The long-running Japanese horror franchise Ju-On (known as The Grudge in the U.S.) is headed to Netflix for a series titled Ju-On: Origins. Created by writer/director Takashi Shimizu, the Ju-On franchise released its first film in 2000. Since then, a whopping seven further Japanese films have been produced, including a crossover movie pitting Kayako from Ju-On against Sadako from the Ring franchise. Four American Grudge films have also been released since 2004, the most recent in 2020, and the first two directed by creator Shimizu.
While it's certainly been much more prolific in its native Japan than in the U.S., there's no doubt that Ju-On/The Grudge has been a major force in the horror genre for 20 years now. With a film hitting America earlier this year, and Netflix's Ju-On: Origins coming soon, it wouldn't appear that Ju-On's curse is going anywhere anytime soon. It's not too surprising to see Netflix get involved with the franchise either. Some of its biggest original series have been horror-based, and its selection of program targeted at Asian audiences keeps growing.
Ju-On: Origins isn't a long way off either, as it's set to arrive on Netflix this very summer. Here's everything we know about the show so far.
Ju-On: Origins Release Date
Despite Netflix having just confirmed Ju-On: Origins' existence to the world on May 12, 2020, fans won't have to wait long to take in the various chilling horrors it contains. Ju-On: Origins will arrive on July 3, 2020, only just over a month from this writing. It's unclear how many episodes the series will run, and whether or not further seasons are planned if the response to Ju-On: Origins is positive.
Ju-On: Origins Story Details
According to the official synopsis released by Netflix, Ju-On: Origins is taking a creative approach to expanding this long-running franchise to TV. Ju-On: Origins takes place in a world where the franchise exists, but was inspired by true events that took place over multiple decades, and "the truth is even more terrifying." It's an interesting way to go, and hopefully the idea pays off.
Ju-On: Origins Trailer
Along with Netflix's announcement of Ju-On: Origins came a full trailer for the show, which can be seen above. It doesn't look like those involved are holding anything back, and fans should expect all the cursed house, ghost-filled frights they've received from the Ju-On and The Grudge movies. If anything, the above trailer almost looks even darker and harsher than many of the films, so even seasoned Ju-On fans may get more than they're bargaining for. Either way, the trailer certainly sets a dark stage for what's to come when Ju-On: Origins drops on Netflix.