Evil Dead 5 no longer an HBO Max exclusive, now coming to theaters

Evil Dead 5, titled Evil Dead Rise, is no longer debuting exclusively on HBO Max – the horror sequel will be getting a theatrical release next spring.

The movie will follow Beth (Lily Sullivan) as she visits her older sister Ellie (Alyssa Sutherland) and her three kids in LA. However, their long overdue reunion is disrupted when they uncover a mysterious book in the basement of Ellie's apartment building, which unleashes hell on the family. The movie was written and directed by The Hole in the Ground helmer Lee Cronin. Franchise director Sam Raimi and original star Bruce Campbell are on board as executive producers. 

The first Evil Dead movie was released in 1981. Written and directed by Raimi, it follows a group of college students who accidentally unleash a swarm of demons and spirits while staying in an isolated cabin. They all become possessed, except one – Ash, played by Campbell, must fight off the onslaught of gore and terror that ensues.

Raimi wrote and directed two sequels, 1987's Evil Dead 2 and 1993's Army of Darkness, both starring Campbell, who also appeared in the sequel TV series Ash vs. Evil Dead. The show ran for three seasons on Starz between 2015 and 2018. Another movie, titled Evil Dead, was released in 2013.

Another Warner Bros. title, House Party, which is a remake of the 1990 movie of the same name, is also side-stepping streaming for the big screen. That movie was also meant to be an HBO exclusive, but it will now release in theaters on December 9, 2022. 

Evil Dead Rise will arrive on the big screen on April 21, 2023. While we wait, check out our picks of the other best upcoming horror movies on the horizon.