Looking for the correct The Grudge movies in order? Here’s the short version: release order and chronological order are not the same for this franchise, and that’s exactly why it trips people up. The 2019 reboot doesn’t pick up after the original trilogy — its story actually unfolds during the same 2004–2006 window as the first two films, just following different people. Created by Takashi Shimizu and produced by Sam Raimi, the franchise grew out of Japan’s Ju-On series and pulled in over $250 million worldwide across its four American entries. Before you hit play, here’s the quick-answer table to get you oriented.
Also Read: Annabelle Movies in Order
Quick Answer: The Grudge Movies in Order
| # | Film | Year | Director | Timeline Position |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Grudge | 2004 | Takashi Shimizu | Year one of the U.S. curse |
| 2 | The Grudge 2 | 2006 | Takashi Shimizu | Overlaps 2004, extends to 2006 |
| 3 | The Grudge 3 | 2009 | Toby Wilkins | Directly follows Film 2 |
| 4 | The Grudge | 2019 | Nicolas Pesce | Runs parallel to Films 1–2 (separate continuity) |
Callout: If you just want the “correct” viewing order, go by release date — the 2019 film is a soft reboot, not a true sequel, so watching it last still makes narrative sense even though its story overlaps the earlier timeline.
The Grudge Movies in Order: The Complete Watch Guide
1. The Grudge (2004)
This is the film that introduced American audiences to Kayako Saeki, and it still holds up as the franchise’s scariest entry. Sarah Michelle Gellar stars as an exchange student who takes a caregiving job in a Tokyo house that turns out to be cursed, and the dread only builds from there. Fun fact: it’s technically a remake — Takashi Shimizu had already directed multiple Japanese Ju-On versions of this same story before Sam Raimi brought him on to redo it for U.S. theaters. It made over $187 million on a $10 million budget, setting up a sequel almost immediately.
2. The Grudge 2 (2006)
The Grudge 2 widens the scope, weaving together three separate storylines connected by the same curse — one in Tokyo, one at an American high school, and one in a Chicago apartment building. Amber Tamblyn takes over as the lead, playing the sister of Karen Davis from the first film. Shimizu returned to direct again, keeping the visual language consistent, though critics were noticeably cooler on this one than the original. It’s also the film that plants the Chicago connection, which becomes the setting for the next chapter.
3. The Grudge 3 (2009)
The Grudge 3 picks up the Chicago thread and sends it straight to home video instead of theaters — the first entry in the series to skip a theatrical release. New director Toby Wilkins takes the reins, and the film leans harder into slasher-style kills than its predecessors, earning the franchise’s first hard R rating. It centers on the apartment residents trying to survive Kayako’s curse while a young woman in Japan searches for a way to stop it permanently. This closes out the original Karen Davis/Chicago saga started in 2004.
4. The Grudge (2019)
Ten years later, The Grudge returned as a full reboot rather than a continuation. Director Nicolas Pesce (The Eyes of My Mother) built an entirely new story around a detective investigating a string of deaths tied to a house in Pennsylvania — and structured the plot in a non-linear way that jumps between 2004 and 2006. Pesce has described the franchise as an anthology, meaning each film can stand on its own without needing the others. It underperformed at the box office and split critics, but it remains the most recent theatrical entry as of 2026.
Do You Need to Watch The Grudge 3 Before The Grudge (2019)?
No. The 2019 film is a soft reboot with its own cast, setting, and curse outbreak — it doesn’t reference the Chicago storyline from the original trilogy, so skipping straight to it won’t leave you lost.
Minimum viable watch order:
- The Grudge (2004) — the essential starting point and franchise high point
- The Grudge (2019) — the most recent take, watchable with zero prior context
- (Optional) The Grudge 2 and The Grudge 3 — only if you want the full original trilogy arc
How Many The Grudge Movies Are There?
There are 4 films in the American The Grudge series (2004–2019). The franchise also traces back to Japan’s original Ju-On series, which includes five additional films that inspired the U.S. version.
All The Grudge Movies in Order by Release Date
1. The Grudge — October 22, 2004
2. The Grudge 2 — October 13, 2006
3. The Grudge 3 — May 12, 2009
4. The Grudge — January 3, 2020 (U.S. release)
What’s Next for the Franchise?
As of 2026, there’s no officially greenlit fifth film. Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Pictures has floated ideas over the years — including a possible crossover with The Ring — but nothing has moved past the talking stage. Nicolas Pesce has said he’d be open to expanding the anthology concept with a new setting and time period, though that remains speculative. You may occasionally spot “leaked trailer” clips online claiming a new Grudge is imminent; treat those with skepticism until Sony or Ghost House Pictures confirms anything officially.
FAQ
Is The Grudge (2019) a sequel or a reboot? It’s a soft reboot. It shares the same cursed-house concept and Kayako mythology but introduces entirely new characters and a new setting, so it doesn’t require watching the earlier films first.
Do the Ju-On films connect to The Grudge? Yes — the American Grudge series is a direct remake/spin-off of Japan’s Ju-On films, also directed by Takashi Shimizu, and both are considered part of the same broader curse mythology.
What order should I watch the Grudge movies in? Release order works best for most viewers: The Grudge (2004), The Grudge 2 (2006), The Grudge 3 (2009), then The Grudge (2019), since the last film is a standalone reboot rather than a true continuation.
Is there a Grudge 5 coming? Not officially. No sequel or reboot has been confirmed by Sony or Ghost House Pictures as of 2026, despite periodic rumors online.
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