In 2023, Argentine filmmaker Demián Rugna’s Spanish possession horror movie When Evil Lurks made waves in the horror community as one of the most memorable titles of the year and among the best horror movies to stream on Shudder. According to a report from Bloody Disgusting, the writer and director revealed that the dark tale following two brothers immersed in a demonic nightmare will continue in a future sequel. Rugna briefly spoke about the sequel when he appeared on an episode of the Argentine streaming show “La Broma Infinita,” noting that they “have part two written” and are “just waiting for the funding to come through.”
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“We have to make some script modifications to make it perfect,” Rugna added, “but the studio that wants to make it is already there.”
When Evil Lurks served as a follow-up to Rugna’s 2017 supernatural horror film Terrified, which followed strange paranormal events occurring in a Buenos Aires neighborhood. In When Evil Lurks, Ezequiel Rodríguez and Demián Salomón star as brothers Pedro and Jimi, respectively, who discover that a neighbor in their rural village is possessed (referred to as a “rotten” in the movie) by a demon who is on the verge of being born into the world. The disastrous consequences of how the “rotten” is dealt with result in their rural village succumbing to a demonic infection that affects humans and animals alike and spreads no matter how far the brothers and their family try to run.
In his Fantastic Fest review in 2023, ComicBook’s Spencer Perry noted that When Evil Lurks is at once a “compelling drama” filled with “dread and tension” — and includes “stomach-churning gore throughout.” The horror film is unapologetically gruesome and twisted. Yet, despite being full of grisly violence, these moments are handled with an honest portrayal of the world-building in Rugna’s story, rather than relying on shock value. “Every instance of violence leaves a mark and some of it will stick with you when it’s over,” Perry wrote, “because you’ve never seen anything quite like it before.”
The movie also concludes in a way that resolves the larger story in a fitting manner, yet leaves an open enough ending that Rugna could easily continue directly where When Evil Lurks leaves off if that’s the path he chooses to take for the sequel. On the other hand, based on the larger lore at work, the filmmaker might focus on how the demonic plague has affected others in the town (and beyond) and the larger ramifications of the movie’s conclusion.
When Evil Lurks is available to stream on Shudder, Hulu, Disney+, and AMC+. The movie is also getting a limited edition 4K UHD and Blu-ray release from Second Sight Films on July 28. The new physical release will include special features, such as a new audio commentary and various interviews, along with limited edition items like an 120-page book with new essays about the film and six collectors’ art cards. The limited edition of When Evil Lurks can be pre-ordered here.
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