Editing Ju-On (section)

==History==
{{Timeline of release years
|title= Ju-On
| subtitle = Original series in light green<br />Remake series in blue<br />Reboot in yellow<br /> Crossover in orange
| compressempty = yes
| range1 = 1998 - 2003
| range1_color = #0BDA51 #BBC2D2
| range2 = 2014 - 2015
| range2_color = #FFF700 #BBC2D2
| range3 = 2016 - 2016
| range3_color = #F47251 #BBC2D2
| range4 = 2004 - 2009a
| range4_color = #0000FF #BBC2D2
| range5 = 2009b - 2009b
| range5_color = #0BDA51 #BBC2D2
| range6 = 2020 - 2020
| range6_color = #0000FF #BBC2D2

|1998 = [[Katasumi and 4444444444|''Katasumi'' and ''4444444444'']]
|2000a = ''[[Ju-On: The Curse]]''
|2000b = ''[[Ju-On: The Curse 2]]''
|2002 = ''[[Ju-On: The Grudge]]''
|2003 = ''[[Ju-On: The Grudge 2]]''
|2004 = ''[[The Grudge]]''
|2006 = ''[[The Grudge 2]]''
|2009a = ''[[The Grudge 3]]''
|2009b = ''[[Ju-On: Black Ghost]]/[[Ju-On: White Ghost]]''
|2014 = ''[[Ju-On: The Beginning of the End]]''
|2015 = ''[[Ju-On: The Final Curse]]''
|2016 = ''[[Sadako vs. Kayako]]''
|2020 = ''[[The Grudge (2020 film)|The Grudge]]''
}}

Shimizu stated in an interview that the inspiration for ''Ju-On'' came from his own personal fears as a child, and from a Japanese [[butoh]] dance group that would paint their nude bodies white and perform. Shimizu found the performance frightening and decided to "paint [his] ghosts white". He also mentioned that the rise in the number of domestic abuse cases emerging in Japan during production of his previous films gave him ideas about the origins of the story.<ref name="Neomag">{{cite web|title=Ju-On: The Interview|url=http://www.neomag.co.uk/art/asian-film/article/1443/juon-the-interview|year=2013|publisher=NeoMag|access-date=August 9, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109164052/http://www.neomag.co.uk/art/asian-film/article/1443/juon-the-interview|archive-date=November 9, 2013|url-status=dead}}</ref>

The title of the Japanese films translates roughly to "Curse of Grudge", or more abstractly, a curse created due to an individual bearing a grudge against someone or something. The first two films in the series were so-called [[V-Cinema]], or [[direct-to-video]] releases, but became [[sleeper hit|surprise hit]]s as the result of favorable word of mouth. Both films were shot in nine days and feature a story that is a variation on the classic haunted house theme, as well as a popular Japanese horror trope, the "vengeful ghost" (''[[onryō]]''). The titular [[curse]], ''ju-on'', is one which takes on a life of its own and seeks new victims. Anyone who encounters a ghost killed by the curse is killed themselves and the curse is able to be spread to other areas.

Under very tight budgetary constraints, Shimizu's films garnered much acclaim from both critics and genre fans for their effective use of limited locations and eerie atmosphere to generate chills. Shimizu was at the same time perfectly willing to show his ghosts onscreen, in contrast to some directors who might choose only to hint at their appearance. Critics noted that Shimizu's minimalist approach to directing and storytelling—a necessary by-product of the production's limited overall resources—allows the films to retain their ability to unnerve viewers. Very few scenes in the movies are graphically bloody, making such scenes more disturbing when they occur.<ref name="Neomag"/>

Following the success of the two direct-to-video films, and the international success of [[Hideo Nakata]]'s ''[[Ring (film)|Ring]]'' (1998), Kurosawa and ''Ring'' screenwriter Hiroshi Takahashi helped Shimizu develop a theatrical ''Ju-On'' sequel starring [[Megumi Okina]] and [[Takako Fuji]]. The film, titled ''[[Ju-On: The Grudge]]'', was released on October 18, 2002, to critical acclaim, and was followed by a sequel, ''[[Ju-On: The Grudge 2]]'', that was released on August 23, 2003.

