40 years later, a St. Elmo’s Fireplace sequel may be very almost within the works.
Few issues higher embody Eighties Hollywood than the long-lasting Brat Pack.
The latest Hulu Brat Pack documentary, Brats, has had many waxing nostalgic of that indelible period. That features the movie the place the actors (partly) earned their collective label: St. Elmo’s Fireplace.
Now, one of many planet’s largest media corporations is trying into what a St. Elmo’s Fireplace sequel will appear to be.
‘St. Elmo’s Fireplace’ helped outline a era of younger actors
Literal St. Elmo’s Fireplace refers to an atmospheric phenomenon involving plasma. Also called witchfire, which is frankly a a lot cooler identify, the exceptional visible impact served as each a warning and a optimistic omen to sailors.
The 1985 movie of the identical identify follows a gaggle of latest Georgetown graduates navigating early maturity. Sexuality, relationships, duty, and extra interweave amongst a buddy group within the coming-of-age traditional.
Ostensibly, St. Elmo’s Fireplace takes its identify from a bar that options within the movie, St. Elmo’s. Nonetheless, the approaching adjustments as this group of mates expertise sudden adjustments have symbolic hyperlinks to a visual flash of plasma throughout a thunderstorm that always heralds a lightning strike. It additionally resonated with numerous younger grownup viewers.
In accordance with a June 2024 report by Deadline, Sony is exploring a possible St. Elmo’s Fireplace sequel.
Nonetheless, there could be one essential component to make a sequel value it after a four-decade wait: reuniting the unique forged.
That will imply Andrew McCarthy, Emilio Estevez, Rob Lowe, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, and Mare Winningham would all have to signal on.
Does ‘St. Elmo’s Fireplace’ want a sequel?
Only a few movies “need” a sequel. However, to be blunt, traditionally few movies have had sufficient dwelling forged members to create a sequel 40 years later with out recasts.
Sequels can take many varieties. Some meet up with the unique characters. Others focus upon a brand new era. Most of the unique characters — individuals who had been of their twenties in 1895 — might simply now be grandparents.
That has numerous potential enchantment, particularly for individuals who loved the shock summer season hit in 1985 and associated to the characters. That mentioned, typically contemplating the load of how a lot time has handed can hit folks like a really miserable wrecking ball.
Nonetheless, as many — together with Deadline — have identified, the sequel potential right here is intriguing.
And it’s definitely way more attention-grabbing than a remake. Remakes have their place — there are numerous traditional movies that underwent vicious censorship or just lacked the funds or results to reside as much as their potential. However … not every thing wants a remake, simply as not every thing wants a sequel.
If a St. Elmo’s Fireplace sequel is absolutely going to occur, they’ll want everybody on board. A movie couldn’t get away with many absences with out folks questioning why they bothered.
Why the sudden curiosity in ’80s films?
One might write essays on the (maybe misplaced) fixation upon the Eighties. Every era appears to fixate upon eras of the previous — or, at the least, upon their aesthetic and media from that point. Maybe it’s a part of human nature.
Nonetheless, there’s little doubt that Andrew McCarthy’s Brats documentary on Hulu, which got here out this previous spring, has revived numerous curiosity.
Nonetheless, whether or not the forged and potential viewers have curiosity or not, we shouldn’t get too excited. That is an unstable time for the leisure trade. Loads of thrilling tasks by no means see the sunshine of day.
