New «Evil Dead» Movie Finds Its Cast

Filmmaker Francis Galluppi is officially heading into Deadite territory, and his next Evil Dead movie is starting to take shape in a big way.

Following this year’s Evil Dead Burn, Galluppi has assembled a stacked ensemble for his still-untitled follow-up in the long-running horror franchise. The cast includes Charlotte Hope (The Nun, Game of Thrones), Jessica McNamee (Mortal Kombat), Zach Gilford (Midnight Mass), Josh Helman (Mad Max: Fury Road), Ella Newton (Dangerous Animals), Australian newcomer Ella Oliphant, and Elizabeth Cullen (Goolagong).

As is tradition with recent entries in the franchise, plot details are being kept firmly under wraps. What we do know is that Galluppi is once again directing from his own script, with New Line Cinema and Sony Pictures co-financing the project. The move comes on the heels of strong momentum for the series, especially after Evil Dead Rise surprised everyone with a $147 million global box office haul.

Longtime franchise producer Rob Tapert is back, joined once again by Sam Raimi, who created the series, while Bruce Campbell continues his role behind the scenes as an executive producer. Also exec producing are Romel Adam, Jose Cañas, and Lee Cronin, who directed Evil Dead Rise. In other words, the Evil Dead brain trust is very much intact.

Distribution plans are already locked in, too. New Line Cinema will handle domestic release through Warner Bros. Pictures, while Sony takes care of international territories. StudioCanal will release the film in the UK, with Metropolitan Filmexport covering France.

The casting news arrives months ahead of the July 24 release of Evil Dead Burn, the sixth installment in the franchise, which is being directed by Sébastien Vaniček (Infested). That film alone suggests the studio isn’t slowing down anytime soon when it comes to expanding the Evil Dead universe.

As for the cast, there’s a nice blend of genre veterans and rising talent here. Hope brings serious horror credibility after The Nun, McNamee is fresh off punching her way through the Mortal Kombat films, and Gilford remains a favorite among horror fans thanks to his work with Mike Flanagan. Helman adds action-heavy intensity, while Newton continues her breakout run following her Cannes-premiering thriller Dangerous Animals. Oliphant makes her feature debut here, and Cullen rounds out the ensemble with a strong résumé of film and TV work.

Bottom line: between Galluppi’s momentum, a deep cast, and a franchise that’s clearly found new life, this next Evil Dead entry is shaping up to be another bloody, crowd-pleasing chapter. Fans should probably keep their Necronomicon handy.