Keith Thomas

A specialist in supernatural and religious-tinged horror, writer-director Keith Thomas made his feature debut with the disturbing horror film, The Vigil (2021), which blended psychological terror with Jewish mystical traditions. Thomas drew upon his fascination with 1930s horror films such as The Dybbuk (1937) as well as training in religious education that he had at Hebrew Union College (where he gained a Master’s degree) for his screenplay of The Vigil.

For his second feature and his first with a major studio–Universal, historically a supportive home for horror projects—Thomas directed the remake of Stephen King’s Firestarter (2022). It marks Thomas’ re-teaming with the distributor of The Vigil, the red-hot horror movie factory Blumhouse Productions (as well as producer Akiva Goldsman). Thomas’ cast includes Zac Efron, Gloria Reuben, Kurtwood Smith, and Ryan Kiera Armstrong as The Firestarter herself, and young Charlie McGee (played in the 1984 original feature by Drew Barrymore).  

In 2017, Thomas made his first film, a short titled Arkane. His novel, The Clarity, about a psychologist protecting a young girl who can recall past lives, was published in 2018. His second novel, a science fiction chronicle titled Dahlia Black, was published in 2019.  He has collaborated with James Patterson on a screenplay and a novel titled Achilles, published in 2017. His fiction has appeared in the publications McSweeney’s and Geek’s.