John Lithgow joins the 2019 Pet Sematary remake as Jud Crandall, played by Fred Gwynne in the original. Lithgow, who will be 74 upon the film’s release, has been nominated for two acting Oscars, back to back; in 1983 for The World According To Garp, where he plays transexual Roberta Muldoon, and in 1984 for Terms Of Endearment. For the past 20+ years, Lithgow may be best remembered as Dr. Dick Solomon from the TV sitcom Third Rock From The Sun, and for playing Winston Churchill in the hit Netflix series The Crown.
Stephen King’s novel Pet Sematary was originally a theatrical film in 1989, which took in $57 million at the U.S. box office, and that featured zero A or B-list talent, save Fred Gwynne. In today’s money, that would be equivalent to almost $150 million.
The original film even spawned a sequel, Pet Sematary 2, in 1992. That film, however, tanked, earning just $17 million.
Thirty years later, on April 19, 2019, an all new Pet Sematary arrives in theaters.
Louis Creed, his wife Rachel and their two children Gage and Ellie move to a rural home where they are welcomed and enlightened about the eerie ‘Pet Sematary’ located near their home. After the tragedy of their cat being killed by a truck, they resort to burying it in the mysterious pet sematary which is definitely not as it seems as it proves to the Creeds that a pet isn’t just for life.
Jason Clarke steps into the shoes of Louis Creed, played by the unknown Dale Midkiff in the 1989 version.
Do stay tuned for more casting updates from Pet Sematary (2019).
