If you possessed any doubt that Hollywood had kicked its remake fever, one need only simply look toward The Grudge as the latest example proving this malady won’t end anytime soon. Actually, I’d say the horror genre is mostly responsible for the trend spreading its tendrils throughout Tinseltown, but that’s a discussion for another day.
So, whether you’re willing to accept it or not, the latest installment in the franchise that’s captivated both Japanese and American audiences for some time now is indeed on its way. Even so, it’s hard to label the damn thing. Do we call it a reboot or a re-remake? Don’t forget the 2004 flick starring Sarah Michelle Gellar was, in fact, based on Ju-On, a prior work originating from across the Pacific.
Said to be a re-imagining of the concept, it should be intriguing to see how the next yarn to be spun will examine these strange hauntings from a different perspective. In the meantime, though, Lin Shaye of Insidious fame offered these bold words in a recent interview with ComicBook.com:
“Wait until you see this. It’s the scariest movie I’ve ever been a part of, not even maybe. Not even maybe. And it’s the scariest part I’ve ever had, bar none. I think it comes out next August, I’m very excited about it. The horror fans are going to go insane, that I can promise.”
From the look of it, Shaye is very genuine in her statement and not just spouting the usual hyperbole that comes along with promoting her next movie. In fact, she went on to say that director Nicolas Pesce was the key ingredient in finding the right formula:
“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.”
The Grudge arrives in theaters on August 16th, 2019.
