Evil Dead Remake - Now With Director & Writer

Neither of which are Sam Raimi, thankfully.

After all these years and all those ceaseless Internet rumors, a new Evil Dead movie is for real this time with Raimi, Rob Tapert and the Chin himself (Bruce Campbell) serving as producers for Fede Alvarez directing (as scooped by Bloody Disgusting yesterday and whose awesome short-film Panic Attack! apparently got him the job) and indie-darling-turned-fanboy punchbag Diablo Cody writing.

Here's the press release:

"Sam Raimi and original producing partners Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell (who also starred in the original franchise) are gearing up to remake their cult sensation The Evil Dead through their long standing Ghost House Pictures partnership. Raimi and Tapert were such instant fans of Fede Alvarez's short film 'Panic Attack' that they set up a blind deal with the filmmaker and through that process have attached Fede Alvarez to write and direct the film. Alvarez wrote the script with Rodo Sayagues. Academy Award-winning screenwriter Diablo Cody is currently doing revisions on the draft. Ghost House is committed to renewing the franchise and has the film on the fast track.

Raimi, Tapert and Campbell will serve as producers. Ghost House Pictures partners Joe Drake and Nathan Kahane will executive produce. Nicole Brown and J.R. Young will oversee the project for Ghost House. Lionsgate will handle international sales on the film.

The three producing partners commented, 'We are committed to making this movie and are inspired by the enduring popularity and enthusiasm for the 'Evil Dead' series. We can't wait to scare a new generation of moviegoers using filmmaking techniques that were not available to us thirty years ago as well as Fede bringing a fresh eye to the film’s original elements.'

Raimi wrote, directed and, along with Tapert and Campbell, produced the original horror classi c The Evil Dead that tells the story of five twenty-something friends who become holed up in a remote cabin where they discover a Book Of The Dead. An archaeologist's tape recording reveals that the ancient text was discovered among the Khandarian ruins of a Sumerian civilization. Playing the taped incantations, the youths unwittingly summon up dormant demons living in the nearby woods, which possess the youngsters in succession until only one is left intact to fight for survival. The Evil Dead spawned a franchise with the equally successful installments Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness."

Good on those guys to be wise enough to know if a new Evil Dead must be made, hand it off to younger, fresh-faced talent with something new to bring to the table. Just don't shoe-horn in a Campbell cameo, please.