Paramount Bringing ‘Pet Sematary’ Remake to Life in 2019

Paramount has set an April 19, 2019, release date for “Pet Sematary,” its remake of the 1989 horror movie, based on the 1983 Stephen King novel.

Variety first reported in October that “Starry Eyes” helmers Kevin Kolsch and Dennis Widmyer had been tapped to direct the project. Lorenzo di Bonaventura and Mark Vahradian are producing the remake with Jeff Buhler and David Kajganich writing the script, and Alexandra Loewy is executive producing.

The original “Pet Sematary,” directed by Mary Lambert from a script by King, followed the unraveling of a family after moving into a new home in Maine next to a pet cemetery that contained the power to allow the creatures buried in it to come back from the dead. The original grossed $57 million on an $11 million budget. “Pet Sematary Two” grossed $17 million in 1992.

Paramount also set a Feb. 15, 2019, opening for the comedy “Instant Family,” starring Mark Wahlberg and Rose Byrne. Sean Anders is directing from a script he wrote with John Morris. Anders, Morris and Wahlberg are producing with Steve Levinson.

The story centers on a couple deciding to start a family by adoption through the foster care system. They feel like wonderful, altruistic people until they suddenly have three wild kids in their home — forcing them to learn to love and parent children who have no interest in being parented.

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