Exclusive: Screenwriter Diablo Cody Talks EVIL DEAD Remake; Calls it ‘Unbelievably Violent’

A few months ago we reported Fede Alvarez was going to write and direct an Evil Dead remake, with Diablo Cody doing some script revisions.  Now before you get up in arms that Evil Dead is being remade, it’s important to know that director Sam Raimi and original producing partners Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell are very much involved in the film.  Based on the original team’s inclusion, this is one of those projects I’m very curious about.

However, while we knew the remake was moving ahead as evidence by the premiere of the new logo at AFM and Lionsgate’s selling of international rights, no one was quite sure exactly how much work Cody had done on the script.  So when I spoke to her today for her great new movie Young Adult, she was more than willing to talk about her involvement on the film.  She said that she mostly handled dialogue and character, and addressed concerns people may have about her involvement by assuring me that she had no intention of infusing Evil Dead with “wacky dialogue and cute stuff” from Juno. In addition, she said the script is “unbelievably violent” and that the director’s draft was “really scary.”  Hit the jump for more.

Here’s the portion of the video interview on the Evil Dead remake.  Further down is the transcript.  Look for my full interview with Cody in early December.

Collider: If I’m not mistaken, you did a draft or wrote the Evil Dead remake.

Diablo Cody: I did a draft. I did like a polish slash rewrite on the pre-existing, excellent script by Fede Alvarez.

Do you know if the draft that you submitted is the one they’re shooting with?

Cody: I’m not 100% sure. I guess it’s possible that that’s the one, but for all I know they could have commissioned another rewrite, you never know. Are they shooting right now?

No, but I think I’ve seen like a logo which means—

Cody: I think it’s going forward. I’m really excited to hear about it cause it was fun to work on.

When you worked on it, were you on it for a few weeks, was it a few months? And talk a little bit about working on it, cause this is a huge property for so many people.

Cody: I know, honestly I was so excited to do it. I wouldn’t have even gotten involved if Sam [Raimi] and Bruce Campbell hadn’t been involved as well, they’re producing it, and so of course I was like “Alright I have to do this” because I’m such a fan of the original, and the whole original series in fact. But I was nervous to take the job because I thought “Ugh, I’m gonna get shit for this. People are not gonna like this, because all people know of me is like Juno and they think I’m gonna pollute Evil Dead with like wacky dialogue and cute stuff and folk music, and it’s like “No, look I understand what this is. I’m interested in storytelling here and making it scary and good and true to the original.” I feel like people will hopefully see Young Adult and go “Oh, okay that’s a horrifying movie maybe she could pull it off (laughs).”

Did you add or be a part of any gruesome R-rated death scene?

Cody: Because the director’s draft was really scary, I tried to stay away from some of the big horror set pieces. I didn’t wanna mess with his vision, because he’s the one who ultimately has to shoot it. That being said, there is a moment near the—I mean it’s unbelievably violent (laughs). Occasionally I threw in a wound here or there. I didn’t write anything extravagant.

So did you sort of do a pass on dialogue and character stuff?

Cody: Yes. And once again, I did not do like the standard dialogue people associate with me at all. I did very naturalistic dialogue that I felt would serve the story.