Pet Sematary Lands R-Rating For Violent And Disturbing Content

The first reviews for the new Pet Sematary have begun to emerge from the film’s SXSW premiere, and so far, the consensus suggests yet another terrifying Stephen King adaptation. But since Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer’s hugely anticipated horror movie is still a couple more weeks away from release, fans will have to sit tight and wait patiently until they can lay eyes on it for themselves.

All the signs are very promising though and today, we’re receiving some more good news. And that’s because the upcoming adaptation has received an R-rating from the MPAA due to “disturbing and violent content, bloody images, sexual material, graphic nudity, and language.” Mind you, it’s not like anyone expected this to be a PG-13 affair, but it’s still nice to hear that the filmmakers didn’t hold back when putting the movie together.

In fact, that’s something our very own Matt Donato touched on in his review, where he praised Kölsch and Widmyer’s work for how scary and terrifying it is.

Pet Sematary is a terrifically scary Stephen King adaptation that finds steady footing and incinerates the sanctity of family systems. What a wonderfully wicked turn by Jeté Laurence, and how destined for underage genre stardom this little monster becomes. Kevin Kölsch and Dennis Widmyer have already proven that they know the horror genre inside and out, but more than ever, the duo showcase how their cinematic manipulation carries voice and trademark.

So, with all that in mind, it looks like we’re about to lay eyes on another excellent Stephen King adaptation, and as fans of the beloved author will know, it won’t be the only one we get this year. After all, Shining sequel Doctor Sleep is headed for theaters on November 8th, while there’s also It: Chapter Two to consider, which is set for release on September 6th.

Before all that, however, we’ll be seeing Pet Sematary on our screens beginning April 5th, and if the MPAA’s reason for rating it R is accurate, then it seems as if horror fans will be in for a real treat.