One of the movies that jump-started the hearts of horror fans everywhere is the fifth movie in the Evil Dead franchise, Evil Dead Rise. It was the first film in the series to be released since 2013, although a television series, Ash vs Evil Dead, did come out before it.
Sam Raimi created the series in 1981 with the release of The Evil Dead and he wrote and directed the first three entries in the franchise. The 2013 Evil Dead had Sam Raimi attached as a producer along with Bruce Campbell, who plays the main protagonist of the franchise, Ash.
The franchise is extremely popular amongst horror fans, and the fifth movie was highly anticipated before its official release in 2023. Evil Dead Rise moves away from Ash’s story and instead follows two sisters, who get caught in the middle of yet another Deadite uprising. The movie was well-received, receiving an 82% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
If you’re excited to check out Evil Dead Rise, you might be wondering what role Sam Raimi has in the film.
What is Sam Raimi’s involvement with Evil Dead Rise?
Unfortunately, Evil Dead Rise was not written or directed by Sam Raimi. Instead, it was written and directed by Lee Cronin, who also made The Hole in the Ground. Cronin also made a number of short films between 2004 and 2013.
Just because Sam Raimi did not write or direct the new film does not mean that he has had zero involvement in the project, either, as both he and Bruce Campbell served as executive producers on the movie. In addition, Raimi handpicked Cronin to helm the project. This way, Raimi got to oversee the franchise he created while helping a burgeoning, talented horror director make their mark.
Evil Dead Rise is currently available to stream on Hulu and AMC+.