The Grudge (previously titled Grudge, also titled The Grudge: The Untold Chapter) is a 2020 American supernatural horror film written and directed by Nicolas Pesce, from a story by Jeff Buhler and Pesce, and produced by Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, and Takashige Ichise. The film takes place in the same concurrent timeline as the 2004 film of the same name,[3] while also serving as the reimagining of the American film series, which was based on the Japanese Ju-on films. It stars Andrea Riseborough, Demián Bichir, John Cho, Betty Gilpin, Lin Shaye, and Jacki Weaver.
In 2011, a sequel was announced, with a release date for 2013 or 2014. By March 2014, it was officially announced that a reboot of the franchise was in the works, with Buhler set to write the script. By July 2017, The Eyes of My Mother filmmaker Nicolas Pesce was hired for rewrites, based on Buhler's script, and to direct the film. Principal photography on the film began in May 7, 2018, in Winnipeg, Manitoba and finished on June 23, 2018.
Sony Pictures Entertainment released the film on January 3, 2020.
Plot[]
The following events are explained in their actual order; the film is presented in a nonlinear narrative.
In 2004, live-in nurse Fiona Landers leaves a house in Tokyo, disturbed by events she has witnessed inside. Fiona informs her co-worker (Yoko) that she is returning to America before encountering the ghost of Kayako Saeki. Fiona arrives at her home on 44 Reyburn Drive in a small town in Pennsylvania, reuniting with her husband Sam and young daughter Melinda. Kayako's curse, however, possesses Fiona, causing her to bludgeon Sam to death and drown Melinda before committing suicide by stabbing herself in the throat.
Detectives Detective Goodman and Wilson investigate the murders. Unsettled by the house, Goodman refuses to enter it while Wilson enters to scope out the scene. Upon exiting, Wilson slowly starts to lose his sanity and eventually becomes hysterical when he spots Fiona's ghost outside Goodman's car; after which he attempts to commit suicide by shooting himself, but is unsuccessful. This leaves Wilson with a disfigured face and committed to a psychiatric asylum while Goodman stops looking into the case.
Shortly after the Landers are murdered, but before anyone discovers their deaths, real estate agents Peter and Nina Spencer learn that their unborn child will most likely be born with a rare genetic disorder Adrenoleukodystrophy (ALD), distressing the pair. Peter goes to look into selling 44 Reyburn Drive and stumbles across Melinda's ghost, presuming her to be a lost girl, who is bleeding profusely from her nose. While on the phone with Peter, Nina, who had been ambivalent about having a child and previously considered abortion, agrees that they should keep their child. Peter is attacked by Fiona and Melinda's ghosts before fleeing the house and is quickly corrupted by the curse. The possessed Peter returns to his home, where he kills Nina and their unborn child before he drowns himself in the bathtub.
In 2005, elderly couple Faith and William Matheson move into the house. Faith suffers from dementia and a terminal illness. After moving in Faith is infected by the curse and starts to see Melinda around the house. Her sanity rapidly declines, causing William to call over Lorna Moody, an assisted suicide consultant. Disturbed, Lorna suggests to William that they leave the house but William reveals that he is aware of the ghosts and suggests that it implies a future where people get to be with their loved ones after death. Lorna later discovers that Faith has killed William and has sliced off her own fingers. Lorna flees in horror only to be attacked by Sam's ghost in her car which crashes, killing her.
In 2006, rookie Detective Muldoon moves to town with her son Burke following her husband's death from cancer. Muldoon along with Goodman, her new partner, are called to the woods where Lorna's corpse has been discovered. Goodman becomes uncomfortable when they learn that Lorna had been visiting 44 Reyburn Drive. Noticing this, Muldoon questions him, and he reveals his suspicion that the house is cursed, and states he wants nothing to do with it.
Muldoon goes to the house, discovering a disoriented Faith and William's corpse. Faith is taken to a hospital, where she sees Melinda and throws herself off a staircase landing, committing suicide. As Muldoon continues her research into the case, she is haunted by the ghosts of the Landers. She visits Wilson in the asylum, who tells her that all people who enter the house will become victims of the curse. Wilson then gouges out his eyes so he can stop seeing the ghosts. Fearful that the curse may make her hurt her son, Muldoon confides in Goodman and learns that the curse began with a family in Japan; Fiona is the one who brought it abroad. After she is attacked by the Landers' ghosts again, Muldoon goes to the house and douses it in gasoline as she sees visions of how Fiona murdered her family. She is tricked into seeing Burke, however she realizes it isn't really him after he fails to repeat a phrase the two of them use regularly. The house burns to the ground as Muldoon embraces her real son outside.
