Dead is definitely better in the newest look at the film, which features plenty of those creepy kids in animal masks we saw in the previous teaser. However, this is also shows how this remake will deviate from the original book and film. While the family cat, Church, is still the first to be brought back by the “sour ground” of the unholy cemetery deep in the woods, it’s the older daughter Ellie who will be killed by the semi-truck, rather than her younger brother Gage. Ellie’s resurrection leads to what is the creepiest moment we’ve seen from the movie so far.
“Hug your daughter.”
Nope. Nooooooooope.
While some purists will be aghast to see Ellie killed and put into the evil burial ground rather than Gage, this seems like a fantastic way to maintain the core of Stephen King’s horrifying story while still keeping it fresh. The novel is over 35 years old at this point and the original movie only five years younger, so a straight adaptation wouldn’t catch many by surprise. Knowing this one change was made also means we aren’t sure who else will survive, and we’re already more excited to see it.
Because no matter which family member goes into the ground, we still know the one thing that matters: sometimes dead is better.
Pet Sematary creeps into theaters on April 5.
Featured Image: Paramount Pictures
