The Evil Dead was released in 1981 and was written and directed by Sam Raimi, based on a short film by the same director called Within the Woods. The Evil Dead is considered a cult classic, especially in the horror genre. Since then, four more movies were released in the same universe as the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, also known as the Book of the Dead. Blood, electric chainsaws, horrific transformations, and explicit death scenes are an integral part of this franchise that has grown to four more movies, multiple video games, and even comic books.

The newest installment in the franchise Evil Dead Rise has been completed and is coming to movie theaters in 2023. Lee Cronin is the writer and director of the movie. The Irish director has some big shoes to fill, as it is one of the biggest horror movie franchises and helped shape the genre in the modern age, especially regarding gore. Evil Dead Rise will be the director’s second feature.

Before the movie is released, let’s take a look at Cronin’s body of work. He has done various horror-related projects that can directly indicate how he will approach this beloved franchise and how he can master some essential elements of these movies.

Lee Cronin’s Filmography

     A24

Before diving into why the director appears to be a solid choice for the new installment in the Evil Dead franchise, it is important to know a bit more about his projects. Lee Cronin directed and wrote a few short films, mostly horror, such as Through the Night and Ghost Train, which won the 2014 Méliès d’Argent for short films. Then he made his feature debut with an A24-produced movie, The Hole in the Ground. The movie premiered at the 2019 Sundance Film Festival and was critically acclaimed and gained him a nomination at the Saturn Awards as Breakthrough Director. His short film Ghost Train is a part of the nine stories in Minutes Past Midnight, a horror anthology movie. Lee also directed two episodes for the anthology series 50 Stages of Fright, created by Sam Raimi himself, called 13 Steps to Hell (in two parts).

The director has also done a few television episodes on the show The Masterplan, which, besides a more adventure-orientated short film called Billy Chuck, is the only non-horror title in his body of work. So, it is clear that he has invested in creating horror stories for the past couple of years, which is an essential quality a director needs to have to take on such an iconic franchise.

Lee Cronin as a Director

     Quibi

Lee Cronin may not have a substantial filmography yet, with Evil Dead Rise being his first big project. However, the director has a clear vision that is noticeable in his past projects. There are some very similar choices he made as a director and screenwriter, as he wrote most of his films as well (including Evil Dead Rise), which are already a great tell on who he is as a director, and what type of horror he enjoys creating.

In more than one of his stories, family and filial relationships take the front of the narrative. Another very particular element that is present in his movies is the low saturation of the cinematography, creating a cold feel with various gray and white undertones. The usage of forests and their naturalistic aesthetic, alongside the eerie feeling of the possibility of the supernatural lurking in the woods, is a recurring theme. Creepy-crawly insects and their unsettling, visceral texture is a part of this rural, woodsy sensibility. From these examples alone, there are some noticeable coincidences with some important characteristics present in the Evil Dead franchise, which is obviously associated with the woods.

Lee Cronin Directs Evil Dead Rise

     HBO Max

Evil Dead Rise is set to be released theatrically on April 21, 2023. The movie trailer is not yet available, but on the IMDB page of the film, it says that it has been completed. So, the trailer should be getting out sooner than later. Also, the director shared a BTS photo, that hints at a very bloody and gory movie. The Evil Dead franchise has four movies already (including the 2013 remake), and this will be the fifth installment in this particular gory universe. Cronin has already called it a “roller coaster of terror.” Its synopsis has been revealed:

The Evil Dead franchise has some very specific elements to it, and it seems like Evil Dead Rise will certainly incorporate them. However, there are some changes, the main one being the setting: a city. It will be interesting to see these monsters outside the woods, and see what Cronin does when he moves away from the forests. Nevertheless, fans have to wait to see how this story will work out. From Cronin’s filmography alone it appears he knows how to create stories with some of the best horror elements of the Evil Dead and can bring an interesting new vision to this world.