The Ring (2002 film)

The Ring is a 2002 American supernatural psychological horror film directed by Gore Verbinski and written by Ehren Kruger. Starring Naomi Watts, Martin Henderson, Brian Cox and David Dorfman, the film follows Rachel Keller, a journalist who discovers a cursed videotape that causes its viewers to die seven days later. It is a remake of Hideo Nakata's 1998 film Ring, based on the 1991 novel by Koji Suzuki.

The Ring was theatrically released in the United States on October 18, 2002, by DreamWorks Pictures. It was a box office success, grossing $249 million internationally, becoming one of the highest-grossing horror remakes of all time. The film received positive reviews, with critics in particular praising the atmosphere and visuals, Bojan Bazelli's cinematography, Verbinski's direction and the performances of the cast (particularly Watts). At the 29th Saturn Awards, The Ring won in two categories: Best Horror Film and Best Actress (for Watts).

The film is the first installment of the American Ring series, and is followed by The Ring Two (2005) and Rings (2017). The success of The Ring inspired American remakes of several other Asian and Japanese horror films, including The Grudge (2004) and Dark Water (2005).