Dead Is Still Better In This New 'Pet Sematary' Trailer

You know, sometimes dead really is better. And if you need more proof of that, check out this brand spanking new trailer for Pet Sematary, it’s a hell of a way to start your day. Just a heads up, it may be spoiler-y. Beware.

Again, this look at Pet Sematary is full of eerie atmosphere; kids in creepy masks performing creepy rituals, which makes everything creepier; dark, foggy woods you should probably avoid; and all kinds of spookiness. 

Granted, Pet Sematary is one of Stephen King’s most popular novels, and many people are familiar with the 1989 version, and while I haven’t seen this movie, this trailer gives away a lot. Damn, it even shows the updated version of that notorious Achilles tendon bit that still makes me queasy. (Not to mention what appears to be a major departure from the source material that would have been a cool reveal to experience in the theater.) Maybe it’s just me, but most of the story is here, and while the scares and mood may take center stage, not everyone knows the details already. 

Then again, what we see in this trailer is basically the entire plot of the first movie, and since King tends towards the verbose, there’s a ton in the book that never made it to screen. Maybe this will include additional details. And I’m here all day for John Lithgow as Jud Crandall, so there’s that. 

Here’s a synopsis:

Based on the seminal horror novel by Stephen King, (Stephen King) Pet Sematary follows Dr. Louis Creed (Jason Clarke), who, after relocating with his wife Rachel (Amy Seimetz) and their two young children from Boston to rural Maine, discovers a mysterious burial ground hidden deep in the woods near the family’s new home. When tragedy strikes, Louis turns to his unusual neighbor, Jud Crandall (John Lithgow), setting off a perilous chain reaction that unleashes an unfathomable evil with horrific consequences. 

Directed by Kevin Kolsh and Dennis Widmyer, the duo behind Starry Eyes, Pet Sematary 2k19 debuts at the SXSW film festival in Austin, Texas in March and then comes back for the rest of us on April 5.