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  • Souheila Yacoub to Star in ‘Evil Dead Burn’

    (Left) Souheila Yacoub in 'The Balconettes'. Photo: Tandem. (Right) Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in New Line Cinema’s horror film 'Evil Dead Rise,”' a Warner Bros. Pictures release. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    (Left) Souheila Yacoub in ‘The Balconettes’. Photo: Tandem. (Right) Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in New Line Cinema’s horror film ‘Evil Dead Rise,”’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Preview:

    • The new ‘Evil Dead’ spin-off movie is ‘Evil Dead Burn.’
    • Souheila Yacoub is aboard to star.
    • French filmmaker Sébastien Vaniček is in the director’s chair.

    Back in February last year, we reported on the news that Warner Bros., New Line and ‘Evil Dead’ producers Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert decided to strike while the franchise iron was sizzling hot after the success of ‘Evil Dead Rise.’

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    That movie, directed by Lee Cronin, and released in 2023 was originally slated to go directly to streaming service Max, ended up landing theatrically and grossed $147 million worldwide.

    We already knew that French director Sébastien Vaniček, who previously made spider horror ‘Vermine,’  (AKA ‘Infested’) was hired to handle the new movie, but there were no casting details revealed yet.

    Until now, that is.

    Deadline brings word that ‘Dune: Part Two’ actor Souheila Yacoub will be taking the lead role in the movie, which also has a title: ‘Evil Dead Burn.’

    Here’s what Vaniček had to say about his new star:

    “I’ve long admired Souheila’s work in France, particularly in theater. She brings a rare physicality and emotional intensity to her performances –– exactly the kind of raw, visceral presence I was looking for in ‘Evil Dead Burn.’ ”

    And of course, Vaniček’s movie is not the only ‘Evil Dead’ movie in development right now, since ‘The Last Stop in Yuma County’s Francis Galluppi is also working up his own.

    From the looks of the new announcement, though, ‘Evil Dead Burn’ is clearly in pole position, with an aim to be shooting this year.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Evil Dead Rise’

    What’s the story of the new ‘Evil Dead’ movie?

    1981's 'The Evil Dead.'
    1981’s ‘The Evil Dead.’ Photo: Renaissance Pictures.

    While we now know the movie’s title and who will be starring in ‘Evil Dead Burn,’ there are no details online about the plotline.

    We can hazard some guesses from the title –– fire certainly sounds like it’ll be involved. Could it be something to do with flames in a contained space, or something to do with wildfires.

    According to Vaniček, who wrote the script with Florent Bernard, he sees the ‘Evil Dead’ franchise as a great place to be making a movie. As he told Variety:

    “It’s like a creative playground, a bold laboratory for filmmakers eager to explore something raw, brutal, and deeply transgressive.”

    And this is what he said about his idea for the new title:

    “My goal was to craft a powerful, singular –– almost personal –– story that could stand on its own, while still resonating deeply within the rich, complex world that Sam has built. [I want to add] depth and nuance, something that feels uniquely ours, but that anyone can connect with.”

    Finally, this is what he said about what he brings:

    “The ambition remains the same as with ‘Infested’: to create a visceral, sensory experience that punches the audience in the gut. I want people to feel physically drained when they leave the theater, like they’ve been through an emotional and intense journey.”

    Vaniček has said that he’s going to demand a lot from Yacoub, since this will be a demanding role.

    Where else have we seen Souheila Yacoub?

    (Center) Souheila Yacoub in 'The Balconettes'. Photo: Tandem.
    (Center) Souheila Yacoub in ‘The Balconettes’. Photo: Tandem.

    The Geneva-born actor, who is a former professional athlete and was even part of the national team of gymnastics at a young age, sounds like someone who could well stand up to the rigors of an ‘Evil Dead’ movie (maybe Bruce Campbell, who went through the wringer at Raimi’s hands in the first three movies, can offer some pointers).

    In addition to her ‘Dune: Part Two’ role, Yacoub also starred in ‘Planet B,’ which earned her a César Award nomination, and Noémie Merlant’s ‘The Balconettes,’ which premiered at Venice and Cannes.

    On the small screen, she had a lead role in series ‘No Man’s Land’ and had breakout roles in Gaspar Noé’s ‘Climax’ and Anaïs Volpé’s ‘The Braves.’

    What made Raimi and Tapert choose Sébastien Vaniček?

    2023's 'Vermin.'
    2023’s ‘Vermin.’

    As with Cronin before him, it’s Sébastien Vaniček’s previous work that caught Raimi and Tapert’s attention.

    The French filmmaker has been drawing attention thanks to  ‘Vermine.’

    That movie was first introduced as part of the Critics’ Week sidebar at the Venice Film Festival. Watching as the residents of a rundown French apartment building battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders, the film won Best Picture and Best Director in its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest, and was also invited to the Sitges Film Festival, where it earned a nomination for Best Motion Picture and won a Special Jury Prize.

    He signed with agency CAA off the back of ‘Vermine’s success, and has been out and about taking meetings, which is how he ended up on Raimi and Tapert’s radar, since they’ve said they’re always looking for new talent to pick up the ‘Dead’ flag.

    Raimi and Tapert produce new ‘Evil Dead’ movies through their Ghost House Pictures company.

    When will ‘Evil Dead Burn’ be in theaters?

    With Sony aboard to co-finance, Warner Bros. and New Line have handed out a July 24th, 2026 release date for the movie, which is a prime summer slot.

    That means Vaniček will have his work cut out for him.

    Bruce Campbell in 'The Evil Dead.'
    Bruce Campbell in ‘The Evil Dead.’ Photo: Renaissance Pictures.

    Other Movies in ‘The Evil Dead’ Franchise:

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  • Another ‘Evil Dead’ Movie in Development

    Bruce Campbell in 'The Evil Dead.'
    Bruce Campbell in ‘The Evil Dead.’ Photo: Renaissance Pictures.

    Preview:

    • Filmmaker Francis Galluppi is developing an ‘Evil Dead’ movie.
    • Sam Raimi is on board to produce.
    • It follows the last announcement just a couple of months ago.

    It would seem that ‘Evil Dead’ overlord (and director of the original three movies) Sam Raimi is creating a sort of moviemaking Thunderdome for future installments of the horror franchise.

    Mere months after Sébastien Vaniček was reported as being in development on an ‘Evil Dead’ film comes word that another, American director Francis Galluppi is, via Deadline, in talks to make his own take.

    So yes… Deadites galore!

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    Who is Francis Galluppi?

    Director Francis Galluppi.
    Director Francis Galluppi. Photo: FilmFreeway.

    Galluppi is a filmmaker who has largely worked in shorts and on other directors’ projects but made his own directorial debut with ‘The Last Stop in Yuma County’, which follows a traveling salesman who, while stranded at a rural Arizona rest stop, is thrust into a dire hostage situation by the arrival of two bank robbers with no qualms about using cruelty — or cold, hard steel — to protect their bloodstained fortune.

