Almost 10 years after Sam Raimi’s 2013 Evil Dead reboot, the newest sequel Evil Dead Rise is set to release later this year. Now, according to Bruce Campbell himself, the latest chapter in the Evil Dead franchise might even get an unexpected theatrical release.
Evil Dead Rise will star Alyssa Sutherland (Vikings) and Lily Sullivan (Mental) as two sisters living in a cramped Los Angeles apartment with Sutherland’s three children. When they discover a mysterious book in the basement, a horde of demons is unleashed, and they must fight to survive.
The long-awaited Evil Dead sequel has been completed and was slated for a streaming-only release on HBO Max. However, as reported by CBR, producer Campbell said this weekend, “We just had a preview that went... That was very high ratings. They were potentially going to stream it on HBO Max, but it might go theatrical. Maybe in the fall." This last-minute change of plans is admittedly a bit on-brand, as the details of the film’s production have been all over the place since its announcement in 2013.
1981's Evil Dead is an iconic horror film about a group of friends who vacation in a cabin and accidentally release a horde of demons trapped there. Since its release, the film has attracted a cult following and several sequels, including 1992’s Army of Darkness. However, the newest installment will be very different from the previous films in the series, according to Campbell. "It's an urban version of Evil Dead now. Ain't no cabin anymore. We're going single mom in the city. The apartment is the cabin."
There are some other differences as well. As with the 2013 reboot, Evil Dead Rise will not be directed by its creator Sam Raimi or feature Campbell in a starring role. Instead, the film is being directed by Lee Cronin, a relative newcomer who has also made the 2014 award-winning short film Ghost Train and the well-received horror film The Hole in the Ground.
Although the prospect of Evil Dead returning to theaters is certainly exciting, it is important to remember that the plan is still tentative. Furthermore, even if the film were to head to theaters, it’s likely that it will only receive a limited release, given that the release date is only a few months away.
Evil Dead Rise comes out sometime in 2022 on HBO Max and possibly in theaters.
Source: Comic Book Resources