Ryan Kiera Armstrong Lands Lead as Charlie in Blumhouse’s Firestarter

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Ryan Kiera Armstrong Lands Lead as Charlie in Blumhouse’s Firestarter

Ryan Kiera Armstrong (The Tomorrow War, American Horror Story, Anne with an E) will play the lead role of Charlie in Blumhouse and Universal Pictures’ upcoming Firestarter adaptation of Stephen King’s classic horror sci-fi novel, according to Deadline. Drew Barrymore played the role in the 1984 movie adaptation, starring alongside David Keith. A first look photo featuring Armstrong in the film was also released.

Armstrong will join the previously announced Zac Efron (The Greatest Showman) and Michael Greyeyes (Fear the Walking Dead) in the project.

It was announced last week that production on the feature had begun. 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.

Check out the first look photo from Blumhouse below:

The new adaptation will see Efron portraying the role of Andy McGee, a character previously portrayed by Golden Globe nominee David Keith. Meanwhile, Greyeyes has been cast to play John Rainbird, described as a relentless and powerful man who has been pushed into a violent life. The character was previously portrayed by George C. Scott in the first adaptation of the novel.

Firestarter will be directed by up-and-coming filmmaker Keith Thomas (The Vigil) from a screenplay written by Scott Teems (Halloween Kills). It hails from Universal Pictures, Blumhouse, and Weed Road Productions, with Jason Blum and Akiva Goldsman set as producers. It will be executive produced by the original film’s associate producer Martha De Laurentiis.