Summary
A newEvil Deadfilm is in the pipeline, and its director already knows what he wants to accomplish. Sébastien Vaniček intends to drain the audience after watching the horror movie.
TheEvil Deadfranchise is a seminal horror series. Its first movie,The Evil Dead, directed by Sam Raimi, was released in 1981. It spawned four more sequels —Evil Dead II(1987),Army of Darkness(1992),Evil Dead(2013), andEvil Dead Rise(2023). TheEvil Deadwas a massive hit that also paved the way for the television seriesAsh vs Evil Dead, which ran for three seasons. It also hadvideo game adaptations. The cult classic horror is well-received; no wonder it has lasted for over 40 years. A new film is currently in development and its director already has a goal in mind.
Vaniček, the French director ofInfested, will be directing the nextEvil Deadfilm,Evil Dead Burn. In a recent interview withVariety, the filmmaker said he wanted the reboot to be a “whole different level thanInfested.” Vaniček’shorror flick,Infested, is his feature directorial debut. It follows a young man named Kaleb, who unleashes a deadly spider infestation after taking home an exotic arachnid. The spiders reproduce and grow in size, leaving the residents trapped and fighting for survival. Vaniček said he wanted to focus on the “essence of storytelling,” and his goal was aligned with his intent when he directedInfestedto “create a visceral, sensory experience that punches the audience in the gut”. He added:
I want people to feel physically drained when they leave the theater, like they’ve been through an emotional and intense journey.
In the same interview, he also spoke about lead starSouheila Yacoub. Vaniček said he was a fan of Yacoub’s work, especially in theaters. He was convinced that she was the perfect character for the role. “She brings a rare physicality and emotional intensity to her performances – exactly the kind of raw, visceral presence I was looking for this film,” he explained. Yacoub is a Swiss actress. Her acting career began in the French soap operaPlus belle la viein 2016. She has appeared in several films, includingClimax(2018),The Salt of Tears(2020),A Brighter Tomorrow(2021),Rise(2022),Making Of(2023),Dune: Part Two(2024),The Balconettes(2024), andPlanet B(2024).
Vaniček’s involvement in theEvil Deadreboot has stirred excitement because of his previous movie,Infested. The latter is highly acclaimed for its claustrophobic tension and practical horror elements. In fact, thanks to that project, Vaniček attracted several opportunities, includingEvil Dead Burn. Considering his previous work, the talented filmmaker is a pro at delivering a movie that is both intense and emotionally resonant. He also said he wanted the story to be a standalone while honoring theEvil Deadseries. This will probably help attract new audiences while satisfying longtime fans.
Yacoub’s casting is also promising. She has a background in rhythmic gymnastics, giving her the stamina and physical expressiveness needed for a physically demanding role typical in theEvil Deadseries. She also has emotional depth and relevant experience, positioning her as an ideal actor for the role. In thepsychological horrorClimax, she portrays Lou, a member of a dance troupe whose after-party spirals into a hallucinatory nightmare after their drinks are spiked with LSD, leading to chaos and terror. Her performance was praised because she conveyed fear and vulnerability in extreme circumstances. Fans can bank on her emotional intensity and physicality inEvil Dead Burn.
