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By now everyone should know The Ring (2002) is a remake of Ring (1998). Less known is the fact that Hideo Nakata’s momentous film was not the first on-screen appearance of the vengeful Japanese ghost who spreads her curse by video — in 1995, Fuji Television aired its own take on Sadako Yamamura’s story. Of course, this made-for-tv version has since been overshadowed and, in some circles, dismissed. Yet for all its many odd decisions, Chisui Takigawa and Jōji Iida’s collaboration still follows its source material a good deal more closely than subsequent films, particularly where its spectral antagonist is concerned.

Those new to Ring ’95 (also known as Ring: Kanzenban or Ring: The Complete Edition on home video) will immediately notice its protagonist is not a female divorcée and single mother, but rather a married man. Indeed, like in Kōji Suzuki’s ‘91 novel, the main character here is a male reporter named Kazuyuki Asakawa.

Deena Cortese felt she was looking like an iconic horror movie character before she upgraded her look.

The Jersey Shore star is prepping for the second half of MTV’s Family Vacation Season 7 spinoff series, featuring her pals Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, Angelina Pivarnick, and other castmates.

As iconic reality TV stars, they all like to look their best, whether through cosmetic upgrades or other means. Some of the MTV OGs even seem to be aging in reverse in terms of their appearance.

Taking to Instagram on Saturday, Deena revealed she recently had her hair done by the White Opal Hair Company.

She shared a two-photo carousel post, with the first photo showing her smiling at the salon after having her done and the second showing how it looked before.

Fans reacted to Deena’s update, with some seeming to have mixed opinions about her change and...

Anime Expo 2024 revealed several upcoming figures, figurines and collectibles for anime fans. One of these was an anime-inspired redux of a horror movie and novel icon.

Kotobukiya is known for its statues and other forms of merchandise based on both true anime franchises as well as anime takes on other popular properties. One of these is now The Ring, which is known in both the East and West as a chilling horror series. An upcoming Sadako bishojo character statue will frighten collectors with terror that will fit right on their shelves.

Related Zoids Action Figures Become Moe Anime Girls With Kotobukiya's New Bishojo Model Kits

Takara has revealed new entries in the Zoids toy franchise -- namely, two upcoming figures that reimagine the animalistic mecha as beautiful women.

The Ring's Sadako Is the Latest Horror Icon to Get a Bishoujo Reimagining Horror pic.twitter.com/6E1lowxMx5 (@ShunyaYamashita) July 5, 2024

The...

Hideo Nakata's 1998 J-horror sensation "Ring" ("Ringu") revolves around images, mainly the distortion of photographs that denote Sadako's (Rie Inō) marked victims, and the eerie, anxiety-inducing cursed tape that comes alive in grotesque ways. Even Gore Verbinski's 2002 remake employs this photographic distortion — smudged and blurred faces that hint at the tragedy that befell the ones photographed, as if their very souls were smudged out of the frame.

The idea that photographs capture the essence of our souls is not recent, nor is its relation to spirit photography far-fetched, as the shadows and aberrations captured are often considered proof of something amiss. When Nakata was asked about this concept in an interview with Offscreen, the director affirmed that the idea for the smudged photos was inspired by a real-life woman who could allegedly manipulate objects with her clairvoyance, just like Sadako's influence manipulated the photographs:

"Mister Takahashi, who wrote the script with me,...

Killer Collectibles highlights five of the most exciting new horror products announced each and every week, from toys and apparel to artwork, records, and much more.

Here are the coolest horror collectibles unveiled this week — and since we’re off next week, you get an extra item!

Ghoulies Plushes from Toynk

Who among us hasn’t wanted to cuddle with the Ghoulies? Your dream can come true in the end, thanks to Toynk.

Summon 14″ plush toys of Fish Ghoulie, Cat Ghoulie, and Rat Ghoulie for $30 each. They’re currently eligible for a Buy 3, Get 1 Free deal.

Creature from the Black Lagoon Figure from Super 7

Creature from the Black Lagoon is joining Super7’s Super Cyborg line of “x-ray” toys next month for $125. Shipping is free with the code WINTER79.

The 11″ action figure features three removable panels that expose the anatomy of Gillman’s head, arm, and torso. It has seven points of articulation.

While Junji Ito has become the most recognizable mangaka when it comes to horror manga, there's a plethora of terrifying stories by additional creators that fans of the genre must read. It's no secret that Junji Ito has essentially become the Stephen King of horror manga. Whenever fans want recommendations for some of Japan's scariest manga, his name is usually the first to come up. His work has become not just influential but also well-regarded worldwide with numerous sales and anime adaptations, including the much-anticipated yet understandably delayed Uzumaki series.

However, just like Stephen King, Junji Ito is not the only voice in horror out there. There have been countless additional creators that have given their own spins on the genre with some even merging it with some of manga's most popular story-types to make them reach a broader audience. Without further ado, here are some of the absolute best...

