Kadokawa Pictures USA andIntermedia are to jointly remake One Missed Call, the Takashi Miikehorror that grossed $14.6m (Y1.5bn) in Japan following its release in January2004.
The deal was announced byYasushi Akimoto, who wrote the novel on which the film was based, at the Tokyopremiere of One Missed Call 2 on February 5.
According to KadokawaPictures, the partners have tentatively agreed to each put up half of theproduction budget, "though more partners may come on board," aKadokawa spokesman explained.
The film is now inpre-production, with cast and director yet to be decided. "This will be acreative partnership," the spokesman said. "We are not simply puttingup the money."
Inspired by the Koreanhorror hit The Phone, One Missed Call stars Kou Shibasaki as ayoung woman whose friends begin dying three days after they receive a propheticmessage on the mobiles that includes their own death scream. Then she receivessuch a message herself - and has to solve its mystery before her own three daysare up.
The biggest horror hit inJapan last year, the film has since opened around the world, includingSingapore, Malaysia, the Philippines, Norway, Sweden, Russia, Italy and Spain.It will also be released this year in the United States, France, Korea andother territories.
Two previous remakes ofJapanese horror films -- The Ring and The Grudge -- passed the$100m box office mark in the US. Others are in the pipeline, including DarkWater and The Ring 2.
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