Lee Cronin’s Vision: Ideas That Could Shape the Next Evil Dead Adventure
“Fear not, Evil Dead fans; the theories are spectacular,” says Lee Cronin, director of Evil Dead Rise. The director teases that he has thought about at least four different ideas for sequels, and he’s not alone. The franchise’s godfather, Sam Raimi, also hints at a potential return to this haunted universe.
Lee Cronin, who was handpicked by Sam Raimi to helm Evil Dead Rise, sheds some light on potential outcomes. From the future of deadites and the significance of different Books of the Dead, to following the journey of the iconic chainsaw and revisiting the infamous woods, Cronin’s thoughts are a treasure trove for speculation.
“There’s also the aftermath in this building and who encounters that. And I’ve often thought, ‘What happens when the cleanup crew shows up?’” Cronin mused in an interview with Variety.
Setting the Stage: How Location Could Drive the Sequel
In the world of Evil Dead, the location is almost a character in itself. Originally famous for the “cabin in the woods” setup, Cronin decided to break the mold by setting Rise in an apartment building in LA. This change of locale adds a new dimension to the horror—what happens when deadites could potentially break out in the city?
“Because of the opening and the closing, there’s that continuation of how this evil has a gate. That brings us back into that forest context, which excites me because I love that I broke the mold, but wouldn’t it be fun now if I went back to the cabin in the woods. It could be a cool journey,” says Cronin.
A Rendezvous of Evil Dead Heroes?
What makes Evil Dead Rise particularly intriguing is the notion of expanding the universe to include previous protagonists. We have Ash from the original series, Mia from the 2013 reboot, and Beth from Rise. Could a future installment see these survivors teaming up to battle the forces of darkness?
“We have history in this film and that’s presented through the vinyl. So there’s a story to be told there. It’s not by accident,” Cronin states, emphasizing the depth of the universe he aims to explore.
The Gaming Connection: Can Evil Dead Score in the Virtual World?
Evil Dead Rise wasn’t the franchise’s first foray into other media. An Evil Dead game was released, but it didn’t achieve the same success as the film. However, this could be a mere setback. With the increasing demand for rich, story-driven solo gaming experiences, perhaps a more focused Evil Dead game could bring additional riches to this multimedia franchise.
A Box Office Winner and a Fan Favorite: What it Means for the Series
Evil Dead Rise smashed records, pulling in $146.7 million against an estimated budget of $15-$19 million, making it the highest-grossing film in the franchise. Its critical acclaim and audience approval ratings hover at a solid 84% and 76% respectively on Rotten Tomatoes. Given this, it’s no surprise that Warner Bros. might be looking at Evil Dead as its next major franchise.
“The future looks bright for the series, and Warner Bros. might have their next big multimedia franchise,” concludes an industry analyst.
So, for now, fans can only speculate on the myriad possibilities for the next installment in the Evil Dead franchise. But with a successful film in the rearview and a director keen on exploring new dimensions, the future indeed seems rife with potential. Whether we return to the cabin, venture into the city, or unite previous survivors in an ultimate battle against evil, one thing’s for sure: we haven’t seen the last of Evil Dead.
