[4][5] Ayaka Ichijo (Fuka Koshiba), a graduate high school student and prodigy with an alleged IQ of 200, is introduced to the cursed videotape by psychic and fortune teller Master Kenshin (Hiroyuki Ikeuchi) on a televised variety show.

There, she finds the easily frightened model Oji Maeda (Kazuma Kawamura) threatening to throw himself off a building rather than face the curse.

The two theorize on the mechanics of the new videotape, discussing its relation to the small-pox virus, and what larger role it plays in getting the curse to spread.

This leads him to believe that the exorcism has worked, but Ayaka and Kanden both disagree and settle on a theory that it must be because he watched the tape with his, now-dead, girlfriend.

As a child, Kenshin worked at a shrine with his father, who performed "exorcisms" for cash and came into possession of the cursed tape via two of its victims looking to be freed.

Desperate for answers, and realizing that her uploading the video was exactly what Sadako wanted, Ayaka visits Kenshin's father's shrine.

There, they find that Kanden is waiting for them in full gas mask and lab coat, having gotten bored trying to solve the mystery from his room.

A post-credits sequence shows a now-gigantic Sadako emerging from the well into a movie theater, much like in the cursed video, whereupon the audience panics at the sight of her.

[4][5][9] Sadako DX had its world premiere at the 2022 Fantasia International Film Festival on 30 July,[2][3] followed by its release in Japan on 28 October.

The film received praise from Bloody Disgusting's Luiz H. C. for its willingness to experiment with the franchise and for its memorable ensemble of characters, but was criticized for its inconsistent tone and occasionally disappointing makeup and effects work, ultimately earning it a score of 3/5.

[10] Mark Schilling of The Japan Times gave it a more favorable review, praising it for exploring a meta-commentary angle to the series while keeping stakes high, giving the film a 3.5/5.