Paramount moving forward on third 'Ring' film in 3D (exclusive)

Combining two of Hollywood's consuming passions -- sequels and 3D -- Paramount is moving ahead with a new installment of the horror thriller franchise "The Ring."

The third entry based on the Japanese horror movies is being called "Ring 3D." David Loucka, who wrote the now-shooting thriller "Dream House" for Morgan Creek, has been tapped to pen the script.

Walter Parkes and Laurie MacDonald are in negotiations to return as producers, and Vertigo and Benderspink are executive producing.

The original movie, an English-language remake of a 1998 Japanese film, was a critical and commercial hit when it was released in 2002, and it helped usher in a period in which Hollywood turned to Asia for horror inspiration. The movies made during that wave tended to be less gory and thus carried PG-13 ratings, and they tried to attract a more female-centric audience.

The first film also opened doors for its director, Gore Verbinski, who went on to direct Disney's "Pirates of the Caribbean" movies, and gave a bigger American platform to its Australian star, Naomi Watts. A sequel was made in 2005.

"Ring" is one of the titles left behind during the Paramount-DreamWorks split and was thought to have been inactive.

The plot of the original film centered on a young journalist investigating a mysterious videotape that seemed to cause the death of anyone within a week of viewing it.

The new film is being fashioned as more teen-centric than the first, and though the logline is being kept under wraps, the aim is to reinvent the franchise. One potential scenario involves teens finding a VHS player that still works.

No director is on board.

Loucka is on a bit of a hot streak, with "Ring" the third high-profile project in which he's involved. In addition to "Dream House," which stars Watts and Daniel Craig, the Original Artists-repped scribe penned the most recent draft of "House at the End of the Street," a horror thriller from FilmNation scheduled to go before cameras this summer.

Comments

[article submission]

I just can't understand that what's going on in Hollywood ?After success of Avatar all are trying to make movies in 3D.I don't people will like it.I like 'Ring' movie's two parts and I hope this will not be in 3D.

[memory stick]

Hi..
Avatar killed it for all of us.... just another movie I probably won't watch and if I do, most definitely not going to be in 3-d.

[Alexandra]

"teen centric"? 3d?? This couldn't get any worse. These people at Hollywood just wanna grab on anything that resembles Avatar of Twilight. And they're going to do the same with Spider-man, bring in the cute teenage boys for girls to scream at. I lost my respect for Hollywood really.

[Robbie Goldtein]

Bring in the original creative team from 1 and a new script for 3 and cut them loose. They had the heart the design and the intergrity to the concept. 2 was a bomb. Go back get the heart of the Ring 1 with time to and creative input..and why not. But to throw up a hodge podge of 3D with no story cut scenese no soul....will be a distaster.

[The.Watcher]

Oh no. God no, I thought we were past this "Jap/Kor remake" craze:(
Although I have to admit, having that drowned girl crawl out of the screen in 3D would be kind of neat. But that is 2 minutes at most, what are they gonna do for the other one and a half hours?

[Tom Graczkowski]

I'm not sure if Ring is the best candidate for a 3D film. There is just not much there to justify it which may result with nothing more than a gimmick. Having said that, I don't understand why so many are so against 3D. I mean if it's done right it makes for an awesome movie going experience and it seems most are up for if box office is any indication. If it weren't profitable Hollywood wouldn't make it 3D or otherwise.

Cheers

[Alex]

Please, reconsider calling it "Ring 3D". As an avid Ring fan, I do not want to see my favorite movie series being another movie that jumps on the bandwagon and had to call itself 3D. That is not only an unoriginal title, but if I were not such a Ring fan that title would actually deter me from seeing it, because if that's all the writers can come up with, I don't have any hope for the script whatsoever. Fine if it must be made in 3D, but please, I beg of you, do not call it "Ring 3D". Please look at the other comments and see what they say.

Please re-think about making it a teen centered movie. There is no reason whatsoever to make it one. None of the movies so far (Japanese, Korean or American) have been teen centered, and as you can see by the success of the series, has no reason to be. Don't change something that dramatically if it works fine the way it is.

Also, please get a competent director. Gore Viberinski and Hideo Kadata were great. Please continue that with such good directors. I would suggest Norio Tsuruta, the director of "Ring 0: Birthday".

Also, if possible, please get a writer who is, or a writer who can talk to Koji Suzuki (the original author) or Takahashi Hiroshi (Writer for the original Japanese "Ring".)

Thank you for taking your time to read this and I hope that some of this advice is taken seriously.

[executive development]

Hmm, I really wonder how will the combination look. The sequels of horror movies are usually much worse than the originals but 3D effect can bring a lot. I will sure want to see it.

[Andreasen]

I love the backwards logic of Hollywood: "Let's take something that really works, and then reinvent it as a 3D teen slasher." Why don't they just promote it with a big picture of David Loucka urinating all over Samara?

[Seo copywriting]

These people at Hollywood just wanna grab on anything that resembles Avatar of Twilight.And they're going to do the same with Spider-man, bring in the cute teenage boys for girls to scream at.

[Appraiser]

I don't understand why so many are so against 3D. I mean if it's done right it makes for an awesome movie going experience and it seems most are up for if box office is any indication.

[Positive Quotes]

None of the movies so far have been teen centered, and as you can see by the success of the series, has no reason to be. Don't change something that dramatically if it works fine the way it is.

[sell old cell phones]

I don't think that Ring is the best candidate for a 3D film. I don't understand why so many are so against 3D. I mean if it's done right it makes for an awesome movie going experience and it seems most are up for if box office is any indication. If it weren't profitable Hollywood wouldn't make it 3D or otherwise.

[reception desk]

In my opinion the sequels of horror movies are usually much worse than the originals.

[diet for weight loss]

I am not so much confident for move Ring, I'm not sure if Ring is the best candidate for a 3D film. There is just not much there to justify it which may result with nothing more than a gimmick. Having said that, I don't understand why so many are so against 3D.

[Ugg Ultra Short]

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[Bathroom Vanity Units]

The Ring is great and IMO better than that borefest RINGU. The Ring 2 is bad but I did enjoy every moment with Samara. I'm sick of 3D but I definitely want a part 3. Maybe a remake of RING The Death Tape is no longer going to be on casette for the third Film. some Chick copies it onto a DVD disk in the third movie. Hows that for modernizing the franchise The Ring was one the most frightning movie ever, second was was meh but watchable