The Evil Dead is returning to theaters for its 40th anniversary later this year, proving the staying power of Sam Raimi's microbudget horror classic. Additionally, the always groovy Bruce Campbell will deliver an exclusive introduction to audiences. The special limited screenings will be brought to theaters everywhere by Fathom Events and Grindhouse Releasing, AND Lionsgate Home Entertainment will be releasing a collectible box set of The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, and three seasons of Ash vs. the Evil Dead.

The Evil Dead spawned an incredible franchise that is still ongoing today, but in 1981 it was a microbudget horror film that gave us now-classic horror tropes like the cabin in the woods, reading Latin aloud to revive evil spirits, as well as one of the most iconic heroes of all time — Campbell's Ash. The original Evil Dead follows Ash, his girlfriend, his sister, and their friends as they stay in a remote cabin for a weekend getaway. In the basement, they find the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis (aka The Book of the Dead), and unwittingly reawaken the dead when they read the Latin aloud. What happens next is the perfect blend of camp, comedy, and horror, as the inhabitants quickly become possessed and fight each other to the death.

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Image via New Line Cinema

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Grindhouse Releasing co-founder Bob Murawski said of the re-release, "We are proud to present this special 40th anniversary screening of Evil Dead with Fathom Events. The original film has always been my favorite of the series. It is truly one of the scariest and wildest horror films of all time. I’m thrilled that a new generation of fans will have the chance to experience it in the way I first did — on the big screen with a screaming audience!”

The franchise is still not over either, as Raimi and Campbell plan to reunite for Evil Dead Rise, the fourth film in the series. According to Campbell, production will start this year in New Zealand, and will actually feature a female heroine as the protagonist. Which unfortunately does mean that we will not be seeing Ash again, nor will Raimi direct, but both will serve as executive producers on the film. Raimi handpicked The Hole in the Ground's Lee Cronin as the writer/director, which will be released by HBO Max in 2022.

While there was a soft reboot of the original film in 2013, Evil Dead Rise will follow the original trilogy, and be one of the first films to take the action into an urbanized area. The female protagonists will be two estranged sisters who must reunite to survive another Deadite revival as they take over the city. Vikings' Alyssa Sutherland and Mental's Lily Sullivan will play the two sisters.

The 40th-anniversary screenings of The Evil Dead will premiere on Thursday, October 7 at 7:30 PM (local time). You can buy tickets on Friday, August 13 at www.FathomEvents.com and through participating cinemas’ box offices.

KEEP READING: Why 'Evil Dead Rise' Is the Franchise's Last Chance to Step Out of Bruce Campbell & Sam Raimi's Shadow