    The movie will be in theaters on May 10th.

    Galluppi apparently conjured an original story set within the ‘Evil Dead’ universe and pitched it to Raimi.

    Here’s what Raimi told Deadline:

    “Francis Galluppi is a storyteller who knows when to keep us waiting in simmering tension and when to hit us with explosive violence. He is a director that shows uncommon control in his feature debut.”

    What is already happening with a new ‘Evil Dead’ movie?

    1981's 'The Evil Dead.'
    1981’s ‘The Evil Dead.’ Photo: Renaissance Pictures.

    Back in February, the news arrived that director Sébastien Vaniček had landed a ‘Dead’ gig after his work caught Raimi’s eye.

    The French filmmaker has been drawing attention thanks to his horror movie ‘Vermine’ (or, to give it both of its English language titles, ‘Vermin’/‘Infested’.

    That movie was first introduced as part of the Critics’ Week sidebar at the Venice Film Festival. Watching as the residents of a rundown French apartment building battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders, the film won Best Picture and Best Director in its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest, and was also invited to the Sitges Film Festival, where it earned a nomination for Best Motion Picture and won a Special Jury Prize.

    He signed with agency CAA off the back of ‘Vermine’s success, and has been out and about taking meetings, which is how he ended up on Raimi and Rob Tapert’s radar, since they’ve said they’re always looking for new talent to pick up the ‘Dead’ flag.

    Raimi and Tapert produce new ‘Evil Dead’ movies through their Ghost House Pictures company, but it remains to be seen where any new film ends up.

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    What’s the story for the new ‘Evil Dead’ movies?

    Bruce Campbell in 1982's 'Evil Dead II.'
    Bruce Campbell in 1982’s ‘Evil Dead II.’ Photo: Renaissance Pictures.

    It seems more likely, though, that the producers hiring new directors means it’ll be a whole other story, albeit one featuring the trademark Deadites in some fashion.

    Since the ‘Evil Dead’ stories pivoted away from the original movies’ character of Ash (played by Bruce Campbell, who also reprised the role for a spin-off TV series), a whole new world of terrifying opportunities has opened up for the franchise.

    Which means these new movie could be about any number of situations where the infamous Necronomicon tome causes chaos.

    Related Article: Sam Raimi Hires Sébastien Vaniček to Make New ‘Evil Dead’ Spin-Off

    What of any follow-up to ‘Evil Dead Rise’?

    Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in New Line Cinema’s horror film 'Evil Dead Rise,”' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in New Line Cinema’s horror film ‘Evil Dead Rise,”’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Last year’s ‘Evil Dead Rise’, written and directed by Lee Cronin, brought the ‘Dead’ movies howling back to life.

    Though Cronin said at the time that he had ideas for where sequels could lead following his Deadites-in-a-high-rise horror, and the film’s successful $147M worldwide box office, there has been no announcement about a follow-up.

    1982's 'Evil Dead II.'
    1982’s ‘Evil Dead II.’ Photo: Renaissance Pictures.

    Other Movies in ‘The Evil Dead’ Franchise:

    Buy ‘Evil Dead’ Movies On Amazon

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  • New ‘Evil Dead’ Spin-Off Movie in Development

    1981's 'The Evil Dead.'
    1981’s ‘The Evil Dead.’ Photo: Renaissance Pictures.

    Preview:

    • French filmmaker Sébastien Vaniček will direct a new ‘Evil Dead’ movie.
    • Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert are producing as usual.
    • It does not appear to be a sequel to 2023’s ‘Evil Dead Rise’.

    While the ‘Evil Dead’ franchise came roaring back to life (or, er, death?) last year with Lee Cronin’s ‘Evil Dead Rise’), things have been quiet since then.

    Though Cronin said at the time that he had ideas for where sequels could lead following his Deadites-in-a-high-rise horror, and the film’s successful $147M worldwide box office, there has been no announcement about a follow-up.

    Now, though, according to Deadline, ‘Evil Dead’ franchise overseers Sam Raimi (who directed the original three ‘Dead’ movies) and producer Robert Tapert have found a new filmmaker to handle another movie.

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    What’s the story for the new ‘Evil Dead’ movie?

    Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in New Line Cinema’s horror film 'Evil Dead Rise,”' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in New Line Cinema’s horror film ‘Evil Dead Rise,”’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Nothing has been said about the story for the new movie so far, which means we don’t know if it’ll continue the story of ‘Evil Dead Rise’. It seems more likely, though, that the producers hiring a new director means it’ll be a whole other story, albeit one featuring the trademark Deadites in some fashion.

    Since the ‘Evil Dead’ stories pivoted away from the original movies’ character of Ash (played by Bruce Campbell, who also reprised the role for a spin-off TV series), a whole new world of terrifying opportunities has opened up for the franchise.

    Which means this new movie could be about any number of situations where the infamous Necronomicon tome causes chaos.

    Related Article: Movie Review: ‘Evil Dead Rises’

    What made Raimi and Tapert choose Sébastien Vaniček?

    2023's 'Vermin.'
    2023’s ‘Vermin.’

    As with Cronin before him, it’s Sébastien Vaniček’s previous work that caught Raimi and Tapert’s attention.

    The French filmmaker has been drawing attention thanks to his horror movie ‘Vermine’ (or, to give it both of its English language titles, ‘Vermin’/‘Infested’.

    That movie was first introduced as part of the Critics’ Week sidebar at the Venice Film Festival. Watching as the residents of a rundown French apartment building battle against an army of deadly, rapidly reproducing spiders, the film won Best Picture and Best Director in its North American premiere at Fantastic Fest, and was also invited to the Sitges Film Festival, where it earned a nomination for Best Motion Picture and won a Special Jury Prize.

    He signed with agency CAA off the back of ‘Vermine’s success, and has been out and about taking meetings, which is how he ended up on Raimi and Tapert’s radar, since they’ve said they’re always looking for new talent to pick up the ‘Dead’ flag.

    Raimi and Tapert produce new ‘Evil Dead’ movies through their Ghost House Pictures company, but it remains to be seen where any new film ends up.

    When will the new ‘Evil Dead’ movie be in theaters?

    Given that it hasn’t even been written yet, we don’t expect this one before 2025 or 2026 at the earliest.

    Bruce Campbell in 'The Evil Dead.'
    Bruce Campbell in ‘The Evil Dead.’ Photo: Renaissance Pictures.

    Other Movies in ‘The Evil Dead’ Franchise:

    Buy ‘Evil Dead’ Movies On Amazon

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  • Movie Review: ‘Evil Dead Rise’

    Gabrielle Echols as Bridget, Nell Fisher as Kassie, Lily Sullivan as Beth, Morgan Davies as Danny and Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in New Line Cinema’s horror film “Evil Dead Rise," a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Gabrielle Echols as Bridget, Nell Fisher as Kassie, Lily Sullivan as Beth, Morgan Davies as Danny and Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in New Line Cinema’s horror film “Evil Dead Rise,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    In theaters now, ‘Evil Dead Rise’ breathes new life into the mythology of Sam Raimi’s low budget chillers, and, even more than Fede Álvarez’s 2013 reboot, establishes its own identity away from the woods.

