California is at the center of the American entertainment industry, and disputes involving studios, executives and performers are not uncommon. One such dispute involves the Beverly Hills-based production company Good Universe and Japanese producer Taka Ichise. Ischise produced the highly successful “Ju-on” series of horror films in Japan and also received a producer’s credit when Ghost House Pictures released “The Grudge” in 2004, which was based on the “Ju-on” series.
Good Universe plans to release a remake of “The Grudge”, called simply “Grudge”, starring Demian Bichir and Andrea Riseborough on Aug. 16, but those plans may need to be changed in light of a breach of contract lawsuit filed by Ischise. In the lawsuit, which was filed on July 30 in Los Angeles, Ischise claims that Good Universe was only able to acquire the rights to remake “The Grudge” after promising him a producer’s credit. The producer says that he decided to take legal action after learning that he would not be receiving one.
The supernatural horror movies at the center of the contract dispute have been very popular with movie audiences in both Japan and the United States. The success of “The Grudge” in 2004 spawned two sequels released in 2006 and 2009. The films deal with a curse that strikes when individuals die while extremely angry or sad.
Attorneys with experience in this area may encourage their clients to take all reasonable steps to resolve this kind of litigation quickly. Breach of contract lawsuits are generally expensive to litigate and can be difficult for juries to follow, and resolving business disagreements in court always involves taking at least some risks. Attorneys may seek to avoid disputes by ensuring that contracts are written clearly and all of the parties involved are aware of their rights and responsibilities.
Source: Deadline Hollywood, “Producer Of Original ‘Grudge’ Files Breach Of Contract Suit Against Good Universe’s Remake”, Dino-Ray Ramos, Aug. 1, 2018