With the success of 2017’s It, it’s no surprise that studios are eager to revisit the work of celebrated horror novelist Stephen King, and now we have our first look at another reimagining of one of his stories via the trailer for next year’s Pet Sematary.
Directed by Dennis Widmyer and Kevin Kolsch (Starry Eyes) and based on King’s 1983 novel of the same name, Pet Sematary stars Jason Clarke, Amy Seimetz, and John Lithgow. Clarke and Seimetz play a couple that moves to a rural area of Maine, only to experience one tragedy after another in their new home. When they learn about a mysterious section of the forest near their home that is rumored to have the power to resurrect dead pets that have been buried there (and given the misspelled “Pet Sematary” name by locals), it sets in motion a terrifying chain of events that serve as a reminder that sometimes “dead is better.”
The novel was previously adapted for a 1989 film directed by Mary Lambert from a script penned by King himself (who also made a cameo in the film). The film famously — or perhaps infamously — featured an original song created for the film by the seminal punk band The Ramones. Although it received mixed reviews from critics, Pet Sematary was a box-office success. A 1992 sequel to that film was a flop both critically and commercially.
The 2019 adaptation of Pet Sematary is based on a script penned by Jeff Buhler, who also serves as the showrunner for Nightflyers, the upcoming television series based on George R.R. Martin’s sci-fi horror novel of the same name.
Pet Sematary is just one of several adaptations of King’s work currently in various stages of production at the moment or scheduled to premiere in the near future. Among the other projects are the upcoming films It: Chapter Two (an adaptation of the second half of It), Doctor Sleep (the sequel to The Shining), and The Long Walk. Two television series based on King’s work are also currently airing or available via streaming: Mr. Mercedes and Castle Rock.
Recent projects based on his stories include the aforementioned It, as well as the films 1922, Gerald’s Game, and The Dark Tower, and the TV series The Mist and 11.22.63.
Pet Sematary is scheduled to hit theaters April 5, 2019.
