It seems like the Necronomicon could yet haunt your local theatre once again. Upcoming horror movie Evil Dead Rise is currently set to come out on streaming service HBO Max, but that could change, says Bruce Campbell.
As the former star of the franchise, and now executive producer, Campbell told CBR that some advanced screenings have gone down so well that the new Evil Dead may ‘rise’ to the silver screen. “We just had a preview that went – that was very high ratings,” he said. “They were potentially going to stream it on HBO Max, but it might go theatrical. Maybe in the fall.”
This is exciting news, but something to take with a pinch of salt. Evil Dead has always thrived on home media, with the first three finding their audience through rentals. The 2013 reboot did well at the box office, coming close to $100 million at the box office on a modest $13 million budget, while TV series Ash Vs Evil Dead truly came into its own on Netflix when it was a bit late, and the show was cancelled.
All of which is to say, Evil Dead Rise must be pretty good to challenge doubts over the franchise’s overall viability. But like we say, keep those expectations in check.
Lee Cronin, who made 2019 ghost movie A Hole In The Ground, is directing, hand-picked by Evil Dead creator Sam Raimi. This time around, there are no cabins in any woods. Instead, it’s two sisters in an apartment building in LA, where their reunion is interrupted by Deadites and that godforsaken book.
Nobody gets a moment’s rest in Evil Dead – watch this space for more.