Evil Dead Rise Director Lee Cronin Already Has One Sequel Idea: 'John Wick Evil Dead'

This post contains major spoilers for "Evil Dead Rise."

For the first time in a full decade, a new "Evil Dead" movie is in theaters in the form of director Lee Cronin's much-acclaimed (and very bloody) "Evil Dead Rise." The question is, will the beloved horror franchise go dormant again for another chunk of time? Or will the braintrust try to keep it going more consistently this time around? If it does indeed come to pass that a sequel — or perhaps sequels — come about, Cronin has more than one idea as to where things could go from here. But the filmmaker has one idea that he pitched as "John Wick Evil Dead" which stands a cut above.

I had the very good fortune of speaking with Cronin following the film's premiere at SXSW. We got into some spoiler discussion and, as part of that, I asked him about the whole "cabin in the woods" bit that is used to bookend the film. While the majority of the new film is set in a high-rise in a big city, we do some classic "Evil Dead" vibes in there for good measure. But as for Cronin's big idea? Here's what he had to say:

"For me, actually what it was driven by is the idea that the force can't really be destroyed. So, even though there's someone adjacent to all the madness that has happened, that force can prevail and can kind of continue onwards. So, that's one pathway. There's also, there's a second storyline, a hundred years in the past that's shared in this. And that's also a storyline I've had boiling for what goes on behind that vinyl. You could go back in time. Then I've got one Priest versus a hundred Deadites. 'John Wick Evil Dead.'"

The record accompanying the Book of the Dead that Danny (Morgan Davies) finds comes complete with a story of a priest 100 years in the past taking on quite a few Deadites. We only hear this story in passing, but there's certainly a story there to tell. This would, once again, allow the series to head in an entirely new direction. Cronin further explained that he viewed his job as opening up this universe, expanding the scope of what it can be now and in the future. He told me: 

"The challenge that was set for me was to move the dial with this world, to crack the world open in a different way. I hope I've been successful in doing that. I've actually left a few doors open to get inside that world. There is that wraparound and that wraparound is always there. I wanted to show the fans that I understand the world, I understand where it's been, but also here's the change, here's the needle drop, here's where we're going to go. We're going to go somewhere else."

As for other sequel ideas? Again, there is plenty left on the table, such as following Beth (Lily Sullivan) in the aftermath of "Evil Dead Rise." He said:

"Also there's the 10 minutes later story for those that ... the lucky ones that maybe just about make it out alive. There's that place also. And then equally, what about when the authorities show up at this building and find the carnage that's there? And if you remember, there's still some seriously hardcore remnants left in that building that could have an impact on a whole new set of unsuspecting factors."

All of this to say, Cronin has no shortage of ideas. Now, it's up to audiences to decide whether or not they're hungry enough for more.

"Evil Dead Rise" is in theaters now.