In New York, everyone can hear you scream. But will they really care? In the city that never sleeps, evil lurks around every corner, ready to strike whenever one's guard is let down for just a moment. Sure, it's a gorgeous, bustling metropolis, but if horror movies have taught audiences anything, it's that the Big Apple packs some big scares. Tyler Gillett & Matt Bettinelli-Olpin surprised fans with their very funny, very bloody 2022 "Scream" reboot. For the sixth entry, the duo have supplanted Woodsboro, California, in favor of New York City, letting Ghostface get bigger, meaner, and deadlier.

Shooting in the actual city can be costly, likely accounting for just how few true New York horror stories there really are. Often, Manhattan is merely used as a backdrop, the horror features never fully taking advantage of the distinct iconography or scale for something truly terrifying. Some have, however, and here, we'll...

The Ring's vengeful spirit Sadako emerges from her cursed videotape and crawls out of a television in an incredibly detailed and innovative cosplay that recreates her iconic entrance. The spirit made her debut in Koji Suzuki's horror novel series that was later adapted into a film franchise, most notably with Hideo Nakata's Ring in 1998, and its US remake The Ring in 2002 by Gore Verbinski. Sadako has appeared in fourteen films, including the franchises' American and South Korean entries, with 14 actresses portraying the character across 25 years in prequels, sequels, and crossover films.

In a TikTok video created by user Daracell at Atl Comic Con, later shared by the Nightmare on Film Street podcast on Twitter, The Ring's spirit is brought to life in a cosplay that not only captures her terrifying appearance, but also Sadako's iconic videotape entrance.

best cosplay ever??...

J-horror films, the Japanese chillers that swept the globe at the turn of the millennium, could guarantee two things – ghastly ghostly apparitions, and sleepless nights for the viewer. Among the pinnacle of J-horror are the Ju-on films, a trilogy of terror named after a deadly curse spawned when someone dies in the grip of a violent rage – all who come into contact with it are doomed! The J-horror genre proved so popular, and so scary, that numerous titles were remade for the US market, including Ju-on, which so impressed Evil Dead director Sam Raimi that he invited the director to helm two Hollywood remakes.

To celebrate the release of Arrow Video’s Ju-on: The Grudge Collection on Uhd & Blu-ray, here are six of the best scenes from the most terrifying J-horrors – watch if you dare!

Ringu (The Ring) – 1998

Based on the bestselling book by Kôji Suzuki, and directed by Hideo Nakata,...

Twenty years ago, I couldn’t sleep…

My boyfriend and I had gone to see this new film called The Ring. It was incredible—so unlike the other horror films that were being produced when I was in college. But now, as we laid in bed in his rental house, I couldn’t seem to relax. Every time I closed my eyes, the image of an old well was seared into my brain. And if I let the image sit long enough, a ghostly little girl would slowly climb up out of the well and creep toward me.

It played again and again. Much like the images created by Samara in the film, it wouldn’t leave my mind. Eventually, my boyfriend whispered, “Are you awake?”

“Yes,” I replied. “I keep thinking about the movie. I keep seeing her coming up out of the well.”

“Me too,” he admitted. We...

In celebration of its 20th Anniversary, Waxwork Records releases The Ring Original Motion Picture Music by Hans Zimmer! This long-anticipated release marks the first time that The Ring will be available on vinyl!

The Ring is a 2002 supernatural horror film directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Naomi Watts and Brian Cox. It is a remake of Hideo Nakata’s 1998 Japanese horror film Ringu, based on Koji Suzuki’s 1991 eponymous novel. The plot follows a journalist who investigates an urban legend of a cursed videotape that seemingly kills the viewer seven days after watching it.

The Ring was released on October 18, 2002, to positive reviews praising its atmosphere, visuals, and Watt’s performance. It is one of the highest-grossing horror remakes and paved the way for English-language remakes of other Asian horror films such as The Grudge and Dark Water.

The score composed by Hans Zimmer is a dark symphonic orchestration that...

Hiroyuki Sanada is a true legend.

Even if you don’t know his name and haven’t memorized his filmography, his presence on screen elevates whatever he’s in. And he can make the most of even a fleeting appearance, like his cameo in 2019’s “Avengers: Endgame” as a mob boss who is taken down by Jeremy Renner’s Ronin.

In his latest project, David Leitch’s “Bullet Train,” in theaters now, he puts all of that legendary energy into his role as The Elder, one of the many mysterious figures who board a Japanese bullet train. Starring alongside Brad Pitt, he nonetheless steals every scene he’s in, which is somewhat fitting for a man that “Lost” co-creator and showrunner Damon Lindelof once referred to as the Japanese Harrison Ford.

Sanada will next be seen in 2023’s “John Wick: Chapter 4,” after being courted for a villainous role in...

The "Ring" franchise is one of the broader and more sprawling in current horror. The timeline on "The Ring" goes back to 1991 with the publication of Koji Suzuki's novel, called merely "Ring," which spawned two sequels called "Spiral" (1995) and "Loop" (1998). "Ring" was first adapted to film in 1995 with the TV movie "Ring: Kanzenban," and then adapted to manga and to audio drama in 1996. A famous film adaptation came out in 1998 which spawned a Korean remake, "The Ring Virus," and a TV series "The Ring: The Final Chapter," both in 1999. In 2002, director Gore Verbinski made an American,...

The post The Himeji Castle Horror Story That Inspired The Ring And Ringu appeared first on /Film.

Ringu director Hideo Nakata returns from whence he came with Sadako, another J-Horror offshoot inspired by Kôji Suzuki’s malevolent novels. Audiences more familiar with Gore Verbinski’s The Ring remake should understand this foreign import favors storytelling over paralyzing scares – or, at least attempts to highlight scripted intrigue. That’s not to say previous Ringu-adjacent titles […]

The post ‘Sadako’ Review: The Director of ‘Ringu’ Returns to the Franchise With an Underwhelming Sequel [Fantasia Film Festival 2019] appeared first on /Film.

Director Hideo Nakata brought novelist Kôji Suzuki’s Ring series to the big screen two decades ago and spawned a laundry list of sequels, American remakes (one of which he helmed), comics, and television remakes that each put their own unique spin on central “monster” Sadako Yamamura’s history until fluidity of mythology became a veritable franchise hallmark. Things got muddled fast too as the initial follow-up to Ringu fared so poorly (with a different creative team at the lead to release the same year) that it was struck from the record so Nakata could make his own. The product subsequently devolved into a string of poorly received, self-referential spin-offs capped off by a mash-up with popular Japanese horror icon Kayako. So why wouldn’t fans get excited for Nakata’s return?

He (and screenwriter Noriaki Sugihara) has come back to the property with a hybridized sequel/reboot wherein he...

Director of 1998's Ringu, 1999's Ringu 2, and 2005's The Ring Two, filmmaker Hideo Nakata is coming back to the Ring franchise this year with Sadako, and you can now watch the film's new trailer featuring the return of the titular character and those unfortunate enough to cross her cursed path.

As reported by Moshi Moshi Nippon (via Bloody Disgusting), Sadako will be released in theaters in Japan on May 24th, with the following plot details known so far:

“The film will star Elaiza Ikeda as the main character Mayu Akigawa, a psychology counselor who gets involved in an incident with Yusuke Ishida, played by Takashi Tsukamoto, who will try to fix it. Hiroya Shimizu will play the part of Mayu’s younger brother Kazuma Akigawa who becomes a YouTuber to try and awaken Sadako’s curse. Himeka Himejima will play Jinko, a mysterious girl who lost her memory and...

Pete Dillon-Trenchard May 20, 2017

The references and nerdy spots we caught in Doctor Who series 10: Extremis...

This article contains spoilers. Lots of them.

See related Orphan Black Season 4 episode 1 review: The Collapse of Nature Orphan Black comic book series on its way The art of the episode title

Whether you like it or not, we’re now halfway through this series of Doctor Who, and it’s time for the stakes to get higher; we now know who’s in the vault (or at least, who the Doctor thinks is in the vault), there’s a massive alien invasion waiting to strike, and oh yeah, the Doctor’s still blind. While you bite your nails waiting for next week’s instalment, here are our viewing notes with all the vaguely interesting things we noticed about this week’s episode. As ever, if you’ve noticed things we haven’t,...

26 years ago, Japanese novelist Koji Suzuki created a horror tale about an evil videotape that kills anyone who watches it seven days after they pop it in their Vcr. The tale has spawned a horror movie franchise that has become a global phenomenon. But with VCRs now obsolete, the latest film in the series, “Rings,” has turned the cursed tape into a viral internet video. With this jump into digital technology, “Rings” becomes the latest horror movie to pull its scares from modern technology. Before “Rings,” the most prominent internet-based horror film was the 2015 social media nightmare “Unfriended.”...

Director: Kôji Shiraishi. Writers: Takashi Shimizu, Kôji Suzuki. Cast: Mizuki Yamamoto, Tina Tamashiro and Aimi Satsukawa. There have been a combined total of twenty plus films, set in the Ringu and Ju-on film universes. Spanning eighteen years, these villains have killed untold numbers victims. Now, both cursed spirits face each other in Sadako v Kayako! Shot in Japan, the film was put together after an April Fool's Joke went viral. And, this outing is lighter in tone, compared to the earlier, more horrifying titles. This film fan was reminded of Hong-jin Na's The Wailing (2015), while watching this title. In both films, shamans are powerless to fight the supernatural. Still, the outcome of Sadako v Kayako can be predicted from a mile away. There is no way these iconic, money-making characters can take a final sleep. Sadako v Kayako is a bit predictable, but it is also an entertaining film.

