Rob Lowe Confirmed St. Elmo's Fire Sequel Is Underway
The actor announced that plans for a follow-up to the 1985 classic have progressed to the script development stage.
Updated on Sept. 29, 2026 in Science Fiction
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Rob Lowe confirmed that a sequel to the 1985 film St. Elmo's Fire is officially in development. The original cast plans to return for the project, which is being spearheaded by Sony.
Why it matters
The sequel represents a major creative reunion for the original ensemble cast, building on the legacy of the cult classic film. After years of speculation and previous attempts at adaptations, the project has finally reached an active planning phase.
The sequel project has been in active discussions for four months and follows an initial announcement made in 2024. This effort comes after a failed 2019 attempt by NBC to adapt the 1985 film into a television series.
The players
Rob Lowe
He is a veteran actor who starred in the original 1985 film and serves as a primary source for the sequel development news.
Sony
This major entertainment studio is the entity responsible for producing the upcoming sequel project.
NBC
This media network is a national broadcasting company that previously attempted to develop a television series based on the original film in 2019.
The details
Cast members have met with Sony executives to discuss the film, and the studio is now actively recruiting a writer to produce a script. The team expects the first draft to be ready for review by the actors during the first week of October 2026.
Timeline
The original St. Elmo's Fire film was released in 1985.
NBC attempted to develop a series adaptation in 2019.
The sequel project was first announced in 2024.
Studio discussions have been held over the past four months.
The cast expects to receive a script draft in early October 2026.
Industry Dynamics
The 2019 NBC series adaptation development represents a past attempt to revisit the intellectual property that failed to reach production. This new sequel project marks a departure from that model by focusing on a feature film reunion with the original cast under a new studio agreement.
Fans of the 1985 classic can anticipate a shift in how the story is continued, moving from a dormant IP to an active production pipeline. As the script development progresses, the primary impact for audiences is the confirmation that original actors will return for the project.
The takeaway
The move to develop a feature film sequel indicates a trend of studios leveraging existing nostalgia to secure established fan bases. Viewers should expect more information regarding the project's creative direction once the first script draft is finalized later this fall.
What happens next
The original cast members are scheduled to receive a draft script for the upcoming film during the first week of October 2026.
Further reading
For more background on legacy film projects, explore the Science Fiction section.
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