EVIL DEAD Remake Is Official And Diablo Cody Is Writing It

First a story about David Goyer writing Godzilla and now one about Diablo Cody writing Evil Dead - it’s like we’re just trying to give you guys high blood pressure.

Anyway, Ghost House has made the Evil Dead remake really, really official, announcing not only Cody but also the director, Fede Alvarez, who wrote a draft himself. Alvarez came to Sam Raimi’s attention through his short film, which went viral online - I’ve embedded it below.

Here’s the press release, more of my bullshit after:

Sam Raimi and original producing partners Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell (who also starred in the original franchise) are gearing up to remake their cult sensation THE EVIL DEAD through their long standing Ghost House Pictures partnership. Raimi and Tapert were such instant fans of Fede Alvarez’s short film “Panic Attack” that they set up a blind deal with the filmmaker and through that process have attached Fede Alvarez to write and direct the film. Alvarez wrote the script with Rodo Sayagues. Academy Award® winning screenwriter Diablo Cody is currently doing revisions on the draft. Ghost House is committed to renewing the franchise and has the film on the fast track.

Raimi, Tapert and Campbell will serve as producers. Ghost House Pictures partners Joe Drake and Nathan Kahane will executive produce. Nicole Brown and J.R. Young will oversee the project for Ghost House. Lionsgate will handle international sales on the film.

The three producing partners commented, “We are committed to making this movie and are inspired by the enduring popularity and enthusiasm for the ‘Evil Dead’ series. We can’t wait to scare a new generation of moviegoers using filmmaking techniques that were not available to us thirty years ago as well as Fede bringing a fresh eye to the film’s original elements.”

Raimi wrote, directed and, along with Tapert and Campbell, produced the original horror classic THE EVIL DEAD that tells the story of five twenty-something friends who become holed up in a remote cabin where they discover a Book Of The Dead. An archaeologist’s tape recording reveals that the ancient text was discovered among the Khandarian ruins of a Sumerian civilization. Playing the taped incantations, the youths unwittingly summon up dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left intact to fight for survival. THE EVIL DEAD spawned a franchise with the equally successful installments EVIL DEAD II and ARMY OF DARKNESS.

I’m all for it, in general. I like Cody a lot, and having spent a small amount of social time with her I can tell you that she’s a legit film nerd. Way more legit than half the male filmmakers who claim to be film nerds, that’s for sure. And I like her style. I think Jennifer’s Body is one of the better horror films of recent years, in fact.

What I find most troubling is the idea that someone other than Bruce Campbell will play Ash. I already hear the chants of ‘Nathan Fillion!’

And here’s that video, as promised: