At the opening weekend to 2009’s SXSW Film Festival, IGN got a chance to chat with Sam Raimi, director of the Spider-Man and Evil Dead films.

In their discussion, IGN brought up something many of us have been eagerly waiting on for quite a while now: a new Evil Dead film. On the heels of Raimi’s return to the horror genre with Drag me to Hell, it looks like there’s hope yet for the return of Ash to the big screen.

"I have talked with my partners about having a young director come in and remake Evil Dead, that film was made in 16mm on a shoestring budget and blown up to 35mm. The visual effects are crumby, it was done in mono, not even stereo, let alone 5.1. What you could do with it now would be so much better."

"I think if you had a new director using the full power of 35mm and 5.1 sound, you could really make a pretty socko presentation. It was always meant for the big screen, but never really seen on the big screen"

Last October, the word on the street made it seem like the idea of Evil Dead 4 was vaporware and this talk of a remake has been going on for four years now. But now that Raimi and others continue to bring it back up, the idea and hope for another installment or a re-make can never die down.

If they do make the film, would they bring back Bruce Campbell, whose claim to fame was made with the Evil Dead movies? IGN brought this up to Raimi, referencing a previous interview with Campbell where he was hesitant to sign up for a fourth with the negative backlash against the fourth Indiana Jones movie. Raimi replied:

"I liked 'Indy 4'… He's probably just trying to get out of getting in shape!"

"Like any movie it's hard to say if you want to do it or if you don't want to do it until there is a script to talk about… So one day I hope to have the time to write a script, and if that happens I'm hoping that Bruce will change his mind."

I think we all do! You can’t make a fourth installment in the Evil Dead franchise without Bruce as the star. As for a re-make… I’m not sure it can be done right and evoke the same campiness and style that made the franchise a cult hit, especially without Bruce.

Don’t forget to check out the trailer for Sam Raimi’s Drag me to Hell.

What do you think about the possibilities of a fourth Evil Dead or a franchise re-boot?

Drag me to Hell opens May 29, 2009.

Source: IGN