Sony and Spyglass Moving Forward on New Version of Japanese Horror Classic 'Pulse'
Sony's Screen Gems label and Spyglass Entertainment are developing a reimagining of Kiyoshi Kurosawa's influential 2001 Japanese horror film 'Pulse,' according to a report from Deadline as covered by Bloody Disgusting. Director Dave Boyle, known for 'Never After Dark,' is attached to helm the project. Boyle is also reportedly set to do a pass on an existing script written by Luke Piotrowski, who has credits on the recent 'Hellraiser' and 'The Night House.' Producers Parker Finn and Jonathan Fass are on board through their production banner Bad Feeling. No release date or cast details were included in the announcement. The original 'Pulse,' known in Japan as 'Kairo,' dealt with themes of isolation, technology, and ghosts using the internet as a conduit to cross over into the living world. Hollywood previously attempted a loose American adaptation in 2006. This new project appears to be a fresh reimagining rather than a direct sequel or remake of that earlier effort, though the source material does not go into specifics about how closely it will follow Kurosawa's original story.
Jason's TakeHorror remakes are always a tough sell, especially when you're working with something as deliberately slow and unsettling as Kurosawa's original. That said, the premise of 'Pulse' actually holds up well because the idea of the dead reaching through technology doesn't feel dated at all. I'd want to see whether this team leans into the psychological dread of the source material or just uses the name and goes in a completely different direction. The 2006 version didn't do it many favors, so there's pressure to get this one right.