Stephen King expressed his disapproval of an adaptation of his work that featured an actor who gained popularity with a major role in “Terminator 2: Judgement Day.”
Edward Furlong portrayed John Connor in this iconic sequel, which is marking its 35th anniversary with a global re-release.
The film introduced a revolutionary plot twist in cinema, with Arnold Schwarzenegger returning as the relentless android.
For those who haven’t seen it, or in case you need a reminder, the terminator, instead of being sent back to eliminate Sarah or John Connor, is now a reprogrammed machine tasked with safeguarding John from the menacing liquid metal T-1000.
However, another film starring Furlong received less favorable feedback, particularly from the author of the original book it was adapted from.
This is “Pet Sematary Two,” the initial sequel in the “Pet Sematary” film series, which eventually expanded to four films in total.
In Stephen King’s original story, a father attempts to resurrect his son by burying him in a cursed cemetery, leading to dire consequences.
King was not a fan of the sequel, stating to Screenrant: “I read the script – or as much of it as I could stand – and I read enough to realize that it was exactly like the first Pet Sematary with different characters. I don’t approve of [Pet Sematary 2] and I didn’t want it made.”
“I hope the people who read FANGORIA, the people who read my books and anyone who likes my stuff will stay away from this picture. And this is one that I will not see myself.”
He further elaborated on the broader influence the movie had on his stance toward sequels.
“But it has had this effect, and that is that I will never sell sequel rights to another book to go with the movie rights,” he remarked. “If somebody wants to make a movie from one of my books and insist on the sequel rights, that book will not be sold.”
Meanwhile, Furlong’s much more celebrated sequel, “Terminator 2,” is being re-released, with creator James Cameron offering a special message to fans.
“T2 was made for theaters, and our lovingly-prepared 3D version, coming back to the big screen, is the absolute best way to see the film,” he noted in Deadline. “I believe it’s safe to do spoilers after 35 years, so SPOILER ALERT: the good guys win against the AI superintelligence! And maybe that’s a message of hope we all could use this summer.”