The Evil Dead franchise has long been synonymous with copious amounts of blood, particularly the most recent entries in the franchise. 2013’s Evil Dead and 2023’s Evil Dead Rise both built to climaxes that utilized literally gallons of blood, making for two memorable conclusions. Director Sébastien Vaniček’s upcoming entry Evil Dead Burn reportedly uses far less blood, but may wind up being one of the most memorable entries in the franchise due to his escalation of the brutal violence that has marked each Evil Dead movie.
Vaniček broke onto the horror scene with his memorable creature feature Infested, which has been hailed as an all-time arachnophobic experience for those who have been brave enough to watch it all the way through. He was handpicked by franchise creator Sam Raimi to continue the tradition of up-and-coming horror directors trying their hand at crafting a narrative focused on the diabolical Deadites that first appeared in Raimi’s cult classic The Evil Dead. As the release date for Evil Dead Burn draws nearer, horror fans should take notice of a comparison that Vaniček made when asked about the style behind his upcoming supernatural spine-tingler.
‘Evil Dead Burn’ Director Sébastien Vaniček Wanted To Channel the Violence of ‘American History X’s Most Infamous Scene
In an interview with the French magazine Premiere following the conclusion of filming in December 2025, Vaniček provided some details on what audiences can expect from Evil Dead Burn when it hits theaters in July. While he didn’t reveal any hints about the plot, he compared his film to the rest of the franchise:
It may be the least bloody of the Evil Dead films, but undoubtedly the most violent and brutal. Let’s just say I’m aiming more for the unsettling feeling of the famous teeth-on-the-sidewalk scene from American History X than excessive gore.
For those unfamiliar with the scene, it involves a man forcing another man to bite a curb, and with his mouth wide open, stomping on the back of his head. It’s a stomach-churning, viscerally repugnant instance of violence, and it certainly provides a good touchpoint for what Vaniček is attempting to accomplish with Evil Dead Burn. Each Evil Dead movie has had its own memorable moments in which the Deadites mutilate either the host body they’ve invaded or an uninfected individual trying to escape their chaos, but Vaniček’s comparison should certainly put horror fans on notice.
‘Evil Dead Burn’ Continues the Brilliant Tonal Change for the Franchise
Since the release of Fede Álvarez’s Evil Dead in 2013, Evil Dead fans have debated whether the lack of camp betrays what makes the Evil Dead franchise special. While the first three Evil Dead movies starring Bruce Campbell’s Ash Williams were undoubtedly gory and scary, they were also positively loaded with camp, to the point that some scenes were outright silly. The two most recent entries in the franchise have shifted the ratio, still including moments of twisted humor but undoubtedly leaning heavier into hardcore horror.
The first teaser trailer for Evil Dead Burn certainly looks as though it will continue along that path, especially with Vaniček’s comparison in mind. In the Premiere interview, the French filmmaker noted that his movie will have even more humor than Evil Dead Rise did, which is certainly encouraging for those who hope to keep the mischievous spirit of Evil Dead intact in each new movie. However, if the franchise kept the silliness dialed up with each new entry, the concept would have grown stale already. Allowing new filmmakers to bring their own style of scares to the franchise is a brilliant way to keep the series moving forward and feeling fresh.
