Movies
Robert Eggers Sets the Record Straight on ‘The Witch’ vs. ‘The VVitch’
If there’s one thing that drives me unnecessarily crazy, it’s how people write “The Witch” when referring to the title of Robert Eggers‘ 2016 masterpiece.
If you recall, the custom typeface for A24’s campaign turned the title’s “W” into a double “V” so it read as follows on the film’s poster: “The VVitch“.
While I find the title card to be incredibly cool, it doesn’t change the fact that the film’s title is ultimately The Witch, meant to be pronounced and written as such. Like an asshole, I’ve been debating with people on Twitter about it for years. I don’t know why, but it drives me impossibly mad.
In any event, after my latest dig, I was directed to a recent episode of Shock Waves in which Eggers is asked about the various spellings and pronunciations of The Witch. Since he’s the director, this is the final word on the subject.
“Well, I mean, it’s always pronounced ‘The Witch‘ no matter how you spell it,” said Eggers. “I always write it with a ‘W’.”
“The two ‘V’s was from a witch pamphlet from the 1640s 1940s,” he reveals, explaining why this occurred. “My understanding is that if you were a printing house you might not spend all the money on the different typefaces…So there is this pamphlet that says ‘vvitch’ and I thought, ‘That looks good and it’s from the period, let’s do it.'”
But even if you’re one of the fans who has been using the double “V”, Eggers wants you to know that he appreciates your fandom and has all the respect in the world for you.
“That said, the most ardent fans of The Witch who are really dedicated… they spell it with two ‘V’s. So I respect it.”
There you have it, straight from the goat’s mouth – so to speak.
Just three years after Evil Dead Rise set the box office on fire with a $147 million worldwide haul, Evil Dead Burn was unleashed into theaters this past weekend. Unfortunately, the opening weekend for Evil Dead Burn wasn’t quite as strong as the debut for its predecessor.
Evil Dead Burn debuted in 3,004 theaters across North America and scared up $13.7 million in its domestic debut, about $10 million less than Evil Dead Rise‘s $24.5 million opening.
Worldwide, Evil Dead Burn debuted with $25 million. Given the film’s production budget was somewhere in the ballpark of $20 million, all is certainly not lost for Evil Dead Burn. That said, Warner Bros. and New Line no doubt hoped that Burn would top or at least match the domestic opening of Rise, but instead we’re looking at a case of diminishing franchise returns.
The good news for fans? Next installment Evil Dead Wrath has already wrapped production for expected release in 2028, so there’s no danger of the franchise ending with Evil Dead Burn.
Evil Dead Wrath from director Francis Galluppi (The Last Stop in Yuma County) is currently set for theatrical release on April 7, 2028, though that could change in the coming months.
Will the Evil Dead franchise be taking a break after Evil Dead Wrath? That all depends on how Wrath performs at the box office. But for what it’s worth, the post-credits scene at the end of Evil Dead Burn suggests that the franchise’s creators are hopeful for a bright future ahead.
The critical reception for Evil Dead Burn was a bit less positive than the reception to Evil Dead Rise, with Rise hitting 85% on Rotten Tomatoes and Burn currently sitting at 71%. It’s interesting to note, however, that the “Popcornmeter” on Rotten Tomatoes is a bit higher for Burn than it was for Rise, with Burn‘s currently at 80% and Rise‘s sitting a tad lower at 76%.
The site’s “Popcornmeter” scores are decided by users, rather than verified movie critics.
Which do you prefer? Evil Dead Rise or Evil Dead Burn? Sound off below.
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