Ju-On is a Japanese horror franchise created by Takashi Shimizu. The franchise began in 1998 with the release of the short films Katasumi and 4444444444. Shimizu attended the Film School of Tokyo, where he studied under Kiyoshi Kurosawa. Kurosawa helped Shimizu shepherd the Ju-On projects to fruition.
The Grudge is a 2004 supernatural horror film directed by Takashi Shimizu, written by Stephen Susco, and produced by Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, and Takashige Ichise. A remake of Shimizu's 2002 Japanese horror film Ju-On: The Grudge, it stars Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr, KaDee Strickland, Clea DuVall, and Bill Pullman, and is the first installment in The Grudge film series, which is based on the Japanese Ju-On films. Takako Fuji, Yuya Ozeki, and Takashi Matsuyama portray the characters Kayako Saeki, Toshio Saeki, and Takeo Saeki from the original films. The plot is told through a nonlinear sequence of events and includes several intersecting subplots.
Ju-On: The Grudge is a 2002 Japanese supernatural horror film written and directed by Takashi Shimizu. It is the third installment in the Ju-On series and the first to be released theatrically. It stars Megumi Okina, Misaki Ito, Takashi Matsuyama, and Yui Ichikawa.
The Grudge 2 is a 2006 American supernatural horror film directed by Takashi Shimizu and written by Stephen Susco. The film is the sequel to The Grudge (2004) and the second installment in the American The Grudge film series. The film stars Amber Tamblyn, Arielle Kebbel, Jennifer Beals, Edison Chen, Sarah Roemer, and Sarah Michelle Gellar. As stated by Shimizu, the film is not a remake of any Japanese film and follows a different storyline. Like its predecessor, the film features a plot that is told through a nonlinear sequence of events and includes several intersecting subplots. It follows Karen's younger sister Aubrey coming to Japan after finding out about Doug's death, a schoolgirl named Allison being haunted by the ghosts of the Saeki family after entering the house with two of her classmates, and a young boy named Jake whose apartment building is haunted by the ghosts.
Ju-on: The Curse 2 (呪怨2), also known as simply Ju-on 2, is a 2000 Japanese V-Cinema supernatural horror film and the second installment in the Ju-on series. The film was released in Japan on March 25, 2000 and was later released on video on April 14.
Katasumi and 4444444444 are two 1998 short Japanese horror films both directed by Takashi Shimizu, forerunners to the Ju-on series.
The Grudge 3 is a 2009 American supernatural horror film directed by Toby Wilkins and written by Brad Keene. The film is the sequel to The Grudge 2 (2006) and the third installment in the American The Grudge film series. The film stars Johanna Braddy, Gil McKinney, Emi Ikehata, Jadie Rose Robson, Beau Mirchoff, and Shawnee Smith, with a special appearance by Matthew Knight. Aiko Horiuchi and Shimba Tsuchiya plays Kayako and Toshio, respectively, in the film, with Takashi Matsuyama only reappearing as Takeo Saeki though archive footage.
Ju-on: The Curse, also known as simply Ju-on, is a 2000 Japanese V-Cinema supernatural horror film and the first installment in the Ju-on franchise, following two short films. The film was written and directed by Takashi Shimizu and is divided in six parts, chronicling the experiences of tenants of a cursed house where a man, Takeo Saeki killed his wife, Kayako, in a jealous rage. It was followed by Ju-on: The Curse 2 in the same year.
Kayako Saeki is the main antagonist of the Ju-On and The Grudge horror franchises. Kayako's fictional history alternates alightly between continuities, but all depict her as the vengeful ghost of a woman killed by her husband Takeo along with their son Toshio in a murder-suicide after he came to believe she was having an affair, before the spirits of all three are bound to their family home, haunting and killing all to enter over varying periods of time, ranging from days to years.
The Grudge is an American supernatural horror film series released by Sony Pictures based on and a part of the larger Japanese Ju-On franchise. The first installment is a remake of Ju-On: The Grudge and follows a similar storyline to the Japanese film. The sequel, The Grudge 2, is not a remake and follows a unique storyline, albeit still borrowing some plot elements from several Japanese predecessors. Another sequel, The Grudge 3, picks up shortly after the events of the second film.
