What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedPet Sematary: Bloodlines
Lindsey Anderson Beer · Film · 2023
If you loved Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, start with Pet Sematary (Mary Lambert, 1989) — a film from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Pet Sematary: Bloodlines across media.
If Pet Sematary: Bloodlines captivated you, it is because you are drawn to stories where small-town secrets and ancestral shadows inevitably destroy the present.
Start with the source
The source
Pet Sematary
Mary Lambert · Film · 1989
Books on the same thread
Ghost Story
Peter Straub · Book · 1979
Shares 2 threads with Pet Sematary: Bloodlines: Small Town Secrets, Supernatural Horror.
Like the dark family history in Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, this novel explores how past sins and long-buried guilt eventually return to haunt those who try to escape their origins.
Fairy Tale
Stephen King · Book
Explores: coming of age, good versus evil, interdimensional travel.
This story mirrors the coming-of-age journey found in Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, replacing the ancient evil of Ludlow with a portal world where the stakes of good and evil are absolute.
Joyland (Hard Case Crime)
Stephen King · Book · 2013
Shares a thread with Pet Sematary: Bloodlines: Grief.
Set in a similar era to Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, this book captures the transition into adulthood against a backdrop of grief and the unsettling atmosphere of a specialized, isolated location.
Stephen King's Danse Macabre
Stephen King · Book · 1983
Explores: Horror Tropes, Evolution of Horror, Cultural Impact of Horror.
If the examination of horror themes in Pet Sematary: Bloodlines intrigued you, this critical work offers the definitive perspective on the evolution of the genre and its cultural impact.
Series on the same thread
IT: Welcome to Derry
Andy Muschietti · Series · 2025
Shares 3 threads with Pet Sematary: Bloodlines: Ancient Evil, Small Town Secrets, Coming-of-Age Horror.
This series echoes the small-town mystery and ancient evil present in Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, focusing on a group of friends confronting a long-buried threat that targets their quiet community.
FROM
John Griffin · Series · 2022
Shares a thread with Pet Sematary: Bloodlines: Supernatural Horror.
Much like the trapped feeling of Jud Crandall in Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, this series features a town that refuses to let go of its residents, forcing a constant survival struggle.
Midnight Mass
Mike Flanagan · Series · 2021
Explores: Religious Fanaticism, Loss of Faith, Miracles and Deception.
This show shares the small-town mystery and encroaching supernatural dread found in Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, as a community faces the consequences of an arrival that disrupts their fragile reality.
American Primeval
Mark L. Smith · Series · 2025
Explores: Harsh Wilderness Survival, Mother-Son Relationship, Brutality of the Old West.
Fans of the harsh, character-driven narrative in Pet Sematary: Bloodlines will appreciate this story of a mother and son fleeing their past while navigating a brutal and unforgiving landscape.
Podcasts on the same thread
Lore
Aaron Mahnke · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Dark History, Supernatural, Mysterious Events.
The podcast mirrors the focus on dark history and tragic narratives seen in Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, proving that the most frightening stories are often those rooted in real, ancient events.
Small Town Murder
James Pietragallo, Jimmie Whisman · Podcast · 2026
Explores: provincial life, tragic irony, forensic breakdown.
If you were fascinated by the way a small town hides darkness in Pet Sematary: Bloodlines, this analysis offers a look at the tragic reality behind isolated, provincial life.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Should I watch the 1989 Pet Sematary before Pet Sematary: Bloodlines?
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines serves as a prequel to the story established in the franchise. While you can watch it independently, viewing the 1989 Pet Sematary provides additional context regarding the history of Ludlow and the dark legacy that affects the characters featured in the 2023 film.
Is Pet Sematary: Bloodlines a direct sequel to the 1989 film?
No, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is not a direct sequel. It is a prequel that explores the early life of Jud Crandall in 1969. The film focuses on the dark family history and sinister secrets that eventually bind him to the town of Ludlow long before the later events.
Does Pet Sematary: Bloodlines feature the same version of Jud Crandall from the 1989 movie?
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines features a younger version of Jud Crandall. The story follows his attempt to leave his hometown in 1969, only to discover the dark history that connects him to the land. It provides the background for the character appearing in the 1989 Pet Sematary adaptation.
What time period is depicted in Pet Sematary: Bloodlines?
Pet Sematary: Bloodlines is set in 1969. The plot follows a young Jud Crandall as he confronts his family history and the sinister secrets buried within his hometown of Ludlow. This setting establishes the origins of the events that later unfold in the 1989 Pet Sematary film.