Editing The Ring (2002 film) (section)

=== Development and casting ===
''The Ring'' went into production without a completed [[Screenplay|script]].<ref name=iwgv>{{cite web|url=http://www.curseofthering.com/gore.php|title=Interview with Gore Verbinski|date=2002|publisher=curseofthering.com|access-date=March 2, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170302113145/http://www.curseofthering.com/gore.php|archive-date=March 2, 2017}}</ref> [[Ehren Kruger]] wrote three drafts of the screenplay before [[Scott Frank]] came on to do an uncredited re-write. [[Gore Verbinski]] was initially inspired to do a [[remake]] of ''[[Ring (film)|Ring]]'' after [[Walter F. Parkes]] sent him a VHS copy of the [[Japanese horror|Japanese film]], which he described as "intriguing", "pulp" and "[[avant-garde]]".
The original WGA-approved credits listed Hiroshi Takahashi (writer of the original 1998 screenplay for ''Ring'') but his name is absent from the final print.

Several high-profile actresses were offered the [[lead role]], including [[Gwyneth Paltrow]], [[Jennifer Connelly]] and [[Kate Beckinsale]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Ascher-Walsh |first=Rebecca |date=2002-11-01 |title=How Naomi Watts became the ''Ring'' leader |url=https://ew.com/article/2002/11/01/how-naomi-watts-became-ring-leader/ |access-date=2022-08-08 |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |language=en |archive-date=August 25, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220825234837/https://ew.com/article/2002/11/01/how-naomi-watts-became-ring-leader/ |url-status=live }}</ref> Verbinski admitted to not wanting to cast "[[Movie star|big stars]]" as he wanted his film to be "discovered" and described the wave of harsh criticism from hardcore fans of the original Japanese film as "inevitable", although he expressed desire for them to find the remake equally compelling. He also sought to retain the minimalism prevalent throughout ''Ring'' and set it in Seattle, due to its "wet and isolated" atmosphere.<ref name=iwgv/>