One of the movies that will jump-start the hearts of horror fans everywhere this year, is the fifth movie in the Evil Dead franchise, Evil Dead Rise. It will be the first film to be released in the series since 2013, even though a television series, Ash vs Evil Dead, has been released since.
Sam Raimi created the series in 1981 with the release of The Evil Dead and he wrote and directed the first three entries in the franchise. The 2013 Evil Dead had Sam Raimi attached as a producer along with Bruce Campbell, who plays the main protagonist of the franchise, Ash. But as you get excited about Evil Dead Rise, you might be wondering what role Sam Raimi has in the upcoming film.
What is Sam Raimi’s involvement with Evil Dead Rise?
Unfortunately, while everyone might be excited about Evil Dead Rise, it was not written or directed by Sam Raimi. But that does not mean the film will be bad, as the trailer does look quite creepy. Instead, it is being written and directed by Lee Cronin, who also made The Hole in the Ground. Cronin also made a number of short films between 2004 and 2013.
Just because Sam Raimi is not writing or directing the new film does not mean that he has had zero involvement in the project, either, as both he and Bruce Campbell served as executive producers on the movie, with Raimi handpicking Cronin to helm the project. This way, Raimi gets to oversee the franchise he created while helping a burgeoning, talented horror director make their mark.
Evil Dead Rise moves away from Ash’s story and instead follows two sisters, who get caught in the middle of yet another Deadite uprising. The film stars Lily Sullivan (I Met a Girl), Alyssa Sutherland (Vikings), Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols, and Nell Fisher. Bruce Campbell’s role in the film will be minor, as it is unknown if he will appear or whether it will just be his voice making an appearance.
Catch Evil Dead Rise when the Deadites screech into theaters on April 21, 2023.