Evil Dead Rise, the latest entry in the Evil Dead franchise, was originally intended to be released through the HBO Max streaming service, but the film scored so highly at test screenings that it’s going to get a theatrical release on April 21st. With that date less than four months away, a trailer has arrived online and can be seen in the embed above!
There’s another version of the trailer, red band and age restricted, on YouTube.
Evil Dead franchise creator Sam Raimi handpicked Lee Cronin to write and direct 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”.
Evil Dead franchise star Bruce Campbell doesn’t appear in the new film, as he has formally retired from playing the role of the bumbling 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.
What did you think of the Evil Dead Rise trailer? Has it made you more excited to see the movie? Let us know by leaving a comment below. I’m looking forward to seeing what Cronin has brought to the franchise with this film.