The “Evil Dead” franchise continues to assert itself as viable 45 years later. Franchise creator Sam Raimi may have thought “Evil Dead” was a stupid, terrible title at the time but here we are with the sixth entry in the series, “Evil Dead Burn,” in theaters now and doing respectable business at the box office. While it’s not going to break any records, “Burn” has at the very least reassured Warner Bros. and the producers that this franchise still has gas in the tank.
Directed by Sébastien Vanicek, who previously helmed the killer spider creature feature “Infested,” the latest “Evil Dead” pulled in $13.7 million on its opening weekend domestically. That was good enough for fourth place on the charts. Disney’s “Moana” flopped at the box office with a $43 million debut, but still managed to take the number one spot. In any event, “Evil Dead Burn” was going for a very different crowd and found enough of that crowd to get by. Overseas, the R-rated, ultra-gory horror flick added $13.3 million, giving it a $27 million global start.
The movie centers on Alice (Souheila Yacoub), who, after the unexpected loss of her husband, seeks solace with her in-laws in their secluded family home following the funeral. However, one by one, they are transformed into Deadites, which turns the gathering into a family reunion from hell.
Even though Vanicek’s take on the franchise posted a seemingly so-so opening, it carries a relatively modest $20 million production budget. That being the case, it’s still going to look like a wise investment for Warner Bros. when all’s said and done. Especially since this is the sort of title that will have a great deal of VOD/streaming value.
Evil Dead Burn won’t do Evil Dead Rise numbers, but that’s not a problem
People might, at first glance, get hung up on the fact that this latest entry opened quite a bit lower than 2023’s “Evil Dead Rise,” which scared up a great $24.5 million opening en route to $147 million worldwide. Some context is important, though, as this isn’t totally an apples-to-apples situation, despite both movies being part of the same franchise.
For one, the franchise had taken a ten-year break (on the movie side anyway) following 2013’s “Evil Dead,” which gave the B-movie franchise mainstream success for the first time, opening to $25.7 million on its way to $99 million worldwide. That made “Rise” novel, as there was pent-up demand. Also, critics and audiences, by and large, responded better to “Rise” than they did “Burn,” which was more unforgivingly brutal. That’s not a bad thing by any means; part of the reason why this series has endured for so long is by offering up different flavors.
/Film’s Chris Evangelista called “Evil Dead Burn” a “bloody good time” in his review. Enough of the intended audience showed up to more than justify a $20 million budget. Is it going to be an over-performer like “Rise” was a few years ago? No, but that doesn’t make it a disappointment by any means.
Looking at recent comparisons, “Evil Dead Burn” could easily do “Violent Night” ($13.4 million opening/$76 million worldwide) numbers, and that movie did well enough to get a sequel. If it legs out, “Burn” could wind up closer to Lee Cronin’s “The Mummy” ($13.5 million opening/$90.5 million worldwide). Either would be a favorable result.
Evil Dead remains financially viable (for the right price)
Most any studio in Hollywood would still take this level of return on investment. Especially for a movie that is part of a long-running franchise, which increases viewership for the other movies in the library, as well as allowing for selling new box sets, collections, etc. In short, “Evil Dead Burn” is $20 million well spent, even if it doesn’t feel like it on the surface.
Where so many franchises tend to go wrong is they get bigger as they go along and grow too big for their own good. “Evil Dead Burn” played it smart by keeping it cheap, therefore ensuring that the franchise remains viable. Warner Bros. and the producers seem to know what they’re doing here. The franchise continues to grow with director Francis Galluppi’s “Evil Dead Wrath” due in theaters in 2028, and the studio probably kept the budget reasonable for that one as well.
“Evil Dead Burn” also has some post credits scenes that may set up further entries in the series down the line. Again, assuming Warner Bros. can keep those budgets in the $25 million range or lower, there’s no reason to think they won’t work, especially if future entries return to that “Evil Dead Rise” level of acclaim. Quality is a big determining factor here, as it often is.
One of the big reasons why “Evil Dead” is now and has been viable for so long is that, even at its worst, it’s still pretty damn good for most fans. If Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert, Bruce Campbell, and WB can maintain quality control, these movies can still be viable for years to come.
“Evil Dead Burn” is in theaters now.
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