Evil Dead Rise Director Teases Sequel Discussions

The Evil Dead franchise is alive and well, as proven by the success of its latest installment, Evil Dead Rise. The new film, a continuation of the world created by Sam Raimi, hit theaters back in April and went on to gross more than $146 million on a modest budget. It was a winner for Warner Bros. theatrically, and that has already led fans to wonder if another sequel will be on the way soon, or if they’ll have to wait another decade for a follow-up.

Lee Cronin, who directed Evil Dead Rise, has mixed feelings about taking on a direct sequel. During an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Cronin shared his thoughts on making another Evil Dead.

“Look, [another Evil Dead] is always a possibility,” Cronin said. “I had a great experience making this movie with some really great people, and in success, that makes you look at what is possible next. When I was announced as the person to do this movie, it’s not that I wasn’t the obvious choice. There were some people that would’ve known who I was from my previous film, horror aficionados and people that liked that movie. But I came from a bit of a different place. There is a part of me that’s interested in planting a very different flag within genre. This film has a lot of intensity, it has a lot of its own energy and maybe it would be gratifying for me to just go and do something else.”

Cronin went on to say that, while he’d like to do something different, he also feels tempted to go back to the world of Evil Dead and follow Rise with another story.

“But equally, it’s also very tempting to look back into this world, particularly the characters that have survived and the new lore that I’ve brought into play,” he continued. “So it’s certainly something to be discussed. It’s something that we discussed on set, because when you’re making a movie in a franchise, you’re always talking about what’s next and what’s possible. So I suppose I’m in the lucky position where I have some choice, whereas in the past, when you’re trying to crawl up the ladder to be a filmmaker with any focus on you, you’re just going after the thing that you’re desperate to get made. So it’s nice right now.

“You talked about things in a drawer, and I put down other original ideas and original screenplays to go and make Evil Dead Rise. So it’s nice to be in this moment where I’m able to look around and think about what’s next. Sometimes, it’s about the relay. So I love all my children equally, and let’s see who’s the quickest to the start line, so we can start the race again with another movie.”

Where to Watch Evil Dead Rise

Evil Dead Rise had a great run at the box office just a couple of months ago, but the acclaimed franchise sequel is already available to stream. 

The film was added to the Max streaming lineup this month, so anyone with a Max subscription can watch it right now, at no extra cost. If you don’t have Max you can sign up here.

What did you think of Evil Dead Rise? Let us know in the comments!