Takeo Saeki is a fictional character appearing in the Ju-on film franchise and the husband of Kayako Saeki. Since his introduction up to The Grudge 3, he is portrayed by long-time veteran actor Takashi Matsuyama; he is the only Saeki family member not to be portrayed by multiple actors. However, Matsuyama was replaced by actor Yasuhito Hida for the 2014 Japanese reboot, Ju-on: Beginning of the End, and its sequel Ju-on: The Final Curse.
Ju-On: The Grudge, known in Japan as Kyōfu Taikan: Ju-On, is a survival horror video game developed for the Wii. It was produced in honor of the Ju-On series' 10th anniversary. The game was directed by Takashi Shimizu, who also helmed the films. The game was developed by feelplus and published in Japan by AQ Interactive on July 30, 2009, and in North America and Europe in October of the same year by Xseed Games and Rising Star Games, respectively.
Karen Davis is a fictional character from The Grudge. Being the central character, she uncovers the Saeki house's dark past and is the only one to survive the first film. She returns in The Grudge 2 and compels her sister, Aubrey, to put a stop to the curse. Her portrayal was met with acclaim by critics and the films crew. She makes a cameo appearance in The Grudge 3 with a flashback scene.
Aiko Horiuchi is a Japanese painter, writer, and actress. She is best known for her role of the villainess Kayako Saeki in The Grudge 3 (2009), taking over for Takako Fuji, who had passed on the role.
Toshio Saeki is a fictional character from the Ju-on franchise, created by Takashi Shimizu. He was played by several child actors, including Daiki Sawada in the short movie 4444444444, Ryōta Koyama in the original two V-Cinema movies, Yuya Ozeki in the theatrical movies and The Grudge, Ohga Tanaka in The Grudge 2, Shimba Tsuchiya in The Grudge 3, Shūsei Uto in Ju-on: White Ghost and Ju-on: Black Ghost, Kai Kobayashi in the 2014 Japanese reboot Ju-on: The Beginning of the End, and Garrett Masuda in the parody Scary Movie 4. He is characterized by his pitch-black eyes, pale skin, and the haunting meowing sounds he makes.
Ju-on: The Beginning of the End is a 2014 Japanese supernatural horror film and the tenth installment of the Ju-on franchise. The film was directed and co-written by Masayuki Ochiai with Takashige Ichise producing and co-writing. The Beginning of the End is a reboot of the series, retelling the events of the cursed Saeki family that centers on a house in Nerima, Japan.
Ju-On: The Final Curse is a 2015 Japanese supernatural horror film and the eleventh installment of the Ju-on franchise. The film is a direct sequel to Ju-on: The Beginning of the End, set in that film's continuity and was marketed as the final film in the Ju-on franchise. The film was produced and co-written by Takashige Ichise and directed and co-written by Masayuki Ochiai. The film was released on June 20, 2015.
Sadako vs. Kayako is a 2016 Japanese supernatural horror film directed by Kōji Shiraishi. It is a crossover of the Ju-on and Ring series. The film was first teased as an April Fools' joke on April 1, 2015, but was later confirmed on December 10 to be a real production. It was released in Japan on June 18, 2016, Indonesia in August 10, and in North America on the streaming site Shudder on January 26, 2017. It received mixed reviews from critics.
The Grudge is a 2020 American psychological supernatural horror film written and directed by Nicolas Pesce. Originally announced as a reboot of the 2004 American remake and the original 2002 Japanese horror film Ju-On: The Grudge, the film ended up taking place before and during the events of the 2004 film and its two direct sequels, and is the fourth installment in the American The Grudge film series. The film stars Andrea Riseborough, Demián Bichir, John Cho, Betty Gilpin, Lin Shaye, and Jacki Weaver, and follows a police officer who investigates several murders that are seemingly connected to a single house.
