Paramount+ is making a prequel to Stephen King‘s Pet Sematary. The cast was announced today and includes Indigenous actors Forrest Goodluck and newcomer Isabella Star LaBlanc. Jack Mulhern and Natalie Alyn Lind were also added to the cast. The film also stars Jackson White as a younger Jud Crandall, the friendly neighbor who tells protagonist Louis Creed about the cemetery.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Paramount announced the project back in February, saying the prequel is an origin story. The idea of it being an origin story was scrapped. The story will be set prior to the events from the King novel though. For the avid King fan, we know the cemetery in question rests on an Indigenous burial ground. In the book and the two movie adaptations, a desperate father buries his child in the cemetery and chaos ensues. 

RELATED: Pet Sematary Spoiler Review

Goodluck made his acting debut playing Leonardo DiCaprio‘s son in The Revenant. He can be seen in the upcoming CW series, The Republic of Sarah. Goodluck is a member of the Dine, Mandan, Hidatsa and Tsimshian tribes.

LaBlanc is Sisseton Wahpeton Dakota and her acting background is mostly in theater. She appeared in Missy Whiteman’s Coyote Way: Going Back Home courtesy of the Sundance Native Film Lab. This will be her second film role. 

There are no confirmed details about the film. Lindsey Beer will direct from a script she wrote that is based on a draft by Jeff Buhler. Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian will produce.

Honestly, I’m not a fan of stories that create unrealistic representation of Indigenous people. But it’s just a movie right. However, I fully support the casting of Indigenous people when telling any story of an Indigenous nature, no matter how ridiculous.

The untitled Pet Sematary prequel will air exclusively on Paramount+

 

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