Lions Gate Films has boughtworldwide distribution rights to the six-film horror package of films byproducer Taka Ichise dubbed J-Horror Theater.

The franchise of films is bysix Japanese horror masters - Takashi Shimizu who made The Grudge, Hideo Nakata (TheRing, Dark Water), Kiyoshi Kurosawa (Cure,Pulse) and screenwriter Hiroshi Takahashi who wrote the Ring trilogy making his directorialdebut, in addition to the previously announced titles by Masayuki Ochiai andNorio Tsuruta.

Shimizu has just wrapped hisfirst English-language picture The GrudgeColumbia Pictures and Senator International, while Nakata is in pre-productionon The Ring 2 for DreamWorks.

The first two films in theanthology - Ochiai's Infection andTsuruta's Premonition are shootingthis year.

The Lions Gate deal followsof the launch of Ichise's development and financing shingle Entertainment Farm