'Sadako' Trailer: 'Ring' Director Hideo Nakata Returns To The Popular Japanese Horror Franchise For A New Tale

If you’re a fan of Japanese horror films of the last 20 years, you probably have director Hideo Nakata to thank. Way back in 1998, the filmmaker helmed what is seen as perhaps the most popular J-horror film of all time, “Ring.” And now, over two decades later, he returns to the franchise that launched a million sequels for the upcoming “Sadako.”

It appears that not even Japan is immune to the latest craze of reboots and revivals. Having never fully gone away in its native country, the ‘Ring’ franchise is getting a soft reboot in the upcoming “Sadako.” As seen in the trailer, the film puts a new spin on the classic ‘Ring’ premise by having people become cursed by filming at specific locations instead of just watching the evil VHS.

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As mentioned, Nakata is returning to the franchise to help revive it, but he hasn’t fully been a stranger to ‘Ring’ since its release in 1998. Not only did he helm the 1999 Japanese sequel, ‘Ring 2,’ but also was hired to direct the American sequel to the remade film, titled “The Ring Two.” We have had more Japanese and American sequels since then, but it is now Nakata who is taking over to help shepherd the franchise into new territory.

A full release schedule hasn’t been announced for “Sadako,” but it will have its North American premiere at the upcoming Fantasia Film Festival.

Here’s the synopsis:

The film will star Elaiza Ikeda as the main character Mayu Akigawa, a psychology counselor who gets involved in an incident with Yusuke Ishida, played by Takashi Tsukamoto, who will try to fix it. Hiroya Shimizu will play the part of Mayu’s younger brother Kazuma Akigawa who becomes a YouTuber to try and awaken Sadako’s curse. Himeka Himejima will play Jinko, a mysterious girl who lost her memory and is taken in at the hospital Mayu works at. Renn Kiriyama will play Mayu’s colleague Minori Fujii.