Wednesday, November 30, 2011

Sony to distribute 'Evil Dead'



Ghost House boards remake of horror film

The Sam Raimi-Rob Tapert remake of "Evil Dead" is moving forward with Sony Pictures Worldwide Acquisitions and FilmDistrict partnering with Ghost House Pictures, and Sony Pictures to distribute worldwide excluding the U.K. and France.

Raimi and Tapert announced the remake in July, tapping Fede Alvarez to write and direct Ghost House's remake of their seminal 1981 cult horror film "The Evil Dead."

SPWA president Steven Bersch and FilmDistrict CEO Peter Schlessel made the distribution announcement Wednesday and said the remake is on track for a production start next year. Lia Buman, FilmDistrict's exec VP of acquisitions, will oversee the project; Nicole Brown and J.R. Young will oversee for Ghost House.

Original producing partners Tapert, Bruce Campbell (who also starred in the original franchise) and Sam Raimi will produce, with Ghost House partners Joe Drake and Nathan Kahane exec producing.

"For 30 years, Sam, Bruce and I have been looking for the right home where we could return the deadites to the bigscreen," Tapert said in a statement. "Amy Pascal and Jeff Blake at Sony and Peter Schlessel at FilmDistrict have always been incredible partners who share our passion for great storytelling as well as our obsession for scaring the pants off the audience. Together, we are looking forward to terrorizing a whole new generation."

Alvarez wrote the script with Rodo Sayagues, and "Juno" writer Diablo Cody did revisions on the draft. Story centers on five friends holed up at a remote cabin where they discover a Book of the Dead; a demonic force is unleashed, possessing each until only one is left to fight for survival.

The franchise had ended with 1992's "Army of Darkness."

Source: www.variety.com

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