Japanesedirector Takashi Shimizu is to remake his horrorflick The Grudge (Ju-On) for GhostHouse Pictures, the newly hatched genre label formed by Sam Raimi, Rob Tappertand Senator International.

TakaIchise, who produced Ringu (successfully remade by Dreamworks SKG as The Ring) and Ju-On, will produce for Ghost House.

The pictureis being fast tracked by Ghost House and will shoot immediately after Boogeyman. The filmcentres on a murderous supernatural curse, born of a grudge. The curse ispassed, like a virus, from victim to victim in an endless, growing chain ofhorror.

Raimisaid: "Ju-On is one of the most frightening films I've ever seen.Shimizu has crafted some of the most unique on-screen scares. He is relentless in his delivery,leaving you no time to catch your breath. I'm betting on Shimizu to bringthe American horror genre to a whole new level of fear."

TheGrudgewill be executive produced by Roy Lee and Doug Davison of Vertigo Entertainmentwho brought the project to Ghost House under a first-look arrangement.

Rightswere acquired from Ichise's company, OZ Co in a deal negotiated by SchuylerMoore at the Stroock law firm, on behalf of OZ and Senator Internationalpresident Joe Drake representing Ghost House.

Ichiserecently sold remake rights on Dark Water(Honogurai Mizo No Soko Kara), toDisney-partner Pandemonium and is fielding several offers from independents anda studio for remake rights to The Princess Blade (Shurayukihime).

GhostHouse Pictures slate also includes vampire thriller 30 Days Of Night - a comic bookseries acquired from writer Steve Niles, illustrator Ben Templesmith and comicbook publisher, Idea & Design Works. Niles is developing the screenplay.Mike Richardson (executive producer of The Mask, Timecop and Virus) will serve asexecutive producer.

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