Stars: Runa Endo, Elly Nanami, Mizuki Yamamoto, Tina Tamashiro, Aimi Satsukawa, Misato Tanaka, Masahiro Kômoto, Masanobu Andô, Rintaro Shibamoto, Maiko Kikuchi | Written by Takashi Shimizu, Kôji Suzuki | Directed by Kôji Shiraishi

In the battle of horror film icons, it is fair to say that the dream match-up was of course Freddy vs. Jason. A fun film, it could never live up to the expectation created around it, which could be a problem faced with Sadako vs. Kayako. Pitting The Ring against The Grudge is something of a dream match, but can it live up to expectation?

When the cursed video tape is once again watched, two friends find themselves on a race against time to stop the curse. With the help of spiritual medium Kyozo (Masanobu Andô) their may be a chance, by pitting Sadako against Kayako the known ghost who haunts a nearby house. When another girl is cursed by the house though,...

Hideo Nakata, having directed both this one and The Ring, established himself as the most commercially successful filmmaker of J-Horror. “Dark Water” won awards in festivals all over the world, including the Jury’s Choice Award at the 2009 Puchon International Fantastic Film Festival. An American remake with the same name was released in 2005. The book and its manga adaptation were also published in English in the Us.

Someone lingered

Yoshimi is a divorced mother who is seeking sole custody of her little daughter, Ikuko. While searching for an apartment, she chooses a run-down and cheap one. She enrolls Ikuko in a nearby kindergarten and she gets a job as a proofreader. Eventually, she realizes that the flat hides much more than the moisture in the walls. The family who lived upstairs also had a small daughter who disappeared mysteriously a year earlier. The couple moved, but a little girl with...

Louisa Mellor Oct 27, 2016

A host of spooky dramas will air on BBC R4 this Halloween weekend, incl. Rosemary’s Baby and Stephen King…

Today’s incarnation of Halloween—Pound Shop shelves sagging with the weight of glittery pumpkin deely boppers—may come from the Us, but somewhere is keeping the British ghost story tradition alive: BBC Radio 4.

See related Deadpool: Rhett Reese & Paul Wernick interview Deadpool: Ryan Reynolds on channeling the character

Halloween weekend on Radio 4 is going to be spiced with old-fashioned scares. Following last year’s inaugural Fright Night, which saw audio dramatisations of Nigel Kneale’s cult TV hit The Stone Tape and Koji Suzuki’s Ring, Radio 4 is bringing more literary horror to life.

Three spooky shorts and a feature-length reading of Ira Levin’s 1967 novel Rosemary’s Baby are airing over the Halloween period. Cookie Jar is a new short story by Stephen King,...

Bloodsuckers, the water-soaked paranormal, and a Herschell Gordon Lewis film collection are coming out on Blu-ray this October from Arrow Video, and the official special features lists and cover art for The Herschell Gordon Lewis Feast collection, Dark Water (2002), and 1986's Vamp tease plenty to enjoy on all three releases:

"Mvd Entertainment Group furthers the distribution of Arrow Video in the Us with several new titles in October...

Dark Water [Blu-ray + DVD] (October 11th)

After terrifying audiences worldwide with the blockbuster J-horror classic Ring and its sequel, director Hideo Nakata returned to the genre for Dark Water, another highly atmospheric, and critically acclaimed, tale of the supernatural which took the common theme of the "dead wet girl" to new heights of suspense and drama.

Based upon on a short story by Ring author Koji Suzuki, Dark Water follows Yoshimi, a single mother struggling to win sole custody of her only child, Ikuko.

The first trailer for Sadako vs. Kayako has been released. J-horror fans will remember Kayako from The Grudge series of horror films, with the first debuting in 2004. Sadako debuted in the 1998 film Ringu, from director Hideo Nakata. Director Takashi Shimizu, from The Grudge, has co-written this horror movie mash-up; Kôji Suzuki is the other co-writer. Developed from an April Fool's joke and faux trailer, Sadako vs. Kayako is being produced by Kadokawa and NBC Universal Entertainment Japan. The film's first exciting trailer is showing here. Plot details remain sparse. However, from the trailer, promotional material and title, it is obvious that these two horror icons will compete for bodies, both onscreen and in theatre seats. As well, Sadako vs. Kayako will be presented in 4-d, in Japan. The release date is scheduled for this summer, June 2016. For those unfamiliar (like this film fan), 4-d introduces physical effects such as strobe lights,...