Sometime later, Muldoon hugs Burke before he leaves for school, only to see another Burke leave the house. The "Burke" she is hugging is revealed to be Melinda. Muldoon is dragged away by Fiona's ghost, leaving her fate unknown.
Cast[]
- Andrea Riseborough as Detective Muldoon
- Demián Bichir as Detective Goodman
- John Cho as Peter Spencer
- Betty Gilpin as Nina Spencer
- Lin Shaye as Faith Matheson
- Jacki Weaver as Lorna Moody
- William Sadler as Detective Wilson
- Frankie Faison as William Matheson
- Tara Westwood as Fiona Landers
- Nancy Sorel as Agent Cole
- Stephanie Sy as Amnio Nurse
- Joel Marsh Garland as Detective Greco
- David Lawrence Brown as Sam Landers
- Junko Bailey as Kayako Saeki
- Robin Ruel as Dr. Friedman
- Zoe Fish as Melinda Landers
- Bradley Sawatzky as Officer Michaels
- John J. Hansen as Burke
- Marina Stephenson Kerr as Neighbor
Production[]
Originally announced in 2011,[1] the movie fell in development hell in 2013. Adam Green (Hatchet), was originally slated to direct before he dropped out to focus on adapting the novel Killer Pizza, for a film. Sam Raimi announced the cast in March, 2018. [2] According to Raimi, this film will be set in the American suburbs, as opposed to the Japanese setting in which the franchise is commonly set. Nicholas Pesce eventually hired to direct. [3]
After filming started, it was reported that producer and screenwriter Taka Ichise was suing Good Universe Productions, alleging that the company is refusing to allow him credit. Good Universe is a spinoff company from Lionsgate and is producing the remake alongside Ghost House and Stage 6. In the claim, Ichise states the company acquired the rights for another entry in the franchise on the express condition that he be given the right to produce the new movie and be paid an agreed-upon producer fee.[4] Ichise has been, however, oficially mentioned as a producer.[5]
Sony created the official Instagram account @grudgemovie, teasing Grudge with on-set pictures [6] which gave a first look at the new cursed house and its location, Reyburn Drive. During a test screening, audiences compared it to Lights Out. [7]
Star Lyn Shaye stated, "What will make it really different is Nicolas Pesce, who is the writer/director, who is extraordinary. I mean he's a real visionary. I had a phenomenal time working with him. He was very open to my ideas, which he told me he never is. He said, I don't usually let actors do what they want. He said, But in your case, there were no rules. I was inspired. The ideas I came up with were inspired by what he was creating. And he acknowledged that and allowed it."[8]
Notes and trivia[]
- Takako Fuji, who originated the role of Kayako Saeki, provided voice work on the Japanee version of this movie, as she revealed on Twitter in January 2021. [9] She had been asked by a fan about a possible involvement with the dubbing, which Fuji-san declined. She dubbed the characters of Fiona Landers (the ghost) and Faith Matheson.[10] In response to another user, Fuji-san expressed approval of the film. [10]
- Star Lyn Shaye is known for her role in another supernatural horror film series, Insidious.
- The house's number is 44 as a reference to 4444444444.
- Adam Green was considered to direct Grudge. Ironically, Hatchet's tagline is "It's not a remake. It's not a sequel. And it's not based on a Japanese one", in the J-Horror Hollywoodian remakes spawned by The Ring in the 2000s, including The Grudge films.
- Takashi Shimizu has no direct involvement with this film.
- Kayako appears a few times in the movie. However, she never actually does a death rattle, She instead screams.
Gallery[]
Images[]
Videos[]
References[]
- ↑ https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/26061/
- ↑ https://br.ign.com/cinema-tv/59865/news/filme-o-grito-vai-ganhar-reboot
- ↑ https://deadline.com/2017/07/the-grudge-reboot-nicolas-pesce-directing-ghost-house-pictures-1202124784/
- ↑ https://screenrant.com/grudge-movie-remake-lawsuit-sony/
- ↑ https://deadline.com/2017/07/the-grudge-reboot-nicolas-pesce-directing-ghost-house-pictures-1202124784/
- ↑ https://www.instagram.com/grudgemovie/?hl=pt
- ↑ https://wegotthiscovered.com/movies/first-audience-reactions-to-the-grudge-reboot-creep-online/
- ↑ https://movieweb.com/the-grudge-reboot-2019-first-photo/
- ↑ https://twitter.com/fujitakako_2015/status/1350409403615350784
- ↑ 10.0 10.1 https://twitter.com/fujitakako_2015/status/1350594226589876224