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    A gore-soaked legacy

    Sam Raimi’s ‘The Evil Dead’ remains a much-cherished entry in the horror genre, even though the director himself effectively remade it with 1987’s even more well-regarded sequel (technically a requel) ‘Evil Dead II’, which had a (slightly) boosted budget and even more gory action featuring his friend, muse and –– frequently –– on-screen punching bag Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams.

    The story is similar in both: friends stay at an isolated cabin in the woods, discover a Necronomicon, a strange book bound in human flesh and illustrated with blood, and unleash an unspeakable evil, leading to demons possessing people, hacked-off limbs, and vigorous use of a chainsaw.

    A third entry, ‘Army of Darkness’ expands the scope (and time period), transporting Ash to 1300 A.D., where he must retrieve the Necronomicon and battle an army of the dead so he can return home. It’s bigger, though not always better.

    In the years since, the hugely inspirational franchise (Raimi’s freewheeling, dynamic style has been frequently copied but rarely matched) has expanded to include Álvarez’s film and TV spin-off ‘Ash Vs. Evil Dead’. The 2013 entry is well-liked, though while it is certainly gory, it doesn’t channel the level of self-deprecating humor that infuses Raimi’s movies.

    Now here comes ‘Evil Dead Rise’ written and directed by Dublin-born filmmaker Lee Cronin, who has previous experience with shorts and critically acclaimed horror movie ‘The Hole in the Ground’.

    A devout fan of the ‘Evil Dead’ movies, he was hand-picked by Raimi to craft the fifth in the series, and the choice was a wise one.

    Lily Sullivan as Beth in New Line Cinema’s horror film 'Evil Dead Rise,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Lily Sullivan as Beth in New Line Cinema’s horror film ‘Evil Dead Rise,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    What happens in ‘Evil Dead Rise’?

    The new movie follows two estranged sisters, Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland), a freshly single mother raising daughters Bridget (Gabrielle Echols), Kassie (Nell Fisher) and eldest son Danny (Morgan Davies) and traveling guitar tech Beth (Lily Sullivan), whose reunion is cut short.

    An earthquake rocks the building where Ellie and the kids live, revealing –– since the creaking high rise was once a bank –– a buried vault that contains a copy of a very familiar tome and some vinyl records that appear to go with it. Danny foolishly tries to open the book and plays the records… which leads, of course, to the rise of flesh possessing demons, thrusting them all into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.

    A scene from New Line Cinema’s horror film 'Evil Dead Rise,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    A scene from New Line Cinema’s horror film ‘Evil Dead Rise,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Related Article: Every Sam Raimi Movie, Ranked From ‘Evil Dead’ to ‘Spider-Man 2’

    Blood-soaked terror

    Cronin’s film, while not at the level of Raimi’s in terms of humor either, certainly injects a frothier style into the story.

    Before we ever get to the high rise, however, we’re treated to some more familiar forest territory, leading to an effective fake-out that this movie might be taking the expected direction. We won’t go into how that ties into the plot too much, since there are some surprises to be found, but it kicks off with a shot borrowing the Raimi style that turns out to be something else. It’s clever, knowing and the perfect start to the movie.

    Moving the story away from the traditional setting offers up some truly fresh ideas for the premise, and there are some very inventive horrors to be found lurking within. It’s also more emotionally grounded than any that have come before, the sibling and family dynamic used thoughtfully to truly set up characters before unleashing the Deadite creatures for which this franchise is known.

    Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in New Line Cinema’s horror film 'Evil Dead Rise,”' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in New Line Cinema’s horror film ‘Evil Dead Rise,”’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Sutherland and Sullivan in particular are relatable, grounded characters, swapping realistic sisterly dialogue and feeling like people rather than stock movie stereotypes.

    Once the bloody pedal hits the metal and the Deadite madness overwhelms anything, the movie takes off at a high gear and rarely stops for breath, eye-catching, gross injuries and deaths flying thick and fast.

    An elevator, a glass, a cheese grater and even a bathtub are all delivery methods for terror and anguish here, and horror fans are likely to find plenty to keep them entertained.

    Cronin also manages to include nods to Raimi’s films (a chainsaw, a shotgun, and a certain classic car among them) without the Easter eggs diverting attention and ruining the movie for those who don’t obsessively watch the original movies.

    It’s wild, wicked, and entirely thrilling stuff.

    Director Lee Cronin and Alyssa Sutherland on the set of New Line Cinema’s horror film 'Evil Dead Rise,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    (L to R) Director Lee Cronin and Alyssa Sutherland on the set of New Line Cinema’s horror film ‘Evil Dead Rise,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Any problems?

    There are only a few issues with ‘Evil Dead Rise’ that keep it from true greatness –– youngest child Kassie occasionally falls into the grating overly cute kid mode, and of course displays some of the questionable decisions needed to get everyone else into trouble. Characters beyond the family are largely chattel, briefly set up in order to be suitably offed in nasty fashion, but then that’s par for the course for a horror movie and to expand them further would inflate the movie beyond its swift running time.

    The dumb decisions are not limited to Kassie, though, and there is the odd howler that only characters in this situation make. Also, likely to be more eye-rolling than cover-your-eyes-with-your-hands is an odd time jump where you can’t quite figure out how characters overcame seemingly insurmountable odds with little to no trouble.

    Final Thoughts

    That said, ‘Evil Dead Rise’ is an effectively creepy and freakish horror movie that easily earns its place in the ‘Evil Dead’ pantheon and, even if it doesn’t star Bruce Campbell (though he’s been cleverly included in a way we won’t reveal here).

    Fans will be happy with the frenetic action and even those who don’t know their Ash from their elbow will appreciate the creative scares on display here. And that, as Ash himself might say, is just groovy.

    ‘Evil Dead Rise’ receives 8 out of 10 stars.

    Lily Sullivan as Beth in New Line Cinema’s horror film 'Evil Dead Rise,' a Warner Bros. Pictures release.
    Lily Sullivan as Beth in New Line Cinema’s horror film ‘Evil Dead Rise,’ a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Copyright: © 2022 Warner Bros. Entertainment Inc. All Rights Reserved.

    Other Movies Similar to ‘Evil Dead Rise:’

    Buy Tickets: ‘Evil Dead Rise’ Movie Showtimes

    Buy ‘Evil Dead’ Movies On Amazon

    ‘Evil Dead Rise’ is produced by New Line Cinema, Renaissance Pictures, Ghost House Pictures, Pacific Renaissance Pictures, and Wild Atlantic Pictures. It is scheduled to be released in theaters on April 21st, 2023.