Those looking forward to the latest film in The Ring series have a little bit longer to wait, as Paramount announced a new October release date for Rings. Starring Johnny Galecki, Matilda Lutz, Alex Roe, and Aimee Teegarden, Rings is directed by F. Javier Gutiérrez and written by Akiva Goldsman, David Loucka and Jacon Aaron Estes. Like The Ring and 1998's Ringu (the original Japanese film), draws inspiration from Kôji Suzuki's 1991 horror novel, Ring.

While the film was previously set to hit theaters on April 1st, Paramount is giving Rings a Halloween release and you'll be able to check it out on October 28th. Due to the date shift, it will probably be at least a few months before we get a good look at the movie, but we'll be sure to keep Daily Dead readers posted on any updates.

The post New October Release Date for Rings appeared first on Daily Dead.

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Spoilers! We dig a little deeper into Mark Gatiss' Sleep No More, with our latest geeky spots and viewing notes...

When you’ve got a renowned Doctor Who fan like Mark Gatiss writing an episode, there’s bound to be a few nods to the shows past. Take them, throw in some cultural references and add a sprinkling of very tenuous similarities and you’ve got yourself this week’s geeky spots article. And if you’ve spotted things we’ve missed, or just have some tenuous theories of your own, please add them to the comments below!

Callback No More

This isn’t the Doctor’s first visit to a space station; the first on-screen trip came in 1968’s The Wheel In Space, when the second Doctor battled Cybermen aboard Space Station W3. Other memorable stations have included Nerva Beacon, from fourth Doctor tales The...

Torchwood stars Eve Myles and Naoko Mori have joined a new radio adaptation of the classic Japanese horror film Ring.

Myles stars as Toni and Mori as the Narrator and Sadako in the drama adapted from Koji Suzuki's film, which has a unique binaural 3D sound.

Broadchurch's Matthew Gravelle stars as Mitchell, with Akira Koieyama as Ryugi, Masashi Fujimoto as Doctor Nagao, Yuriri Naka as Tomoko/Mai and Heather Emmanuel as Yuni.

The BBC Cymru Wales Production is directed by James Robinson.

The radio play is part of a Fright Night two-parter on BBC Radio 4, which suitably enough airs on Saturday, October 31.

The other drama is The Stone Tape, which is directed by modern horror maestro Peter Strickland, who gave us the remarkable Berberian Sound Studio.

It stars Romola Garai, Julian Rhind-Tutt and Julian Barratt with a special cameo by the star of the original version, Jane Asher.

Samara and Jason Voorhees are still on track to return to the big screen, but horror fans will have to adjust their calendars accordingly, as the theatrical releases of both Rings and the new Friday the 13th movie have been delayed.

According to Box Office Mojo, Paramount Pictures will now release Rings on April 1st, 2016 and has moved the new Friday the 13th film to a January 13th, 2017 debut. Rings was formerly set to come out on November 15th, 2015, while the latest Friday the 13th movie was lined up for a May 13th, 2016 release.

Starring Johnny Galecki, Matilda Lutz, Alex Roe, and Aimee Teegarden, Rings is directed by F. Javier Gutiérrez and written by Akiva Goldsman, David Loucka and Jacon Aaron Estes. Like The Ring and 1998's Ringu (the original Japanese film), draws inspiration from Kôji Suzuki's 1991 horror novel, Ring.

The new Friday the 13th movie's future is somewhat uncertain at this point,...

Aimee Teegarden has been cast in Rings.

The former Friday Night Lights actress will join Matilda Lutz and Alex Rose who are starring in the lead roles, reports Deadline.

Rings, the third instalment of the horror franchise, continues the story of the cursed video tape.

Naomi Watts appeared in the first two movies - The Ring and sequel The Ring 2.

The third instalment, originally called The Ring 3D, is directed by F. Javier Gutiérrez and written by David Loucka, Jacob Aaron Estes, and Akiva Goldsman.

The Ring was a remake of Ring, a 1998 Japanese horror film which was also based on Kôji Suzuki's novel with the same name.

Teegarden has appeared in another horror franchise - Scream 4. She also starred in TV series Star-Crossed and TV movie The Selection.

Watch a trailer for The Ring below:...

Paramount Pictures is returning to the dark, gloomy well first spotted in 2002’s The Ring for its third instalment in the franchise, Rings. Described in a recent report as a “prequel” to the events of the two pre-existing movies, each starring Naomi Watts as an intrepid journalist, the movie has since gone on to secure its male lead. Fresh from filming Ya adaptation The 5th Wave alongside Chloe Grace Moretz, Alex Roe is now locked in to star.

Roe is the second cast member to board Rings, which hails from F. Javier Gutierrez (formerly attached to helm the new Crow reboot). He joins leading lady Matilda Lutz and presumably an unannounced youngster tasked with crawling around in dingy wells and crawling out of television sets.

