The American version of "The Ring" isn't the first movie based on the story — in fact, it isn't even the second. The first film inspired by Koji's work was a 1995 Japanese TV movie released to video under the title "Ring: Kanzenban," though it initially premiered on television as simply "Ring." There are actually two versions of this movie, according to the fansite Curse of the Ring, which is why it was given a slightly different title for its home video release. The video version has some reshot scenes and restores some moments that were censored for its broadcast debut.
In 1998, another Japanese adaptation was released to the big screen. Also titled "Ring," this version made the pivotal switch from a male main character to a female main character, specifically that of a wife and her estranged husband. This is the version that laid the most groundwork for the American remake, with the idea of a female protagonist carried over to the American series.
Just a year later, a Korean adaptation of the book, "The Ring Virus," was released. Technically, this film was a joint Korean-Japanese production. It keeps with the changes of the Japanese theatrical feature and even seems to lift shots directly from it, which, according to Curse of the Ring, has caused debate among fans on which film was actually made first, as the timeline from production to release remains unclear.
