Production Budget Analysis

What was the production budget for Evil Dead Rise?

Directed by Lee Cronin, with Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies leading the cast, Evil Dead Rise was produced by New Line Cinema with a confirmed budget of $15,000,000, placing it in the low-budget category for horror films.

At $15,000,000, Evil Dead Rise was produced on a modest budget. Lower-budget films benefit from reduced break-even thresholds, with profitability achievable at approximately $37,500,000.

Budget Comparison — Similar Productions

• A Dangerous Method (2011): Budget $15,000,000 | Gross $27,462,041 → ROI: 83% • Ben-Hur (1959): Budget $15,000,000 | Gross $164,000,000 → ROI: 993% • Land of the Dead (2005): Budget $15,000,000 | Gross $47,074,133 → ROI: 214% • Into the Wild (2007): Budget $15,000,000 | Gross $56,255,142 → ROI: 275% • King's Ransom (2005): Budget $15,000,000 | Gross $4,139,856 → ROI: -72%

Key Budget Allocation Categories

▸ Practical Effects, Prosthetics & Makeup Horror productions invest disproportionately in practical effects — prosthetic applications, animatronics, blood and gore effects, and creature suits. A single hero creature suit can cost $50,000–200,000.

▸ Atmospheric Production Design & Cinematography Creating dread through environment is essential. Abandoned locations must be secured and dressed, lighting rigs designed for shadow and tension, and sets built to enable specific camera movements and reveals.

▸ Sound Design & Score Horror is arguably the most sound-dependent genre. Foley work, ambient textures, frequency manipulation, and jump-scare stingers require specialized sound designers working with unconventional techniques.

Key Production Personnel

CAST: Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols, Nell Fisher Key roles: Lily Sullivan as Beth; Alyssa Sutherland as Ellie; Morgan Davies as Danny; Gabrielle Echols as Bridget

DIRECTOR: Lee Cronin CINEMATOGRAPHY: Dave Garbett MUSIC: Stephen McKeon EDITING: Bryan Shaw PRODUCTION: New Line Cinema, Pacific Renaissance Pictures, Renaissance Pictures, Ghost House Pictures, Wild Atlantic Pictures FILMED IN: Ireland, New Zealand, United States of America

Box Office Performance

Evil Dead Rise earned $67,233,054 domestically and $79,923,318 internationally, for a worldwide total of $147,156,372. Revenue was split 46% domestic / 54% international.

Break-Even Analysis

Using the industry-standard 2.5x multiplier (P&A + exhibitor shares of 40–50% + distribution fees), Evil Dead Rise needed approximately $37,500,000 to break even. The film surpassed this threshold by $109,656,372.

Return on Investment (ROI)

Revenue: $147,156,372 Budget: $15,000,000 Net: $132,156,372 ROI: 881.0%

Profitability Assessment

VERDICT: Highly Profitable

Evil Dead Rise was a clear financial success, generating $147,156,372 worldwide against a $15,000,000 production budget — a 881% ROI. After estimated marketing costs, the film still delivered substantial profit to New Line Cinema.

INDUSTRY IMPACT

The outsized success of Evil Dead Rise likely influenced studio greenlight decisions for similar horror projects.

PRODUCTION NOTES

▸ Casting

In May 2021, it was reported that Australian actresses Alyssa Sutherland and Lily Sullivan had been cast in the lead roles. In June 2021, Gabrielle Echols, Morgan Davies, and Nell Fisher were added to the cast. In July 2021, Mia Challis was reported to have joined the cast.

▸ Pre-Production

In October 2019, Raimi announced at New York Comic Con that a new Evil Dead film was in development. Robert G. Tapert was set to produce, while Raimi and Campbell served as executive producers only, all under their Ghost House Pictures banner. In June 2020, Campbell revealed that Lee Cronin was handpicked by Raimi to write and direct the film, then titled Evil Dead Now, after Cronin previously collaborated with Raimi on the horror streaming series 50 States of Fright. In May 2021, New Line Cinema (who distributed the first film) had picked up the film, with it scheduled to be released on HBO Max and retitled Evil Dead Rise.

▸ Filming & Locations

Principal photography began in New Zealand on June 6, 2021, with Dave Garbett serving as cinematographer. Garbett previously served as a cinematographer on several episodes of Ash vs Evil Dead, as well as production designer Nick Bassett. Interior settings, including the inside of the apartment building, the parking garage, and the underground bank vault, were constructed sets in a rented warehouse space in Mount Wellington. The opening sequence at the cabin and lake was shot on private property outside of Auckland; the exterior of the cabin, which was only a façade, was built on location, while the cabin's interior was built in the warehouse in Mount Wellington. Filming officially wrapped on October 27, 2021.

Cronin stated the film used over of fake blood. The fake blood is a mixture of food-based dyes, high fructose corn syrup, and water, a recipe used by special effects supervisor Brendon Durey. The bathroom in Beth's apartment was built on hydraulics to allow the set to shake. in which blood pours out from the elevator into the building's lobby, took place on a full-size set made partly from plywood. Cronin stated, "The cleanup would take about eight hours, and so if we didn't get it the first time, we would clean up and then shoot it again at the end of the day. But we got it in the first pass."

[Filming] Principal photography began in New Zealand on June 6, 2021, with Dave Garbett serving as cinematographer. Garbett previously served as a cinematographer on several episodes of Ash vs Evil Dead, as well as production designer Nick Bassett. Interior settings, including the inside of the apartment building, the parking garage, and the underground bank vault, were constructed sets in a rented warehouse space in Mount Wellington.

▸ Post-Production

The editing of the film's visual components took over six months to complete, in an editing suite in Cronin's hometown of Dublin. In March 2022, Cronin tweeted that the picture editing process had been completed, writing: "Onto music composition and sound design we go."

▸ Music & Score

In April 2022, Stephen McKeon was announced to be composing the score, after collaborating with Cronin on The Hole in the Ground (2019).

AWARDS & RECOGNITION

Summary: 4 wins & 32 nominations total

Additional Recognition: Evil Dead Rise was nominated in three categories at the 2023 Golden Trailer Awards: the film itself for Best Horror, and "You" (Buddha Jones) and "Free" (Level Up AV) for Best Horror TV Spot (for a Feature Film). It won the latter category for "Click Review" (MOCEAN). The film became a runner-up for Best Horror at the 6th Hollywood Critics Association Midseason Film Awards. At the 51st Saturn Awards, the film received two nominations for Best Horror Film and Best Make-up. Sutherland was nominated for Best Actress in a Horror Movie and Best Villain in a Movie, while the film was nominated for Best Horror Movie at the 4th Critics' Choice Super Awards.

CRITICAL RECEPTION

Audiences surveyed by CinemaScore gave the film an average grade of "B" on an A+ to F scale, while those polled by PostTrak gave it a 71% positive score, with 57% saying they would definitely recommend it.