Sam Raimi Successfully Stops Production On Unauthorized ‘Evil Dead’ Sequel

Sam Raimi, known to horror geeks around the world as the man responsible for crafting the Evil Dead franchise, has successfully halted production on an unauthorized sequel to his films. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the Spider-Man director’s production company Renaissance Pictures sued Award Pictures in order to prevent producers from moving forward with Evil Dead 4: Consequences. Since the company failed to respond to the lawsuit, a judge has barred them producing anything that bears the Evil Dead name.

Award Films president Glenn MacCrae told THR that he still plans to fight the case. Until that happens, he’ll have to adhere to the court’s default judgment on the matter. For the time being, it would see that the unauthorized Evil Dead sequel is dead in the water. However, rumors are swirling that Saimi could be working on his own follow-up for Sony Pictures and FilmDistrict in the near future.

The trouble with Evil Dead 4: Consequences began when Award Films argued that Sam Raimi and Renaissance Pictures were reckless with the property, and apparently couldn’t control where and how it was used. The company also argued that Raimi famously claimed that he would never do a sequel to the popular series, leaving it wide open for Award Films to swoop in and take up the reins.

According to Shock Till You Drop, the California judge who issued the ruling didn’t want folks to confuse the unauthorized sequel with the upcoming Evil Dead remake that’s slated to hit theaters sometime next year.

Before getting down to business with another installment of his popular horror franchise, Sam Raimi will unleash Oz: The Great and Powerful, which stars James Franco and Michelle Williams, on March 8, 2013. IMDb states that the Drag Me to Hell director will also serve as producer on the forthcoming remake of Tobe Hooper’s Poltergeist.