We typically would not spoil upcoming movies, even if we’re locking them behind big glowing red Spoiler Walls, but there are sometimes rare cases where you guys are actively asking us to make an exception. And Good Boy, well, it’s clearly one of those exceptions for many.
The idea behind the upcoming IFC Films release is that it uniquely tells a haunted house story from the point of view of a canine protagonist, and the official trailer earlier this week got people talking. It also got them searching a very specific question: DOES THE DOG DIE?!
In fact, as Discussing Film noted over on Twitter earlier this week, “Google searches for ‘does the dog die in GOOD BOY‘ have spiked by over 2,000% since the first trailer dropped.”
Why are people so hungry for spoilers? Well, the trailer makes it clear that the canine hero, named Indy, is in a good deal of peril in the upcoming Good Boy, and even some of the most seasoned horror fans are refusing to watch the movie out of fear that the dog won’t survive his harrowing nightmare inside a haunted house. Watching humans get brutally torn apart on screen is one thing. But watching an innocent dog lose its life? It’s a bridge too far for many.
As @Mr_Robmichael1 tweeted, “I think nothing unites the internet like collective fear for a dog’s safety, even in a movie.”
It’s something Bloody Disgusting’s Head Critic Meagan Navarro pointed out in her spoiler-free review of Good Boy back in March. Meagan wrote, “Framing the story entirely from the perspective of man’s best friend poses unique storytelling challenges but instantly creates a sustained feeling of unease and anxiety over the pup’s wellbeing.”
So let’s cut right to the chase here. Does the dog die in Good Boy? Are dog lovers safe to watch the upcoming haunted house horror movie or should they stay far away from this one?
If you’re okay with Good Boy being spoiled, click the image below…
Good Boy releases in theaters from Independent Film Company on October 3.
In Good Boy, “Our canine hero, Indy, finds himself on a new adventure with his human owner—and best friend—Todd, leaving city life for a long-vacant family home in the country.
“From the start, two things are abundantly clear: Indy is wary of the creepy old house, and his affection for Todd is unwavering. After moving in, Indy is immediately vexed by empty corners, tracks an invisible presence only he can see, perceives phantasmagoric warnings from a long-dead dog, and is haunted by visions of the previous occupant’s grim death.
“When Todd begins succumbing to the dark forces swirling around the house, Indy must battle a malevolence intent on dragging his beloved Todd into the afterlife.”
Ben Leonberg makes his feature directorial debut from a script he co-wrote with Alex Cannon. The film stars Indy, Ben Leonberg’s real-life canine best friend, with the cast also including indie horror stalwart Larry Fessenden, Shane Jensen, and Arielle Friedman.
