Bruce Campbell could single-handedly find the cure for COVID-19 and the man will still be remembered for the Evil Dead franchise above all else. Ash Williams has become an iconic hero, and while Bruce Campbell has promised that his boomstick wielding days are over, the Evil Dead franchise will live on in a new movie, which now has a new name and apparently will be something quite different from what we've come to expect from Evil Dead.
Originally, Bruce Campbell revealed that a new Evil Dead movie called Evil Dead Now was on the way, from director Lee Cronin, who was chosen by creator Sam Raimi to helm the new project. However, Bruce Campbell recently told Diabolique Magazine that the movie now has a slightly different title. He also confirmed that one fairly traditional element in the previous films, the setting, will be quite different this time around. According to Campbell...
The official name is Evil Dead Rise. We’re getting a new draft in. I don’t think anything will happen until 2021. Full bore ahead, we’re very excited about it. A whole, new ballgame. No more cabin in the woods.
At this point, exactly what Evil Dead Rise will be seems to be defined mostly by what it is not. It will not include Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams and apparently won't be about a "cabin in the woods" as both the original movie, the sequel, and the 2013 remake were all about. Whether the movie is a remake, reboot or sequel, is far from clear.
For his part, Bruce Campbell had previously said that the main thing that the Evil Dead movies needed was heroes that were just regular people, so whoever our main character is we can be sure they'll be in over the head fighting other worldly monsters, at least as the film gets started.
The 2013 remake made some significant changes to the characters in the film, but kept the core of the story essentially the same. It looks like we can expect Evil Dead Rise to be even more of a very different thing. Of course, then one has to wonder just what will make Evil Dead Rise feel like an Evil Dead movie and not simply seem like just another horror movie. Or even another horror-comedy, depending on whether Evil Dead Rise takes more inspiration from the original film or its sequels.
Exactly what Bruce Campbell's role with the new movie is, isn't entirely clear though it sounds like he's acting as a producer on the new film. Clearly, even if he's never in front of the camera again playing Ash, Campbell will never really be done with Evil Dead. At least that way, we can be sure there will be somebody there who will be working to make the future of the franchise something that long time fans will enjoy.