Roe and Lutz will play a teenage couple with Roe’s character set to give his girlfriend the cold shoulder after she forces him to watch the tape.

Samara now has one more reason to emerge from her well. Another lead role has been cast for Rings, the sequel to the 2002 remake, The Ring, adding one more potential victim of the cursed tape to the film's ranks.

Deadline reports that Alex Roe (The 5th Wave, Sniper: Legacy) has been cast as the male lead opposite Matilda Lutz in director F. Javier Gutiérrez's Rings. Roe will play "the boyfriend to Lutz’s character", who "becomes distant from her after watching the tape."

Rings, scheduled to come out in 3D, will explore the origin story of Samara. At this time, it's unclear how much of the story will incorporate the insights gained about Samara's past in The Ring and The Ring Two, and with the unveiling of Roe's character description, it sounds like the cursed tape will already be in existence at some point in the film, so perhaps...

It’s a fate worse than any Blockbuster late fee from back in the day: if you watch the tape, you die one week later at the hands of Samara Morgan, the black-haired ghost girl who needs no help getting out of the well she calls home. Though the 2002 American remake of 1998's Ringu unveiled some of Samara's backstory (in addition to the 2005 sequel, The Ring Two), there's still much more to explore about the adopted girl in the well, and Paramount is looking to to shed light on the murky horrors of Samara's past with Rings, the upcoming third entry in The Ring remake franchise that's slated for release late this year. Pre-production on the movie recently kicked off in Atlanta, and director F. Javier Gutiérrez shared some photos that give us new glimpses of the black-haired terror from the TV screen and much more.

Bloody Disgusting recently reported that Rings,...

Pining for those long summer days and blood-splattered nights at Camp Crystal Lake? Looking forward to the next found footage entry in the Paranormal Activity franchise? If so, you’ll have to wait longer than expected, as Paramount Pictures has delayed the release of their new Friday the 13th movie and Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension, while also slating Rings, the next installment in The Ring franchise, to hit theaters on one of the vacated dates.

Deadline reports that the new Friday the 13th movie, which last May was rescheduled to come out this November 13th, has now been pushed back to a May 13th, 2016 release.

Casting and plot details for the next installment in the Friday the 13th franchise are still unknown, but David Bruckner (V/H/S, The Signal) is still expected to direct, with Platinum Dunes’ Brad Fuller and Andrew Form producing.

Initially penciled in for a March 13th,...

Paramount has three notable horror films on the horizon and one of them is a direct sequel, another is a reboot and yet another is a "something like a sequel" and all three are being shuffled around the release board. First off, Paranormal Activity: The Ghost Dimension was previously scheduled for a March 13 release, but will now open on October 23, returning the franchise to its successful Halloween roots. Next is Rings, the third film in The Ring franchise with F. Javier Gutierrez directing after he was supposed to direct the remake of The Crow, which he is no longer attached to and seems to have pretty much fallen to pieces. Rings will hit theaters on November 13 of this year. amz asin="1932234411" size="small"No details on the plot for Rings, at least none specifically though Samara is expected to return as is the fateful videotape (I think it's going to be a prequel). Aviva Goldsman,...

It’s a fate worse than any Blockbuster late fee from back in the day: if you watch the tape, you die one week later at the hands of Samara Morgan, the black-haired ghost girl who needs no help getting out of the well she calls home. Last July, it was revealed that F. Javier Gutiérrez will direct the next Ring movie (referred to then as The Ring 3) from Paramount Pictures, and now the film’s new, official name and first cast member have been revealed.

TheWrap reports that Paramount’s upcoming Ring movie is titled Rings and will star Matilda Lutz in the lead role. A reboot of sorts due to the fact that Naomi Watts (who starred in 2002’s The Ring and 2005’s The Ring Two as Rachel Keller) will not return for this next installment, Rings will see Samara once again serving as the eerie antagonist...

Italian actress Matilda Lutz has been cast as the female lead in F. Javier Gutierrez’s horror movie “Rings,” which serves as the next chapter in the popular “Ring” franchise, multiple individuals familiar with the Paramount project have told TheWrap.

Paramount and representatives for Lutz did not immediately respond to requests for comment.

Also Read: ‘Friday the 13th’ Reboot Eyes ‘V/H/S’ Director David Bruckner (Exclusive)

Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald are producing the horror film, which will once again feature Samara and a deadly video tape, though “Rings” will feature a fresh young cast rather than Naomi Watts.

