Ghost House Pictures is releasing the Sam Raimi produced The Grudge 3″ directly to DVD, May 12.

The film follows a young Japanese woman with the secret to ending the Grudge curse as she travels to a haunted Chicago apartment building and encounters a family battling to survive the ghost Kayako.

"I wanted to make a film that would fit with the existing American films, since it was a continuation of that story," director Toby Wilkins (Splinter) said in an interview with FEARnet. "And I was very respectful of the work that Takashi Shimizu has done in creating the world of 'The Grudge.' I had played a little in that world once before, in creating the 'Tales of the Grudge' series of short films to promote 'The Grudge 2,' so I was already quite familiar with the style.

"But I also can't help bringing my own style to the film too, that's what directing is after all. You have to trust your own instincts and do what you feel is right."

The film is penned by Brad Keene ("The Gravedancers"), and stars Shawnee Smith, Marina Sirtis, Johanna E. Braddy, Aiko Horiuchi, Matthew Knight, Beau Mirchoff, Gil McKinney and Emi Ikehata.

"I hope the result is something that will feel like it fits with the other films, but also brings something new to the world of 'The Grudge,'" Wilkins said. "Also ... this is the first R-rated American 'Grudge' film."