Evil Dead Rise, writer/director Lee Cronin’s contribution to the Evil Dead franchise, was originally intended to be released through the HBO Max streaming service. Then test screenings that were held over the summer went so well, it was announced that the movie is going to get a theatrical release on April 21st. So far all we’ve seen of Evil Dead Rise are behind-the-scenes images and audio clips that were shared to Twitter by Cronin… but that’s going to be changing very soon. A Sam Raimi fan account on Twitter has discovered that we’ll be getting the first official look at Evil Dead Rise on October 31st. A special Halloween treat!
Evil Dead franchise creator Sam Raimi handpicked Lee Cronin to make a new Evil Dead movie after seeing his feature directorial debut The Hole in the Ground. The story Cronin crafted for Evil Dead Rise has the following synopsis:
A road-weary Beth pays an overdue visit to her older sister Ellie, who is raising three kids on her own in a cramped L.A apartment. The sisters’ reunion is cut short by the discovery of a mysterious book deep in the bowels of Ellie’s building, giving rise to flesh-possessing demons, and thrusting Beth into a primal battle for survival as she is faced with the most nightmarish version of motherhood imaginable.
Although the film is set in Los Angeles, filming actually took place in New Zealand. Lily Sullivan and Alyssa Sutherland star as the estranged sisters at the heart of the story. Gabrielle Echols, Morgan Davies, and Nell Fisher play Ellie’s three kids. Mia Challis is playing Jessica, “an 18 year old girl, who is obsessed with fashion and Instagram. Jessica loves to be the center of attention, although she is smarter than she lets on”.
Bruce Campbell does not appear in the movie, as he has formally retired from playing the role of Evil Dead franchise hero Ash, but he did produce the film alongside Raimi and Rob Tapert, as those three hold the rights to the series. Evil Dead Rise is a collaboration between Warner Bros., New Line Cinema, and Ghost House Pictures.
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