Evil Dead Rise Moves the Horror Series to the City (2024)

(Updated 04/12/2023)

You can't keep a good Deadite down! A fifth EVIL DEAD movie is here, written and directed by Irish filmmaker Lee Cronin. There's a new cast, a new story, and — perhaps most intriguing — a new setting.

It's been a long and winding road, for the EVIL DEAD movie series, and this bloody and scary new installment is a dream come true. Raves have poured in since the film's debut at the SXSW Film Festival in March, and now the wait is almost over. Here's everything we know about EVIL DEAD RISE.

When Can You See Evil Dead Rise?

EVIL DEAD RISE will open exclusively in movie theatres on April 21. (It was originally set to premiere only on streaming so this is a very good thing.

Watch the Evil Dead Rise Trailer

This is the green-band trailer, which means that it's a peek at EVIL DEAD RISE for all audiences. But the movie is definitely not for kids; as the trailer suggests this movie lives up to the series' legacy with a heaping helping of gore and gallons of blood.

Evil Dead Rise Showtimes and Tickets

A Little History

Now let’s rewind just a bit. The original low-budge EVIL DEAD was released in 1981. Starring future cult favorite Bruce Campbell and directed by future superhero cinema superstar Sam Raimi, the movie focused on a group of friends who awaken an ancient evil while staying in a remote cabin in the woods.

The original was a midnight movie sensation, leading to EVIL DEAD 2: DEAD BY DAWN in 1987. It was part remake and part sequel. Raimi amped up everything fans loved about the original and added significantly more slapstick comedy. With the outrageous dose of gore in DEAD BY DAWN, it was more like splatstick. And the movie elevated Bruce Campbell’s Ash Williams from an Everyday Joe into a wisecracking horror icon.

In 1992, the pair returned with ARMY OF DARKNESS, which saw Ash take on Deadites while stuck in the middle ages. The third movie toned down the horror a bit while focusing even more on Ash a comedic character. And while it wasn’t a huge hit in theaters, its legacy has only grown since its release.

And STILL those Deadites were not done with Ash. In 2015, everyone got the band back together for a television show called ASH VS EVIL DEAD, which ran for three seasons, perhaps putting an end to the story of Ash Williams once and for all.

A Little Alternate History

Meanwhile, in 2013, Sam Raimi chose director Fede Álvarez to helm an EVIL DEAD remake. This movie was to be completely divorced (or was it?) from the original EVIL DEAD continuity. While sticking to the basic format of a group of friends unleashing evil in a remote cabin, this film totally eschewed EVIL DEAD’s comic side, sticking very close to horror. And not just horror either, but extreme horror. It would be hard to find a bloodier mainstream movie than the 2013 EVIL DEAD remake.

But was it truly a remake or somehow in continuity with the original films? A post-credit sequence featuring Bruce Campbell as Ash put the whole thing into question – a question that has not yet been answered in full.

Now, The Evil Dead Rise

This brings us to EVIL DEAD RISE. Written and directed by Lee Cronin (also personally handpicked by Sam Raimi), EVIL DEAD RISE brings the Deadite world to an urban setting for the first time ever.

The plot is familiar despite the setting. Two sisters reunite in a cramped Los Angeles apartment building. The discovery of a mysterious book leads them to a faceoff with an army of Deadites. Lots and lots of blood will presumably flow. Indeed, Lee Cronin told Total Film that he "needed to maintain some of the claustrophobia," and so the story "translated really well from the cabin into an urban environment. This is about a family in a rundown building stuck in their apartment, so it follows the same rhythm but puts it in a more contemporary space."

But in which EVIL DEAD continuity does this story take place? Is EVIL DEAD RISE a sequel to the Bruce Campbell films, or is it a sequel to the 2013 remake? Or will this film introduce a third line of continuity to the franchise?

Cronin says "It’s firmly in the universe… There’s a lot of fun callbacks, and there are direct lines to the past. But part of the goal of making this movie was to create something that could expand the Evil Dead universe further." One thing seems certain: Bruce Campbell will not appear in the film. Maybe that’s true. Or maybe it’s a lie. What if EVIL DEAD RISE fully bridges the worlds of the original films and the remake? How cool would that be?

Three Books of the Damned

There's one detail from the third movie by Sam Raimi, ARMY OF DARKNESS, that is worth paying attention to. In that film, the hapless Ash is faced with three Necronomicons, the demonic book that unleashes Hell on Earth. EVIL DEAD RISE director Lee Cronin envisions those books as the backbone of an overall series structure.

In an early meeting with Sam Raimi, Cronin suggested an idea. He told Empire, "I said, ‘You know the way in Army Of Darkness, there's three [Necronomicons]? You had one, Fede had one, I'm going to take the other one.’ It gave me that platform to nudge things forward, and also to showcase that we live in a world where there is more than one copy of the Necronomicon. Those books may all have slightly different personalities – it's not exactly the same book, necessarily, that Ash had in the cabin. But it's very, very firmly related. It could even be more dangerous…”

EVIL DEAD RISE opens on April 21

Evil Dead Rise Showtimes and Tickets

All images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.

