PET SEMATARY: BLOODLINES (2023): Paramount Plus Horror Prequel Will Release a Few Weeks Before Halloween

Pet Sematary Prequel Set to Premiere in Time for Halloween

Horror movie fans are excited that the prequel to a horror movie favorite, Pet Sematary, will be premiering on Paramount Plus on October 6th.

There was a 1989 classic horror movie starring Fred Gwynne (most fondly remembered for his roles as Herman Munster and as the judge in My Cousin Vinny) which was based on a Stephen King book called Pet Sematary. It was a huge box-office hit when it was released. That 1989 film earned an astonishing $57 million and a “B” CinemaScore grade back then. It was remade in 2019 to less enthusiastic responses (including a “C+” CinemaScore) but nevertheless still made $54 million domestically. Now, Paramount Plus is releasing a prequel to the story that scared audiences across the country: Pet Sematary: Bloodlines.

Lindsey Beer has directed the project with a cast featuring E.T. The Extra Terrestrial‘s own Henry Thomas, David Duchovny, Pam Grier and Samantha Mathis who all will be a central part of the new picture. But, the latest Pet Sematary movie (the prequel) will focus mostly on Fred Gwynne’s character from the 1989 movie, Jud Crandall (played by John Lithgow in the remake). Jackson White will be portraying the eventual “pet sematary” owner, Jud who suffers an unfortunate series of events before all hell breaks loose in true Stephen King tradition.

In 1992, a more upbeat sequel to the 1989 movie was made called Pet Sematary 2. That movie starred Edward Furlong of Terminator 2: Judgement Day but it bombed at the box-office with a mere $17 million take. It received a “B” CinemaScore grade but was poorly timed as a late summer entry that fizzled right out of the gate.

The reason the word “cemetery” is misspelled in the titles of these movies is because the accidental spelling was created by children who had buried their pets and didn’t know how to spell the word correctly. The 1989 movie and its remake both featured child killers which disturbed and intrigued horror fans. The plots of the pictures revolved around these kids’ accidental deaths which led to them being buried in the cemetery which was supposed to bring dead pets back to life, not dead people.

We shall see if audiences want to know more about a young Jud Crandall when the new movie streams. It centers on how Jud wanted to leave his hometown of Ludlow, Maine before he discovered the terrifying secret which ended up keeping him in the town. It is set in the late 1960’s.

Last summer, Paramount Plus made a “killing” with their sequel to Orphan, Orphan: First Kill. The success of Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is almost certain given the previous films’ successes (save for the 1992 sequel). With a cast that includes the likes of Thomas and Duchovny, expect the upcoming horror movie to be the streaming film of choice come this Halloween.

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