Last December, we heard that Keith Thomas had signed on to direct Blumhouse's new adaptation of the 1980 Stephen King novel FIRESTARTER. While this project has been in the works for a few years, with Akiva Goldsman and then Fatih Akin having been attached to direct before Thomas, it looks like FIRESTARTER is finally going to happen with Thomas at the helm.
Speaking with Zavvi, Thomas said that the script is in place and they're hoping to start filming later this year:
When Jason (Blum) pitched it to me it was exciting, as that’s one of my favourite Stephen King novels, and whilst I really like the 1980’s film, I felt we could do something new. The screenplay is by Scott Teems who wrote the upcoming HALLOWEEN KILLS, it’s an amazing script. It has everything you would want, people’s heads catching fire and their faces melting off, and a dad and daughter on the run trying to survive being chased in this heightened tense experience. We are hoping to film it this year, and it will be a lot of fun."
Thomas also confirmed that Stephen King is involved with the project "to a certain extent"; he has read the script, and was even consulted when it came to choosing the director.
He watched THE VIGIL, approved me as director and he read the script from the early stages, and he’s very happy with it. He’s excited for it, he’s there the whole way."
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.
Copies of King's novel can be purchased at THIS LINK. The novel was previously turned into a film directed by Mark L. Lester and starring David Keith, Drew Barrymore, Martin Sheen, George C. Scott, Louise Fletcher, Heather Locklear, and Art Carney in 1984. Copies of Lester's FIRESTARTER can be purchased HERE.
Thomas made his feature directorial debut with THE VIGIL, which was released in the UK and Ireland last Friday. I haven't seen that movie yet, but I like that Thomas is already promoting the fact that FIRESTARTER will have "people’s heads catching fire and their faces melting off".