The Deadites have been unleashed once again, as production is officially underway on Evil Dead Burn, the next installment in the iconic horror franchise. Director Sébastien Vaniček celebrated the first day of filming with a post from the set he shared on Instagram, confirming the movie is on track for its 2026 release. Vaniček, the filmmaker behind the critically acclaimed French spider-horror film Infested, is co-writing and directing the new entry for Sam Raimi’s Ghost House Pictures. The project is a standalone spinoff that will continue the modern franchise’s successful formula of unleashing the Deadites on a new set of characters in a new location, moving the mythology beyond the story of Bruce Campbell’s Ash Williams.
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Vaniček’s involvement in Evil Dead Burn has generated significant excitement among horror fans, as his directorial style is seen as a perfect match for the franchise’s brutal and intense legacy. His 2023 breakout film Infested was a critical smash, praised for its masterful execution of claustrophobic horror by locking its characters inside a decaying apartment building as they are hunted by a species of rapidly evolving and increasingly intelligent spiders. In addition, Infested’s visceral practical-effects-driven approach to its creature horror makes Vaniček an ideal choice to helm a new Evil Dead story.
Evil Dead Burn will be led by Souheila Yacoub, known for her role as the Fremen warrior Shishakli in Dune: Part Two. She is joined by a strong supporting cast that includes Hunter Doohan from Wednesday, Luciane Buchanan from The Night Agent, and Tandi Wright, who previously appeared in the horror hit Pearl. While specific character details are being kept under wraps, the casting continues the modern series’ successful tradition of centering its narrative around a compelling female protagonist, following in the footsteps of Jane Levy in 2013’s Evil Dead and Lily Sullivan and Alyssa Sutherland in Evil Dead Rise.
The Evil Dead Universe Is Expanding on Multiple Fronts
The quick move into production for Evil Dead Burn is just one part of a much larger expansion of the Evil Dead universe, as a second, completely separate spinoff film is also in active development. That project is being written and directed by Francis Galluppi, the filmmaker behind the acclaimed crime thriller The Last Stop in Yuma County. Galluppi’s film is based on an original idea he pitched directly to Raimi, with the original Evil Dead filmmaker praising the director’s talent. This dual-front development signals a new strategy for Ghost House Pictures, using the brand as a platform for new horror voices.
This new era of expansion is a direct result of the monumental success of 2023’s Evil Dead Rise. After the original trilogy concluded in 1992, the franchise lay dormant on the big screen until the 2013 reboot, which was followed by the fan-favorite series Ash vs. Evil Dead. The cancellation of that show left the future uncertain until director Lee Cronin’s Evil Dead Rise became a critical and commercial juggernaut. The film grossed over $147 million worldwide against a small budget, proving the franchise’s core concept was a major draw for modern audiences. With Vaniček’s Burn now filming and Galluppi’s separate project on the way, the franchise is is actively building a new interconnected universe of horror that showcase emerging talent and give original voices an opportunity to tell their own Evil Dead story.
Evil Dead Burn is scheduled to be released in theaters on July 24, 2026.
What are you hoping to see in the next Evil Dead movie? Let us know in the comments.
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