A lesser-known Sam Raimi horror film, Drag Me to Hell, may get a new sequel from Ghost House Pictures.
Recognized best for his horror/comedy franchise The Evil Dead, Raimi is arguably one of the chief creatives behind the horror of the past half-century, including as a producer on films like 30 Days of Night (2007) and The Grudge 1 (2004) and 2 (2006). A lesser-known film directed by Raimi himself, Drag Me to Hell, released in 2009, involved the famed director’s much-awaited return to directing horror after other, less gore-filled projects, including the 2000s Spider-Man trilogy and 1998’s A Simple Plan. Drag Me To Hell follows a young banker (Alison Lohman) cursed by an old woman after she refuses to extend a mortgage. The heroine must defeat the curse while pursued by a terrifying ancient demon, the Lamia.
In a recent Reddit AMA to promote his upcoming Adam Driver dinosaur thriller, 65, Raimi fielded an inquiry about the possibility of a Drag Me to Hell sequel. His response revealed that its development is underway with Ghost House Pictures' Romel Adam and Jose Canas. "[They] are trying to come up with a story that would work and I'm anxious to hear if they do," Raimi said.
While the ending of the original Drag Me to Hell did not seem promising for its heroine, who fails to break the curse correctly and is dragged in the final seconds into hell as the film’s title promises, it is also complicated by the fact of Lohman's reported retirement from acting, which makes the return of her character even less likely. ScreenRant points to the possibility of the sequel following her character's boyfriend, played by Justin Long, who has become a horror favorite. His recent part in the critically acclaimed Barbarian may mean he would be a good bet for pulling in interest in Drag Me to Hell 2 that a new or unknown lead could not.
The other challenge to Drag Me to Hell 2 may be Raimi's packed schedule, which includes producing several projects underway and coming soon, including the latest Evil Dead sequel, Evil Dead Rise, and 65, due out this spring. While not as widely known as Raimi's Evil Dead franchise, Drag Me To Hell often makes lists of horror favorites, which means there is likely already interest in seeing a sequel, particularly with Raimi in the director’s chair.
Drag Me to Hell is available on Starz.
Source: Sam Raimi/Reddit