Evil Dead Rise Director Teases Sequel: The director of Evil Dead Rise, Lee Cronin, has some ideas for additional films that could expand the franchise. In an interview with Variety, Cronin was questioned about, if he already knew where the sequel to Evil Dead Rise would take the plot. Cronin stated that he was interested in exploring four various directions, one of which was the background behind the movie’s interpretation of the Necronomicon, also known as the Book of the Dead. “We have a history in this film, and that history is presented through the vinyl,” Cronin said. He clearly mentions that there is a tale there, which is not a coincidence.
Additionally, Cronin hinted at a follow-up to Evil Dead Rise’s main character Beth (Lily Sullivan), saying, “somebody that survives picks up the chainsaw at the end,” and pondering “where they might go” following Rise’s events. In his third proposal, Cronin said, “I’ve often thought, ‘What happens when the clean-up crew shows up?'” This would limit the narrative to the apartment complex where Rise took place.
With the forest serving as a sort of entrance for the evil that afflicts it, Cronin’s fourth and final sequel concept would return the Evil Dead franchise to its wooded roots. The director remarked, “I love that I broke the mold, but wouldn’t it be wonderful now if I went back to the hut in the woods? [The concept] fascinates me. It can be a fun journey.
Evil Dead Rise Breathes New Life into the Franchise
With the action taking place inside the walls of a deserted high-rise apartment building shortly after a powerful earthquake smashes it to the ground, Evil Dead Rise made history as the first installment in the series to bring the Book of the Dead to the big city. The movie debuted on April 21 and received acclaim from critics and viewers right away. The newest franchise entry is a brutally fun body horror at its gnarliest. It also became the Evil Dead franchise’s highest-rated movie on Rotten Tomatoes overnight. The movie outperformed the 1983 release of the first Evil Dead at the domestic box office, collecting $2.5 million for its Thursday previews across 3,000 sites.
Despite the film’s widespread praise, its South by Southwest debut in March caused some controversy when Bruce Campbell, the star of the original series, took it upon himself to yell at a rowdy heckler during Rise’s first screening. According to reports, Campbell addressed the heckler, “What are you doing here?” before yelling, “Get the fuck out of here!” Robert Tapert, the show’s producer, questioned the incident in its entirety, asking why someone who was dissatisfied with the viewing experience would “[wait] all the way through the credits.”
