Pet Sematary producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura says the possibility exists for the horror movie remake to get a prequel. First published in 1983, Pet Sematary stands as one of the most intensely terrifying books ever written by horror master Stephen King. The book was first adapted into a successful film in 1989, with a less well-received sequel following in 1992.

Now, amid the recent explosion of interest in King material following the success of IT, Paramount has revisited Pet Sematary for a remake. Jason Clarke stars this time as Louis Creed, a big city doctor who transplants his family to rural Maine, a decision that comes back to haunt him and his brood in the most horrifying ways imaginable. Having already debuted at SXSW to strong reviews, Pet Sematary is getting set to scare general audiences, as horror movies continue to dominate at the box office.

Given the popularity of the horror genre, not to mention the on-going fascination with King, it wouldn’t be a surprise to see Pet Sematary light up the box office as well. With this in mind, the remake’s producer di Bonaventura addressed the possibility of a sequel coming somewhere down the line. Speaking to Consequence of Sound, di Bonaventura said a follow-up could indeed happen if the film hits big at the box office, but indicated that any such movie would need to be a prequel. He said:

Indeed, the events of the story seem to close the door on any kind of sequel, but there’s a huge backstory behind the titular pet graveyard and its supernatural powers that could lend itself to a prequel treatment. Di Bonaventura seems uninterested in trying to carry the story forward, as in the ill-fated 1992 film Pet Sematary Two, which tried to refresh things with new characters but failed to recapture the terrifying magic of the original.

“I think if there’s anything here, there’s a prequel. I think if you look at the book, we didn’t cover all that stuff that happens before the Creed family moves in. So, I think there’s a movie there, and I think I’d be particularly interested in doing that, because, again, it’s the source material and you are going toward something that also has a lot of crazy, creepy feelings about it.”

Of course, if Pet Sematary does well, there will be every reason in the world for Paramount to move forward with a follow-up in the hopes of capitalizing on the film’s success. Horror sequels do have a very spotty track record however, and that goes double for sequels to movies based on King books. Despite the lack of good King sequels, some of the movies based on his books spawn whole franchises that go on for years, as was the case with Children of the Corn. Ultimately, what producers really care about is being able to tap into that King brand, a brand which is seemingly stronger today than it’s ever been.

More: 10 CHANGES WE ARE ANTICIPATING IN THE NEW PET SEMATARY

Source: Consequence of Sound

  • Pet Sematary Release Date: 2019-04-05