The Grudge 3 is a 2009 American horror film and the third installment in The Grudge series. Toby Wilkins, who had previously directed the successful Splinter and the shorts Tales from The Grudge, took Takashi Shimizu's place as director while Brad Keene replaced Stephen Susco as screenwriter. The film stars Johanna Braddy, Shawnee Smith and Marina Sirtis, with a special appearance by Matthew Knight, and was released on May 12, 2009. It was primarily released directly to video but was given a theatrical release in Mexico. Unlike the first two movies that were both rated PG-13, the third installment was given an R rating. The Grudge 3 features a linear plotline unlike its two predecessors, which used nonlinear segments for their respective plots.