Pet Sematary: Bloodlines: Is it Based on a True Story?

Most Horror movies are more or less based on true-to-life events and urban legends, which makes them all the more creepier and spine-chilling than they already are.

Did you know that the franchise behind Pet Sematary: Bloodlines came from an actual cemetery the author Stephen King witnessed himself? Here’s all you need to know about its 'true story' origins.

RELATED: Pet Sematary or Cemetery: Why is the Movie Title Misspelled?

Where Did Stephen King Get His Inspiration for Pet Sematary?

Credit: Paramount

Pets and kids coming back from their graves to haunt the living is no new thing in Hollywood, but it does get concerning when the actual inspiration behind these stories happens in real life.

Take Stephen King’s Pet Sematary book, for example. Published in 1983, the idea was drawn behind an actual cemetery he found behind the house he was renting in Orrington.

The streets were usually filled with stray cats and dogs and roadkill was practically a regular morning due to the abundance of passing trucks. However, one day, his daughter’s cat was killed by the aforementioned trucks.

And so, this prompted the author of having to explain and have his daughter understand the meaning of death, all the while burying its body deep in the ground in a nearby pet cemetery.

At the time, the pet cemetery had a sign as though a child had posted it himself, with the misspelled 'Pet Sematary'.

The entire event — from mourning for his daughter’s cat to the idea of misspelling the cemetery — triggered him to write the novel.

But that’s just it. This was the idea behind the 1983 novel. So, what about the newest installment, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines? Is it based on King’s novels, too, or a different true-to-life story?

So, Where Did Pet Sematary: Bloodlines Come From?

As of writing, there are three Pet Sematary movies in existence: the first Pet Sematary film was released back in 1989. This was the original Kickstarter of the franchise. Who knew we’d get more?

While the first film was entirely based on the Stephen King novel, its sequel, Pet Sematary Two in 1992, was an original story for film by Richard Outten, which didn’t sit right with King. In fact, so much so that he had his name removed from the credits.

The 2019 Pet Sematary film wasn’t exactly a new movie. Instead, it was a remake version where instead of seeing the youngest child die in the film, it’s his older sister Ellie who takes the fall.

Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, much like the aforementioned sequel, is not based on a book. The prequel was penned as an original story for film by film director Lindsey Anderson Beer and screenwriter Jeff Buhler.

Essentially, while the latter films came at a much later time, they had the basic source material’s details and storylines down, but with a twist. Another one of those twists is retelling how Jud Crandall connects to Timmy Baterman’s story.

Even though this is yet another retelling of King’s novel, the King of Horror only had praises to offer in support of the upcoming prequel, as seen in his tweet below:

The official synopsis for Pet Sematary: Bloodlines reads:

“In 1969, a young Jud Crandall dreams of escaping his hometown, until he discovers the malevolent secrets of what is buried in a cemetery. He confronts a haunting family legacy that forever connects him to the place and unites with his childhood friends as they face an ancient evil that has plagued Ludlow from its inception.”