For Stephen King fans, the name Firestarter is charged. King was already famous in 1980, due to the success of novels like The Shining and The Dead Zone, then he introduced fans to another classic, Firestarter. To give you an idea of how well the novel was received, by 1981 the book had been nominated for the British Fantasy Award, the Locus Poll Award, and the Balrog Award. By 1984, Firestarter had been turned into a film... one that Stephen King himself considers one of the worst adaptations from his books.
Now the novel is getting a second chance on the big screen, as a Firestarter remake is in the works!
Stephen King adaptations are all the rage right now - IT, Gerald's Game, and The Dark Tower are hitting screens soon, and on TV the recent and upcoming slate includes 11.22.63, The Mist, Mr. Mercedes, and Castle Rock.
Now we know that Oscar-award-winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman and Jason Blum of Blumhouse Productions are teaming together on a Firestarter remake, with Universal, which released the original version, also involved.
The icing on the cake for King fans is that the announcement was made at the Overlook Film Festival in Oregon. The festival is named in honor of the Overlook Hotel in The Shining, and the fest was actually held at Timberline Lodge, which served as the exterior of the hotel in the film adaptation of The Shining! There was no more fitting venue for this announcement.
The original film is a fascinating one, and it dabbles with tropes that will be familiar to any superhero fan. It focuses on the McGee family, a married couple and their daughter, and their dark secret. In their college years, Andy and Victoria McGee participated in a government experiment that gave them weak super-powers. The genetic changes were passed down to their daughter, Charlie, who became a powerful pyrokinetic. To give you an idea of her power levels, at one point in the novel Charlie believes she'll be able to change the sun in some unspecified way!
The novel opens with the McGees on the run from the secret government agency, The Shop, responsible for these experiments. It charts the story of their desperate escape, gradually revealing their backstory, and upping the ante time and again as the Shop finally close in on their prey...
Let's face it, if any time is right for a Firestarter relaunch, it's now. The novel has a heady blend of classic Stephen King horror and suspense. Add superhuman powers to the mix, along with Blum's patented touch, and you've got a sure-fire success.
Right now, we know little more about this new adaptation of Firestarter. Stephen King fans will be burning with curiosity as we await more information; get the right team behind it, and this time round Firestarter could well become a classic!
Source: Deadline
About the Creator
Tom Bacon
A prolific writer and film fan, Tom has a deep love of the superhero genre.
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