Firestarter: everything we know about the new Stephen King adaptation

Firestarter star Zac Efron outside a burning building
Zac Efron stars as a father whose daughter has a very special gift... (Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Firestarter is a new sci-fi horror film based on the Stephen King novel, and is directed by The Vigil's Keith Thomas. The novel has been adapted once before in 1984, starring Drew Barrymore in the lead role, so this is a fresh look at the much-loved story.

Keith Thomas' Firestarter is a Blumhouse production, which has been behind other horror favorites such as InsidiousGet Out and Happy Death Day, so fans have come to expect some great spooky tales from Jason Blum.

With the latest Stephen King adaptation set for release this spring in cinemas and on streaming, here's everything you need to know...

Firestarter release date

Firestarter will be released on May 13 in cinemas worldwide and to stream via NBCUniversal's streaming service Peacock (in the US). It's not yet known if it will be available on any other on-demand services just yet but we'll keep you updated. Check out our new movies 2022 guide for more films coming out soon.

Firestarter plot

The official Firestarter plot is: "A couple desperately try to hide their daughter, Charlie, from a shadowy federal agency that wants to harness her unprecedented gift for turning fire into a weapon of mass destruction. 

"Her father taught her how to defuse her power, but as Charlie turns 11, the fire becomes harder and harder to control. When a mysterious operative finally finds the family, he tries to seize Charlie once and for all — but she has other plans."

Zac Efron and Ryan Kiera Armstrong in Firestarter

Andy is desperately trying to protect Charlie. (Image credit: Universal Pictures)

Firestarter cast

Zac Efron leads the cast of Firestarter, in a role that's very different to his High School Musical roots!

He plays Andy who is married to Vicky (The Walking Dead's Sydney Lemmon), and the two are parents to Charlie (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), but they're no ordinary family. In fact, they've been on the run for more than a decade, desperate to hide Charlie from those who want to exploit her powers.

Other cast includes Michael Greyeyes as mysterious operative John Rainbird, Tina Jung, Gloria Reuben, as Captain Hollister, Tina Jung as Ms. Gardner and Vas Saranga as Agent Jules.

Is there a trailer?

Yes, a trailer has been released for Firestarter. The description reads: "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."

You can watch the gripping new trailer below...

Lucy Buglass
Senior Staff Writer

Lucy joined the WhatToWatch.com team in 2021, where she writes series guides for must-watch programmes, reviews and the latest TV news. Originally from Northumberland, she graduated from Oxford Brookes University with a degree in Film Studies and moved to London to begin a career writing about entertainment.


She is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic and has a huge passion for cinema. She especially loves horror, thriller and anything crime-related. Her favourite TV programmes include Inside No 9, American Horror Story, Stranger Things and Black Mirror but she is also partial to a quiz show or a bit of Say Yes to the Dress