Director of new Evil Dead movie wants the horror film to be a "a visceral, sensory experience" that leaves people "physically drained"

Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie in Evil Dead Rise — (Image credit: Warner Bros.)

One of the stickiest franchises in cinema history is set to make a return next year with the recent announcement that Evil Dead Burn is now scheduled for release on July 24, 2026. It will be the sixth film in the Evil Dead franchise, following Evil Dead Rise in 2023, and according to the director, Sébastien Vaniček, his main focus is to mess audiences up like never before.

Speaking to Variety about the upcoming film, Vaniček discussed his disgusting plans for whatever hellish events await some unfortunate souls who give the Necronomicon a read-through when they absolutely shouldn't be. He described the 42-year-old franchise as “like a creative playground, a bold laboratory for filmmakers eager to explore something raw, brutal, and deeply transgressive.”

Vaniček shouldn't have any problems with going heavy on the horror after his breakout directorial debut, Infested, which sees a spider infestation befall a French neighborhood. Now he's set his sights on one of the rusty, bloodied staples of horror movie history, and he's not afraid to spill some guts to get the job done. “The ambition remains the same as with Infested: to create a visceral, sensory experience that punches the audience in the gut,” explained the director. “I want people to feel physically drained when they leave the theater, like they’ve been through an emotional and intense journey.”

The lucky soul tasked with picking up either a boomstick or a chainsaw, or both, is Dune: Part Two star Souheila Yacoub, who Vaniček will be sending through a living nightmare where those who die won't be dead for long. “She brings a rare physicality and emotional intensity to her performances – exactly the kind of raw, visceral presence I was looking for this film.” It all sounds groovy to us, and we can only imagine (though we'd prefer not to) what kind of carnage will unfold as Evil Dead Burn begins filming in New Zealand soon. If you're needing some scares sooner rather than later, check out our ranking of the best horror films ever here.

Nick is a freelancer whose work can be found at Screen Rant, The Digital Fix, and Looper. He loves movies, TV, DC, and Marvel. He also believes that the best Robin Hood is still a talking fox.

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