Paramount sets 'Pet Sematary' release date for April 19, 2019
Paramount's remake of 1989's Pet Sematary will hit theaters on April 19, 2019 - the original slot once held by Universal's Fast and Furious 9.
Paramount's decision to slot Pet Sematary for April is not entirely surprising, since it currently runs unopposed and represents a month that has fared well for previous genre releases carrying a premium brand with 2010's Nightmare on Elm Street ($32 mil) and 2013's Evil Dead ($25 mil).
Pet Sematary will be helmed by Starry Eyes directors, Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer, and written by Jeff Butler (Midnight Meat Train) and David Kajganich (2019's Suspiria!). All three are now tasked with bringing Stephen King's 1983 nightmare to life - a nightmare which centers on a family that exchanges city living for the serene country landscapes, but soon discover they have moved near a pet cemetery that rests on an ancient burial ground.
Paramount adapted King's book in 1989 with an underwhelming feature version that starred Dale Midkiff, Denise Crosby and the late great Fred Gwynne. We'll just skip any talk of that sequel featuring Top Gun's "Goose" and T2's "John Conner" but in all honesty, it was enough for Paramount to scrap any ounce of legacy left thanks to Fred Gwynne (and "Gage") with talk of a remake dating back to 2010.
Consider me mildly interested in this project knowing the creative team behind Starry Eyes and Suspiria's David Kajganich are bringing this to life.