After receiving the soft reboot treatment earlier this year with a new movie, The Grudge franchise is looking to expand further. That means bringing a new series to Netflix, the streaming service drawing in huge audiences during this pandemic.
The original movie was released in 2002 in Japan as Ju-On, telling the story of a cursed house where vengeful spirits bring misfortune and death to all those who inhabit the property. The franchise, together with the Ring series, captivated Japanese and Western audiences alike leading to a number of English-language remakes. The latest iteration of The Grudge, a soft reboot released early this year, proved to not be a hit with critics, but box office receipts show fans are still keen.
The new Netflix series will be in Japanese, and looks to get at the origins of the curse that victims fall under. "Ju-On was actually based on real events that occurred over four decades — and the truth is even more terrifying" reads the synopsis for the show. A trailer provides a teaser for fans, setting the scene and highlighting some of the spookiness to come.
Horror is a difficult genre to pull off well. The Grudge and The Ring gave audiences nightmares in the early 2000s. Tastes and styles change, and fans moved on. With that said, J-Horror seems to be making a resurgence. This occurs in the video game world as well, where the action-oriented horror experiences of the last console generation seem to be making way for traditional atmospheric horror.
Netflix has had its audience's attention of late, so taking a stab at a horror series based on a long-running franchise is as good a bet as any.
Ju-On: Origins will be available on Netflix starting July 3rd.
Source: IndieWire