The Grudge (2004)
It never forgives. It never forgets.
An American nurse living and working in Tokyo is exposed to a mysterious supernatural curse, one that locks a person in a powerful rage before claiming their life and spreading to another victim.
| Type | Movie |
|---|---|
| Released | 22 October 2004 |
| Genre | Horror, Mystery, Thriller |
| Director | Takashi Shimizu |
| Starring | Sarah Michelle Gellar, Jason Behr and Takako Fuji |
| Runtime | 92 min |
| Rated | PG-13 |
| Scores | Rotten Tomatoes (average) 5.1/10 · Rotten Tomatoes 40% · Metacritic 49/100 · TMDB users 5.9/10 |
| Budget | $10 million |
Where to watch The Grudge
The Grudge is streaming on Fubo in the US. It is also on Peacock ($16.99 a month). If that is the only reason to subscribe, one month of Peacock is $16.99 at list price.
We check availability daily. Page last updated 31 October 2026. Prices are standard monthly plans and change often, so check with the service before you sign up.
Rent or buy
The Grudge is in US cinemas from 22 October 2004. No store lists it to rent or buy yet.
Where to watch The Grudge in 14 other countries
| Country | Streaming on (price a month) |
|---|---|
| Austria | Joyn free |
| Belgium | Max €10.99 |
| Canada | Tubi |
| Cuba | Prime Video |
| Denmark | Viaplay 159 kr DKK |
| Finland | Viaplay €13.99 |
| France | Max €10.99 |
| Germany | Joyn free |
| India | Prime Video ₹299 |
| Japan | U-NEXT ¥2189 JPY |
| Monaco | Max |
| Norway | Viaplay 169 kr NOK |
| Poland | Prime Video 25.99 zł |
| Sweden | Viaplay 169 kr SEK |
Subscription, free and ad-supported services we track; prices where Binge Boss has a price list for the country. "About" marks a price the service bills in another currency, converted at the day's rate. All countries as data.
What kind of watch this is
Takashi Shimizu directs this 92-minute horror mystery, which trades on the idea that anger is a contagious disease. The curse does not kill you instantly; it paralyzes you in a state of screaming rage, then takes your life, and then passes on to the next person it touches. It is a slow, sticky dread that lingers in the corners of the room long after the screen goes black.
What the critics said
Rotten Tomatoes reports a 40% Tomatometer score as of November 2024, with an average review rating of 5.1/10. Metacritic assigns it a 49/100 Metascore, landing in the mixed or average territory. The consensus notes creepy imagery but a lack of logic. Roger Ebert gave it one star, admitting he eventually lost all patience with the fragmented time structure. Brian Rentschler praised the mood but noted the film struggles to overcome the shadow of The Ring.
How it did with audiences
The budget was $10 million. It pulled in $39.1 million during its first weekend, exceeding the expectations of box-office analysts and Sony Pictures executives. The second weekend dropped 43%, landing at $21.8 million. That initial spike carried it to $110.4 million in the United States and Canada, plus $76.9 million in other territories. The worldwide total hit $187.3 million. On TMDB, users give it a 5.9 out of 10. People bought the ticket, then waited for the twist.
What came next for the cast
Sarah Michelle Gellar arrived with Scream 2 and Scooby-Doo under her belt. She left with The Grudge 2, Do Revenge, and Ready or Not: Here I Come on the record. Jason Behr stepped out of Dawson's Creek and Pleasantville, later appearing in Supergirl and Roswell, New Mexico. Takako Fuji had already starred in the 2002 and 2003 Japanese entries before joining this cast. The credits list what they list. They do not explain why the paths diverged so differently.
Where it left its mark
The Grudge arrived with a specific mandate. Sony greenlit the project because The Ring had proven that American audiences would pay for remade Asian horror. The film delivered, becoming a financial hit that cemented the trend. It kicked off a wave of J-horror adaptations throughout the 2000s, including Dark Water and Pulse. Critics later noted the project benefited from director Takashi Shimizu returning to helm his own work. That combination of faith and familiarity helped define the supernatural horror landscape of the decade. The graveyard shift at the studio likely ran long after the credits rolled.
If you liked this
TMDB's recommendations for people who watched The Grudge.
Sources
- The Grudge on TMDB — synopsis, cast, ratings and recommendations
- Wikidata Q310204 — review scores, box office and awards (CC0)
- “The Grudge” on Wikipedia, by its contributors (history) — reception, audience figures and legacy, summarised and adapted here under CC BY-SA 4.0
- Where to watch and prices: Binge Boss, from TMDB watch-provider data (powered by JustWatch) and our own provider list
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