Japanese Horror ‘Suicide Forest Village’, From ‘The Grudge’ Director, Lands North America Deal

EXCLUSIVE: Cinedigm has acquired all North American rights to Suicide Forest Village, Takashi Shimizu’s supernatural horror inspired by a real forest in Japan known for its frequent suicides and disappearances.

Shimizu previously helmed the Ju-On (The Grudge) franchise, directing the 2004 originals and three sequels. His latest stars Jun Kunimura (Kill Bill: Vol. 1), Yumi Adachi (Tokyo Vampire Hotel) and Asuka Kurosawa (Silence) in a story following a group who come across a mysterious box with a deadly secret: the item holds a curse that quickly spreads to those around them. The source of the box is the ‘Jukai Village,’ a rumored location deep within the Jukai Forest.

Shimizu co-wrote the film with Daisuke Hosaka, who previously worked together on Howling Village and The Shock Labyrinth 3D. The film is produced by Muneyuki Kii, Harue Miyake, Chikako Nakabayashi and Daisuke Takahashi.

The deal was negotiated by Brandon Hill, Manager of Acquisitions, on behalf of Cinedigm, with Shiori Takata, Head of Film Licensing, on behalf of Toei Company. The pic will be released on demand and digital in early 2022.

“Takashi Shimizu is a visionary director who helped bring Japanese horror films into the cultural consciousness,” said Brandon Hill, Manager of Acquisitions at Cinedigm. “For the past two decades he’s been terrorizing audiences across the globe with his haunting style. Suicide Forest Village is a terrifically terrifying film, and we look forward to sharing it with audiences everywhere.”