'The Grudge' Reboot Gets A Release Date

The 2004 American remake of The Grudge helped usher in a deluge of Asian horror film remakes, [...]

By Patrick Cavanaugh

The 2004 American remake of The Grudge helped usher in a deluge of Asian horror film remakes, getting in on the ground floor in a massive trend for the horror genre. Another remake of the original Japanese film will begin shooting this May, aiming for an August 16, 2019 release date.

The film upon which this remake is based, Ju-on: The Grudge, was written and directed by Takashi Shimazu. The 2002 film told the story of a man who murders his family when he discovers that his wife has fallen in love with another man. The spirits of the household are so powerful, they return from the grave to kill the man responsible for the horrific crimes. Birthing a curse that extended well past familial connections, the spirits would go on to kill anyone who inhabited the house.

The upcoming film stars John Cho, Lin Shaye, Demian Bichir, and Andrea Riseborough. The film will be directed by Nicolas Pesce, who last directed the festival hit The Eyes of My Mother.

Sam Raimi (Evil Dead) and Rob Tapert will produce this reboot for Ghost House. Erin Westerman and Nathan Kahane will serve as executive producers for Good Universe, with Schuyler Weiss, Roy Lee, and Doug Davison. Both Romel Adam and Brady Fujikawa will oversee the film for Ghost House and Good Universe respectively.

"We are so excited about this new adaptation," Raimi said. "We went back to the original source material to deliver a relentless supernatural thrill ride that explores the horrors of American suburbia."

The 2004 remake starred Sarah Michelle Gellar and became a worldwide hit. The Grudge, which cost a reported $10 million to make, went on to gross over $180 million worldwide and earned itself a theatrically released and a straight-to-video sequel. The remake followed the plot of Ju-on: The Grudge, albeit with a different ending, while its sequel embraced the ending of its Japanese predecessor.

Following the previous remake, in conjunction with 2002's The Ring, the surge of American remakes of Asian horror films included Dark Water, One Missed Call, and The Eye.

Stay tuned for more details on The Grudge before it hits theaters on August 16, 2019.

Are you looking forward to a reboot of the series or can the franchise be put to rest? Let us know in the comments below!

[H/T Deadline]

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