Sam Raimi, the man to first unleash the deadites in The Evil Dead, is now teaming with New Line for Evil Dead Rise. The next installment in the horror franchise which is now set to debut on HBO Max, according to sources at THR. There are currently no details on whether the film will also get a theatrical release.
“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,” Raimi said in a statement. “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.”
Irish filmmaker Lee Cronin (The Hole in the Ground) will be penning the script and directing. The project is currently scheduled to begin filming this June in New Zealand. Evil Dead Rise will take place in a city, a new setting for the franchise, and will follow two estranged sisters’ who must fight for their lives when the deadites descend upon the city.
Alyssa Sutherland, The Mist and History’s Vikings, and Lily Sullivan, Picnic at Hanging Rock and Jungle, will star as the sisters battling their way out of the demon possessed bodies. Returning to produce is Robert Tapert, producer of the 1981 original, Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell executive producing.
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Bruce Campbell, a.k.a Ash Williams, gave the new leading ladies his seal of approval in a statement. “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.”
“New Line has a proud history of involvement in some of the most influential and enduring horror films of all time, and the original The Evil Dead was a landmark moment for the studio. The movie transformed the genre and with each new installment, Sam, Rob and Bruce have continued to raise the bar,” said Richard Brener, New Line president and chief creative officer. “It’s exciting to have them back in the fold for Evil Dead Rise after all these years, especially as they bring with them an immense talent in director Lee Cronin. His inventive spirit and his reverence for the franchise make him the perfect director to unleash Evil Dead once again.”
As we said earlier, Evil Dead Rise will begin filming this summer in New Zealand. Be sure to stay tuned to ScaryNerd for more of all things horror, sci-fi and more.