Earlier this summer we told you Paramount Pictures was getting serious about The Ring 3, having selected a director for the long-awaited horror sequel. But now this possible-completion to the chilling trilogy just got a bit more interesting with the announcement of a new screenwriter. For better or worse. You tell us. In July, Paramount revealed Spanish helmer F. Javier Gutierrez had been chosen to direct The Ring 3, but it was unclear if the studio had a script in place. Deadline reports Paramount has entered into negotiations with Academy Award-winning screenwriter Akiva Goldsman. Should he sign on, the scribe behind the critically heralded biopic A Beautiful Mind and the unheralded 1997 franchise killer Batman & Robin, would be the third screenwriter to touch The Ring 3. Inspiration for the threequel was found in Koji Suzuki's novels. From there, Paramount had picked David Loucka, writer of the equally abysmal The House...

In the age of digital downloads and YouTube, no one should be afraid of a cursed video tape. Not even sure if anyone still owns a VHS player.

Paramount hired “The Crow” reboot director F. Javier Guiterrez to helm the third movie for the “The Ring” series. The first two films starred Naomi Watts and with the latest movie grossing over $161 million back in 2005.

The original story is based off the novel written by Koji Suzuki. Since the Japanese original movie “Ringu,” many sequels, prequels and spin-offs were made from this storyline.

Now the creepy girl can come crawling out your high-def TV once again. That will indeed be scary.

Source: Deadline...

On this day in 1995 the first film in the Ringu franchise Ringu Kanzenban was released in Japan. A madeforTV movie with low production values it sticks closer to the 1991 Koji Suzuki novel then any film since (by most accounts). Unlike the theatrical remake released to instant acclaim in 1998 the protagonist in Ringu Kanzenban is a male reporter with a pregnant wife. Sadako (freaky demonic girl) is also portrayed as having an incestuous infatuation with her father.

 

George A. Romero's career as a director has spanned well over 40 years now, with 16 feature films to his credit (plus one O.J. Simpson documentary!).  Though mostly known as the father of the modern day zombie movie, and of course the director of the three best zombie movies ever made, Romero has also strayed away from the undead to direct a handful of non-zombie flicks over the years, including films like Creepshow and Martin, and even the non-horror films Knightriders and There's Always Vanilla.

But what about the projects Romero was attached to that never quite got off the ground?  The filmmaking business is a fickle one, and any director that has been in the game as long as Romero has is bound to have a handful of projects that died before they ever had a chance to live.  Things just don't always work out as planned in Hollywood, and...

A new trailer is here for the sequel to the insipid Sadako 3D (review), and it's filled with little girls, long black hair, and really cheesy pop music. Remember when Ring was scary? Sadako 3D 2 opens in Japanese theatres on August 30th.

Directed by Tsutomu Hanabusa, Sadako 3D 2 -- set five years after Sadako 3D -- stars Miori Takimoto as a clinical psychologist raising her four-year-old niece, whose mother died in childbirth. The cursed online video clip reappears, and strange things begin to occur around the young girl.

Ring author Kôji Suzuki tackled the writing duties on this latest entry and is the only reason we're even moderately interested in this could-be abomination.

Synopsis

Fuko Ando (Miori Takimoto), a 24-year-old graduate student in psychology, is tasked to care for her 4-year-old niece. Soon mysterious events begin to occur around her niece. Fuko Ando then learns of an incident...

Tsutomu Hanabusa's 'Sadako 3D 2' has slipped into post-production ready to scare up more audiences and dragging elements and characters from Koji Suzuki's original novel screaming into the 21st Century. This is the sixth outing for the 'Ringu'-related universe which follows-up last years re-emergence of the terrifying Sadako. And now the sequel, which will combine a new smartphone app to coincide with the release so audiences can truly become emerged into the world of little Sadako, has got itself a full official Japanese trailer. The sequel stars Miori Takimoto, Satomi Ishihara, Koji Seto, Yusuke Yamamoto and Kokoro Hirasawa and will hit Japanese theatres on 30 August. Head below for the trailer and more on the new technology....

We have news from our Beating a Dead Horse Department: The sequel to the insipid Sadako 3D (review), which has been cleverly titled Sadako 3D 2, will be giving new meaning to the old telephone slogan "Reach out and touch someone" when it slinks into Japanese theatres on August 30th.

THR reports that the flick will be shown in a “smartphone 4D” version in Japan with a free app delivering vibration, flash, and sound special effects as well as extra visuals on mobile handset screens for the latest installment of horror series The Ring.

Instead of the usual warning to switch phones off before screenings, audiences will be asked to keep them turned on to experience what the company promoting the film says will be the world's first-ever smartphone 4D effects. Full details of the effects are not being released, but there are hints that the app may also become active outside of screenings,...

Hot on the heels of me being completely offended by Sadako 3D (review), word has come that a sequel is not only on its way, but it's hitting Japanese theatres on August 30th. There is, however, one bright spot to this debacle.

We've got some good news and some bad news for you, kids. Let's start with the bad... Tsutomu Hanabusa (Sadako 3D) is once again directing. Yeah, that hurts. It hurts a lot. However, original Ring author Kôji Suzuki. That's something, right? Miori Takimoto stars.