  • ‘Reacher’s Willa Fitzgerald Talks Watergate Comedy ’18 ½’

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    Now available on digital and VOD is the new Watergate scandal comedy ’18 ½,’ which was directed by Dan Mirvish (‘Between Us’).

    Set in 1974, the new movie stars Willa Fitzgerald as Connie, a White House transcriber who discovers the missing 18 ½ minutes from President Nixon’s infamous tapes. Scared for her life, and unsure of what to do, Connie turns to Paul (‘The Big Short‘s John Magaro), a local newspaper reporter trying to expose the President.

    In addition to Fitzgerald and Magaro, the cast also includes Richard Kind (‘Argo’), Vondie Curtis-Hall (‘Romeo + Juliet’), and the voices of Jon Cryer (‘Two and a Half Men’), Ted Raimi (‘Evil Dead II’), and Bruce Campbell (‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’).

    Actress Willa Fitzgerald has appeared in such films as ‘Freak Show,’ ‘Blood Money,’ and ‘ The Goldfinch,’ as well as TV shows like ‘Gotham,’ ‘Scream,’ and ‘Billions.’

    But she is probably best known for role as Roscoe Conklin on the first season of Prime Video’s hit series ‘Reacher,’ which stars Alan Ritchson.

    Moviefone recently had the chance to speak with Willa Fitzgerald about making ‘18 ½,’ her knowledge of the Watergate Scandal, and working with John Magaro, as well as her experience on ‘Reacher’ and if she will return to the series in the future.

    Willa Fitzgerald in '18 1/2.'
    (L to R) Willa Fitzgerald in ’18 1/2.’

    You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Willa Fitzgerald and John Magaro about ’18 ½.’

    Moviefone: To begin with, how did you get involved with this project and what was your first reaction to this Watergate comedy?

    Willa Fitzgerald: I got sent the script quite a long time before I even got the job. I had a meeting with Dan Mirvish a year before we shot it. I feel like as an actor, I’m always drawn to scripts that are contained in the way that ‘18 ½’ is. It’s very few characters, very few locations, and it reads on the page almost like a play.

    I also really loved how it took the constraints of a low budget indie and made them into really interesting choices on the page for how to deal with an extended fight scene, or just a lack of a lot of supporting characters. I always find that to be a really fun challenge.

    MF: How much did you know about the Watergate scandal before you did research for this movie, and in your opinion, what is it about that event that has kept Americans fascinated with it for 50 years now?

    WF: I knew about Watergate, insofar as I knew about the things that I had been taught in school and the little bit extra beyond that. I think there’s just been a renewed cultural interest in Watergate. I think that’s because of the political instability in our country again. I think there’s always an inclination to look to the past to understand the present, and Watergate kind of pales in comparison to a lot of the stuff that we’re hearing about at the January 6th hearing right now. But I think that long before January 6th even happened, we were thinking about Watergate because we were thinking about what it means to have the highest office in the country suddenly under intense scrutiny.

    I think what this movie does really well is that it leaves it up to the audience, what they take away from what the movie’s saying, what we’re saying as artists, and it gives the viewer this almost ‘Alice in Wonderland’ sort of romp through the imagined version of this 18 ½ minute gap. I think that’s a cool way of engaging with something that we’ve seen so much about. I mean, there’s been so many Watergate projects just in the past several years.

    John Magaro and Willa Fitzgerald in '18 1/2.'
    (L to R) John Magaro and Willa Fitzgerald in ’18 1/2.’

    MF: Can you describe Connie, your approach to playing her, and what is she looking to get out of this whole situation?

    WF: I love Connie. I feel like I’ve gotten the opportunity to play a lot of intelligent women, and Connie is certainly an intelligent woman. I was really interested when I was reading the script and thinking about the ways in which, as a woman in the seventies, she was confined to a certain level. She couldn’t ever quite get beyond the level of the transcriber that she was, it was kind of the top of the ladder for her as a woman at the time.

    I think that there’s a lot of interesting stuff in her backstory as someone who once supported the administration, who believed in the administration, who then has this crisis of faith in the administration, reaches her own personal tipping point and then makes a radical decision. All of that backstory was really interesting to me in the actual playing of her as a character.

    MF: Can you talk about Connie and Paul’s relationship and working with John Magaro?

    WF: John Magaro is great. I really had a fantastic time working with John. I think that there’s this interesting constant suspicion, reevaluation, questioning of the other’s intentions in a lot of ways, and it’s just like the beginning of any romantic relationship. But then with the additional stakes of the world that those characters are occupying, it made it really fun to explore those tropes with the heightened background of the character’s worlds.

    I think that one of my favorite scenes is that first scene at the diner, they’re kind of really figuring each other out and getting to know each other. I think it’s such a fun introduction to both of those characters and the ways that their minds work, which are so different.

    John Magaro and Willa Fitzgerald in '18 1/2.'
    (L to R) John Magaro and Willa Fitzgerald in ’18 1/2.’

    MF: There is a fantastic fight scene at the end of the film that is presented as one continuous shot. Can you talk about how you shot that scene?

    WF: I mean, we did do a lot of it in chunks. It’s a very long scene. There are tricks to a continuous shot, and you just find things that you pass over (with the camera) and then you’re suddenly in a different take, but you don’t know it. That’s the trick of stitching that together. We had limited time, we’re a small movie, so it all did move quite quickly.

    I kind of love that scene because it’s so weird and I’ve never seen anything like that in a movie before. I think it’s such an interesting way of having a fight scene, which largely takes place off camera, while you’re listening to this huge delivery of information and climactic moment of what these characters have been trying to find out the whole time.

    MF: What was your experience like working with director Dan Mirvish?

    WF: Dan is a veteran, he has certainly been so deeply enmeshed in the indie film scene. It’s no surprise to me that he is inventive in those ways, because necessity is the mother of invention. When you have a small film that you’re making, it’s just one constraint after the next, whether it’s what days you have availability to shoot or when you can be at a location. There’re just a million things that can go wrong and they often do, and you have to work with all of those constraints.

    MF: Finally, what was the ‘Reacher’ experience like for you, and were you surprised by how many people binged the show during the pandemic?

    WF: It’s a great show. I think it was really what audiences were looking for. I think it’s actually funny. I remember earlier in the pandemic, everyone was like, “No one’s going to make a pandemic show. No one is going to make something really dark.” I feel like of late, actually a lot of the shows that are on television right now are quite dark and apocalyptic. There’s a lot of resonance to our current situation in a lot of the television that’s being put out there, and a lot of the good television that’s being put out there.

    I think ‘Reacher’ was kind of a real break in that stylistic genre choice that was being made. I think that’s probably why people kind of responded to it so positively, it was just like this total departure from what else was available. I mean, it was a great show to be a part of, it’s such a genre piece. At the same time, it spans so many different genres. It was just fun. I loved doing something in the action world. It was great and Alan’s wonderful.

    MF: Will you be returning for season 2 of ‘Reacher?’

