Pet Sematary: Bloodlines
Movie, 2023, Pet Sematary, Set in Ludlow, 1969
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is #34 of 42 in release order and #38 of 42 in chronological order in the Stephen King Universe.
The story
In 1969, young Jud Crandall has dreams of leaving his hometown behind, but soon discovers sinister secrets buried within and is forced to confront a dark family history that forever binds him to Ludlow.
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines recap
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines (2023) is a prequel set in Ludlow, Maine, in 1969, showing how a young Jud Crandall first learned the secret of the burial ground. Lindsey Anderson Beer directs in her debut, for Paramount+. Jud (Jackson White) is about to leave for the Peace Corps with his girlfriend Norma (Natalie Alyn Lind) when the Baterman family dog attacks them and bites Norma. Bill Baterman (David Duchovny) has buried his son Timmy (Jack Mulhern), who died in Vietnam, in the cursed ground, and Timmy has come back as a killer. Jud's childhood friends Manny Rivers (Forrest Goodluck) and his sister Donna (Isabella Star LaBlanc) are pulled in, and Jud learns his father Dan (Henry Thomas) is part of a group of townspeople who have kept the secret for generations. The story goes back to the colonial settler Ludlow, who was buried there and returned as a monster. Timmy begins killing the town's leaders and raising others.
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines ending explained
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines ends with Timmy destroyed and Jud staying in Ludlow to guard the secret. Timmy kills Officer Washburn (Pam Grier), the mayor, the sheriff and his own father, and the undead Donna kills Dan before Manny shoots her. Timmy tries to drown Jud in the swamp, but Manny fires a flare into his head, killing him for good. Norma escapes her grave. Jud and Norma stay with Jud's mother to keep up Dan's work, and Manny leaves town.
Where to watch Pet Sematary: Bloodlines
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is streaming on Paramount+ in the US. You can rent or buy it on Amazon, Apple TV, and Google Play.
Ratings
IMDb 4.6/10, Rotten Tomatoes 23%
Where it fits
- Release order: after The Stand, before Salem's Lot.
- Chronological order: after Doctor Sleep, before Pet Sematary.
What to watch before Pet Sematary: Bloodlines
In release order, the essentials before Pet Sematary: Bloodlines (2023) are Pet Sematary (1989) and Pet Sematary (2019).
Cast
- Jackson White as Jud
- Forrest Goodluck as Manny
- Jack Mulhern as Timmy Baterman
- Henry Thomas as Dan Crandall
- Natalie Alyn Lind as Norma
- Isabella Star LaBlanc as Donna
- Pam Grier as Majorie Washburn
- David Duchovny as Bill Baterman
- Samantha Mathis as Kathy Crandall
- Christian Jadah as Sheriff Anderson
- Steve Love as Johnson
- Karl Graboshas as Commander Williams
Directed by Lindsey Anderson Beer.