About a decade ago, for a very brief moment, Hollywood was in love with Asian horror cinema. Countless movies were snatched up for remakes, and some efforts even crossed the pond and had successful arthouse runs. But at the center of it all was “The Ring” and “The Grudge.” And when it comes to the latter movie, Hollywood is hoping they squeeze a few more bucks out of it.
Sam Raimi, who most recently produced the disappointing redo of “Evil Dead,” is the man behind Ghost House Productions, who will be teaming with Good Universe to remake “The Grudge.” Of course, we all know the 2004 Sarah Michelle Gellar scare flick, but it was based on Takashi Shimizu‘s own “Ju-On,” which dropped in 2002. The Hollywood version spawned two more sequels, while the Japanese original had three more that followed. (Shimizu has directed the first and second movies in each series—he’s something of a veteran of the franchise).
Anyway, Jeff Buhler (“The Midnight Meat Train,” the developing remake of “Jacob’s Ladder“) is penning the script to introduced a whole new generation to creepy girls with dark hair hiding in corners of rooms. But we will give this remake a bit of credit—there is a lot of room for improvement. Let’s hope they seize the opportunity. [Deadline]
