Sam Raimi Confirms More ‘Evil Dead’ is On the Way
Big news from the Sam Raimi encampment hit today, with word coming down the pipe that the Evil Dead director is currently working on a new film project with his brother Ivan Raimi. The duo previously collaborated on everyone’s favourite eating disorder metaphor Drag Me To Hell, so this new project may spell good things for horror fans.
Although more news on that project is thin on the ground, Raimi, while on tour promoting The Grudge, has now confirmed that he is developing another Evil Dead movie. This new instalment will even see the return of Bruce Campbell, albeit in a producer role (although the odds of him not making some kind of cameo seem pretty thin).
Raimi delivered no details, saying simply: ‘There’s more Evil Dead coming.’
As exciting as this statement is for horror buffs, it could mean a number of things. Is Raimi planning to remake his original films? With Evil Dead 2 already being a partial remake itself, this would, at least to us, feel too much like retreading the same old ground. Being back in that cabin in the woods but without the grotty ’80s feel sounds kind of charmless. While we’re sure Raimi would bring his trademark chaotic energy to the production, it’s hard to imagine an Evil Dead in 2019 that wouldn’t feel too slick and polished to hit the right notes.
By far the more palatable option would be to create a sequel to the 2013 remake of Evil Dead. One of the few classic horror remakes to win over hardcore fans, 2013’s Evil Dead followed Jane Levy, a recovering heroin addict whose friends have taken her to a remote cabin to ride out her withdrawal. It struck an excellent balance; deferential to the original, but brave enough to bring its own ideas to the table.
If the planned project is an Evil Dead Part 2 to 2013’s Evil Dead then, like the original sequel, audiences should expect a massive upping of the ante, but with a touch more humour and a frantic, nightmarish pace. Director Fede Alvarez has always said that Evil Dead 2 will happen ‘as soon as there’s a good story’. Maybe Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell are currently cooking up something sequel-worthy.