Ben Leonberg’s upcoming horror film Good Boy has quickly become a trending topic following the release of its first trailer. While the teaser successfully introduced the eerie atmosphere of the story, it also sparked an unexpected wave of concern online—not about the haunting itself, but about the fate of the dog at the heart of the film. Viewers immediately began asking one pressing question: Does the dog die?
The answer, to the relief of many, is no. Indy, the loyal canine companion at the center of the story, survives the terrifying events that unfold. His presence in the trailer raised doubts about whether he could endure the supernatural dangers lurking in his owner’s new home, but audiences can rest assured that he makes it through.
Search interest around Indy’s fate surged after the trailer dropped, with Google reporting a dramatic spike of over 2000% in queries about whether the dog dies in Good Boy. The anxiety isn’t unfounded—Hollywood history is filled with emotional heartbreakers like Old Yeller, Marley & Me, and Hachi: A Dog’s Tale, where beloved pets meet tragic ends. For many, those films are too devastating to revisit, leading modern audiences to be more selective about what kinds of endings they’re willing to experience.
Good Boy premiered earlier this year at the 2025 SXSW Film & TV Festival, giving early viewers a chance to confirm what so many pet lovers desperately wanted to know. Without spoiling the full story, it’s clear that Indy’s survival is an intentional choice, ensuring that the film delivers its horror and suspense without adding the grief of losing its four-legged star.
With its mix of supernatural scares and an unbroken bond between human and dog, Good Boy is shaping up to be a horror film that provides both thrills and reassurance—an unusual but welcome combination for audiences who dread leaving the theater in tears over a pet’s fate.
