Movies
‘Evil Dead Rise’: A Timeline of The Film 30 Years in The Making
It’s time for the Evil Dead to rise once more, as the return of the Necronomicon promises a brutal, bloody show.
We’ve been excited to see this movie since it was first announced. Quite understandably so, as it’s poised to be one of the best horror movies of 2023 (which is saying something when you consider all of the scary movies on the horizon this year). The Evil Dead Rise trailer only confirmed what we’d suspected; this movie looks incredible.
Need a primer on all things Evil Dead? Then head over to our Deadites 101 article here!
It premiered at SXSW on March 15th to stellar acclaim from critics everywhere. Amidst all the appreciation and accolades, it’s necessary to revisit the hoops and bounds this film traversed to become possible.
The Long Road to Evil Dead IV
Fans had been pining for more Evil Dead content since Army of Darkness in 1992. Since it was not a box office success, Sam Raimi had difficulty procuring funding to make a sequel. The problem in creating a sequel was heightened by the fact that the director ran into a legal battle with Universal Studios over the rights to the film.
Into the millennium, Freddy vs. Jason fans may remember the rumors circulating that a sequel was planned; this time, it would be Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash. Though there was a comic book series with this name, the movie seemed destined never to happen.
It was unfortunate because, due to the insistence of Jason Goes to Hell director Adam Marcus, Jason Voorhees is a Deadite. Therefore, bringing Ash into the equation makes sense if you take the Deadite sideline as canon (I don’t, for the record, but our Editor-In-Chief does, so that’s all a discussion for perhaps another day.)
Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead IV Dreams
In 2009, news broke of a potential Evil Dead IV directed by Sam Raimi, co-written by brothers Ivan and Sam Raimi. Though this film seemingly disappeared into the ether, horror fans shouldn’t give up hope for a Sam Raimi-directed Evil Dead film, as Bruce Campbell recently went on record with Fangoria to say that if Sam Raimi directs another Evil Dead movie, he’ll come back as Ash. Though he has not indicated this will happen, Fangoria shared that Sam Raimi is interested in directing another horror movie. Maybe Sam Raimi will find this commitment inspirational? Fingers crossed.
In 2013, we finally received a new Evil Dead film. The Evil Dead requel, directed by Fede Alvarez, was a creepy watch, though its re-imaginative nature deemed it not considered Evil Dead canon. He was set to reprise the directorial seat for Evil Dead 2 but instead chose to direct Don’t Breathe. Thus, the film was relocated to the void until further notice. It began to crawl back out again with the premiere of a horror series and the return of Bruce Campbell.
Ash vs. Evil Dead
In 2015, Deadites everywhere, who knew, rejoiced as Ash vs. Evil Dead aired as a Starz Original series. It has an astounding 99% on Rotten Tomatoes and was beloved by fans of the franchise. However, creators sensed the end was coming prematurely, as Bruce Campbell said in an interview with Collider, “We knew the ratings were bad after the end of the second season. We just knew it. No one knew what Starz was.” After the third season, it was canceled.
An interview with the actor two years later would be much more positive.
The Evil Dead Sequel Confirmed
A 2020 interview with Empire would have Bruce Campbell reveal that a new Evil Dead movie was rising. He shared that Lee Cronin would be taking over as director, and Bruce Campbell would not be appearing in it, though he would be working behind the scenes in production. (Since the film’s release, Lee Cronin has said that there is a glimpse of Bruce Campbell in Evil Dead Rise and that he’ll give fifty dollars to the first person to spot him.)
By the Spring of 2021, Evil Dead Rise was announced as a straight-to-streaming release by HBO Max.
Evil Dead Rise on HBO Max
The hype grew over the following year, with a promo poster circulating online. However, as the summer of 2022 neared its end, anxiety over whether the film would be released grew. The release date had yet to be confirmed, and HBO Max had abruptly canceled other Warner Bros collaborations, Batgirl and Scoob!: Holiday Haunt despite production being almost complete.
There was additional worry surrounding the film’s fate, as there were rumors that the film would release theatrically after test screenings went remarkably well. It was debatable how executives at HBO Max may feel if they lost the right to premiere the movie exclusively.
Lee Cronin tweeted for horror fans to “Keep the faith,” while other horror fans came through with the plan if it did end up slain along with the other productions.
Finally, at the end of August 2022, the much-awaited news was announced—Evil Dead Rise releases on April 21st, but in theaters instead of on streaming.
What to Expect from Evil Dead Rise
A decade after the last Evil Dead film was released, Evil Dead Rise is finally here. Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell worked as executive producers, with Robert Tapert producing; the original trio worked together to make the first three Evil Dead films possible. Digital effects were used sparingly; even the wall-crawling scenes are the real deal. Evil Dead is back.
