‘Evil Dead Burn’ Director Sébastien Vaniček on Casting Souheila Yacoub and Ambition for the Horror Sequel: ‘I Want People to Feel Physically Drained When They Leave the Theater’ (EXCLUSIVE)
Sébastien Vaniček, the up-and-coming French director who broke through in a major way with his feature debut “Vermines” (“Infested”), is getting ready to start filming the next Evil Dead installment titled “Evil Dead Burn” in New Zealand with “Dune: Part Two” star Souheila Yacoub in the lead role.
Produced by longtime franchise producer Rob Tapert and executive produced by series creator and horror icon Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell, “Evil Dead Burn” is one of the two sequels in the works. “Evil Dead Burn” will be distributed internationally by Warner Bros. Pictures and Sony, while Studiocanal will be distributing in France and the U.K.
In an interview with Variety, Vaniček, who co-wrote the screenplay with Florent Bernard, spoke about his creative vision for tackling the cult horror franchise and why he’s stoked to have Yacoub play the lead part. “I’ve long admired Souheila’s work in France, particularly in theater,” he said. “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.'”
He said he and Yacoub have spent a lot of time together “discussing the story and the emotional depth I wanted to bring to the characters.” Vaniček also pointed out the role will be physically demanding which makes Yacoub perfect for it. The Geneva-born actor, who is a former professional athlete and was even part of the national team of gymnastics at a young age, isn’t scared of action scenes and all kinds of stunts. Along with “Dune: Part Two,” she’s starred in Gaspar Noe’s “Climax,” the series “No Man’s Land,” Cedric Klapisch’s “En Corps,” and the science fiction film “Planet B,” among others.
“Evil Dead Rise,” which was originally slated to go on HBO Max, ended up being theatrically released in 2023 and grossed $147 million worldwide, marking a triumphant renaissance for the franchise, 40 years after New Line’s release of “The Evil Dead.”
Vaniček said he was drawn to the sequel project because “Evil Dead’ is “like a creative playground, a bold laboratory for filmmakers eager to explore something raw, brutal, and deeply transgressive.”
The young filmmaker said he’s also discussed with Sam Raimi’s team about the idea of expanding the film’s reach beyond the core fanbase and “quickly expressed (his) 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.”
“My goal was to craft a powerful, singular – almost personal – story that could stand on its own, while still resonating deeply within the rich, complex world that Sam has built,” he continued, adding that “as a French filmmaker” he takes pride in adding “depth and nuance, something that feels uniquely ours, but that anyone can connect with.”
“Infested,” his previous film, was lauded by critics, including in Variety whose review described it as a “very accomplished creature feature debut” and an “effective French chiller.” Featuring terrifying real spiders and set in a Parisian housing project with a fresh young cast including breakout actor Theo Christine, the movie became an instant genre classic and was bought by IFC’s Shudder for multiple territories, including North America.
While “Evil Dead Burn” is a “whole different level than ‘Infested,’ Vaniček says the latter taught him “how to be resourceful and focused on the essence of storytelling.”
“The ambition remains the same as with ‘Infested’: to create a visceral, sensory experience that punches the audience in the gut,” said the helmer. “I want people to feel physically drained when they leave the theater, like they’ve been through an emotional and intense journey.”
Produced by longtime franchise producer Rob Tapert and executive produced by series creator and horror icon Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell, “Evil Dead Burn” is one of the two sequels in the works. “Evil Dead Burn” will be distributed internationally by Warner Bros. Pictures and Sony, while Studiocanal will be distributing in France and the U.K.
In an interview with Variety, Vaniček, who co-wrote the screenplay with Florent Bernard, spoke about his creative vision for tackling the cult horror franchise and why he’s stoked to have Yacoub play the lead part. “I’ve long admired Souheila’s work in France, particularly in theater,” he said. “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.'”
He said he and Yacoub have spent a lot of time together “discussing the story and the emotional depth I wanted to bring to the characters.” Vaniček also pointed out the role will be physically demanding which makes Yacoub perfect for it. The Geneva-born actor, who is a former professional athlete and was even part of the national team of gymnastics at a young age, isn’t scared of action scenes and all kinds of stunts. Along with “Dune: Part Two,” she’s starred in Gaspar Noe’s “Climax,” the series “No Man’s Land,” Cedric Klapisch’s “En Corps,” and the science fiction film “Planet B,” among others.
“Evil Dead Rise,” which was originally slated to go on HBO Max, ended up being theatrically released in 2023 and grossed $147 million worldwide, marking a triumphant renaissance for the franchise, 40 years after New Line’s release of “The Evil Dead.”
Vaniček said he was drawn to the sequel project because “Evil Dead’ is “like a creative playground, a bold laboratory for filmmakers eager to explore something raw, brutal, and deeply transgressive.”
The young filmmaker said he’s also discussed with Sam Raimi’s team about the idea of expanding the film’s reach beyond the core fanbase and “quickly expressed (his) 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.”
“My goal was to craft a powerful, singular – almost personal – story that could stand on its own, while still resonating deeply within the rich, complex world that Sam has built,” he continued, adding that “as a French filmmaker” he takes pride in adding “depth and nuance, something that feels uniquely ours, but that anyone can connect with.”
“Infested,” his previous film, was lauded by critics, including in Variety whose review described it as a “very accomplished creature feature debut” and an “effective French chiller.” Featuring terrifying real spiders and set in a Parisian housing project with a fresh young cast including breakout actor Theo Christine, the movie became an instant genre classic and was bought by IFC’s Shudder for multiple territories, including North America.
While “Evil Dead Burn” is a “whole different level than ‘Infested,’ Vaniček says the latter taught him “how to be resourceful and focused on the essence of storytelling.”
“The ambition remains the same as with ‘Infested’: to create a visceral, sensory experience that punches the audience in the gut,” said the helmer. “I want people to feel physically drained when they leave the theater, like they’ve been through an emotional and intense journey.”