The rights to an American film remake of ''[[The Grudge]]'' were eventually acquired, with Shimizu himself attached to direct and [[Sarah Michelle Gellar]] starring.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.dvdtalk.com/interviews/the_grudge_an_i.html |title=The Grudge – An Interview with Sam Rami and Rob Tappert |publisher=Dvdtalk.com |access-date=2015-09-29}}</ref> The film was released in 2004 to mixed reviews. The film's box office success would lead it to spawn its own [[The Grudge (film series)|series]] of American-produced films, including 2006's ''[[The Grudge 2]]'' and 2009's ''[[The Grudge 3]]''.<ref>{{cite web | author= Box Office Mojo | date= October 20, 2006 | title= Grudge opens on 3,348 theatres | work= Box Office Mojo | url= http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=grudge.htm
| access-date=2006-10-20}}</ref> Both films follow a unique storyline, albeit ''The Grudge 2'' still drawing inspiration from several Japanese films.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://movies.about.com/od/thegrudge2/a/grudgets080106.htm |title=Takashi Shimizu Interview on Grudge 2 and the Ju-On Movies |publisher=Movies.about.com |access-date=2015-09-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923140009/http://movies.about.com/od/thegrudge2/a/grudgets080106.htm |archive-date=September 23, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref>

In celebration of the tenth anniversary of the franchise, two new sequels, ''[[Ju-On: White Ghost]]'' and ''[[Ju-On: Black Ghost]]'' were screen simultaneously in Japanese theaters in 2009. The stories of two films deviate from that of the cursed Saeki family, focusing on two unrelated, but also, ill-fated families.

For the fifteenth anniversary of the ''Ju-On'' franchise, a [[Reboot (fiction)|reboot]] was released in 2014, titled ''[[Ju-On: The Beginning of the End]]''. Drawing inspiration from ''The Grudge 2'', ''The Beginning of the End'' features a new backstory regarding the curse, while still featuring the Saeki family as an integral part of the plot.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://movies.about.com/od/thegrudge2/a/grudgets080106.htm |title=Takashi Shimizu Interview |access-date=September 16, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150923140009/http://movies.about.com/od/thegrudge2/a/grudgets080106.htm |archive-date=September 23, 2015 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The film was followed by a 2015 sequel, ''[[Ju-On: The Final Curse]]'', which was promoted as the final film in the series.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/juonmovie/status/567599725952520192|title=呪怨 -ザ・ファイナル- "We have decided to produce the latest work of "Kurinen" series. The title is "Curricity -The Final-"! That's right, the world-famous Curse series that started in 1999, finally the final chapter! ! Released on June 20th, starring Airi Taira. Please stay tuned!"}}</ref> Both films had no significant input from series creator Shimizu.

A [[Crossover (fiction)|crossover]] with the ''[[Ring (film)|Ring]]'' franchise, ''[[Sadako vs. Kayako]]'', was released on June 18, 2016.

[[The Grudge (2019 film)|Another installment]] of the American film series was released on December 31, 2019, to generally negative reviews.<ref name="deadline.com">{{cite news|title=Horror Hit 'The Grudge' Going Reboot Route|url=https://deadline.com/2014/03/horror-hit-the-grudge-going-reboot-route-702157/|access-date=21 March 2014|newspaper=[[Deadline Hollywood]]|date=20 March 2014}}</ref>

''Grudge'' director, [[Nicolas Pesce]], expressed interest in a crossover between the American ''Grudge'' and ''[[The Ring (franchise)#American film series|Ring]]'' film series, just as was done with 2016's ''[[Sadako vs. Kayako]]''.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3584775/nicolas-pesce-confirms-new-grudge-canonical-2004-version-exclusive/|title = New Film 'The Grudge' Takes Place at Same Time as the 2004 Version &#91;Exclusive&#93;|date = September 20, 2019}}</ref> Prior to his film's release, Pesce expressed further interest in a sequel being set in both a different part of the world than America or Japan, and in a different "less contemporary" time period compared to previous films.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3599114/grudge-sequels-explore-time-periods-exclusive/|title=Further 'The Grudge' Sequels Could Explore Other Time Periods &#91;Exclusive&#93;|date=December 31, 2019}}</ref>

A TV series adaptation, titled ''[[Ju-On: Origins]]'', was released exclusively on [[Netflix]] worldwide on July 3, 2020.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.animenewsnetwork.com/news/2020-05-11/netflix-ju-on-origins-live-action-horror-series-debuts-worldwide-on-july-3/.159424|title=Netflix's JU-ON: Origins Live-Action Horror Series Debuts Worldwide on July 3|website=Anime News Network|date=May 11, 2020|access-date=May 11, 2020}}</ref>