It is official, The Evil Dead is getting a sequel from New Line Cinema, for the HBO Max streaming service. Titled Evil Dead Rise, the film will be written and directed by Lee Cronin (50 States of Fright, The Hole in the Ground) with original Evil Dead writer and director Sam Raimi and original star Bruce Campbell as executive producers. Original trilogy producer Robert Tapert returns to produce this sequel.
It has been confirmed that Campbell, who has played our favorite deadite-killing hero Ashley J. Williams since 1981, will not be featured in Rise. The film, which is a sequel to the original trilogy, will star Alyssa Sutherland (The Mist TV series, Vikings TV series) and Lily Sullivan (Barkskins TV series, The Other Guy TV series) as estranged sisters.
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Evil Dead Rise moves the action out of the woods and into the city. The twisted tale centers on two estranged sisters, portrayed by Alyssa Sutherland and Lily Sullivan, whose reunion is cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.
In statements provided by Variety, Sam Raimi said, “I’m thrilled to bring Evil Dead back to its original home at New Line 40 years after the release of the first film. The company’s history as pioneers of horror speaks for itself. I’m equally excited to be working with Lee Cronin, whose gifts as a storyteller make him the ideal filmmaker to continue the enduring legacy of the franchise.”
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Bruce Campbell added, “At its core, Evil Dead is about ordinary people overcoming extraordinarily terrifying situations. I can’t wait for Alyssa and Lily to fill the blood-soaked shoes of those who have come before them and carry on that tradition.”
Director Lee Cronin also remarked, “The Evil Dead movies filled my brain with terror and awe when I first saw them at 9 years old. I am excited and humbled to be resurrecting the most iconic of evil forces for both the fans and a whole new generation.”
Production is set to begin next month in New Zealand.
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