EVIL DEAD BURN Director Sébastien Vaniček Says “I Want People to Feel Physically Drained When They Leave the Theater”

Director Sébastien Vaniček is taking the leap from breakout genre newcomer to helming one of horror’s most iconic franchises with Evil Dead Burn. The filmmaker, who was praised for his debut film Infested (Vermines), is now heading to New Zealand to shoot the next chapter in the Evil Dead saga, with Dune: Part Two star Souheila Yacoub leading the charge.Produced by franchise mainstays Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi, and Bruce Campbell, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and Sony, Evil Dead Burn marks one of two sequels in development following the box office success of Evil Dead Rise.In a recent conversation with Variety, Vaniček shared his excitement about diving into the blood-soaked world Raimi created, and why Yacoub was his first choice to carry this chapter. “I’ve long admired Souheila’s work in France, particularly in theater. She brings a rare physicality and emotional intensity to her performances – exactly the kind of raw, visceral presence I was looking for in Evil Dead Burn.”Yacoub is a former elite gymnast, once part of Switzerland’s national team, and when it comes to intense action and emotionally charged performances, she’s already proven herself in Climax, No Man’s Land, and most recently, Planet B. According to Vaniček, “we’ve spent a lot of time together discussing the story and the emotional depth I wanted to bring to the characters.” The role, he says, will push her both physically and psychologically.But Evil Dead Burn isn’t just about the blood and mayhem. Vaniček views the franchise as a creative sandbox, one that welcomes big crazy swings and filmmaker-driven ideas. “Evil Dead is like a creative playground, a bold laboratory for filmmakers eager to explore something raw, brutal, and deeply transgressive.”He is looking to create a film that hits with force and sticks with audiences long after the credits roll. “I want people to feel physically drained when they leave the theater, like they’ve been through an emotional and intense journey. The ambition remains the same as with Infested: to create a visceral, sensory experience that punches the audience in the gut.”Vaniček isn’t just aiming to satisfy longtime fans of the franchise as he wants to pull in fresh blood as well:“I quickly expressed my ambition to bring something fresh and meaningful to this universe, to offer the franchise to an audience who isn’t familiar with Evil Dead and is in search of unique, immersive, and sensory experiences.” He’s hoping to bring a distinct flavor to the franchise: “depth and nuance, something that feels uniquely ours, but that anyone can connect with.”Evil Dead Burn is set to be released on July 24, 2026.

May 9, 2025 - 15:38

EVIL DEAD BURN Director Sébastien Vaniček Says “I Want People to Feel Physically Drained When They Leave the Theater”

Director Sébastien Vaniček is taking the leap from breakout genre newcomer to helming one of horror’s most iconic franchises with Evil Dead Burn. The filmmaker, who was praised for his debut film Infested (Vermines), is now heading to New Zealand to shoot the next chapter in the Evil Dead saga, with Dune: Part Two star Souheila Yacoub leading the charge.

Produced by franchise mainstays Rob Tapert, Sam Raimi, and Bruce Campbell, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and Sony, Evil Dead Burn marks one of two sequels in development following the box office success of Evil Dead Rise.

In a recent conversation with Variety, Vaniček shared his excitement about diving into the blood-soaked world Raimi created, and why Yacoub was his first choice to carry this chapter.

“I’ve long admired Souheila’s work in France, particularly in theater. She brings a rare physicality and emotional intensity to her performances – exactly the kind of raw, visceral presence I was looking for in Evil Dead Burn.”

Yacoub is a former elite gymnast, once part of Switzerland’s national team, and when it comes to intense action and emotionally charged performances, she’s already proven herself in Climax, No Man’s Land, and most recently, Planet B.

According to Vaniček, “we’ve spent a lot of time together discussing the story and the emotional depth I wanted to bring to the characters.” The role, he says, will push her both physically and psychologically.

But Evil Dead Burn isn’t just about the blood and mayhem. Vaniček views the franchise as a creative sandbox, one that welcomes big crazy swings and filmmaker-driven ideas.

“Evil Dead is like a creative playground, a bold laboratory for filmmakers eager to explore something raw, brutal, and deeply transgressive.”

He is looking to create a film that hits with force and sticks with audiences long after the credits roll.

“I want people to feel physically drained when they leave the theater, like they’ve been through an emotional and intense journey. The ambition remains the same as with Infested: to create a visceral, sensory experience that punches the audience in the gut.”

Vaniček isn’t just aiming to satisfy longtime fans of the franchise as he wants to pull in fresh blood as well:

“I quickly expressed my ambition to bring something fresh and meaningful to this universe, to offer the franchise to an audience who isn’t familiar with Evil Dead and is in search of unique, immersive, and sensory experiences.”

He’s hoping to bring a distinct flavor to the franchise: “depth and nuance, something that feels uniquely ours, but that anyone can connect with.”

Evil Dead Burn is set to be released on July 24, 2026.