EVIL DEAD RISE Star Lily Sullivan on Possible Sequel: There's Been "Many Conversations"
While there’s an all-new Evil Dead movie coming from director Sébastien Vaniček, some fans are wondering if we will see a sequel to Lee Cronin's movie Evil Dead Rise, which revived the franchise in a big way for cinemas. The movie was a huge success both critically and financially, so you’d think that a sequel is inevitable.
The film’s star, Lily Sullivan, whose character Beth managed to survive the horrific ordeal, was recently asked about a possible sequel during an interview with CB, and she explained that there have been lots of conversations about that. She explained:
"There's been many, many conversations, many alt paths, many possibilities, which are all quite whack and fun and great. And whatever ends up coming to fruition, I'm excited for it. But yeah, I can't say anything on it though, but yeah, excited. It's all literally up to the universe of the Evil Dead gods. In a great way, until you cross the bridge, that's just what it is. The blessings of this industry, and the curse, you have to walk into the unknown."
It sounds like something is being conjured up for a sequel, so that’s good to hear! We just have to wait and see what the story will entail.
When previously teasing an idea for a sequel, Cronin said: "For me, actually what it was driven by is the idea that the force can't really be destroyed. So, even though there's someone adjacent to all the madness that has happened, that force can prevail and can kind of continue onwards. So, that's one pathway. There's also, there's a second storyline, a hundred years in the past that's shared in this. And that's also a storyline I've had boiling for what goes on behind that vinyl. You could go back in time. Then I've got one Priest versus a hundred Deadites. 'John Wick Evil Dead.'"
I’d watch the hell out of that movie and I hope that he takes the sequel in that direction! The vinyl record that came along with the Book of the Dead in the movie offers insight into the story of a priest 100 years ago who finds himself battling some deadites.
Cronin went on to explain that he viewed his job as opening and expanding this universe, saying: "The challenge that was set for me was to move the dial with this world, to crack the world open in a different way. I hope I've been successful in doing that. I've actually left a few doors open to get inside that world. There is that wraparound and that wraparound is always there. I wanted to show the fans that I understand the world, I understand where it's been, but also here's the change, here's the needle drop, here's where we're going to go. We're going to go somewhere else."
As for other sequel ideas, such as continuing to follow the character Beth (Lily Sullivan) after her blood-drenched ordeal, the filmmaker said: "Also there's the 10 minutes later story for those that ... the lucky ones that maybe just about make it out alive. There's that place also. And then equally, what about when the authorities show up at this building and find the carnage that's there? And if you remember, there's still some seriously hardcore remnants left in that building that could have an impact on a whole new set of unsuspecting factors."
What would you like to see in a sequel to Evil Dead Rise?