The Evil Dead franchise is officially set to return with Evil Dead Rise, though it will receive an unprecedented release for a title in the series.
According to THR, Evil Dead Rise will be released by New Line Cinema exclusively on HBO Max in 2022. The long-gestating production begins filming in New Zealand in June under the direction of filmmaker Lee Cronin, best known for helming the horror feature The Hole in the Ground.
Evil Dead Rise will focus on a pair of new characters, two sisters (played by Alyssa Sutherland and Lily Sullivan) who are reunited just as demons and other supernatural horrors enter their lives. Unlike many prior Evil Dead entries that took place in an abandoned cabin in the woods, Evil Dead Rise will be set in a bustling city.
"I’m thrilled to bring Evil Dead back to its original home at New Line 40 years after the release of the first film. The company’s history as pioneers of horror speaks for itself," executive producer Sam Raimi said. "I'm equally excited to be working with Lee Cronin, whose gifts as a storyteller make him the ideal filmmaker to continue the enduring legacy of the franchise."
"The Evil Dead movies filled my brain with terror and awe when I first saw them at nine years old," Cronin added. "I am excited and humbled to be resurrecting the most iconic of evil forces for both the fans and a whole new generation."
Evil Dead Rise will be the fifth feature-length entry in the Evil Dead franchise, which launched in 1981. Since that inaugural installment, the series has produced two direct follow-ups, a 2013 remake entitled Evil Dead and a Starz TV series entitled Ash vs. Evil Dead.
Directed by Lee Cronin, Evil Dead Rise stars Alyssa Sutherland and Lily Sullivan. The film arrives on HBO Max in 2022.
Source: THR