The threequel to Paramount’s remake of the classic Japanese horror Ringu has landed a director and it’s none other than F. Javier Gutiérrez (Before the Fall). The third movie has been in the pipe line for a while now but the Spanish director is the first name linked with the task of breathing new life into the series.
The first movie – directed by Gore Verbinski (Pirates of the Caribbean) – grossed over $249 million worldwide in 2002 and starred Naomi Watts in the lead role. Despite not matching it’s predecessor’s success the 2005 sequel – which saw original Ringu director Hideo Nakata take the hot seat – still managed to bag just over $160 million at the box office.
Gutiérrez gained genre cred in his native Spain after delivering two outstanding shorts called Brasil and Norman’s Room (a bite size tribute to Psycho), both of which were nominated for various international awards. But Hollywood came calling after the critical success of his debut feature film Before the Fall. The Spanish director has also been in talks to direct a reboot of The Crow, which was announced last year and will star Luke Evans (The Hobbit: The Desolation of Smaug) as Eric Draven.
No word on whether Naomi Watts will return and nothing released yet on plot details but if I was a betting man I’d put my house on it involving a cursed video tape…
Gavin Logan – Follow me on Twitter
Originally published July 20, 2014. Updated April 12, 2018.
