Cujo () is a 1981 horror novel by American writer Stephen King about a Saint Bernard who contracts rabies, then goes on a killing spree in his hometown. The novel won the British Fantasy Award in 1982 and was made into a film in 1983. Cujo's name was based on the alias of Willie Wolfe, one of the men responsible for orchestrating Patty Hearst's kidnapping and indoctrination into the Symbionese Liberation Army. King mentions Cujo in On Writing, referring to it as a novel he "barely remember[s] writing at all". King wrote the book during the height of his struggle with alcohol addiction. King goes on to say he likes the book and wishes he could remember enjoying the good parts as he put them on the page.

Background

According to King, the novel was partly inspired by his trip to a mechanic during the spring of 1977. In a 2006 interview with The Paris Review, King describes how issues with his motorcycle led him to visit an auto shop on the northern outskirts of Bridgton, Maine. He claims his motorcycle died when he arrived at the shop, and moments after, a Saint Bernard emerged from the garage, growling at him and eventually lunging for his hand. Some critics have criticized the novel for its ending. The 1983 film adaptation of the novel featured a more optimistic conclusion. Cujo received the following accolades:

  • Locus Award Nominee for Best Fantasy Novel (1982)
  • Balrog Award Nominee for Best Novel (1982)
  • British Fantasy Award for Best Novel (August Derleth Fantasy Award) (1982)

According to the American Library Association, Cujo was the 49th most banned and challenged book in the United States between 1990 and 1999.

Adaptations

Cujo (1983)

Cujo is a 1983 American horror film directed by Lewis Teague. It follows a mostly similar plot to the original novel, albeit Tad surviving contrary to his death in the novel. It was written for the screen by Don Carlos Dunaway and Barbara Turner.

C.U.J.O

In 2015, Sunn Classic Pictures announced that it would develop another adaptation titled C.U.J.O., which stands for "Canine Unit Joint Operations". Nothing came of it after its announcement.

Cujo (TBA)

On March 11, 2025, Netflix announced they were developing a new adaptation/remake of the 1983 film with Roy Lee serving as producer. On March 18, 2025, Darren Aronofsky was revealed to be in talks to direct.

Allusions and connections to other King novels

  • There are allusions to Cujo in King's other works, which often reference the Saint Bernard and refer generally to the incident of the summer of 1980 when the rabid dog killed four people in Castle Rock, Maine.
  • On the official Stephen King website, Cujo is listed as a character in numerous other novels, including Needful Things, The Body, The Dark Half and Pet Sematary.
  • King's 2024 collection, You Like It Darker, contains the story Rattlesnakes, described by King as a sequel to Cujo. It is told in the first person with Vic Trenton as narrator.

References

  • Stephen King.com: Cujo