Twentieth Century Fox has signed Japanese producer Taka Ichise (THE GRUDGE) to a new three-year, first-look deal. The pact, which covers English-language projects, is Taka's first American overall studio deal. The pact will enable Fox to tap his formidable talents as one of the leading figures in the Japanese horror genre.
The deal will also allow for Fox to finance specific Japanese-language projects through Taka's Tokyo-based production company, OZ Co., Ltd. Taka also operates L.A.-based OZLA Pictures Inc.
Twentieth Century Fox president Hutch Parker said, "Taka's cutting-edge sensibilities have reinvented horror filmmaking, and his work has translated well beyond Japan and beyond the film industry. We look forward to Taka bringing his vision and talents to Fox, his new American home."
Ichise commented, "As a filmmaker and producer growing up in Japan, I have always admired Twentieth Century Fox, particularly its films, culture, history and, especially, its relationships with filmmakers, so I take great pride in starting this new working relationship."
One of Japan's best known and most successful film producers, Taka has produced more than 50 genre features for the Japanese, Asian and worldwide markets, and is best known for producing the J-horror hit JU-ON and JU-ON 2, as well as the American remakes THE GRUDGE and THE GRUDGE 2, which is set for release October 13, 2006.
Taka also produced the 1998 Japanese hit RINGU, which was remade in the U.S. as THE RING (which grossed $128 million domestically), and additionally produced HONOGURAI MIZU NO SOKO KARA, which was remade in the U.S. as the 2005 thriller DARK WATER.
Taka is developing THE ENTITY at Fox Searchlight with Hideo Nakata (RINGU, THE RING 2) attached to direct. Also in development are an untitled horror project at Paramount with director Takashi Shimizu (JU-ON, THE GRUDGE) and producers Ghost House Pictures and Vertigo Ent. attached; a remake of CREEPSHOW for Warner Bros. to which producers Vertigo Ent. and Tony Ludwig are attached; and remakes of two of his J-horror films, INFECTION and PREMONITION, to be written by Channing Gibson and Keith Gordon, respectively, for New Line, also with Vertigo Ent. producing.
Rick DeMott
Animation World Network
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