Universal Pictures and Blumhouse Productions teamed up to bring a new adaptation of Stephen King’s Firestarter to theatres and the Peacock streaming service on May 13th. Next up is a digital release that’s scheduled for June 12th, with a DVD and Blu-ray release to follow on June 28th – and when Firestarter reaches those formats, fans will also have the chance to watch an alternate ending!
Collider reports that
Bonus features include an alternate ending exclusive to the new Digital, Blu-ray, and DVD release. Deleted and extended scenes, as well as a gag reel will also be included. “Kinetic Energy”, a feature in which film stars Zac Efron and Ryan Kiera Armstrong discuss how they worked with the film’s director to bring the story to life, will be part of the package as well as “Spark of Fire”, a feature that explores how the film was adapted from the 1980 novel. “Igniting Firestarter” – a behind-the-scenes look at all the fire-based stunts, “Power Struggle” – a behind-the-scenes exploration of the stunts performed in the film, and a feature commentary from the film’s director, Keith Thomas, will also be part of the included bonus features.
Directed by Keith Thomas (The Vigil) from a screenplay by Halloween Kills co-writer Scott Teems, the film is based on the 1980 Stephen King novel Firestarter (buy a copy HERE). It has the following synopsis:
In a new adaptation of Stephen King’s classic thriller from the producers of The Invisible Man, a girl with extraordinary pyrokinetic powers fights to protect her family and herself from sinister forces that seek to capture and control her.
For more than a decade, parents Andy and Vicky have been on the run, desperate to hide their daughter Charlie from a shadowy federal agency that wants to harness her unprecedented gift for creating fire into a weapon of mass destruction. Andy has taught Charlie how to defuse her power, which is triggered by anger or pain. But as Charlie turns 11, the fire becomes harder and harder to control. After an incident reveals the family’s location, a mysterious operative is deployed to hunt down the family and seize Charlie once and for all. Charlie has other plans.
Ryan Kiera Armstrong (American Horror Story) stars as “firestarter” Charlie McGee. She is joined in the cast by Zac Efron (Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile) as Charlie’s father Andy, Sydney Lemmon (Fear the Walking Dead) as Charlie’s mother and Andy’s wife Vicky, Michael Greyeyes (Blood Quantum) as the assassin Rainbird, and Gloria Reuben (ER) in an unspecified lead role. Kurtwood Smith (RoboCop) and John Beasley (The Purge: Anarchy) are in the film as well.
A collaboration between Blumhouse, Weed Road Productions, and Universal Pictures, this Firestarter was produced by Blumhouse founder Jason Blum and Akiva Goldsman. The late Martha De Laurentiis served as executive producer alongside Teems, Ryan Turek, Gregory Lessans, J.D. Lifshitz, and Raphael Margules. At one time, Goldsman had been attached to direct the film, and at another point Fatih Akin was going to direct it.
John Carpenter very nearly directed an adaptation of Firestarter back in the 1980s. Released in ’84, that movie ended up being directed by Mark L. Lester and starred Drew Barrymore, David Keith, Heather Locklear, Martin Sheen, George C. Scott, Louise Fletcher, and Art Carney. You can buy it HERE. Since Carpenter missed out on that Firestarter, the makers of this one brought him in to compose the score with Cody Carpenter and Daniel Davies.
What did you think of the new Firestarter? Will you be adding the film to your collection? Let us know by leaving a comment below.