Deadite fans are in for a “groovy” treat this April when Evil Dead Rise, the next entry from the Sam Raimi-created horror franchise arrives. With its release nearing in, Warner Bros. is also ramping up marketing through promotional stills such as Alyssa Sutherland as Elle in a gory transformed state after being exposed to the rituals of the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis (book of the dead).
UPDATE: The Hi-res images were removed after a request from Warner Bros. Pictures. Stay tuned for more details
Evil Dead Rise is already turning heads among horror cinephiles for being the longest film in the franchise with a runtime of 96 minutes. While that may not seem like a lengthy watch – the original titles led by Bruce Campbell‘s Ash Williams were shorter yet filled with spine-chilling horror and unsettling Deadite sequences that made the trilogy a cult classic. Similarly, the first trailer teases the Raimi-Esque gore and the eerie sneer-looking Deadite that has been missing on the big screen.
Speaking of which, the new hi-res stills that PursueNews has received offer some never-before-seen shots of Ellie possessed by the demon. Moreover, while the first look footage only showcased one demonic being, the promo stills also show Gabrielle Echols as Bridget infected, possibly after being bitten by Ellie. The rest of the promotional images seem like screen-caps from the trailer. Readers can check it out below.
Evil Dead Rise won’t take place in the iconic cabin in the woods but it’s still expected to play off on some of the thematic elements which made the franchise a frightening experience to sit through. In fact, Director Lee Cronin has teased to deliver an “extraordinary amount of vicious, malevolent Deadites” so if true, it could be the perfect appealing aspect to draw in horror fans.
The movie will center on two estranged sisters Elle and Beth living in high rise in Los Angeles. Elle’s children are shown fighting off their demonic-looking mother along with Beth but it’s unclear who reads the Necronomicon nor how it ends up in the modern world. Evil Dead Rise is not a reboot of the 2013 title but is being positioned as a sequel to the original trilogy.
The making of another Evil Dead project for the big screen was teased as early as 2018 by the franchise’s titular star. However, Rise won’t feature Campbell as he confirmed his retirement from donning the chainsaw though it should be noted that director Cronin was hand-picked by Raimi so it seems fans can hold out hope. Evil Dead Rise also stars Lily Sullivan as Beth, Nell Fisher as Kassie, Morgan Davies and Jayden Daniels as Gabriel.
Evil Dead Rise will hit theaters on April 21, 2023.
