After just a single trailer and a few stills, pretty much all promotion/marketing for Universal's re-adaptation of Stephen King's Firestarter ceased, which always suggested that the studio was well aware that it had a dud on its hands.
The Keith Thomas-directed reboot hit theatres and the Peacock steaming service simultaneously over the weekend, only managing to take in $5.8 million worldwide ($3.8M domestic and $2M overseas). The critical reaction probably didn't help matters. While the movie does have a handful of defenders, it currently sits at an abysmal 13% on Rotten Tomatoes.
This is a shame, but again, not entirely unexpected. King adaptations tend to be very hit or miss, and for every Doctor Sleep or Gerald's Game there's a Dark Tower or a Carrie (2013). We're hoping the upcoming Salem's Lot movie doesn't disappoint.
King's novel tells the story of a man with psychic abilities who goes on the run with his daughter when a government agency known as The Shop targets them in order to harness their abilities. They soon find themselves being hunted by a lethal assassin named John Rainbird, and must go to extreme lengths to evade capture.
American Horror Story actress Ryan Keira Armstrong plays Charlie, the young girl at the center of the story who "develops pyrokinetic abilities and is abducted by a secret government agency that wants to harness her powerful gift as a weapon." Zac Efron (Baywatch, The Greatest Showman) stars as male lead Andy McGee, while Michael Greyeyes (Fear The Walking Dead, Wild Indian) plays the villainous John Rainbird.
Did you guys check out Firestarter yet? Do you intend to? Drop us a comment down below.