Evil Dead Rise Moves the Horror Series to the City (2024)

FAQs

Is Danny in Evil Dead Rise a girl or boy? ›

Morgan Davies Is A Transgender Actor Who Played Danny In Evil Dead Rise. Morgan Davies is an up-and-coming transgender actor who is now most known for his role as Danny in Evil Dead Rise. The Australian actor came out as trans in 2020, with him being one of the higher-profile transgender men in Hollywood.

Was Evil Dead Rise a success? ›

The success of Lee Cronin's Evil Dead Rise, which grossed $147 million against its $15-19 million budget, has now spawned not one, but two announced spin-off movies. Per Deadline, Francis Galluppi is set to direct and came to Sam Raimi and co. with an original idea that he developed himself.

Does anyone survive in Evil Dead Rise? ›

Kassie survives the events of Evil Dead Rise, breaking a fatal curse that Ash Williams has been living with since 1981. Kassie is the youngest child in Evil Dead Rise's main family, with her fighting off the Deadites with the help of her Aunt Beth in order to escape the haunted apartment complex.

What was the demon in Evil Dead Rise? ›

The Kandarian Demon, often just referred to as the “evil force,” can manipulate the environment around it, but it's main goal is to turn people into Deadites. A Deadite is a person who is possessed by the power of the Kandarian Demon. Deadites aren't necessarily the reanimated dead, although they can be.

Who is the Mexican guy in Evil Dead? ›

Ash vs Evil Dead (TV Series 2015–2018) - Ray Santiago as Pablo Simon Bolivar - IMDb.

How did Danny become a deadite? ›

After his sister left the room, Danny listened to the vinyl recordings, and accidentally awakened an ancient demonic spirit in the process.

Was Beth pregnant in Evil Dead Rise? ›

Realizing Beth is pregnant, Ellie attempts to rip the fetus out of her, but Beth and Kassie are able to incapacitate her with scissors. Ellie fails to emotionally manipulate Kassie who accepts that her mother is already gone.

Why did Jessica get possessed in Evil Dead Rise? ›

Cause of Possession

Jessica was the girlfriend of Caleb and the cousin of Teresa. After discovering her apartment's parking garage covered with blood and gore, Jessica was attacked by the Kandarian Demon, resulting in her slow transformation into a Deadite.

How did Ellie get possessed in Evil Dead Rise? ›

Ellie was the older sister of Beth, and the mother of Bridget, Danny, and Kassie. After her son Danny discovered an ancient book and accidentally awakened the Kandarian Demon, Ellie was attacked by the creature and became a Deadite. Ellie first appeared in the 2023 film Evil Dead Rise, portrayed by Alyssa Sutherland.

What happens to the mom in Evil Dead Rise? ›

The building's power fails and Ellie is possessed by an unseen force. She returns to the apartment in a trance, menacingly threatens her family, and dies after pleading with Beth to protect her children.

Why did Bridget get possessed in Evil Dead Rise? ›

Cause of Possession

After Danny discovered an ancient book hidden beneath the apartment building in which the family resided, Bridget was eventually attacked by her demon-possessed mother, and was transformed into a Deadite. Bridget first appeared in the 2023 film Evil Dead Rise, portrayed by Gabrielle Echols.

What happened to the cat in Evil Dead Rise? ›

In an interview with GamesRadar+, Evil Dead Rise director Lee Cronin confirmed that the cat made it out of the apartment building alive. Lee Cronin points out that he has learned audiences tend to get upset when animals are hurt in movies, which is why he confirmed that the cat escaped unharmed.

What happened to Danny in Evil Dead Rise? ›

Danny Gets Stabbed Repeatedly

Even though the entire ordeal happened because of him, Danny is still a sympathetic character, and it's hard not to feel bad for him when he gets killed. RELATED: Is Evil Dead Rise Better Than the 2013 Film?

Who is the possessed girl in the evil dead? ›

Cause of Possession

In 2013, Mia encountered a malevolent supernatural force known as "The Taker of Souls" while on a weekend trip to a remote cabin owned by her family. Mia Allen first appeared in the 2013 Evil Dead film directed by Fede Alvarez, portrayed by actress Jane Levy.

Who is Mia's brother in The Evil Dead? ›

This is about the David Allen featured in the 2013 film, Evil Dead. You might be looking for the version of David Allen featured in Evil Dead: The Game. David Allen is Mia Allen's brother who helps her survive the demon attacks on the Cabin.

How was Ellie possessed in Evil Dead Rise? ›

Cause of Possession

After her son Danny discovered an ancient book and accidentally awakened the Kandarian Demon, Ellie was attacked by the creature and became a Deadite.

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Ms. Lucile Johns

Last Updated:

Views: 6384

Rating: 4 / 5 (41 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Ms. Lucile Johns

Birthday: 1999-11-16

Address: Suite 237 56046 Walsh Coves, West Enid, VT 46557

Phone: +59115435987187

Job: Education Supervisor

Hobby: Genealogy, Stone skipping, Skydiving, Nordic skating, Couponing, Coloring, Gardening

Introduction: My name is Ms. Lucile Johns, I am a successful, friendly, friendly, homely, adventurous, handsome, delightful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.