Sam Raimi has handpicked another heir apparent to the “Evil Dead” franchise. Deadline reports that “The Last Stop In Yuma County” director Francis Galluppi follows in the footsteps of Fede Álvarez and Lee Cronin as the next up-and-comer to take the reins on the long-running horror series. And from the sounds of things, it’s another fresh start for the Deadites: an original story developed by Galluppi with no connection to last year’s “Evil Dead Rise.”
Galluppi will write and direct the new film through Raimi and Robert Tapert‘s Ghost House Pictures. It’s still early stages, however, so it’s unclear who else will be involved on the production end. Feel free to speculate away about the setting for this installment. After four straight films set in a cabin in the woods, “Evil Dead Rise” veered the franchise’s premise to a rundown LA apartment building; so who’s to say where the Deadites will unleash havoc next?
Sam Raimi sounded enthusiastic about his new young director in a press statement. “Francis Galluppi is a storyteller who knows when to keep us waiting in simmering tension and when to hit us with explosive violence,” said Raimi. “He is a director that shows uncommon control in his feature debut.” Of course, “Evil Dead” fans would probably prefer Raimi to helm another film in the franchise, with Bruce Campbell‘s Ash Williams returning, too. But Raimi is too busy flirting with more Marvel projects to have that happen.
Like most horror franchises, “Evil Dead” is formulaic to a fault: the same set-up every movie that leads to demomic possessions, excessive blood-splatter, and lots and lots of gore. But it’s remained a winning formula since Álvarez revived the franchise in 2013. Álvarez’s remake made $97.5 million off a $17 million budget, while Cronin’s 2023 film made $147 million worldwide off roughly the same budget. Those are great numbers, which all but assures Galluppi’s will be another winner (granted, Raimi’s independent original and its gonzo 1987 sequel will forever be the series’ best). Also, bear in mind that Galluppi’s film is just one of two Ghost House has in the works. “Infested” director Sébastien Vaniček helms the other one, a spin-off. it’s unclear how either of these will connect to the franchise as a whole.
It’s also curious that Raimi tapped Galluppi for a new “Evil Dead” shortly before Galluppi’s debut feature hits theaters. “The Last Stop In Yuma County” premiered at Fantastic Fest last year to solid reviews and finally hits theaters on May 10. And who would’ve guessed?— Galluppi’s debut has a similar “tension and violence in an enclosed space” set-up similar to “Evil Dead.” The film follows a traveling salesman stranded at an Arizona rest stop caught in a hostage situation when two bank robbers roll in from their latest heist. Surely Raimi already screening “The Last Stop In Yuma County” and thinks Galluppi has the goods.
Stay tuned for more news about what’s coming next in the “Evil Dead” franchise, with possibly two new films coming in 2025.