In the years since filmmakers Anthony and Joe Russo entered the Marvel Cinematic Universe with Captain America: The Winter Soldier, the duo have leaned into their action sensibilities not only for the MCU but also for their original projects, though they have a soft spot for the horror genre. During a recent conversation with Rolling Stone, the Russo brothers confirmed that they would be open to delivering audiences a horror film, sharing their love of Evil Dead, and even pointing out that they’d be interested in directing a film for the Phantasm franchise. Whether that interest goes further than passive excitement and into the actual development of such a project is yet to be seen.
Videos by ComicBook.com
When the outlet asked if they would want to make a horror movie, Joe Russo confirmed, “Sure, we’d love to do a horror film. Evil Dead is, I feel like we talk about movies constantly, but it’s because we’re film fans. We grew up loving movies, and we watched a lot of damn movies when we were younger. And, you know, a couple of classic horror films were a main staple of our diet. Phantasm — I’d love to do a Phantasm movie.”
Debuting in 1979, the first Phantasm came from filmmaker Don Coscarelli and focused on a young boy who investigates the bizarre “Tall Man” who is seen working at the local funeral home, possessing the strength to carry seemingly full coffins singlehandedly. The boy then experiences a series of otherworldly events, from hovering orbs to monstrous creatures to other dimensions. The first film earned three sequels from Coscarelli, while 2016 saw the release of Phantasm: Ravager from director David Hartman.
Interestingly, the Russo brothers aren’t the only ones who have a soft spot for the series, as the character Captain Phasma in Star Wars earned their moniker as an homage to the series, given her armor resembled the reflective and deadly spheres from the franchise.
Also worth noting is that the directors cite Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead as a touchstone, with Raimi going on to move away from horror in the 2000s to deliver audiences the now-iconic Spider-Man trilogy starring Tobey Maguire. Just earlier this year, Raimi returned to the superhero genre to inject plenty of horror into Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness.
Stay tuned for details on the future of the Phantasm series.
Would you like to see the Russo brothers develop a Phantasm film? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things horror and Star Wars!
