The Evil Dead franchise is one of the most unique series in the demonic horror and zombie film genres. Not only is it packed with genuine scares and over-the-top gore, but the films also feature an action-packed story with characters that fans can't get enough of, such as Ash Williams. But what many fans don't know is that, following the original film, it would take the might of horror icon Stephen King to bring the franchise back from the dead and inadvertently make it the horror giant that it is today.
The original Evil Dead film follows a group of teens taking a trip to a cabin in the woods. However, after finding a book known as the Necronomicon Ex Mortis and listening to an excerpt from the book, chaos ensues. Each person except for Ash is possessed by the evil and begins to torment and torture the other survivors. When the film ended, it seemed unlikely that there would be room for another follow-up, but director Sam Raimi had other plans.
Following the financial failure form his film, Crimewave, Raimi wanted to go back to basics and return to the Evil Dead franchise. But he was struggling to get funding to greenlight the picture. An ET article explains how Stephen King was a big fan of the first film, even writing a glowing review for the picture, and after hearing about their troubles, pulled some strings to make another film happen.
At the time, King was working on his directorial debut, Maximum Overdrive. However, he heard of Raimi's plans through happenstance as one of the crew members on the film was also working with Raimi. She later mentioned Raimi's troubles with the film, and King sprung into action. Sam Raimi recollects, "I've never talked to Mr. King about this -- but the rumor is that he called Dino De Laurentiis and said, ‘Dino, you've got to make these guys' movie, Evil Dead 2.’..." Not long after the discussion, he and his team were up and running with a new story, but with one condition.
Evil Dead II, at a glance, is decidedly similar to what the original film was. Effectively, it feels more like a remake of the original but more streamlined to focus on Ash's struggles while surviving alone in the cabin. Initially, the idea was that Ash would get caught in a portal and transported to medieval times for Evil Dead II. However, producer Dino De Laurentiis felt that it would be best to get back to basics first and follow up with Army of Darkness. As a result, not one but two classic films were born.
The Evil Dead franchise has since gone on to spawn multiple games, books and a TV show, along with a remake and new sequel titled Evil Dead Rise. Professionally, its success has also catapulted Raimi into stardom, with the director tackling future films like Spider-Man, Drag Me To Hell and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. But none of it could have been possible without Stephen King, proving how a chance encounter can make all the difference.