Two years after he started teasing the possibility of a St. Elmo’s Fire sequel, Rob Lowe confirmed that a reboot of the nostalgic 1980’s Brat Pack movie is officially in development.
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“Dont tease us! Just do it or don’t,” demanded Kelly Clarkson in a recent interview with Lowe, who plays saxophonist William “Billy” Hicks in the original film. “I’m trying, I’m trying to get it done!” the star insisted. “But I’m excited.”
The original St. Elmo’s Fire, directed by Joel Schumacher, followed a tight-knit group of recent Georgetown University graduates as they navigated the uncertainties of adulthood, careers, love, and friendship after college. The coming-of-age drama became one of the defining films of the Brat Pack era thanks to its ensemble cast, including Lowe, Demi Moore, Emilio Estevez, Andrew McCarthy, Judd Nelson, Ally Sheedy, Mare Winningham and Andie MacDowell.
As excitement builds over the potential St. Elmo’s Fire sequel, Lowe explained why he believes the story still resonates today, saying “I think the reason that St. Elmo’s continues to mean a lot to people is because it’s such a great snapshot of your 20s,” he told Clarkson.
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Although the film received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics when it premiered in 1985 (and still has an abysmal 44% critic Tomatometer score on Rotten Tomatoes), it was still a huge commercial success, grossing nearly $38 million worldwide and becoming a fan-favorite of 1980s cinema.
Its memorable cast, David Foster-produced soundtrack (including the chart-topping theme song “Man in Motion (St. Elmo’s Fire)”) and status as a Brat Pack classic have kept the film in the cultural conversation for more than four decades.
Interest in a St. Elmo’s Fire reunion film has only grown following the 2024 documentary Brats, with Lowe telling Entertainment Tonight in 2024 that the film was in the “very early stages” and he had “met with the studio” about it.
Does the St. Elmo’s Fire sequel have a script?
Lowe revealed that a script is still in the works for the film, telling Clarkson, “We’re writing the script for St. Elmo’s Fire.” He teased a little bit about what fans can expect from the now 40-years-older characters, adding, “I think a movie about people debating whether they should be called ‘Grandpa’ is probably a good a good idea.”
Who is returning for the St. Elmo’s Fire sequel?
While Lowe insists “everybody [from the original cast] wants to do [a sequel,]” it will ultimately depend on the screenplay and what the story ends up being. “You just got to get the script right,” he explained. “That’s what we’re working on.”
However, Schumacher, the director of the original film, died in 2020 at 80 years old, so there’s no word on who might step in to direct St. Elmo’s Fire 2.
This story was originally published by Parade on Jun 28, 2026, where it first appeared in the Movies section. Add Parade as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
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