Evil Dead Rise: 7 Quick Things We Know About The New Evil Dead Movie

Speaking as a huge fan of the Evil Dead movies, I had no problem accepting the Ash vs. Evil Dead series finale in 2018 as the end of the horror movie franchise as a whole. Of course, that does not mean I was not open to the possibility of another installment of human vs. Deadite action, which is why I am very excited at the fact that Evil Dead Rise is now on the rise. However, that is only the tip of the iceberg of what we know so far about one of the grooviest upcoming horror movies, but when primitive screwheads will be able to see it is where we shall start.

Evil Dead Rise Haunts Theaters April 2023

The original The Evil Dead from 1981 achieved cult status on home video, so, it almost seemed appropriate that the latest installment was initially going straight to HBO Max as a streaming exclusive. However, some die-hard fans (myself included) were a little bummed we could not see the franchise return to the big screen, but look who’s laughing now?

After Bruce Campbell hinted to One Take News that a theatrical release for Evil Dead Rise could happen, Deadline reported in August 2022 that it was becoming a reality. In addition to several shake-ups to the Warner Bros. release schedule (including HBO Max’s House Party remake also getting the theatrical treatment), the horror flick was given an official release date of April 21, 2023, at which point fans can head to their local theater to witness the reawakening of the Deadites. Deadline also reported that the movie’s trailer had a great reception at CineEurope, which may have furthered its chances of hitting the big screen.

The New Zealand Production Of Evil Dead Rise Used An Insane Amount Of Fake Blood

Bruce Campbell has a funny story from the Tennessee production of The Evil Dead in which he recalls being forced to sit in the back of a pickup truck covered head-to-toe in fake blood while frightened churchgoers walked past him one Sunday morning. In comparison to the amount of faux blood that the crew of Evil Dead Rise apparently used while shooting in New Zealand, that embarrassing memory feels like child’s play.

Director Lee Cronin celebrated wrapping up eight months of principal photography on the horror flick with a tweet that claims 6,500 liters of the stuff was used. That converts to more than 1,717 gallons. While that may not have broken the record for most fake blood used for an Evil Dead movie (Fede Alvarez’s remake used 50,000 gallons for the final scene alone, according to Bloody Disgusting), it is clear that fans will see red and gleefully so.

Evil Dead Rise Will Bring The Battle Against Deadites To An Urban Setting

It could be argued that The Evil Dead is what essentially pioneered the “cabin in the woods” style of horror movies that later inspired self-aware horror-comedy movies like Tucker and Dale vs. Evil or… well, The Cabin in the Woods, of course. However, when franchise protagonist Bruce Campbell revealed the official title of Evil Dead Rise, he also promised the new installment would be “a whole new ballgame.”

The official logline for Evil Dead Rise says that the new film is “moving the action out of the woods and into the city." Unless you count Ash vs. Evil Dead’s climactic battle in the small town of Elk Grove, we have never seen urbanites take on the Deadites before. The film’s protagonists are also new to the franchise.

Vikings’ Alyssa Sutherland Leads The Evil Dead Rise Cast

According to the logline, Evil Dead Rise is really a family story at its core, following two sisters rekindling their relationship just as malevolent, possessive spirits are unleashed, threatening to tear them apart again. Variety reports that these female Deadite detractors will be played by Alyssa Sutherland, whom you may recognize as Queen Aslaug on Vikings or the Shudder original movie Blood Vessel, and Lily Sullivan, who is best known for the Amazon Prime whodunnit miniseries Picnic at Hanging Rock from 2018.

Also included on the Evil Dead Rise cast are Morgan Davies of the Australian drama series The End, Gabrielle Echols of the Reminiscence cast, Mia Challis of Netflix’s Clickbait fame (who joined the ensemble in July 2021 according to Deadline), and 9-year-old Nell Fisher, who may be destined to join the legion of horror Scream Queens with this being her cinematic debut. One name that appears to be missing from this list, however, is someone many would call the reigning “Scream King.”

Bruce Campbell Is Not Returning As Ash In Evil Dead Rise

It is really difficult to imagine an Evil Dead movie without Bruce Campbell playing Ashley “Ash” J. Williams, who evolved from a desperate loner in the first film to a bumbling, wisecracking, chainsaw-handed badass by the time Army of Darkness came out in 1993. Hell, even 2013’s Evil Dead by Fede Alvarez features a post-credits cameo of the character uttering his approval of the remake with his signature, one-word catchphrase: “Groovy.”

However, that may truly be the last time we see Ash on the big screen since Campbell officially retired the character in 2018 when Starz cancelled Ash vs. Evil Dead after three seasons. Even though he and other classic franchise characters would appear in 2022’s  Evil Dead video game, he does not have a part in Evil Dead Rise that we know of. However, Campbell is still very much involved in the project behind the scenes.

Bruce Campbell And Sam Raimi Are Executive Producing Evil Dead Rise

In addition to being the star of most of the Evil Dead franchise, Bruce Campbell has also been an executive producer on each installment, including the remake and TV spin-off. The former Burn Notice cast member is returning to that position for Evil Dead Rise, which is not a bad consolation to seeing him absent from the cast.

Also returning to the franchise he created as executive producer is Sam Raimi, who wrote, produced, and directed the first three films before becoming even better known for superhero movies like 1993’s Darkman (one of the best non-comic-book-based superhero flicks), his Spider-Man trilogy, and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. Rob Tapert, another one of the original creators of The Evil Dead, is also producing, as well as Tapert’s former assistant turned Don’t Breathe 2 co-producer Romel Adam.

Lee Cronin Is Writing And Directing Evil Dead Rise

Evil Dead Rise will be the second film in the franchise to not be directed by Sam Raimi, despite previously voicing interest in making another film if Bruce Campbell would star, which is obviously not going to happen. However, just like he did with the 2013 remake, the “splatterstick” auteur has hand-picked his replacement himself.

Aforementioned Irish filmmaker Lee Cronin made a promising break into the horror genre with his impressive short Ghost Train in 2016, followed by his interesting feature-length debut The Hole in the Ground in 2019. The following year he collaborated with Raimi on his Quibi original anthology series 50 States of Fright, which led him to become the filmmaker’s choice to helm Evil Dead Rise. I would not be surprised if Cronin’s background directing comedy shorts helped influence the decision a bit, too.

Whether or not Sam Raimi is directing, Bruce Campbell is appearing as Ash, or even Sam’s brother, Ted Raimi, plays another grotesque Deadite (like Henrietta in Evil Dead II), the idea of another Evil Dead sequel finally happening is pretty exciting enough. We shall see how groovy this new installment proves to be.