One of the most chilling entries in Japanese horror cinema is getting a fresh lease on life. Pulse, the 2001 film that terrified audiences with its eerie blend of ghosts and technology, is officially being remade for English-speaking audiences. The project has found its director in Dave Boyle, a filmmaker known for his deep appreciation of Japanese culture.
According to Deadline, Screen Gems and Spyglass Entertainment have tapped Boyle to helm the new adaptation. Boyle will also take a pass on the script, which was originally penned by Luke Piotrowski, the writer behind She Rides Shotgun and the 2022 Hellraiser remake. The producing team includes Parker Finn, the mind behind Smile, and Jonathan Fass, who are also working together on a remake of Andrzej Żuławski's Possession.
For those unfamiliar with the original, Pulse (known as Kairo in Japan) was written and directed by the legendary Kiyoshi Kurosawa. It follows a series of mysterious disappearances that seem to be linked to ghosts crossing into the human world through the internet. The film was a standout of the early 2000s J-horror wave, which also included Ring and Ju-On: The Curse, and it earned a reputation as one of the most unsettling films of its kind.
Dave Boyle is no stranger to blending Eastern and Western storytelling. His previous work includes Big Dreams Little Tokyo, White on Rice, and the Netflix series House of Ninjas. His upcoming horror film, Never After Dark, is slated for release this fall. Boyle's affinity for Japanese cinema makes him a fitting choice to helm this remake, which will need to balance the original's haunting atmosphere with a fresh perspective.
This isn't the first time Pulse has been remade. In 2006, Jim Sonzero directed an English-language version with a script co-written by Wes Craven. That film, starring Kristen Bell and Ian Somerhalder, followed the original's plot closely but was met with mixed reviews. It did manage to turn a profit, leading to two direct-to-DVD sequels in 2008: Pulse 2: Afterlife and Pulse 3.
With the new remake, there's an opportunity to revisit the themes that made the original so impactful—our growing dependence on technology and the isolation it can breed. The original Pulse was prescient in its depiction of internet-era dread, and a modern retelling could resonate even more strongly in today's hyper-connected world.
As of now, no release date has been announced for the new Pulse. Fans of the genre will be watching closely to see how Boyle and his team honor the source material while bringing something new to the table. For more on the best of horror, check out our list of terrifying gangster films or explore micro-budget horror gems.
Stay tuned for updates on this exciting project, and in the meantime, consider revisiting the original Pulse to see why it remains a touchstone of J-horror. If you're a fan of post-internet horror, this remake might be right up your alley.
