Summary

• Duchovny's role in Pet Sematary: Bloodlines flips his iconic turn as Fox Mulder in The X-Files, showing a new side of vulnerability while exploring similar themes.
• The movie can be seen as a form of an X-Files sequel, with Baterman's actions resembling those of Mulder in the later seasons of the show.
• Duchovny's casting was influenced by his role as a sympathetic and relatable father in Californication, bringing gravitas and beauty to the role of Bill Baterman.

While already a perfect continuation of his genre past, director Lindsey Anderson Beer reflects on how David Duchovny's Pet Sematary: Bloodlines casting. Duchovny stars in the prequel movie to Stephen King's novel as Bill Baterman, a grieving father who looks to bring his son back to life after he is killed in the Vietnam War. Despite knowing the danger, Baterman elects to bury his son in the eponymous graveyard, setting off a series of killings and reigniting an ancient evil that has plagued Ludlow since its founding.

In anticipation of the movie's release, Screen Rant caught up exclusively with Beer to discuss Pet Sematary: Bloodlines. When asked whether Duchovny's X-Files past influenced her decision to cast him in the prequel, the co-writer/director itted she hadn't though of it before, but laughed in acknowledging the parallels between his characters in the King adaptation and long-running sci-fi Fox show. See what Beer shared below:

It wasn't in my mind! It's such a good point, and it's so funny that yes, he's absolutely somebody who he'd be investigating as Mulder. But no, what was in my mind was Californication, and what a beautiful father he was in that. I wanted to make sure that whoever played Bill Baterman could play it in a way that felt sympathetic and relatable, and didn't just come off as an arch villain who does the wrong thing. I just thought he brings a lot of gravitas and beauty to that role, because I saw it in Californication. He read the script, he's a father, he really related to the themes and the grief that Bill Baterman was going through, and he just really connected with it.

Pet Sematary Is The Perfect Answer To Duchovny's X-Files Past

As Beer acknowledges above, Duchovny's role as a grieving father utilizing an ancient evil to save his son feels like the perfect flipping of his iconic turn as Fox Mulder in The X-Files. While the FBI agent was widely mocked and criticized by his peers for his beliefs in the supernatural, the majority of his time in the franchise was devoted to fighting against paranormal threats, even when he found himself sympathizing with some of the culprits, such as Tony Shalhoub's Dr. Banton.

If anything, Pet Sematary: Bloodlines can be envisioned as a form of X-Files sequel in the headcanon of fans of the Fox show. Though it may be set 30 years before the sci-fi franchise, as seen in the likes of The X-Files: I Want To Believe and two revival seasons, the older version of Mulder became a far more open-minded and empathetic figure for people like Baterman. One could even argue his devotion to protecting Gillian Anderson's Dana Scully could push him to take the same actions as Baterman does.

Duchovny's role in Pet Sematary: Bloodlines also offers him the chance to show a new side of vulnerability audiences may not have fully seen during his X-Files tenure. The trailer for the Stephen King prequel has already shown has already teased his willingness to take his son out of the world after bringing him back in, seemingly confirming he will go back on his decision and have to undo the evil he's unleashed on Ludlow. With it still requiring killing his son, Duchovny's Baterman will likely endure a very emotional inner turmoil, setting up a perfect answer to his Mulder past.