Zac Efron’s New Stephen King Film ‘Firestarter’ Will Premiere on Peacock

Zac Efron is setting Peacock ablaze with the trailer for his new Firestarter film, set to hit the platform this May. The Stephen King adaptation has announced a day-and-date premiere, meaning the film will debut simultaneously in theaters and on NBC’s streamer. Now, can someone grab a fire extinguisher?

Firestarter, based on King’s 1980 novel and the 1984 film of the same name, follows Charlie (Ryan Kiera Armstrong), a young girl who develops pyrokinetic superpowers. After she’s captured by a government agency that wants to use her powers as a weapon, her parents must try to protect her from harms way.

The trailer features Charlie taking down evil with her fire, with her parents shielding her from more harm. Efron stars as her father, who attempts to teach her how to control and suppress her powers from the public eye.

“She just has to shove it down and keep it hidden,” Efron says in the trailer. “Our responsibility is to protect her. If they catch her, they’re gonna put her in a cage. They’re gonna run tests on her for the rest of her life. We’ll never see her again.”

Alongside Efron and Armstrong, Sydney Lemmon will play Charlie’s mother. Further cast includes Michael Greyeyes, Gloria Reuben, Kurtwood Smith and John Beasley.

Keith Thomas will helm the film as director, working with a screenplay adapted by Scott Teems. Firestarter is produced by Universal Pictures, Blumhouse Productions and Weed Road Productions. The late Martha De Laurentiis, who was an associate producer on the original 1984 film, executive produces the remake alongside Jason Blum and Akiva Goldsman.

The original Firestarter film released in 1984, starring Drew Barymore, Martin Sheen, and George C. Scott. The flick is currently streaming on HBO and HBO Max.

Scroll up to watch the first trailer for Firestarter, which will debut in theaters and on Peacock on May 13.