Lee Cronin shared in a SlashFilm interview that he used 6500 liters of blood (or approximately 1,717 gallons) to make Evil Dead Rise. For comparison, Stanley Kubrick used about 300 gallons of blood to make the elevator blood waterfall scene in The Shining. In fact, the film used so much blood that they had to utilize an industrial kitchen to make it all.
Evil Dead Rise Cast and New Elements
Evil Dead Rise stars Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, and Gabrielle Echols. One significant difference between this release and the many appearances of Evil Dead that have preceded it is the incorporation of children as main characters into the franchise.
Following a single mother’s exposure to the evil book during a reunion with her sister in her high-rise New York City apartment building, a prominent cast member (Nell Fisher) is only ten years old- a first for an Evil Dead movie.
In an interview with Fangoria, Bruce Campbell said: “We wanted to show audiences the next generation of Evil Dead, which is way more horrifying now. I mean, the shit that you can do and the tricks that you can play now? This audience is doomed!”
Why Evil Dead Rise Tops 2023 Horror Movies
With outstanding reviews, Evil Dead Rise looks to rank high amongst top contenders for the best horror movie of 2023. I doubt we will need to wait another decade for another installment in the franchise after the success of this film’s debut.
Watch Evil Dead Rise yourself in theaters on April 21st, 2023! Expect it to release to HBO Max sometime later.
My New Year’s resolution is to spend more time watching my favorite app. Luckily, Shudder is not taking it easy on us this holiday season, so I may meet my quota this January. The streamer is bringing in the new year with quite a few bangers. We have classics from icons, a new title from the first family of indie horror, and a couple of lesser-known films that have finally found a home. So, I am obviously living for this month’s programming and think most of you will too. I have picked the five films that I believe deserve our collective attention the most. Get into each of them and start your 2026 off on the right foot.
The Best Movies to Stream on Shudder This Month
Carrie (1976)
A sheltered teen finally unleashes her telekinetic powers after being humiliated for the last time. Carrie is the reason I thought proms might be cool when I was a kid. This Brian De Palma adaptation is one of my favorite Stephen King adaptations. It is also an important title in the good-for-her subgenre. I cannot help rooting for Carrie White (Sissy Spacek) when I watch her snap at this prom and then head home to accidentally deal with her mom. The only tragedy of this evening is that Carrie had to die, too. I said what I said, and I will be hitting play again while it is on Shudder. This recommendation goes out to the other recovering sheltered girls who would be the problem if they had powers. I see you because I am you.
You can watch Carrie on January 1st.
Marshmallow (2025)
A shy 12-year-old gets sent to summer camp and finds himself in a living nightmare. While Marshmallow did not land for me, I know plenty of people who love it. Which makes this the perfect addition to the Shudder catalogue. I am actually excited to see more folks fall in love with this movie when it hits the streamer. If nothing else, it will help a few folks cross off another 2025 title if they are still playing catch-up with last year’s movies. It also gets cool points from me for not taking the easy route with the mystery it built. I hope you all dig it more than I did, and tell your friends about it. Perhaps you could even encourage them to sign up for the app.
You can watch Marshmallow on January 1st.
Chain Reactions (2024)
Tobe Hooper’s The Texas Chain Saw Massacre cemented his horror legacy over fifty years ago. So, it is long overdue for a documentary where horror royalty can discuss its impact on them and their careers. I have been waiting for a couple of years to hear Karyn Kusama and Takashi Miike talk about Hooper’s work and how he inspired them. So, I am super geeked that Shudder is finally giving me the chance to see this film. The streamer is also helping the nerds out by adding The Texas Chain Saw Massacre (1974) and The Texas Chain Saw Massacre 2 (1986) this month. If you are also an overachieving couch potato, I will see you at the finish line next week.
You can watch Chain Reactions on January 9th.
In the Mouth of Madness (1994)
An insurance investigator discovers the impact a horror writer’s books have on people. I love chaos, and John Carpenter chaos happens to be one of my favorite kinds of chaos. While we talk about The Thing and Halloween all the time, this maestro has given us plenty of horror to celebrate. In the Mouth of Madness is very much one of those titles vying for a top spot among the best of his filmography. To sweeten the batshit pot, this movie features Sam Neill. You know that he only shows up in our genre if the movie is going to be legendary. You cannot tell me this is not a Shudder priority this month.
You can watch In the Mouth of Madness on January 10th.
Mother of Flies (2025)
A terminally ill young woman and her dad head to the woods to seek out a recluse who claims she can cure her cancer. The Adams Family has been holding court on Shudder for years, so it feels right that Mother of Flies is a Shudder Original. More importantly, this fest favorite has one of the best performances of 2025. Which makes it a great time for people to finally get to see it and get in line to give Toby Poser her flowers. Whatever you think your favorite Poser role is, it is about to change when you see her as Solveig. I am being serious when I say that this movie might be the first family of indie horror at their best.
