Sam Raimi blocks unauthorized 'Evil Dead' sequel

Director Sam Raimi unleashed his legal boomstick upon a small production company who attempted to release an unauthorized sequel to his classic horror trilogy 'The Evil Dead'.

A company called Award Pictures had hoped to make 'Evil Dead 4: Consequences' without the input of series director Raimi or lead actor (and cult favourite) Bruce Campbell.

Upon hearing this in May, Renaissance Pictures, a production company founded in 1979 by Raimi, producer Robert Tapert and actor-producer Campbell sued, as it was infringing upon Raimi's alleged plan to make his own sequel for Sony Pictures and FilmDistrict.

Award Pictures president Glenn MacCrae, despite not having enough funds to defend in court, still plans to challenge a default judgment that permanently enjoins Award Pictures from using the "Evil Dead" trademark or "using marketing materials that might confuse the public into believing that Award has rights to the title" the Hollywood Reporter stated.

Award Pictures had said that Raimi's company had failed to establish proper control of the rights as variations on the theme have been used nearly a dozen times since their seminal 1981 classic.

Award Pictures also recalled a book from 2000 in which Raimi said that he was done with the 'Evil Dead' series and would not be making a sequel, citing this as proof that Renaissance had no intention of using the name for themselves (despite a sequel/prequel currently being in the works with the involvement of Raimi and Campbell).

When the court case arrived, Award couldn't get together the cash to defend themselves. They said that securing legal costs would not have been an issue had the film gone ahead. Instead their multi-million dollar finance deal with Anchor Bay, which was "destroyed" by "fraudulent claims of ownership of the rights to The Evil Dead."
 

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