    WF: I will not be in the next season. I can tell you that. But you never know what’s going to happen.

    Willa Fitzgerald (Roscoe Conklin), and Alan Ritchson (Jack Reacher) in Prime Video's 'Reacher.'
    (L-R): Willa Fitzgerald (Roscoe Conklin), and Alan Ritchson (Jack Reacher) in Prime Video’s ‘Reacher.’ Photo: Shane Mahood. Copyright: Amazon Studios.
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  • Best Movies Featuring Actors Playing Themselves

    Nicolas Cage in 'The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.'
    Nicolas Cage in ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent.’ Photo: Katalin Vermes/Lionsgate.

    Oscar winner Nicolas Cage is currently receiving rave reviews for his performance in ‘The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent,’ where he plays well, Nicolas Cage!

    But this is certainly not the first time an A-list actor has portrayed themself in a film, and we thought it would be a good time to look back at the the greatest movies featuring actors playing themselves.

    For this list, we are only including actors who’ve portrayed themselves in a movie and not athletes, musicians, or other celebrities.

    Let’s begin!

    10. This Is the End (2013)

    (L to R) James Franco, Jay Baruchel, Jonah Hill, Craig Robinson, and Seth Rogen in 'This Is the End.'
    Sony Pictures.

    While attending a party at James Franco‘s house, Seth Rogen, Jay Baruchel and many other celebrities including Jonah Hill, Danny McBride, Michael Cera, Rihanna, Emma Watson, Mindy Kaling, Paul Rudd, Channing Tatum, and Kevin Hart are faced with the apocalypse.

    A movie about the apocalypse set in Hollywood was a clever idea, but having the actors play exaggerated versions of themselves is what makes this movie really fun to watch, and Jonah Hill being possessed by a demon is a definite highlight.

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    9. Ocean’s Twelve (2004)

    Danny Ocean (George Clooney) reunites with his old flame (Julia Roberts) and the rest of his merry band of thieves in carrying out three huge heists in Rome, Paris and Amsterdam – but a Europol agent (Catherine Zeta-Jones) is hot on their heels.

    One of the “cons” in the movie that Ocean and his friends are running is based on the idea that Tess Ocean (Roberts) looks remarkably like the actress “Julia Roberts.” Posing as Roberts, Tess helps Linus (Matt Damon) get close to their mark but are interrupted by the actor Bruce Willis (played by Willis), who is friends with the real Roberts.

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    8. Cold Souls (2009)

    Paul Giamatti (played by Paul Giamatti) is agonizing over his interpretation of ‘Uncle Vanya’ and, paralyzed by anxiety, stumbles upon a solution via a New Yorker article about a high-tech company promising to alleviate suffering by extracting souls. He enlists their services—only to discover that his soul is the shape and size of a chickpea.

    Giamatti plays himself as a depressed yet “serious” thespian, which plays off of the actor’s real-life persona, while Emily Watson portrays Paul’s fictional wife, Claire Giamatti.

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    7. Always Be My Maybe (2009)

    Reunited after 15 years, famous chef Sasha (Ali Wong) and hometown musician Marcus (Randall Park) feel the old sparks of attraction but struggle to adapt to each other’s worlds.

    After years apart, Sasha and Marcus reconnect, only to go on a double date with their significant others. The date goes terribly wrong for Marcus when he realizes that Sasha is dating movie star Keanu Reeves (played by Reeves). The actor plays himself with all the coolness and charisma we expect from Reeves, before eventually getting into a brawl with Marcus.

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    6. Harold & Kumar Go to White Castle (2004)

    Nerdy accountant Harold (John Cho) and his irrepressible friend, Kumar (Kal Penn), get stoned watching television and find themselves utterly bewitched by a commercial for White Castle. Convinced there must be one nearby, the two set out on a late-night odyssey that takes them deep into New Jersey. Somehow, the boys manage to run afoul of rednecks, cops and even a car-stealing Neil Patrick Harris (played by Harris) before getting anywhere near their beloved sliders.

    Harris spoofs his own history as a child actor, playing himself as a drug-addicted, has-been child star. It’s also worth noting that ‘Harold & Kumar’ predates ‘How I Met Your Mother,’ and marked the beginning of Harris’ own career resurgence.

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    5. My Name is Bruce (2007)

    Bruce Campbell in 'My Name is Bruce.'
    Image Entertainment.

    B-movie Legend Bruce Campbell (played by Campbell) is mistaken for his character Ash from ‘The Evil Dead‘ trilogy and forced to fight a real monster in a small town in Oregon.

    Campbell basically plays himself like his ‘Evil Dead’ character Ash. He’s confident and self-assured when there is no danger, but once trouble begins, he becomes a complete coward. The movie was directed by Campbell, and is a fun spoof on the actor’s own cult status.

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    4. Zombieland (2009)

    Columbus (Jesse Eisenberg) has made a habit of running from what scares him. Tallahassee (Woody Harrelson) doesn’t have fears. If he did, he’d kick their ever-living ass. In a world overrun by zombies, these two are perfectly evolved survivors. But now, they’re about to stare down the most terrifying prospect of all: each other.

    When Columbus and his friends enter a Beverly Hills mansion, they meet actor Bill Murray (played by Murray), who survived the zombie apocalypse by wearing makeup and pretending to be a zombie himself. The actor even busts-out his old ‘Ghostbusters‘ costume before Columbus accidentally kills him.

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    3. I’m Still Here (2010)

    ‘I’m Still Here’ is a portrayal of a tumultuous year in the life of actor Joaquin Phoenix (played by Phoenix). Directed by Casey Affleck, the film follows the future Oscar-winner as he announces his retirement from a successful film career in the fall of 2008 and sets off to reinvent himself as a hip-hop musician. The film is a portrait of an artist at a crossroads and explores notions of courage and creative reinvention, as well as the ramifications of a life spent in the public eye.

    Sold as a documentary, it was later revealed that the entire movie was a fictional spoof. Unknown which it was at the time of release, Phoenix gives a performance playing an exaggerated version of himself that is so believable the entire world really thought that the actor had gone crazy! It all culminated with his infamous appearance on ‘The Late Show with David Letterman,’ which is included in the film.

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    2. The Player (1992)

    Directed by Robert Altman, a Hollywood studio executive (Tim Robbins) is being sent death threats by a writer whose script he rejected – but which one?

    ‘The Player’ could easily have been called ‘Cameo: The Movie.’ While some actors play fictional characters (like Robbins and Whoopi Goldberg), because of the Hollywood setting, dozens of famous actors play themselves in cameo roles like Joel Grey, Anjelica Huston, and John Cusack.

    Then, in a film within the film, Bruce Willis and Julia Roberts play themselves, playing fictional characters.

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    1. Being John Malkovich (1992)

    'Being John Malkovich'
    USA Films.

    One day at work, unsuccessful puppeteer Craig (John Cusack) finds a portal into the head of actor John Malkovich (played by Malkovich). The portal soon becomes a passion for anybody who enters its mad and controlling world of overtaking another human body.

