A PET SEMATARY Prequel Film Is a Possibility According to Producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura

While we wait to see if the upcoming adaptation of Stephen King’s Pet Sematary lives up to the hype we’ve been hearing, producer Lorenzo di Bonaventura is already thinking about making another film. If we do get another Pet Sematary movie, it sounds like we should expect a prequel film.

While talking to Consequence of Sound, the producer shared his idea for another Pet Sematary film saying:

“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.”

If you haven’t read King’s book, it is filled with a lot of interesting backstory about the burial ground that brings the dead back to life in an evil way. A lot of that story is revealed by the character Jud Crandall. Apparently, this back story isn’t really explored in the movie, which is a shame, but at the same time, it does leave the door open for a prequel film to tell the story, so that would be cool!

In the book and in the 1989 film, Jud tells the story of a young man named Timmy Bateman. He was killed in World War II, and when his body was sent home his dad, who was overcome with grief, buried Timmy in the cursed burial ground. Timmy rises from the dead and when he does he is filled with all kinds information regarding the people in the town.

I could totally see a movie that focuses completely on Timmy’s story. It’s pretty damn disturbing, and if you’re interested, here’s a retelling of his full story:

Bill waited until the funeral of his son, then after the funeral he went back, dug up his son's corpse, and dragged it in a white bag up to the Pet Sematary. He was the first human that Jud Crandall knew of who decided to bury another human in the cemetery. But maybe not the only one.

Bill buried Timmy's corpse in the cemetery and then he went home and waited. Soon after, one night, he got a visit from Timmy. He was now undead, and had walked through the dark woods to his house. Bill, believing that his son was now back alive again and perfectly normal, embraced his son delightfully and welcomed him back.

But what Bill didn't know, was that the burial ground was infected and possessed by the dark magic of the Wendigo and that through nefarious dark magic Timmy was resurrected Wendigo, absorbed all its knowledge and changed to evil. Timmy seemed to become one with the Wendigo's powers, so it could act like Timmy on the surface and be creepily friendly with the townspeople, but at home he was a monster. Timmy was soon seen walking the streets of Ludlow, and scared people to death, as they knew that Timmy had died, having all gone to his funeral. So, Timmy was seen shambling along the streets, dishevelled and disorientated, although this was soon seen as a front because when spoken to Timmy was seen to be very conscious and aware of how to scare people. He asked a neighbor if she was free that night - presumably to rape her.

Timmy was now becoming an urban legend of Ludlow, and soon five men, Jud amongst them, went to Bill's house to talk to him. They noticed Bill had lost loads of weight and he was getting ill. He was also scared by the Wendigo, but he never talked to any of the men, other than to tell Timmy to be quiet. Timmy told George that his grandchildren were waiting for him to die so he could give them his non-existent heritage, he told Alan his wife was cheating on him, and enjoying it, and he told Jud and Hannibal something dark about their lives too that they were unaware of. Timmy seemed to be more than human and Jud finally realized that it was a demon inside of Timmy.

Timmy bid them all goodbye and chased them out of the place, laughing manically, but then Bill had finally had enough, and that night Bill soaked the house with oil, lit a match, and shot himself and his undead son in the head. When they were recovered, the doctor thought Timmy had been dead for months because of his decomposition.

Of course, if the studio wanted to they could make a prequel that goes back even further to when the Indians first cursed the land. I’m sure there are several stories in between that can be told based solely on the mythology that King created.

What kind of story would you be interested in seeing told in a Pet Sematary prequel film?