You can watch Mother of Flies on January 23rd.
New year, but same Shudder. I would not want to go into 2026 any other way, personally. I hope these horrific recommendations bring you the good kind of anxiety. Or at least distract you from the state of the world for a bit.
I’m happy Netflix knew I would be back on my bull shit. Now that we’re in January, and the end-of-year lists are done, I’m trying to cram as many 2025 titles into my eyeballs as I possibly can. I know it sounds backwards, but it’s sadly a yearly tradition now. No matter how many titles you cram into a year, there are always a ton more you missed. Because I am broken, I need to know if I missed anything that should have been on my lists ASAP. Then I can drag myself for not getting my eyeballs on things sooner. Or worse, seeing titles that came out after my deadline and would have definitely been on there. I need to feel resentment for their schedules not letting me be great.
Luckily for me, the streamer has dropped quite a bit of new stuff recently. This includes movies and shows that I put off, or that legitimately premiered a couple of weeks ago. So, now I can spiral in the comfort of my own home as I binge all of these titles like a maniac. If you are also trying to walk into the new year stressed out, then maybe this streaming guide is for you, too.
City of Shadows (2025)
When a burned body is put on display on the facade of an iconic building, two inspectors must work together to solve the crime. I don’t know much about this Spanish thriller, but I know winter is the time for an unsettling mystery. The show is based on the first book of the Milo Malart tetralogy written by Aro Sáinz de la Maza. So, if it’s as good as I hope it is, there is a whole world with this inspector awaiting us in print. I’m ready to take all six of these episodes in one setting if the streaming Gods allow.
Frankenstein (2025)
Oscar Isaac, Jacob Elordi, and Christoph Waltz are among the names in this newest adaptation of the beloved Gothic horror classic. Guillermo del Toro’s take on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein is clearly one of the top priorities this month. While I skipped it in festivals because of the runtime, I knew I would have a date with it on Netflix this winter. While it has been on the streamer for a minute, I wasn’t able to dedicate two and a half hours to it. I also had watched my friends’ mixed reviews come in, and couldn’t take another disappointment last year. So, I saved this treat for the holiday. Fingers crossed, it is better than people are saying it is.
I Know What You Did Last Summer (2025)
A new group of friends is tormented by a new stalker in this sequel to Kevin Williamson’s other ’90s slasher. I’m indifferent to the I Know What You Did Last Summer movies. Some are less awful than others, and I think this one was fine, but I know the original source material. Which means I know just how far they stray from what the original author, Lois Duncan, was about. So, I look at these movies and the flimsy premise they repeat differently than a lot of my friends. I think it’s an interesting look at how IP gets handled in Hollywood, but I don’t usually get much out of these. Which is another reason I’m kinder to this Jennifer Kaytin Robinson film than some people. While I won’t be rewatching it this January, I think a lot of people who missed it in theaters are going to have fun with some of these kills now that it’s on Netflix.
Stranger Things: Season 5 (2025)
The long-awaited conclusion to Stranger Things is finally upon us! Will Vecna take out some of this ridiculously large cast on the way out? I hope so. Will we pretend to be surprised when Eddie Munson gets a few seconds of screentime? I refuse to play this game. However, are we all going to tune in to see how this epic ride ends? You betcha! I hate that they’re breaking this final season up into three chunks, but I will be sitting for all of them.
The first four episodes hit in November. The next three landed on Netflix on December 25, and the finale premiered on December 31. I don’t know what to expect, but I know I am so ready to close this chapter of my relationship with Netflix and the Duffer Brothers. If it is even half as good as season four, then I will be a very happy nerd.
Troll 2 (2025)
A new troll awakens, causing Nora, Andreas, and Captain Kris to find new allies to take it down. This Norwegian monster flick almost got by me, so I’m happy Netflix dropped the trailer for this one. I’m using this as an excuse to finally watch the first one. I’m thinking a double feature is in order, so I can spend a whole day with these trolls. This is not my usual type of party, but after Troll Hunter won me over, I figure anything can happen. So, I will not judge you if you’re not feeling this out of left field pick. Just know that I’m running at it with an open mind and hoping to see some carnage as a reward.
These are just the Netflix titles I’m prioritizing. This is in no way a complete overview of all of the new shows and movies they’ve added this winter. We also know that they usually have a ton of international bangers that they refuse to advertise. So, I end up stumbling over Korean titles every January and then trying to tell people we missed some really excellent stuff. So, pick up your remote and turn your phone off. It’s time to Netflix and Chill in the less sexy and more nerdy way.
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