Meet the Family: Take a Look at the Cast of Characters That Will Fight to Survive in “Evil Dead Burn”

Evil Dead Burn, the newest and most intense installment of the iconic Evil Dead franchise, keeps the horror intimate as the nightmare unfolds on a grieving family. Director Sébastien Vaniček wants to treat audiences with a brand new set of characters and dynamics. “I wanted to immediately introduce a new generation of characters, and have the audience quickly understand their connections to each other: two brothers, a wife, a girlfriend, a birthday, a cake, a party. There’s a lot of dynamism in that scene, which I think prepares the audience for the energy of what’s coming next,” says Vaniček.

Watch the official trailer: https://youtu.be/Q_sJqu-bYiA

In Evil Dead Burn, a widow stays with her in-laws to cope with their collective loss. One by one, they are transformed into Deadites, demonic corrupted spirits, and turn the family reunion into a gathering from hell. 

SOUHEILA YACOUB as Alice in “Evil Dead Burn”

At the center of the story is Alice, played by Souheila Yacoub. Grieving her deceased husband Will and trapped with a family she barely knows, she is forced to survive a curse from beyond the grave. Yacoub empathises with her character, speaking on the trials Alice goes through in the film. “I remember how I felt after the reading… I was really exhausted and tired. There was a lot going on, especially for my character. I couldn’t stop reading. It was like ‘When does it end?… again, again, again, again, action again, blood again!’ I felt bad for Alice!”

She also praises Vaniček for the originality of the script, saying “There are so many things I’ve never seen before. I really admire Sébastien’s boldness. It doesn’t feel like a conventional horror movie. It’s rough, it’s hard, and it’s full of surprises.”

Tandi Wright plays Susan, Alice’s mother-in-law whose composure buries a shameful past. “As a child, growing up, Susan and Polly (Susan’s mother) were dealing with her father in the story, who was like the local crazy man. There’s such deep shame, embarrassment and a lifetime of mortification. So, I think she spent so much of her life trying to be as normal as possible and to be in control of everything as much as possible,” Wright shares.

HUNTER DOOHAN as Joseph in “Evil Dead Burn”

Joseph, the younger brother of Will, is tied to a cursed legacy that seemingly can’t be stopped. Played by Hunter Doohan, the actor shares his character’s ties to an earlier Evil Dead film. “Our family falls victim to the Evil Dead—it’s  kind of tied into our family history. Joseph’s grandfather worked with Professor Knowby from Evil Dead II and was researching this evil. It’s just been following us for generations.”

Doohan also loved working with Vaniček, and how he collaborated with the cast through the challenging film. “Séb is amazing as a director. His storytelling is so visceral. As crazy as the situation in the script was, it really focused on the genuine horror and pain and loss that these characters are going through. So, I just completely trusted him in guiding us in this one.”

Luciane Buchanan plays Joseph’s girlfriend Thya, who is also pulled along for the ride with the untimely death of her boyfriend’s brother. Buchanan talks about Thya’s perspective as an outsider from the family, “As Joseph’s girlfriend, she’s a newcomer. Early on, one of the family members goes through an unfortunate event, which then trickles throughout the family. It does not discriminate as it finds its way through them, and all hell breaks loose.”

LUCIANE BUCHANAN as Thya in “Evil Dead Burn”

Edgar is the father of Will, and his grief sets things in motion for Evil Dead Burn. Erroll Shand plays the distraught father, and he shares the moment everything starts to go downhill. “Edgar goes to see his son in the crematorium, and that kinda sets everything in motion. On day one, it was me cracking open the coffin lid without any idea what was going to come out… You’re in the world of imagination and you just have to.”

Maude Davey plays the 85-year-old matriarch of the family, Polly. Her story with her late husband shapes the rocky foundations the family is built upon. “Polly’s late husband is the link to the other films – he became the family embarrassment, the local loonie, and I think Polly’s been driven mad by the Evil Dead as well,” says Davey.

The death that started it all. Will’s demise haunts the family in different ways, most notably his wife Alice. “We were careful not to make Will just a one note. He’s extremely controlling, somewhat manipulative, sometimes without even realizing it. Sometimes being in a relationship can actually be a hell of its own making,” says George Pullar, who plays Will.  

See which one survives hell on earth as “Evil Dead Burn” arrives in Philippine cinemas on July 8, rated R-18 with no cuts.