A reboot of The Grudge began shooting earlier this summer, though a recent lawsuit from a producer on the original film may have cursed this new incarnation. Taka lchise, who served as a producer on the original Japanese film, has filed a breach of contract suit which claims he was prevented from earning credit on this new film.
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According to the claim, in order for the production company Good Universe to move forward with the reboot, Ichise needed to earn a producer credit and financial compensation. Good Universe reportedly is not currently giving the producer credit. If the suit isn’t settled, it could pose problems with production on the new film.
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”
In 2002, The Ring, an American remake of the Asian horror film Ringu, became a huge hit in the world of horror. Hoping to repeat that success, an American remake of Ju-on hit theaters in 2004 starring Sarah Michelle Gellar. That film, which was also produced by Ichise, inspired two sequels.
Grudge is slated to hit theaters on August 16, 2019.
Do you think the filmmakers will be able to come to an agreement on the legal matter? Let us know in the comments below or hit up @TheWolfman on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!
[H/T Deadline]
