The remake of The Evil Dead is fast approaching, and well, the movie certainly looks appropriately gory. We’ll see if it’s actually good. But whatever, forget the remake — what about Evil Dead 4? You know, an honest to goodness sequel starring Bruce Campbell? Could such a thing actually happen? Recently at a press event for Oz the Great and Powerful Raimi let this slip…
“I would love to make Evil Dead 4. My brother and I plan to work on the script this summer.”
Sweet! So, Evil Dead 4 a sure thing, right? Weeeell…
After making the above statement Raimi clarified/backtracked in a later interview.
“I’m afraid that every time I talk about it people get really mad at me when I don’t follow through with it. I would like to work on the script over the summer, that much is true. But the reason to come back and do it again is only that they’re making me. Those fans are making me.
I was saying to Ivan ‘Why do they stay on this thing? Why do they keep at it?’ and he said ‘They want to make a movie. You’re a filmmaker and your fans are asking you to make the movie. What are you, an idiot? Make the movie!’ I guess there’s something I don’t see. It makes sense when Ivan says it…but I didn’t have a tremendous amount of passion until right now to bring to it.
I love working with Bruce Campbell and Rob Tapert, I have so much fun making those movies, so…but the fans are really forcing me into it.”
Hmmm, is there some other project Raimi would rather be working on?
“No, I don’t really have something else.”
So, there you have it — Raimi thinks us damn pushy fans are crazy, but he doesn’t have much else on the go, so maaaybe Evil Dead 4 might happen?
Raimi strikes me as one of those perpetually indecisive people. You just have to look at the endless array of projects he’s been attached to (yet never followed through on) to confirm that. Just look at the above quotes — first he’s enthusiastic, then the next day he’s trying his damndest to talk himself out of it. I’m sure his brother and Bruce Campbell just roll their eyes whenever Sam mentions The Evil Dead at this point.
But hey, hopefully Raimi follows through this time. Despite all his indecision and second-guessing, it’s clear horror is still where Raimi’s true passion lays.