A lesser-known Sam Raimihorrorfilm,Drag Me to Hell, may get a new sequel from Ghost House Pictures.
Recognized best for hishorror/comedy franchiseThe Evil Dead, Raimi is arguably one of the chief creatives behind the horror of the past half-century, including as a producer on films like30 Days of Night(2007) andThe Grudge1(2004) and2(2006). A lesser-known film directed by Raimi himself,Drag Me to Hell, released in 2009, involved the famed director’s much-awaited return to directing horror after other, less gore-filled projects, includingthe 2000sSpider-Mantrilogyand 1998’sA Simple Plan.Drag Me To Hellfollows a young banker (Alison Lohman) cursed by an old woman after she refuses to extend a mortgage. The heroine must defeat the curse while pursued by a terrifying ancient demon, the Lamia.
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In a recentReddit AMAto promote his upcomingAdam Driver dinosaur thriller,65, Raimi fielded an inquiry about the possibility of aDrag Me to Hellsequel. His response revealed that its development is underway with Ghost House Pictures' Romel Adam and Jose Canas. “[They] are trying to come up with a story that would work and I’m anxious to hear if they do,” Raimi said.
While the ending of the originalDrag Me to Helldid not seem promising for its heroine, who fails to break the curse correctly and is dragged in the final seconds into hell as the film’s title promises, it is also complicated by the fact of Lohman’s reported retirement from acting, which makes the return of her character even less likely.ScreenRantpoints to the possibility of the sequel following her character’s boyfriend, played by Justin Long, who has become a horror favorite. His recent part inthe critically acclaimedBarbarianmay mean he would be a good bet for pulling in interest inDrag Me to Hell 2that a new or unknown lead could not.
The other challenge toDrag Me to Hell 2may be Raimi’s packed schedule, which includes producing several projects underway and coming soon, including the latestEvil Deadsequel,Evil Dead Rise, and65, due out this spring. While not as widely known asRaimi’sEvil Deadfranchise,Drag Me To Helloften makes lists of horror favorites, which means there is likely already interest in seeing a sequel, particularly with Raimi in the director’s chair.
