Everything Firestarter 1984 Did Better Than The 2022 Remake

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Although both movie adaptations of Firestarter were panned by critics, the 1984 original is much more successful than the 2022 remake when it comes to numerous pivotal scenes. Firestarter 2022 was a major financial disappointment, netting only $10.7 million at the box office. The remake of 1984’s Stephen King adaptation also flopped with critics, many of whom dubbed the project “disjointed” and “uninspired."

However, 1984’s original Firestarter was not too well-received upon its initial release either, with reviewers complaining that the movie was bland and failed to capture the strengths of King’s novel. Initially set to be directed by John Carpenter, 1984’s original Firestarter instead ended up in the hands of journeyman Mark L. Lester. Despite this, the original movie is a far stronger adaptation.

Related: Stephen King’s Firestarter Remake Missed Its Best Casting Trick

There are a lot of details that 1984’s Firestarter gets right and the 2022 remake fumbles. While some are minor, like slipping in an early showcase of Charlie’s abilities, others have a massive knock-on effect when it comes to the tone of the finished movie. From humanizing its villains to starting the story in the right place, Firestarter 1984 is a more confident, inventive, and interesting adaptation of King’s novel than the pedestrian 2022 remake, despite both movies being panned by critics upon release.

In the original novel, the story of Firestarter is too simple for any adaptation to get away with telling the tale in a straightforward fashion. Much like Pet Sematary’s 2019 remake changed which child was killed to keep the story fresh for fans familiar with the original movie, Firestarter 2022 needed to change up the order of events so viewers