New ‘Evil Dead’ Spin-off From ‘The Last Stop in Yuma County’ Director

The Evil Dead franchise is set to expand once again with a new film directed and written by Francis Galluppi, as per Deadline. The filmmaker, known for his debut feature The Last Stop in Yuma County, approached franchise creator Sam Raimi with a compelling proposal, earning Raimi’s endorsement to helm this new instalment. The film, developed by Raimi and Robert Tapert’s Ghost House Pictures, is being labelled as an original story from Galluppi.

Plot details remain tightly under wraps, and it is unclear if the movie will connect directly to the existing Evil Dead films or stand as a fresh narrative in this evolving franchise. In a statement, Raimi praised Galluppi’s talent, noting,

“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.”

Galluppi’s feature debut The Last Stop in Yuma County, a crime thriller, premiered at last year’s Fantastic Fest and is scheduled to release digitally and in select theaters on 10 May. The film stars Jim Cummings, Jocelin Donahue, and Richard Brake, following a knife salesman stranded at a remote rest stop with two bank robbers. Prior to his feature film work, Galluppi directed music videos for the indie rock band Mt. Joy.

The Evil Dead franchise has come a long way since its humble beginnings in 1981. The original film, made on a budget of less than US$400,000 and featuring five unknown actors (including Bruce Campbell), became a cult classic. Its sequel Evil Dead II added elements of slapstick comedy, leading to a third instalment, Army of Darkness, that took the series into medieval horror-comedy territory.

In 2013, Fede Álvarez rebooted the franchise with a remake of the original film, followed by a Campbell-led TV series, Ash vs. Evil Dead, that ran for three seasons. The most recent entry, Evil Dead Rise, directed by Lee Cronin, hit theatres in 2023, grossing nearly US$150 million, making it the highest-earning instalment yet.

Galluppi’s Evil Dead project is just one of many new ventures in the works for the franchise, with Raimi and Ghost House Pictures planning to keep the horror momentum going with another Sébastien Vaniček-led spin-off. Campbell has hinted at new Evil Dead movies every two to three years, ensuring the franchise’s enduring legacy.

No release date has been announced for Galluppi’s film as of yet.