We're finally getting an idea of where the 6,500 liters of blood went in a new image for Lee Cronin's Evil Dead Rise exclusively from Empire. The latest look at the film was part of an interview with Cronin on the wild new direction he's taking Evil Dead in with his latest feature produced by Sam Raimi. The film trades the usual cabin in the woods for a high-rise apartment building in Los Angeles all while following sisters Beth (Lily Sullivan) and Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland). When Beth reunites with her sister and family after years apart, they find themselves trapped in a Deadite invasion in the cramped building. It's a family affair for the franchise as they work together to fend off the hoard in their blood-soaked nightmare.
The fan-favorite Boomstick is back in the image with Beth wielding it this time around. There's not a ton to glean from the shot, but her wide-eyed expression and blood-drenched face say everything. Cronin won't skimp on the blood and that double-barrel shotgun is going to do a lot of splattering over the course of the film's runtime. It's unclear how Beth got her hands on Ash's legendary weapon, or if it's even the same Boomstick, but when it comes to taking out Deadites in the close-range spaces of an apartment, there's hardly a better choice.
Evil Dead has managed to tow a fine line between campy, comedic fun and gory horror that has managed to hit with audiences through every installment so far. Despite the changes in Rise, everything seems to be in good hands with Cronin who was handpicked by Raimi to lead the franchise forward with its fifth feature film. He was excited about the carnage audiences will get to see, teasing Empire that the film "straps you onto a rocket that’s fueled by blood. You can either get off or you stay on ’til it explodes." He brings his own expertise from The Hole in the Ground to the table in hopes of adding to the legacy of the beloved horror franchise.
As the image and the liters upon liters of blood show, Cronin went to great lengths to secure enough of the red stuff for Rise. He teamed up with an industrial kitchen to supply his bloody needs. Speaking with Empire, he said that there was often so much blood on set each day that it was hard to get it all off when it was time to head home. "When I was checking out, I had to warn the landlord, ‘You’re going to find bloody handprints all over the apartment – but they’re not real, honest!'"
Evil Dead Rise Will Embrace the Franchise's Past
Raimi has been deeply involved with the project since its inception alongside fellow Evil Dead veterans Bruce Campbell and Robert Tapert. Campbell's ash won't appear in this film, but his presence will still be felt, and Cronin has previously promised that the film won't completely leave its past behind. Rather, he aims to expand on the universe Raimi helped build with the director there to guide him. Gabrielle Echols, Morgan Davies, and Nell Fisher round out the cast of the film alongside Sullivan and Sutherland.
Evil Dead Rise releases in theaters next year on April 21, 2023. Check out the new image below.