    ‘Being John Malkovich’ is ‘The Godfather‘ of movies featuring actors playing themselves. Malkovich brilliantly plays-off of his odd and mysterious off-screen persona and gives a dark comedic performance as good as any of his previous dramatic work. it’s also hilarious when it is revealed that his best friend is Charlie Sheen (played by Sheen himself).

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  • 9 Things You Never Knew About ‘Drag Me to Hell’ on its 10th Anniversary

    9 Things You Never Knew About ‘Drag Me to Hell’ on its 10th Anniversary

    Universal Pictures

    While director Sam Raimi will probably always be best remembered for franchises like “Spider-Man” and “Evil Dead,” he also gave us one of the best horror movies of the 21st Century thanks to “Drag Me to Hell.” That modern classic is now ten years old, so celebrate the occasion by learning a little more about the background and making of “Drag Me to Hell.”

    1. The film is partly inspired by 1957’s “Night of the Demon,” which itself was based on the M.R. James story “Casting the Runes.”

    2. Raimi and his brother Ivan originally wrote “Drag Me to Hell” after completing “Army of Darkness” in 1992. The film sat dormant until Raimi completed work on the “Spider-Man” trilogy.

    Sony Pictures

    3. Raimi actually offered Edgar Wright the chance to direct “Drag Me to Hell,” but Wright opted to focus on “Hot Fuzz” instead.

    4. The 1973 Oldsmobile Delta 88 seen in the film is the same one that’s appeared in nearly every one of Raimi’s movies.

    Universal Pictures

    5. Ellen Page was originally cast in the lead role, but she had to drop out due to scheduling issues caused by an impending SAG strike.

    6. Raimi and several of his family members have cameo roles in the film. Raimi himself appears as a ghost, while his younger brother Ted plays a doctor.

    Universal Pictures

    7. “Drag Me to Hell” is the first Raimi movie not to include actor Bruce Campbell. Campbell was unable to participate due to his commitment to the TV series “Burn Notice.”

    8. The Greek letters seen in the Great Room scene quote a biblical passage from Chapter 12 of the Book of Revelation.

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    9. The film includes multiple references to the “Evil Dead” series, including Sylvia’s line “I’m going to get some,” and Clay’s mention of his parents’ remote cabin in the woods.

     

  • 13 Things You Never Knew About ‘The Evil Dead’

    It’s been 35 years since “The Evil Dead” infected theaters and launched the careers of director Sam Raimi and star Bruce Campbell.

    In that time, it’s gained a very impressive (and very deserved) cult following, while also influencing countless horror filmmakers. To celebrate this quirky horror/comedy, here are 13 things you might not know about “The Evil Dead.”
    1. “The Evil Dead” is actually based on a 30-minute short film called “Within the Woods.” Raimi created the Super 8 film as a sort of prototype for prospective investors.

    2. “Within the Woods” wound up inspiring Joel Coen, who worked as an assistant editor on the film. Coen would later take a similar approach when he and his brother, Ethan, were trying to finance their first film, “Blood Simple.”

    3. Several alternate titles were considered, including “Book of the Dead,” “Blood Flood” and “These Bitches Are Witches.”

    4. Given its remote location, Raimi and his cast and crew actually had to live in the cabin for the duration of filming. Those cramped conditions only heightened tensions on set, especially because the cabin lacked any internal plumbing.5. According to local legend, the Tennessee cabin where filming took place was actually the site of a grisly double murder. Raimi and his crew didn’t find out about that story until after they had started filming.

    6. A lot went into creating that infamous melting corpse. Makeup/effects supervisor Tom Sullivan relied on everything from marshmallows to oatmeal to actual, mashed-up cockroaches to achieve the desired effect.7. The film was plagued by production problems and long days and nights of shooting. However, the biggest challenge was simply finding enough money to keep the project going. Raimi had to suspend filming multiple times so he, Campbell, and others could embark on another round of fundraising.

    8. The long stretches of down time are visible in the film, as Campbell’s hairstyle changes multiple times despite the plot unfolding over the course of a single day.9. The 1973 Oldsmobile Delta ’88 that Ash and his friends drive to the cabin has made an appearance in every single Raimi project since, including the current TV series “Ash vs. The Evil Dead” (above).

    10. “The Evil Dead” didn’t make much of a splash when it first debuted in theaters. It was only after horror novelist Stephen King gave the film a rave review that it began attracting more attention and gained a wide release in the UK.11. Decades later, “The Evil Dead” is still banned in some countries because of its graphic content. Even Raimi has admitted he regrets including the scene where Ellen Sandweiss‘ character, Cheryl, is assaulted by a demonic tree.

    12. Between Anchor Bay Entertainment and Elite Entertainment, there were six different versions of “The Evil Dead” released on DVD. One of them even featured a foam latex package designed by Sullivan to look like the Necronomicon.13. There have been a number of unofficial “The Evil Dead” sequels produced by Italian filmmaker Joe D’Amato, including 1988’s “Ghosthouse” and “Witchery.”

  • 12 Things You Never Knew About ‘Army of Darkness’

    2015 marks the 25th anniversary of the cult classic “Army of Darkness.” Is it a horror movie? A campy comedy? Who cares? All we know is that Bruce Campbell‘s Ash Williams is one movie icon who’s stood the test of time.

    So grab your boomstick, hone your one-liners, and check out 12 things you might not know about the final chapter in the original “Evil Dead” trilogy.

    1. Director Sam Raimi originally had a much more pun-worthy title in mind for this sequel. He wanted to call it “The Medieval Dead.”

    2. Officially, the film’s full title is “Bruce Campbell vs. the Army of Darkness.” Raimi wanted to pay homage to classic monster movie mash-ups like “Abbott and Costello Meet the Mummy,” but shortened the title to make the film easier to market.3. Raimi had originally planned to make “Evil Dead 2” set in medieval times, but it was only after the success of 1990’s “Darkman” that Raimi was able to find the budget he needed to bring that story to life.

    4. If that Oldsmobile Delta ’88 looks familiar, it’s probably because it’s appeared in every single Sam Raimi film. For instance, it was also the car Uncle Ben used to drive Peter to the library in 2002’s “Spider-Man.”

    5. Star Trek and Batman fans may also have a case of deja vu watching the film. Portions of “Army of Darkness” were filmed at Vasquez Rocks (the sight of the iconic “Star Trek” episode, “Arena”) and in Griffith Park’s Bronson Canyon (where exterior shots of the Batcave were filmed in the 1966 “Batman” series).
    6. Similarly, Raimi’s brother Ted has a habit of appearing in all his films, and he plays no fewer than three characters in “Army of Darkness” — a soldier, a villager, and an S-Mart employee (above).

