Why 'Good Boy' Fans Should Watch Stephen King's 'Cujo'

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Horror fans were recently treated to a thrilling movie trailer. The title of the film is Good Boy, and it shows a family and a dog being haunted by what appears to be a supernatural entity. Directed by Ben Leonberg, Good Boy tells its story from the perspective of a dog. After premiering at SXSW months ago to very positive reviews, the film secured a theatrical release in October 2025.

But as we eagerly wait for the release of Good Boy, we find ourselves reminiscing about another “dog horror” film. It’s entirely different, but its source material bears some resemblance to Leonberg’s movie. 1983’s Cujo is based on the 1981 novel by Stephen King, and it tells the story of a mother and son who are trying to save themselves from a rabid dog. This is one underrated feature you might want to check out before Good Boy, and it is actually streaming on Shudder.

Naturally, you’ll be asking yourself how they can be similar, aside from featuring canine creatures as stars. While Leonberg might not have been inspired by Lewis Teague’s adaptation of the literary classic, King cleverly used a little something in his novel to give Cujo more of a personality. Indy, the dog in Good Boy, is not the only dog who has feelings. Cujo does as well. He’s just a bit more… expressive.

What Do ‘Good Boy’ and ‘Cujo’ Have in Common?

Indy and Cujo Are Dogs, But One’s a Good Boy, and the Other Is Very, Very Naughty

Indy, who is actually Leonberg’s dog in real life, starts seeing things in the dark. As often happens with our canine partners, he also reacts to strange sounds and eventually gets the courage to explore something that isn’t of this world. It remains to be seen if this premise can sustain a full-length feature, but early reviews are positive. It’s also quite obvious that the selling point of the movie remains telling the story from the dog’s perspective.

Cujo, on the other hand, is a killing machine. After getting bitten by a bat, the unvaccinated dog contracts rabies, turns on his owners, and viciously attacks those who dare step inside the ranch where he lives. Cujo is a terrifying creature feature that, at first glance, seems to share little in common with Good Boy. However, in the book, King gives Cujo a voice, allowing the dog to recount some events.

Cujo indicates or thinks, whatever you prefer, that he lives with THE MAN, THE WOMAN, and THE BOY (yes, in all caps). He’s a pretty good dog, and he seems to be happy. He’s also very afraid of becoming a BADDOG. His mind actually starts getting fuzzy when the rabies symptoms arrive, and you can read as the character falls into the state of madness caused by the disease. It is a very interesting literary resource that King uses, but the movie intentionally discards it for obvious reasons. Cujo, a talking dog? No way.

Does the Dog Die in ‘Good Boy’?

Well, Hopefully Not

The following has spoilers for Cujo.

After the trailer was released, everyone started asking if Indy died in Good Boy. Based on the trailer, Indy doesn’t escape the supernatural forces unscathed, and some yelping can be heard. However, it’s unlikely that Leonberg will shock viewers so severely, as audiences are bound to become emotionally invested in the furry protagonist. We’ll have to wait until Good Boy is released, but we just don’t see the dog dying this time.

Nevertheless, you should know that in Cujo, the dog does die. But in this movie, the creature’s a rabid killing machine that will stop at nothing until he can kill everyone he faces, including his own family. We’re sad to report that Cujo dies at the hands of Donna. Good Boy is releasing on October 3, 2025.