Zac Efron is set to join the remake of Stephen King’s Firestarter… after Drew Barrymore cemented her fame in the original horror film
Zac Efron has been cast in the upcoming remake of Firestarter from Universal Pictures and the horror experts at Blumhouse.
Drew Barrymore, 45, led the 1984 original shortly after she shot to fame from appearing in Steven Spielberg’s E.T.
The film will follow a young girl who discovers she has pyrokinetic powers, or the ability to start fires, as well as the ability to see into the future.
New role: Zac Efron, 32, has been cast in an undisclosed role in the upcoming remake of Stephen King’s Firestarter, which was adapted in 1984 with Drew Barrymore starring; shown in May 2019
After she’s kidnapped by a shady government organization seeking to weaponize her powers, her father, who developed telekinetic abilities as the result of a government experiment, tries to rescue her.
Efron’s role in the film hasn’t been announced, but he may be playing the young girl’s father, or taking a darker turn to play one of the men hunting them down.
The 32-year-old High School Musical star recently moved toward darker fare when he played the serial killer Ted Bundy in the 2019 Netflix film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile.
The science fiction–horror film will be directed by Keith Thomas, who previously helmed the critically acclaimed demonic possession movie The Vigil.
Scott Teems, who scripted the upcoming Halloween Kills, will be writing the screenplay and executive producing.
Transition: The High School Musical star moved toward darker fare when he played the serial killer Ted Bundy in the 2019 Netflix film Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile
Rehas: The original earned $17 million against a $12 million budget, but was panned by critics for being too similar to King’s Carrie
Bad guys: Martin Sheen starred as a government agent trying to track Barrymore’s pyrokinetic character down, while George C. Scott played an assassin
In addition to starring Barrymore, the 1984 original featured David Keith as her father, a young Heather Locklear as her mother.
Martin Sheen played a government official in charge of a secretive agency, while George C. Scott appeared as the assassin John Rainbird who was sent by him to kidnap the girl and her father.
The original film earned $17 million against a $12 million budget, but it was lambasted by critics, who complained that it was too much like another Stephen King adaptation, Carrie, and that Barrymore’s character was underwritten.
Globe trotter: Efron is currently leading the Netflix documentary series Down To Earth, in which he travels across the globe to visit exotic locales; sown in March 2019
In addition to Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil And Vile, Efron also appeared in the stoner comedy The Beach Bum last year.
He’s currently leading the Netflix documentary series Down To Earth, in which he travels across the globe to visit exotic locales.
Prior to that, he had supporting roles in two awards contenders, 2017’s The Greatest Showman and The Disaster Artist.
Recently, the actor has been living in Byron Bay, Australia, after sparking up a relationship with the waitress Vanessa Valladares.
However, he’ll have to return to the US in the near future to film the upcoming Three Men And A Baby remake for Disney+.
New love: Recently, the actor has been living in Byron Bay, Australia, after sparking up a relationship with the waitress Vanessa Valladares