    7. Raimi and visual effects supervisor William Mesa used over two dozen storyboards from 1948’s “Joan of Arc” to help craft the film’s final battle sequence.8. Originally, the film was slated to end very differently. More recent DVD collections include the alternate original ending, where Ash drinks too much potion and wakes up in post-apocalyptic London rather than in his own time.

    9. “Army of Darkness” was originally saddled with an NC-17 rating, due in large part to a scene where Ash decapitates a female Deadite. Raimi trimmed that scene, but resisted studio pressure to edit the film down to a PG-13 rating.

    10. “Army of Darkness” saw its release pushed back by several months, as it became collateral damage in a legal battle between Universal Pictures and producer Dino De Laurentiis over the rights to the Hannibal Lecter character.

    11. Because of lingering issues with Universal, the Starz series “Ash vs. Evil Dead” (which is set 30 years after the events of the films) was unable to reference the events of “Army of Darkness’ in its first season. Fortunately, those problems have since been ironed out.12. There have been numerous comic book continuations of “Army of Darkness,” including a series where Ash meets “Re-Animator‘s” Herbert West and another where he battles zombie-fied versions of Marvel heroes.

  • ‘Ash vs. Evil Dead’ Season 2: Plenty of Surprises & Easter Eggs, Say Stars

    ash williams (bruce campbell) ruby cross (lucy lawless) in "ash vs. evil dead" season 2There’s something to be said about comfort zones — even on a horror series as seemingly dedicated to discomfort as “Ash vs. Evil Dead.”

    Behind the scenes of the fright fest — a critical and ratings smash out of the gate last year for Starz, which launches its second season on Oct. 2 — the show’s star, Bruce Campbell, has been appearing on screen as lead character Ash Williams since 1981’s acclaimed indie horror/comedy “The Evil Dead,” originally made on a shoestring budget with his high school pal, director Sam Raimi, and produced by Raimi’s college roommate, Rob Tapert.

    Later in the 1990s, Tapert and Raimi produced the syndicated TV sensation “Xena: Warrior Princess,” which starred actress Lucy Lawless in the lead role — and she’d soon become Tapert’s leading lady off-screen as well: the couple married in 1998. Campbell was no stranger to the “Xena” set either, frequently recurring as the scoundrel Autolycus and directing several episodes as well.

    Professionally, the trio reunited once again to revive the cult-beloved “Evil Dead” franchise in television form, with Campbell playing an older but only incrementally wiser incarnation of Ash, Lawless entering Ash’s universe as Ruby, the mysterious vengeance-minded occultist and/or Necronomicon-authoring Dark One on Ash’s trail, and Tapert once again overseeing the supernatural mayhem. Their special blend of creative spellcraft combined to score yet another hit, prompting a return for a second season of Deadite destroying.

    With so much shared history, any two of the group can easily anticipate, finish or trump the third’s sentences, which made for a lively discussion when they joined Moviefone for a look ahead at the upcoming action, and a look back at all their behind-the-scenes adventuring together.

    Moviefone: Obviously, you guys know well how to make this kind of stuff, you’ve got a great comfort level together after all these years. What were the fun discoveries of Season 1 — the things you didn’t see coming that were a real treat for you?

    Rob Tapert: I think for Bruce and I originally, the fun discovery was we were actually going to get this made. So there was a —

    Bruce Campbell: That was more of a shocking discovery!

    Tapert: Yeah, a shocking discovery. There were a lot of hurdles to getting the show up and running.

    Lucy Lawless: Just seeing them pull it off in the first few episodes I went, “Oh my God, this really does uphold the fans’ fantasy recreation.” It’s a tall order!

    Campbell: You never know if you’re going to be able to do it. Or will they like your version of it? Are they good with a middle-aged Ash? Do they like the fact that he wears a man girdle and has dentures? Are they okay with that?

    Lawless: Yes, they are!

    Campbell: You’ve got to make sure that they’re okay with that. They seem to be fine with that. So they’ll get more of that.

    What were the lessons from Season 1 that you wanted to apply to Season 2 — and the way you wanted to throw curveballs at the audience, now that they think they know the show?

    Tapert: That’s a good question. The takeaways from Season 1 were that the audience was pretty forgiving of certain aspects of the storytelling, and they just wanted to be entertained, and they wanted to invest in the relationships a little more, so we’ve grown those going into the second season. They loved watching Ash on screen, so we put Bruce in every single frame —

    Lawless: Surprise!

    Campbell: And you surround me with young people, and that’s what you do. So they can look at all the pretty young people, and Ash can be their titular leader.

    Bruce and Lucy, so much of the first season kept the two of you apart. Is the twist we’re going to see this time that you’re going to be more in each other’s faces?

    Lawless: We’re going to get married.

    Campbell: Well, I think you’ve got to team up for the greater good sometimes. So there will be some of that aspect. Not necessarily being fishing buddies, but understanding that there’s a greater need that’s greater than her little petty problem.

    Lawless: I feel a little sexual tension there, but more with his father. It’s highly competitive.

    Campbell: Ruby — she’d let me in her pants if she had any respect for my character.

    Lawless: Sadly.

    Campbell: Currently — awkward — we’re working on that. We’ll see what happens.

    Lawless: I get to avenge a personal slight, a personal problem I had with the original series. I don’t know — Rob probably knows. When I was 16, my first boyfriend’s friends said, “Come over and watch on VHS — we’ve got this cool ‘Evil Dead’ movie. It’s classic, it’s amazing!”

    I was so disgusted by the first five minutes with the tree rape that I stomped off and said, “The people who made this movie are sick and they ought to be in jail!” Twelve years later I was married to one of them. But this season, me and that tree have got a date.

    Are there other things from the original run that are going to be woven into the season?

    Campbell: Interesting, surprise elements, yes. How could you not? Big ones.

    You had to figure out what kind of measure in which to dole them out, I’m sure, over the course of the series.

    Tapert: Yes. This season, actually, was screaming for a couple of those things. And as much as Ash returns to his home town, we got to meet his father, the relationships that came with that family — going back to visit his father, his father had suffered a loss of their sister because of Ash, so there was a lot that allowed us to touch back into the original source material.

    Campbell: Now you realize why Ash is such a jerk, because his father is a bigger jerk.

    And in that, you scored the casting coup of the fall season with Lee Majors.

    Campbell: I agree. No question about it.

    Tell me about bringing him in, finding the right rapport with him.

    Campbell: Well, you never know if you’re going to have the rapport. We met on set. So it could have not happened. Plenty of actors have failed the chemistry test. But, in this case, I think we would have had a lot of respect for Lee because of what he did. And I think that showed. I think we try to take good care of him and not waste his time, and be appreciative. He got on board, I think he got the spirit of it, even when he was just covered in blood. He’s not one of these guys who complains.

    Lawless: Consummate professional. He’s top-notch.

    Campbell: Yeah, he’s just done this for so long. Nothing phases him. And he’s a pretty hearty son of a bitch. I mean, he’s Lee Majors. He’s a good presence to have. I just think audience members would go, “Of course that’s his dad.”

