Attendees at SXSW were given an early screening ofEvil Dead Riseon Wednesday, but the special presentation did not go without a real-life disturbance – although it was nothing to do with the Deadites of the movie. Following the full screening, during of a Q&A session with the likes of franchise legendBruce Campbell, producer Rob Tapert and director Lee Cronin, one disgruntled audience member caused a bit of a ruckus before storming out of the auditorium declaring a less than positive opinion about the movie.The incident kicked off when the man fell asleep in his seat with his feet up on the balcony and was seemingly asked by staff to take his feet down. The man then yelled something and tossed his popcorn bucket across the balcony before standing up and storming up the stairs towards the exit. As part of his little display, the man shouted in the quiet room, “This movie f*cking sucks!” This drew a number of boos from the audience, as well as a response from both Campbell and Tapert.
Campbell: “What are you doing here? Get the F*ck out of here!”
Tapert: “I don’t get it. He waited all the way through the credits!”
The reactions from the pair caused the place to erupt with laughter and applause. The one thing clear from the incident is that the audience clearly didn’t agree with the opinion expressed by the man, and while the first true wave of reviews are still to emerge, those getting in early have suggested that there is a reason why Warner Bros. decided to push the movie down a theatrical release route rather that streaming it on HBO Max.
Related:Evil Dead Rise Runtime Revealed As Longest Of The Franchise
The Evil Deadfranchise has a muddled history when it comes to exactly what category it falls into. While the original movie delivered relentless horror, the subsequent sequels also incorporated a wicked streak of humor that mostlyrevolved around franchise lead Bruce Campbellbeing injured in the most comical ways and always being the subject of gratuitous violence. In 2013, the franchise was given a reboot, that once again delved into the nasty side of the franchise and abandoned the more comical elements. Now, a decade on, it looks like theEvil Deadis going to deliver its most extreme entry to date. In closing off the SXSW event, Lee Cronin commented on his joy at being part of theEvil Dead’snext bloody chapter. He said:
“I’m very proud of getting to be additive to what the guys created in the past, but also to forge new paths. As I’ve said many times, I’m a fan and I want the fans to be happy, I want them to feel the DNA of an ‘Evil Dead’ movie, but I also want there to be people that feel like I did when I was nine years old. I think getting to add to that legacy and hopefully bring through a new generation will allow for this type of story to continue being made.”
