'Pet Sematary' Prequel A Possibility, According To Producer Lorenzo Di Bonaventura

Pet Sematary isn't out in theaters yet, but people are already asking about sequels. While author Stephen King never wrote a follow-up to this terrifying book, there was a sequel film made to the original 1989 film adaptation – 1992's Pet Sematary Two. According to producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura, this new adaptation likely won't follow in its predecessors footsteps and make a sequel. But there is room for a potential Pet Sematary prequel.

The new adaptation of Pet Sematary is great, and likely on its way towards box office success. Could a sequel be far behind? Not exactly. Speaking with Consequence of Sound, Pet Sematary producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura said he has ideas for a follow-up film – if it's a prequel:

"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."

In King's novel, and the new film, the Creed family moves to the town of Ludlow Maine, and learn of a burial ground deep in the woods that has the power to raise the dead. King's book has a lot of backstory about the burial ground, most of it recounted by the Creed's new neighbor, Jud Crandall. Things don't play out exactly the same way in the new movie, though.

Throughout the bulk of King's book (and spoilers for the book but not the new movie follow), Jud claims that only animals were buried and brought back to life. Near the end, however, the old man breaks down and tells the story about a young man named Timmy Baterman, killed during action in World War II. When Baterman's body was shipped home, his father buried him in the cursed burial ground, at which point Timmy rose from the dead as a ghoulish zombie-like creature with an alarming amount of knowledge about the people of the town.

This story was filmed for the 1989 film adaptation, but is completely glossed over in the 2019 movie – the only mention of Timmy is a quick blink-and-you'll-miss-it newspaper headline. It stands to reason that if someone wanted to make a prequel to the 2019 Pet Sematary, they could go back and expand the Timmy Baterman story into a feature, complete with a younger version of Jud as one of the characters.

That's just speculation, though. A prequel could also create its own brand-new story, completely separate from anything King wrote. In any case, I'm perfectly fine with the new Pet Sematary standing on its own, without prequel or sequel following.

Pet Sematary opens April 5.