Movies
Director Named for ‘Monster Squad’, Not the Remake…
With McG exiting the project, Mike Mitchell (Shrek Forever After, Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo) is now tapped to get behind the camera for Monster Squad, formerly known as Nightcrawlers, Warner Bros.’ long-gestating supernatural action comedy.
The studio picked up “Nightcrawlers” as a spec by Brian Lynch in 2000. The project went through numerous writers, including Michael Arndt and Audrey Wells, as Warners sought to find a balance of laughs and chills.
The project’s title was changed to “Monster Squad,” though it is not a remake of the 1987 Warners movie written by Shane Black.
The new “Squad” centers on a neurotic father who must turn to a childhood tormentor to face his lifelong fear of the dark and the monsters who have haunted him.
Chris Bender, J.C. Spink, Jonathan Shestack and Donald De Line are producing. Charlie Gogolak is co-producing.
Jessica Goodman is overseeing for the studio.
Mitchell, repped by CAA, is in postproduction on “Shrek Forever After,” the fourth film in the franchise. He also directed Disney’s “Sky High” and DreamWorks’ “Surviving Christmas.”
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 $27 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.
You must be logged in to post a comment.