Daniel Knox
Get ready for an exciting new film, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, coming soon to Paramount+! Even Stephen King himself is raving about it, and the best part is, it’s not based on one of his own novels.
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Summary
- Stephen King approves of the story in upcoming prequel movie Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, despite it not being adapted from something he wrote.
- He praises David Duchovny’s performance in the film.
- King believes that the key to a successful adaptation is caring about the characters, which he hints this new movie does.
Author Stephen King gives his seal of approval for Pet Sematary: Bloodlines. This horror film serves as a prequel to the 2019 movie Pet Sematary, but it takes a different approach by crafting an original storyline not based on one of King’s novels. Instead, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines delves into the dark family history of young Jud Crandall, forever tying him to his hometown of Ludlow, Maine. Starring David Duchovny, Jackson White, Samantha Mathis, Henry Thomas, and Pam Grier, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is set to be released on Paramount+ on October 6.
King recently took to Twitter to express his approval of the story in Pet Sematary: Bloodlines. He revealed that the plot of the prequel originates from a story Jud tells Louis Creed in the original novel, “to try and dissuade him from using the Pet Sematary.”
The author also commended the handling of the script for the prequel, emphasizing the importance of caring about the characters in a successful adaptation.
King’s Reaction To Pet Sematary: Bloodlines Is Surprising But Hopeful
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is taking a huge risk when it comes to altering the world of King’s novel. As a horror author, King is a force to be reckoned with, so going off the carefully-crafted stories he’s laid out is a daring choice. The last time someone tried to do this with Pet Sematary, for 1992’s Pet Sematary Two, the film was hated by audiences and critics alike.
King is also historically judgmental of the way in which his books are adapted. For example, the author has long expressed vitriolic opinions towards Stanley Kubrick’s classic adaptation of The Shining, which strayed significantly from the novel. Thus, it is somewhat surprising to hear King praise Pet Sematary: Bloodlines’ screenplay, given that it warps his content into a prequel that he never wrote and even, per his own admission, takes some liberties.
Perhaps Pet Sematary: Bloodlines’ strong basis in character, as King suggests, is what sets this apart from other adaptations. Bloodlines’ story roots itself in the childhood of Jud Crandall, a central character in the original novel. If King thinks Pet Sematary: Bloodlines has a faithful enough adherence to these characters to get such praise, the film must be doing something right.
Source: Stephen King/Twitter
