was just Gertie from ET but more annoying, George C. Scott somehow wasn’t convincing as a full-blooded American Indian assassin, David Keith had nearly nothing to do but have nosebleeds… Art Carney was pretty wonderful in a bit part though!It’s an oddly tame movie that somehow makes it hard to sympathize with any of the characters… which include the man and his 8 year old kid running from an evil government agency….
It also completely whiffs King’s ending by having Charlie go to the NY TIMES to tell her story and expose The Shop — something which King makes very clear won’t do any good because the Mainstream Media is about controlling dissent rather than embracing it.
Maybe he was just as naive as FIRESTARTER’s screenwriter by having Charlie go to ROLLING STONE instead, but it fits his overarching theme that thanks to The Cold War, we gave the Government too much power and too little oversight.
Don’t listen to Coati. I was OBSESSED with this movie as a kid. I owned it on VHS and must have watched it 100 times. The sound effects & mysterious government experiments captivated my imagination. I’m actually kind of furious they’re remaking it at all, let alone with pretty boy Efron as the dad (create some original content, Hollywood!). I was fascinated by George C Scott’s character and honestly never knew he was supposed to be Native American. Well worth watching for Drew Barrymore.
Firestarter – Official Trailer 2:12 the little girl from The Walking Dead Goldie Hawn from that movie about immortality with Meryl Streep and Bruce Willis shot in the back with a shotgun Heather Graham the younger sister in Night of the Comet Billie Eilish from the music video for Bad Guy skating aimlessly in the street outside a mock Tudor house in Beverly Hills that was built for a silent movie star in the 1920s (I can find the house for you if you like) “Billie Eilish like Kei$ha looks like she could use a bloody wash maybe a shotgun blast to the back of her head” rude also none of your business she’ll be living in Beverly Hills you’ll all be dead good to hear you live Ms. Graham hope you enjoy the housealso the aimlessly seems unnecessary and dismissive Billie Eilish has the right to be sad if she feels like it
I am very disappointed in AVClub not making the Futurama revival a news article IMMEDIATELY.
They think Futurama is an old boomer show
I am shocked. Shocked!Well, not that shocked.
Efron plays Andy McGee, who sets out to protect Charlie while teaching her how to control her powers, he may or may not possess some abilities of his own.Spoiler alert! He doesn’t have any abilities whatsoever. Neither does the kid’s mom, who may or may not be dead. (wink)
Those Blums are at it again! Will they never learn?!
I’ve most of Kings books but never this one. The trailer looks good.
It’s one of his most addictive page-turners for sure
The thing that really struck me about the book is that you’d swear one of the villains is a huge attack on incels, except of course the book was written decades before they became an acknowledged thing. I imagine he’ll slip pretty well into the new version.
Was that the guy who Charlie’s father Andy “Pushes”, and it brings up some subconscious feelings that result in him dressing up in women lingerie, then sticking his hand in the garbage disposal? Because even at the time that seemed a bit… “Transphobic” wasn’t a word popularly used in 1980, but the connection between a guy admitting he was a crossdresser, and then killing himself horribly, felt like it went too far.
Guys who hate women because they can’t get one are a very old trope in literature. Judge Frollo in Victor Hugo’s “Notre Dame de Paris” for example.
Story as old as time, genuinely.
Huh, they’re casting an actual indigenous person to play an indigenous character — won’t be the same as when George C. Scott played him in the 80s.
It’s a step in the right direction, especially given George C. Scott’s portrayal, while not as embarrassing as Johnny Depp’s in The Lone Ranger , had no reason to be in that movie. Nothing about Scott in the role suggested he was either Indigenous or a Sociopathic Killer with Ice in His Veins.
Mickey Rooney: Still dead.
I guess Michael Greyeyes (an actual Indigenous person) is playing the role that George C Scott played in the original.
I’m going to wager there are dozens of un-adapted King stories, but they decided to remake this one. (shakes head)
Digging that 80s-style Carpenter score.
If someone’s going to do it, it may as well be him. I hope he will fade in a little Tangerine Dream in honor of TD’s late founder, who did the original soundtrack.
Zac Efron’s DAUGHTER?Ouch. That’s an “I am an old” moment right there.
Not that interested, I might p-arson this this film.
Zac Efron is a hard-drinkin’ (occupation). His daughter is cute,
precocious and has (a superpower). Together they stay one step ahead of the
(adjective) secret government agency in their souped-up (vehicle). The
government wants to use her (superpower) to turn (adjective) soldiers into exceptionally
(adjective) soldiers!
Did I see a Native American in that trailer? Does that mean we won’t have a white actor playing this role, like George C. Scott playing the world’s most convincing Native American in the original?
The first film adaptation of King’s novel came in 1984, with a very young Drew Barrymore … the film also starred David Keith, Freddie Jones, and Heather Locklear. Odd to leave out Martin Sheen and especially George C. Scott, who was the big bad in the movie, and did a kick ass job, especially as his character was supposedly Native American.