After roughly two years of radio silence on the project, Rob Lowe is finally fanning the flames of nostalgia with a fresh update on the anticipated sequel to St. Elmo’s Fire.
“It is definitely in the works, for sure,” the former Parks and Recreation star revealed during a Sunday appearance on Watch What Happens Live. “All of us actors want to do it, and we’re supposed to get a draft of the script the first week of October.”
Directed by Joel Schumacher and released in 1985, the original St. Elmo’s Fire stands as a quintessential Brat Pack classic. The film follows seven recent Georgetown University graduates – played by Lowe, Demi Moore, Judd Nelson, Emilio Estevez, Ally Sheedy, Andrew McCarthy, and Mare Winningham – as they navigate the messy, anxiety-riddled transition from campus life into actual adulthood. Gathering at their favorite haunt, St. Elmo’s Bar, the gang wrestles with unrequited love, career disillusionment, addiction, and the terrifying realization that youth is rapidly fading in their rearview mirrors.
Lowe has been vocal about getting the old gang back together, dropping enticing breadcrumbs to inquiring outlets whenever given the chance. Back in 2024, Lowe told Entertainment Tonight that he had already “met with the studio” and had “been talking about doing it for about four months.” While the project was merely a spark in its early stages, this latest script update brings us one step closer to reuniting with the beloved 80s ensemble.
Previously, while speaking on Kelly Ripa’s Let’s Talk Off Camera podcast, Lowe reflected on why the original film remains such a touchstone for generations of viewers.
“I think the notion that the reason that movie still resonates with people are two things. One: It was a hit in its time because it spoke to where we all were in our lives. Will we ever have the kind of deep friendships coming out of college and coming out of our early twenties? Will that last in our lives?” Lowe explained. “And where are we headed now that we’re really adults? I think the theme of ‘St. Elmo’s Fire’ today is that it’s never too late for happiness. And that is, you know, because our kids are out of school, and maybe some of us have been divorced, all the things that you deal with when you get to our ages…This is an opportunity to explore those themes with characters that people know and love.”