    Tapert: It was interesting because we needed somebody in that role who was larger than life, but wasn’t going to steal this show and turn it into a farce in any way, shape or form.

    Lawless: Yeah, he falls into the world.

    Campbell: Lee’s persona is: he’s the man, he’s a manly man. He’s a ladies man. He has hair on his chest. I mean, this guy’s been in the tabloids. He’s been through it. And that’s perfect, because when you see him, you go, yeah! You know his history. You know all that. He’s perfect for Ash’s father. But, you never really know if they can pull it off either, on top of it. And Lee is very entertaining in that part, because I think he accepted it, and he’s like, “Okay — let’s go for it.”

    Lawless: He can compete. He’s a competitor.

    Campbell: He’s awesome. Yeah.

    Lucy, your character, Ruby, got folded into the franchise very, very well, and very smoothly in the first season.

    Lawless: Oh-so-subtly.

    And she’s still a mystery. So are we going to learn her quirks and her backstory?

    Lawless: You’re going to learn more than you ever wanted to.

    Campbell: Much more. Ruby’s part of the gang now. Just by screen time alone, you’re going to learn more.

    Lawless: Unfortunately, she’s her own worst enemy, and we’ll see how it all works out.

    Campbell: It’s an unlikely alliance of sorts that’s hanging by a bit of a thread.

    Lawless: It’s a hanging chad of a relationship.

    Campbell: A dimpled chad.

    Tapert: Yeah. Yeah, we have fun with Ruby this season.

    Tell me about bringing your old pal Ted Raimi into the mix.

    Tapert: Ted was someone Bruce and I really wanted to get into the series at some point in time. And the writers had put this friend of Ash’s called Chet in one of the scripts. But it really wasn’t going anywhere. But I talked to Bruce and said, “Bruce, let’s try and get him in this, and then we’ll just force the writers to write for him.” Bruce agreed.

    So I called Ted and said, ‘Hey Ted, there’s like three lines in this one script, but we will push, and if you’re in there, we will make sure that we get your character serviced. Whatever screen time you get, we will do everything to make the most out of it.” So he agreed to come down playing multiple roles also, as he always does. And yeah, he filled the screen every time he was given the chance.

    Campbell: And I needed someone to wash my car on Saturdays, and Ted has been very good about that.

    Tapert: Lucy, you’ve probably worked with Ted more than anybody.

    Lawless: Yeah, I have. he’s a dream — yeah, we all wanted him down. Like, “Please, get the band back together.”

    It’s so rare, it seems, in Hollywood, to have the kind of history that you all share. You’ve gone on this journey, and not by ending up in a project that everybody’s kind of tied to a franchise but because you want to work together, because you’re friends — and family, to varying degrees. Looking back at all of that history, what does it mean to you to have had that journey together?

    Campbell: It is rare, but you don’t think about it until people point it out. I’ve been looking at Rob’s mug for coming up on 40 years now. I forget how easy it makes it, because we’ve always walked on other people’s sets, and he doesn’t know anybody. Lucy guest-stars on shows, I guest-star on shows, and you walk up and you don’t really know anybody, and those producers could be a**holes, the director could be an idiot.

    Lawless: It makes it a lot easier to sign on the dotted line [together].

    Campbell: Yeah, because you kind of know what you’re going to get. I know how Rob produces. I’ve got a sense of it. We’re well taken care of. The thing is, do these people have your back based on what you do? You know, Lucy and I can make sure that the set’s going to get shot. You get the two of us on set, it’ll get shot. Rob doesn’t have to worry about that, and then we don’t have to worry about Rob providing the background personnel and all the people, the support people, to make it happen. It’s a very complicated show.

    Lawless: You know what the difference is? It’s not always like this on other sets. But we’re part of the crew. So getting the job done, we don’t leave set, we hang around, we make sure that the day gets done. There’s no running off to call my agent.

    Campbell: You can predict that. And again, that’s another thing that’s very easy to take for granted. So thanks for reminding us every so often that it is special, it is different, it is unique. Because it’s re-presented itself, I think both of us, Rob and I, realize we don’t know how many more times this is going to go around. Let’s give it a last hurrah. If this is the last of the “Evil Deads” that are ever going to be done, we both — all of us here — want to make sure it’s memorable, and that it was worth it.

    Lawless: And it was fun!

    Campbell: It wound up being worth going through all that, to bring it all back again. Because sometimes you do it and the audience goes, “Eh.” And then where are you? So we’re thankful that we’ve come back and they have accepted us. So it makes it more of a relief. Going into this season, we knew we had the job already, you know what I mean? Now it’s just keeping up expectations. Season 2: there are expectations.

    Creatively, where do you start each season? Do you kind of look at each season like a massive movie?

    Tapert: You know what, the last two seasons we’ve looked at as a season. So what is this season? How do we get through it? Now at the end of the second season, we’re looking, “Okay, what could a bigger picture be? What could two or three seasons look like? Where do we want to get to eventually?”

    Campbell: What if it all fits into a bigger puzzle?

    Tapert: Yeah. There’s a plus and minus to look for within, or “What does it all mean?” Because once you know where you’re going, it’s hard to do anything but go in that direction. You want to leave, creatively, the ability to explore different avenues, or kind of find your way in the darkness.

    Campbell: And you still can, because if you have the big picture, you always know where you’ve got to get back to. If you take a little detour, that’s fine. As long as you know where you’re going. Because if the audience gets lost, you’re doomed. They lose momentum.

    For you, Bruce, it must be interesting to evolve this character — in the tiniest of fractions of a percent.

    Campbell: Ash has dialogue, finally! Look at the first three movies. He has, like, nine lines of dialogue.

    Given that he’s still immature, but now kind of mature, is it fun to figure out the balance?

    Campbell: Now he’s verbally immature! I don’t know — I like the fact that he can speak now. Full sentences. They’re not great sentences, but they’re full sentences.

    Tapert: You know, one of the strengths of the franchise has always been Ash alone battling something unseen, or an unseen force. So Bruce has spent a great deal of time in the franchise, as a whole in the movie, fighting himself or fighting an unseen enemy.

    At least in the series as it goes on, he’s got a lot of people he can talk to. Which makes it easier acting, although every time we have him alone, nobody is better at their own fighting the unseen than Bruce. I just always marvel at how Bruce alone is a lot of fun.

    So many Easter eggs referencing your home state of Michigan in Season 1. What elements of Michigan lore are you still waiting to introduce into this series?

    Campbell: We’ve got Faygo Redpop going. That was important. We’ve introduced a new line of beer, Shemps Beer, which is important to me, because Ash would have his own beer that we can use.

    Tapert: You know, a lot of ’70s music and icons … The music is retro when it works, and we look there first, going to Michigan bands. So things that we knew …

    Campbell: There’s some good stuff. The B sides — it’s the B side of everything too. You’ve got B movies, here’s the B side. It’s a perfect match.