The Grudge 2 is a 2006 supernatural horror film and a sequel to the 2004 film The Grudge. Produced by Sam Raimi, the film was directed by Takashi Shimizu, written by Stephen Susco and stars an ensemble cast that includes Amber Tamblyn, Arielle Kebbel, Jennifer Beals, Edison Chen, Sarah Roemer and Sarah Michelle Gellar. As stated by Shimizu, the film is not a remake of any Japanese film and follows a different storyline. Like its predecessor, the film features a plot that is told through a non-linear sequence of events and includes several intersecting subplots. The three main subplots include: Karen's younger sister Aubrey coming to Japan after finding out about Doug's death, a schoolgirl named Allison being haunted by the ghosts after entering the house with two of her classmates and a young boy named Jake whose apartment building is haunted by the ghosts of the Saeki family. The film was announced after the release of the previous film in October 2004, due to its financial success. Shimizu was announced to return as director in January 2005 and casting begun on December, with the announcement of Gellar returning. The film was shot entirely in Japan, with Tamblyn performing re-shoots in Chicago, Illinois. The Grudge 2 was theatrically released in the United States on October 13, 2006, by Columbia Pictures. The film received negative reviews, and made over $70 million worldwide against a $20 million budget. A sequel, The Grudge 3, was released direct-to-video on May 12, 2009, while a sidequel, The Grudge, was theatrically released on January 3, 2020. Plot The Grudge is described as a curse that is born when someone dies in the grip of extreme rage or sorrow. The curse is an entity created where the person died. Those who encounter this supernatural force die and the curse is reborn repeatedly, passing from victim to victim in an endless, growing chain of horror. The following events are explained in their actual order, however, the film is presented in a nonlinear narrative. In 2004, American social worker Karen Davis tried to burn down the Saeki house to stop the curse, but failed, finding herself hospitalised and haunted by Kayako. Karen's younger sister, Aubrey, goes to Tokyo to retrieve her. In Japan, Aubrey struggles to communicate with the hospital staff but a journalist named Eason aids her. Aubrey briefly speaks with Karen, who panics and has to be