We'll bring you more on this one as soon as we get it, if only because we're hoping that the involvement of Suzuki can finally steer this ship back on course. Well, that and we are gluttons for punishment. Stay tuned.

Synopsis

Fuko Ando (Miori Takimoto), a 24-year-old graduate student in psychology, is tasked to care for her 4-year-old niece. Soon mysterious events begin to occur around her niece.

Oh, Sadako 3D. How unfulfilled I was left after watching you. I waited many months for a proper U.S. release and Well Go USA fulfilled my want. Unfortunately, my excitement was drowned out by an offensive mish mash of A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, and The Exorcist: The Version You've never Seen.

A high school teacher named Akane (Satomi Ishihara) hears rumors of a cursed video clip circulating online. The clip is said to show a man, Kashiwada (Yûsuke Yamamoto), commiting suicide. Supposedly, anyone who watches the video is driven to commit suicide themselves. Akane refuses to believe the rumors until one of her students mysteriously dies after viewing it.

Akane soon discovers that Kashiwada intends to use the clip to cause chaos and death, which will help the spirit of Sadako (Ai Hashimoto) find a host body for her to possess.

Franchises are a major part of the film industry – and the most popular, profitable ones seem to never die. One genre with a particular affinity for endless streams of sequels is horror. Whether they repeatedly resurrect a seemingly slain killer, string together loosely-related stories, or contort themselves into a convoluted back-and-forth web of sequels, prequels, and midquels, a horror series that make money have enough mileage to make a hybrid car blush.

But every once in a while something happens that endangers a franchise – legal troubles, production problems, or just a flat-out awful film. Sometimes this is enough to finally kill the series, but sometimes, if there still seems like there’s money to be made, the brave producers will stumble on and do their best to just pretend their missteps never happened at all. When this happens, we end up with sequels that suddenly no longer “count” – they’re...

You can’t keep a ghost down. Especially a pissed off ghost girl. Hell hath no fury, and all of that. Sadako, thought dead in, er, the 50 other movies about her, is back. Again. She stalked the Internets in last year’s “Sadako 3D” (read our review of that film here), and is back once again in “Sadako 3D 2″. Hey, it’s not like the Japanese film industry is any different from Hollywood, you know. If it makes money, they’ll keep doing it. “Sadako 3D 2″ is directed by Tsutomu Hanabusa, who also helmed last year’s reboot of the franchise. The two films have some good pedigree behind them, though. Kôji Suzuki, who wrote the book that was turned into the “Ring” movies, is back to write the “Sadako” films. So if nothing else, there are those very solid ties to the original characters here. The first...

Let's see if I can get through this post without devolving into childlike toilet humor (it's not likely). Japan (of course) is home to what might be the scariest toilet paper ever. And what makes it so scary? The roll contains an original tale of horror by the author of The Ring and Spiral. More after the jump. The Hayashi Paper Co. went directly to author Koji Suzuki with the idea, and he agreed to pen an original story for the roll, called (of course) "Drop." The toilet paper has been on sale in Japan since 2009 where, despite costing nearly ten times what a normal roll of Tp costs, the company has sold 300,000 rolls. An English translation is in the works with an eye on the international market. Try as I...

By Jesse Miller, MoreHorror.com

The Original Ringu (1998)

Have you heard this urban legend about a videotape that kills you seven days after you watch it? No? Then may I introduce you to the world of Hideo Nakata’s Ringu and let you two get acquainted?

Keep in mind, there are a few crucial points to the films I want to cover so you might be in for a lengthy read.

This 1998 Japanese horror film (or as it is affectionately dubbed, J-Horror) is based on the thrilling ’91 novel by Koji Suzuki and follows reporter Reiko Asakawa (Nanako Matsushimi) as she is investigating the startling urban legend and the terrifying truth behind it.

Along the way she enlists the help of her ex-husband Ryuji Takayama (Hiroyuki Sanada) and the two embark on a quest to get to the very bottom of the supposedly deadly legend, uncovering a few horrifying revelations as they go.

Following on from the early teaser trailer that went out back in February a brand new full trailer has emerged for 'Ringu' horror follow-up 'Sadako 3D'. Tsutomu Hanabusa's new 3D installment is the latest tale in the franchise of J-horror 'Ringu' flicks and will be based on new novel 'S' (Esu) by the series' original creator Koji Suzuki. It's due to hit Japanese theatres from 12 May and hopefully an international release will soon follow. Satomi Ishihara (below), Koji Seto, Yusuke Yamamoto, Shota Sometani, Tsutomu Takahashi, Hikari Takara and Ryosei Tayama all star in the new story of Sadako Yamamura who'll most likely be aiming for some three-dimensional chills as she will no doubt be physically exiting TV and cinema screens near you soon. Check out the new trailer below....