From Variety...

"Spider-Man 2" director Sam Raimi and original producing partners Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell are reteaming to produce a remake of the cult hit "The Evil Dead" through Ghost House Pictures, the joint venture of Raimi, Tapert and Senator Intl.

Raimi wrote, directed and produced the 1981 "Dead," which tells of five twentysomething friends holed up in a remote cabin who discover a Book of the Dead. When an archaeologist's taped translation of the text and its incantations is replayed, the youths unwittingly summon dormant demons that possess them.

Raimi will not direct the remake, so Ghost House is looking for a helmer to reinvent the franchise before a script is written.

Original pic spawned subsequent installments "Evil Dead II" and "Army of Darkness."

"Dead" will be fully financed by Senator Intl., which will hold worldwide rights to pic. Exec VP of motion pictures Nathan Kahane will oversee the pic for Senator.

" 'The Evil Dead' is such a special film to Sam, Rob, Bruce and horror fans that we are going to take great care in renewing this franchise," said Joe Drake, Senator Intl. prexy. "By keeping its original formula intact and given audiences' appetite for horror, we expect that we'll have a real hit on our hands."

Pic follows Ghost House's first horror release, "The Grudge," which has grossed more than $100 million worldwide to date.

Senator and Ghost House are developing a sequel to "Grudge."

Other upcoming pics include "Dibbuk Box" from the Pang brothers; "Scarecrow"; "30 Days of Night," in partnership with Columbia; and "Boogeyman," to be released by Screen Gems in February."

Um.

Why?

Not only is it wholly unnecessary and just won't capture the same magic Bruce Campbell had...

... it's been done before! It was called EVIL DEAD 2!

Um...that's terrible. I haven't minded most of these remakes, but I want Evil Dead 4, not a remake.

What what WHAT?!

Christ, why the fuck doesnt raimi just stop dicking around, get one or two million bucks together and make a fucking low-budget Evil Dead 4 already.

This shit makes that Freddy/Jason/Ash brainfart actually sound good.

Okay, this sucks. A remake, as others have said, is totally pointless. Without Raimi directing or Campbell starring, it's not even worth the little brain power to think "gee, we should remake The EVil Dead."

I wan't Evil Dead 4 or Raimi to recant his decision regarding Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash.

Has there ever been a remake that starred the original actor in the same role?

Why not just make "Evil Dead 4"? Perhaps a new group of unsuspecting students could rent the cabin and all hell breaks loose......hmmm. I guess that sounds like a remake

Actual article doesn't match the subject header:

Ditto.

Wow, didn't see that one coming. I'm not sure why they thought fans wanted this instead of Evil Dead 4 (or Army of Darkness 2), but if it's got Bruce Campbell in it, I'll probably be duped into seeing it anyway.

Also, if they're looking for someone to direct, I've said it before and I'll say it again....Don Conscarelli.

Oh well, figured it'd happen sooner or later.

oh good grief, give it a rest?!

as someone said in another thread...has Hollywood just completely run out of ideas? Sam Raimi is just so much bigger than he ever dreamed he could be with the "Spider-Man" franchise why in the world would he ever think to remake something that is so true and so campy and so much fun the way it is?

he made something so out of the ordinary way back when and it followed with 2 very decent sequels that all have gone on to great cult status. it put him and Campbell on the proverbial map and they should remain untettered and unfooled around with. this is so bad on so many levels it is not even funny. leave it alone for goodness sake. why desecrate something so pure and so schlocky simply to make a buck? i mean i don't even see any logic behind it, Raimi certainly doesn't need the money and his producorial pursuits are already panning out with movies like "The Grudge"

I could see this being remade if the rights had gotten squandered and someone, some company other than him were to do it simply to make the quick $, but for him to remake his own cinematic claim to fame is just plain stupid and just plain silly!!

What the hell? Don't make a new sequel to your baby but do another sequel to Spiderman instead..........yeah, good job Sammy.

I will say this though, If Sam is looking over this one with more than a watchfull eye......It may have a chance, there, I said it......................but I'm still pissed off.

he would be my pick as well.

Dang, this sounds pretty weak...but I'd love to direct an Evil Dead remake! I probably wouldn't go see it unless the trailer was awe inspiring but hopefully it won't suck (ala The Grudge)

MATT

Yet another vote for "Wasn't that what Evil Dead 2 was?"

Oh, WTF . . . let Ang Lee direct it . . .

(Anybody want to bet that this becomes the directorial debut of Bruce Campbell? Or has he directed something already? Why do I care?)

Penelope Cruz in Open Your Eyes/Vanilla Sky.

Gerard Depardieu in My Father, The Hero.

Does Sean Connery in Never Say Never Again count?

[stabs himself in the eyes]

Aintitcoolnews sort of eludes that Takashi Miike (sic?) could be directing it. Certainly getting someone as extreme as him could make this interesting, but Evil Dead movies are so closely associated with Sam Raimi that its certainly a big "if".

This may be the worst idea since Pepsi Holiday Spice. Why remake something that was classic by virtue of its very "indie-ness" and "low-fi" scale? And for that matter, Raimi remade ED already when he did ED 2. Feh. Suck idea all around. pass.

Also Jean Reno in The Visitors/Just Visiting.

well that would be interesting but I personally don't believe it for a sec, if Miike were to do a remake, expect the remake to be just as gory or more so. What an appropriate director to deliver the grue! NC-17, baby!!