You wait weeks – if not months – for some scraps of intel relating to The Grudge reboot incubating in development, and suddenly, two arrive within the space of 48 hours.
The first is a big one: Sony has decided to drag The Grudge kicking and screaming into June 2019, where it will open in close proximity to Toy Story 4 and the long-delayed X-Men: Dark Phoenix. The horror pic had previously been scheduled for August 16th, 2019.
It’s a ballsy move from Sony Pictures, and further proof that the studio is overly happy with Nicolas Pesce’s long-awaited reboot. There’s also the first audience reactions that have been funneled through YouTuber Mr. H (h/t Dread Central), who claims that Sony recently staged a test screening of The Grudge, leading to some pretty interesting takeaways.
We should stress that test screenings are in no way indicative of the final product; they’re simply a studio’s way of gauging an audience’s knee-jerk reaction to an unfinished cut of ‘film X’ – The Grudge, in this instance.
Be that as it may, YouTuber Mr. H points out a number of key takeaways, including the early comparisons to Lights Out and the fact (?) that Sony is leaving the door open for a potential sequel.
- This film will take place in the United States.
- It’s not scary and relies on generic jump scares. Comparisons were made to Lights Out.
- The film has three subplots: A family living in a haunted house, detectives on a murder case, and realtors attempting to sell the house.
- The end is abrupt, suggesting producers expect sequels to follow.
- Reasons for key plot points and motivations of important characters are not explained.
But what say you? You can, as always, drop your thoughts and concerns via the comments, and remember, The Grudge opens worldwide on June 21st, 2019 – day and date with Toy Story 4.