Aside from the first RING film, director Hideo Nakata has never really lived up to the early hype his career was met with. CHATROOM was an interesting idea which was badly implemented and a real missed opportunity and none of the RING sequels (including the American one which he directed) have ever really gone to anywhere interesting with the concept which still has unexplored potential.

Now producers Roy Lee and Taka Ichise are teaming up with Nakata on an adaptation of IDW publishing’s graphic novel THE SUICIDE FOREST. Written by El Torres, the story concerns a vast forest outside of Tokyo which is the most famous suicide spot in the world. Legend has it that the spirits of the suicides wander amongst the trees. A curious American living in Japan enlists the help of a forest ranger to get free of an evil spirit that is haunting him.

So it’s not really outside of Nakata’s remit and hardly a departure but it’s good to see Nakata is back on home soil kind of, even if the production may be pandering to the western audience. I think we are all sick of dark long haired female ghosts by now so hopefully this will do something fairly original at least.

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