In the 18 years since Army of Darkness was released, there has been much talk of a fourth Evil Dead Film.
Raimi's original remains to this day one of the most relentless, disturbing and cheap-looking horror films of all time. It's first sequel set the benchmark for how far a horror-comedy could go and is considered by many to be the best of the trilogy, while the third, widely regarded as the weakest, is a fun, if muddled romp through a zombie-infested medieval England.
But what would an Evil Dead film for the 21st century hold?
A remake, a sequel or a musical?
January 2011- Universal announces it has bought the rights to The Evil Dead and sets October 31 2013 as the official release date for a new film.
Fan forums go into overdrive, with many speculating what form the movie will take. Will it be a direct sequel or a remake? Will Bruce Campbell's klutzy hero Ash make a return? What's Raimi's involvement?
A number of unconfirmed reports suggest it will a prequel, focusing on what happened to Professor Raymond Knowby, and his wife Henrietta, who originally uncovered the Book of the Dead. Others suggest it will be a film version of the New York Off Broadway musical that opened in 2006.
Eye popping 3D
March 2011- A teaser poster hits the web- a wall of power tools, a chainsaw in the middle, and the words 'Necronomicon Ex-Mortis' smeared across it in blood. The tagline simply reads 'Groovy'.
A couple of days later it is announced the new film will be a sequel, as opposed to a remake/ reimagining. The official title is Book of the Dead. Unsurprisingly, it will be shot in 3D.
Eye popping 3D
March 2011- A teaser poster hits the web- a wall of power tools, a chainsaw in the middle, and the words 'Necronomicon Ex-Mortis' smeared across it in blood. The tagline simply reads 'Groovy'.
A couple of days later it is announced the new film will be a sequel, as opposed to a remake/ reimagining. The official title is Book of the Dead. Unsurprisingly, it will be shot in 3D.
Within The Woods
April 2011- Towards the end of the month, Sam Raimi announces that he and his brother Ivan have almost finished the script, and that he will be producing. Two days later, it emerges that after nearly twenty years away from the horror/splatter genre, Peter Jackson will also be returning to his roots as co-producer.
"What can I say?" he chuckles, "I miss blood."
The fans go nuts.
Fleischer to direct?
April-July 2011- With a script in place, and Raimi having resolutely claimed that he will not be returning as director, people start pondering who will take the reigns.
Edgar Wright is the most popular choice, but is too busy working on The World's End.
Zombieland's Ruben Fleischer is briefly in talks, but turns the job down, claiming "The Evil Dead is one of the most important films of all time, and though I am truly honoured to have been asked to direct a new instalment, I feel as though whatever I produce would pale in comparison to the originals. I wish Sam and Peter the best of luck though, and I can't wait to see it."
From Piranhas to Deadites
August 2011- Names attached to the project at various stages include Zack Snyder (a favourite amongst fans), Severance's Christopher Smith, Cherry Tree Lane's Paul Andrew Williams and even Frank Darabont.
By August, it looks as though Piranha 3D's Alexandre Aja is almost a sure thing to direct. The news is greeted with a mix of ecstatic joy and great disappointment amongst fans.
Say whaaaat?
September 2011- Out of nowhere, it is announced that demented auteur, Gaspar Noe, director of the controversial Irreversible and this month's Enter The Void, will take the helm.
The news comes as a great surprise and nobody quite knows what to think. Raimi claims in an official report "Gaspar's a fantastic director and a great visualist. This is obviously a bit of a departure for him, but I know he'll do a super job."
Casting commences
November 2011- According to Raimi, the protagonist, Tobe (as in Hooper), is "not quite as dim as Ash, but is probably more of a coward. We're going to need someone who can transform over a couple of hours from a complete dolt into a badass. Someone with good comedy chops."
Johnny Depp is mentioned in a lot of forums, but at the end of November, Captain America himself, Chris Evans, is confirmed as the part.
A female presence
December 2011- "There was a distinct lack of femininity in the original movies", laughs Raimi in an interview with Total Film. "In this one, girls have more to do."
Tobe's girlfriend, Lorna (weirdly enough, the name of the witch in Raimi's Drag Me To Hell, sparking rumours that this may be a tie-in), is described as "the heart and soul of the movie. She's also completely batshit crazy!"
On Boxing Day, it is announced that Ellen Page, originally set to play Christine in Drag Me To Hell, will be playing Lorna. Confusing.
'Not putting on an act, but putting on the truth'
February 2012- Much to fan delight, it is announced that Dean Learner himself, British comic Richard Ayoade, will be playing the part of Rotso, a Deadite who agrees to help our hapless couple. "Playing dead, I can do that", he jokes.
It is also revealed that Ted Raimi will be donning the lycra to play a mocap'd Satan.
Blood, blood, BLOOD!!!
March 2012- Peter Jackson reveals that Rob Bottin, Greg Nicetero, Tom Savini and Rick Baker, four of the greatest make-up and practical SFX wizards ever, will all be working on the film.
"Evil Dead is about blood and guts and monsters, which is why we've decided to pull out all the stops and bring together all of these industry giants for the same movie. It's going to be very old school. Save for Ted's Satan, there's going to be very little CG."
Comic-Con
July 2012- The first trailer is revealed at the San Diego Comic-Con and the crowd goes wild. Scary, gruesome and funny in equal measure, it appears to have almost everything. Almost.
And then, just before the Q&A, it happens. The buzz of a rusty chainsaw, the crowd begins to scream with excitement, and Bruce Campbell appears onstage, covered from head-to-toe in corn starch and red food dye, grinning wildly. He sits down next to old pal Raimi and casually leans back in his chair, savouring the applause.
When asked how he feels about Paul W.S.Anderson's Resident Evil 7 opening the same weekend, he coolly states, "We're gonna show those pussies how it's done."
First look at the script
October 2012- The complete script is leaked online. The plot sees our unfortunate couple, along with three friends, spending a weekend in the infamous cabin, only to wake the demons in the woods.
The first quarter follows the original film quite closely, albeit with better characterisation and dialogue, before veering off into completely new territory, sending Tobe and Lorna back to Victorian London, where they meet the now much older Ash, who has been travelling through time for decades, killing Deadites (think Doc Brown with a bloodlust). In exchange for Ash's soul, Ayoade's Rotso, Satan's right-hand man, agrees to get the couple back to 2012.
Interestingly, although Raimi regretted including it in the original, the tree rape scene appears in this, although it seems to be played more for laughs.
The victim gives birth to a tree baby.
Comic-Con premiere
July 2013- Book of the Dead opens Comic-Con and, despite three people suffering seizures due to twelve minutes of strobe lighting, is heralded as a resounding success.
Bloody-disgusting calls it 'the greatest film ever made', although the general consensus seems to be that, although brilliant, it doesn't quite reach the giddy heights of Evil Dead 2.
What next?
The film proves a massive commercial and critical success, scoring an 89% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes, although some critics do feel as though Noe's gloomy sensibilities sit a bit uncomfortably at times alongside Raimi's love of goofy, Three Stooges-style slapstick.
It is the first horror film since Silence of the Lambs to win an Oscar for best director.
