The Grudge is a 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. A reboot, also entitled The Grudge (2020), takes place concurrently with the events of the first three films.
The Grudge describes a curse that is born when someone dies in the grip of extreme rage or sorrow, created where the person died. Those who encounter the curse die, and the curse is reborn repeatedly, passing from victim to victim in an endless, growing chain of horror. The 2004 film follows an American nurse living and working in Tokyo who is exposed to the curse, which locks a person in a powerful rage before claiming their life and spreading to another victim. The 2020 reboot, directed by Nicolas Pesce, has received mixed reviews, with some critics praising its unsettling atmosphere while others criticize its generic jump scares.
