Having spent decades stuck in development hell, to the extent that a lot of longtime fans wouldn’t have been surprised if it never happened at all, Evil Dead Rise has gathered some serious momentum in the last couple of weeks.
Lee Cronin had been attached to direct since last summer, and he also penned the most recent draft of the script, but the project has recently exploded into life. Vikings star Alyssa Sutherland and The Mist‘s Lily Sullivan were cast in the lead roles a couple of weeks back, the fourth canonical installment in the franchise was announced for an exclusive HBO Max release, and now cameras have started rolling in New Zealand. In fact, Cronin took to social media to mark the occasion, and you can check out the image he shared below.
Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell might not be directing and starring as was the case when Evil Dead Rise was initially being bandied around, but they remain involved as executive producers and there’s a distinct possibility that the actor’s iconic Ash could drop by for a groovy cameo. The story, meanwhile, follows two estranged sisters who find their family reunion cut short by the Deadites, and they’ll no doubt tool up for a gory battle for survival.
Fede Alvarez’s 2013 remake of Raimi’s original forgot that the black comedy is just as integral to the formula as the spurts of claret, but with several key members of the creative team on board for Evil Dead Rise, it’ll be looking to hew much closer to the template that’s seen the series retain cult classic status for 40 years, even with a new director at the helm and the focus shifting to fresh faces.