All the Differences Between the 3 Versions of ‘Pet Sematary’

The story of “Pet Sematary” changes with each retelling. So here’s a breakdown of the differences between the original novel, the 1989 film adaptation and the 2019 remake.

But watch out for spoilers for all versions from this point on…

One the Move

In both Stephen King’s book and the two movies, the story of “Pet Sematary” starts when the Creed family move to the spooky rural town of Ludlow, Maine. But, while in the book and the 1989 movie the family is moving from Chicago, the new 2019 film has them moving from Boston instead.

It’s a little change, but it impacts the distance the family has moved, and how out of their element they feel in their new home.

Family Time

One tidbit of information added by the 2019 movie is that it gives an explanation for the Creed family’s move: Louis says he took his new job at the university so that he can spend more time with his family rather than working long hours in the emergency room.

Zelda’s Death

In “Pet Sematary,” we get the character of Zelda, the dead sister of Rachel, the family’s mother. In the novel and the 1989 film, Zelda chokes to death when Rachel is at home alone with her as a child, due to complications of spinal meningitis.

In the new movie, Zelda dies in a particularly gruesome scene that involves falling down a dumb waiter. Either way, her sister’s demise sets off Rachel’s tremendous fear of death.

Norma Crandall

The character of Norma Crandall has never been fully translated to film. In Stephen King’s novel, the wife of Jud Crandall is a prominent figure in the story, and a lot of text is devoted to detailing her deteriorating health as a result of severe arthritis.

Norma is missing entirely from the 1989 movie, and in the 2019 version, she’s a spooky ghost. Because a story about bringing people back from the dead didn’t have enough afterlife shenanigans, apparently.