Pet Sematary: BAD NEWS for Stephen King movie as audiences give verdict on opening weekend

The new movie, a retelling of the Stephen King horror, is performing solidly enough; currently expected to net an impressive $24 million domestically in its first weekend. That’ll put it second behind Shazam! ($51.5 million) and ahead of last week’s chart-topper, Dumbo ($18.2 million). But the audiences that are turning out to see the film don’t seem to be enjoying it. This is despite generally positive, if tepid, reviews from critics.

Pet Sematary currently has a 62% score on Rotten Tomatoes, but its CinemaScore grade from audiences is only a C+.

CinemaScore polls audiences as they leave the cinema on a film’s opening night, and ratings lower than a B are relatively rare.

For comparison, Us scored a B, Dumbo an A-, Captain Marvel an A and Shazam an A.

The PostTrak data is even more damning for the John Lithgow-starring new release.

Audiences are reported by Deadline to have awarded it only 2-and-a-half stars – with only 47% saying they’d “definitely recommend”.

Its bad news for its long-term prospects at the box office, which typically rely on strong word-of-mouth.

Elsewhere in the US Top 10 this week, Us is in fourth place on its third weekend, while Captain Marvel rounds off the Top Five on its fifth – the two films are projected to make $14.1 million and $12.9 million respectively this weekend.

Best Of Enemies, the new movie from Taraji P Henson, is expected to bow in sixth with around $5 million.

Five Feet Apart, Unplanned, Wonder Park and How To Train Your Dragon 3 complete the Top 10.

Pet Sematary has been described by many, including King himself, as the author’s scariest ever story.

Its premise is rooted in an incident from King’s own life – read all about it here.

Pet Sematary is out now.