New ‘Evil Dead’ Spin-Off Movie in Development

The French director is Raimi and Robert Tapert’s pick for a mysterious new spin on the ‘Evil Dead’ franchise after impressing with his film ‘Vermine.'

1981's 'The Evil Dead.' Photo: Renaissance Pictures.

Preview:

French filmmaker Sébastien Vaniček will direct a new ‘Evil Dead’ movie.
Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert are producing as usual.
It does not appear to be a sequel to 2023’s ‘Evil Dead Rise’.

While the ‘Evil Dead’ franchise came roaring back to life (or, er, death?) last year with Lee Cronin’s ‘Evil Dead Rise’), things have been quiet since then.

Though Cronin said at the time that he had ideas for where sequels could lead following his Deadites-in-a-high-rise horror, and the film’s successful $147M worldwide box office, there has been no announcement about a follow-up.

Now, though, according to Deadline, ‘Evil Dead’ franchise overseers Sam Raimi (who directed the original three ‘Dead’ movies) and producer Robert Tapert have found a new filmmaker to handle another movie.

The Evil Dead

"The ultimate experience in gruelling terror."

NC-171 hr 25 minOct 15th, 1981

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What’s the story for the new ‘Evil Dead’ movie?

Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in New Line Cinema’s horror film 'Evil Dead Rise,”' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.

Nothing has been said about the story for the new movie so far, which means we don’t know if it’ll continue the story of ‘Evil Dead Rise’. It seems more likely, though, that the producers hiring a new director means it’ll be a whole other story, albeit one featuring the trademark Deadites in some fashion.

Since the ‘Evil Dead’ stories pivoted away from the original movies’ character of Ash (played by Bruce Campbell, who also reprised the role for a spin-off TV series), a whole new world of terrifying opportunities has opened up for the franchise.

Which means this new movie could be about any number of situations where the infamous Necronomicon tome causes chaos.

What made Raimi and Tapert choose Sébastien Vaniček?

2023's 'Vermin.'

As with Cronin before him, it’s Sébastien Vaniček’s previous work that caught Raimi and Tapert’s attention.

The French filmmaker has been drawing attention thanks to his horror movie ‘Vermine’ (or, to give it both of its English language titles, ‘Vermin’/‘Infested’.

That movie was first introduced as part of the Critics’ Week sidebar at the Venice Film Festival. Watching as the residents of a rundown French apartment building battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders, the film won Best Picture and Best Director in its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest, and was also invited to the Sitges Film Festival, where it earned a nomination for Best Motion Picture and won a Special Jury Prize.

He signed with agency CAA off the back of ‘Vermine’s success, and has been out and about taking meetings, which is how he ended up on Raimi and Tapert’s radar, since they’ve said they’re always looking for new talent to pick up the ‘Dead’ flag.

Raimi and Tapert produce new ‘Evil Dead’ movies through their Ghost House Pictures company, but it remains to be seen where any new film ends up.