Warning: SPOILERS ahead for Evil Dead Rise.Evil Dead Rise director Lee Cronin says he has plenty of ideas for a sequel that could take the franchise in a new direction. The latest installment in the Evil Dead franchise, Evil Dead Rise made 10 times the original’s box office in its domestic opening weekend alone. With a strong $23.5 million opener, it’s no surprise that talks for a possible sequel have already started.
Speaking with IndieWire, Cronin explained how he thinks the franchise can move forward following the events of Evil Dead Rise. He pitches multiple ideas for what a sequel could look like, emphasizing how Evil Dead Rise has opened the door for plenty more installments in the series. Check out what Cronin had to say below:
In terms of moving it forward, I think there’s great potential there. I’ve got three to four different avenues that we can take. There’s history in this film that’s shared on vinyl, and that’s a place that can be gone to. There’s the 10-minutes-later story with those that survive and where they go. There’s also the people that will arrive at this building, post carnage. And there’s also the lake and the countryside as well. Where we go next, in a lot of ways I think, you want to listen to fans and see what people get excited by. But I’m enthusiastic about the opportunities for more.
I think ‘Evil Dead Rise’ is a bloody slash in a new direction. It’s a universe opener.
What Could An Evil Dead Rise Sequel Look Like?
Cronin’s ideas aren’t the first time someone involved in Evil Dead Rise‘s production teased the possibility of a sequel. Producer and star of the original Evil Dead Bruce Campbell thinks Evil Dead movies could come out every few years. With Evil Dead Rise‘s critical and financial success, it seems likely Campbell and Cronin’s wishes for more Evil Dead will come to fruition.
If actor Lily Sullivan wanted to return as Beth in the future, she could take up a similar protagonist role like Ash did in the original Evil Dead trilogy. This time, however, she would have to constantly battle against Deadites who can’t be defeated purely through bodily dismemberment. The introduction of more resistant Deadites could heighten the horror of future films and make for creative kills similar to the wood chipper at the end of Evil Dead Rise.
Cronin’s many ideas don’t necessitate Sullivan’s return, though, nor do they need to be strictly horror movies. Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness are well-known for their comedic moments, which could make a heavier return in a sequel to Evil Dead Rise. With so many new doors open now that new Deadites have been unleashed, any of Cronin’s ideas are possible for an Evil Dead Rise sequel.
