Cujo Actress Recalls Stephen King Thanking Her For Insisting The Ending Changed From The Book

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As a passionate cinephile, I’ve always looked forward to the big screen interpretations of Stephen King‘s masterpieces. From brilliant adaptations that truly capture his eerie narrative, to less successful attempts that fall short, King’s works have consistently been a staple in Hollywood for decades. Intriguingly, several of his books have even had multiple film adaptations, with more on the way. It seems there’s always an upcoming Stephen King movie on the horizon. One book that has already been adapted once and is set to be revisited is “Cujo.” The biggest question surrounding this remake, however, is how the new movie will wrap up the story.

As a devoted movie enthusiast, I’d like to share my thoughts on the chilling tale of “Cujo,” a film that centers around a once-loyal Saint Bernard who contracts rabies and turns into a ruthless beast, targeting its own family. This terrifying story was first brought to life on the big screen in 1983, with Dee Wallace brilliantly portraying Donna Trenton and Danny Pintauro as her son Tad. In a recent interview on the Still Here Hollywood podcast, Dee Wallace revealed that “Cujo” is her favorite film among all the movies she’s ever made. Interestingly, she initially objected to the original ending of the book where the boy meets his tragic end at the hands of the dog. According to Wallace,…

The film deviates significantly from the novel. It portrays a spirit-possessed dog and ends with the child’s demise. Upon joining the project, I expressed my concern, “We can’t have the child perish.

Cujo is a gripping novel where a mother and son find themselves in a desperate situation, trapped inside a car as a vicious St. Bernard dog relentlessly tries to kill them. This tale is filled with intense emotion, making it all the more heartrending when tragedy strikes at the end, resulting in the death of the child. Wallace pointed out that due to the film’s audience, who might not be prepared for such a grim ending, the movie had to alter the storyline’s conclusion. She further explained…

In the ’80s, it’s not feasible for everyone to experience what we’re preparing. Only half of the audience attending the movie will have previously read the book.

Generally speaking, many tales and films conclude on a positive note, with gloomy endings being relatively scarce exceptions. Although dark conclusions aren’t unheard of, they’re not common. Movies tend to cater to a broader audience than books, which often results in modifications to the story during book-to-film adaptations to make them more appealing to a wider range of viewers.

As a movie enthusiast, I must confess that many spectators seemed contented by the somewhat uplifting finale of “Cujo,” where thankfully the primary characters managed to escape unscathed. Interestingly, renowned author Stephen King, who often expresses disapproval towards drastic alterations in his works for the big screen, surprisingly found this change in “Cujo” acceptable. According to reports, King was particularly relieved given the unfavorable reaction to the original ending, and he was glad that the film deviated from it. The author herself commented…

After penning Cujo, Stephen King expressed his relief that the child wasn’t harmed in the story’s conclusion. He shared that he had received more backlash for this decision than any other aspect of his work.

Indeed, this raises an intriguing point concerning the upcoming Netflix adaptation of Cujo. Our resident Stephen King connoisseur, Eric Eisenberg, proposes that the new film should maintain the book’s ending to set it apart from its predecessor. However, such a decision might prompt both King and Netflix to brace for a wave of disapproving letters.

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2025-05-02 22:42