Being one of the most famous cult film franchises in the world, it’s no surprise thatEvil Deadhas a fanbase as varied and outlandish as the films themselves, and soon, those fans will star in a film of their own.Hail to the Deadites, anEvil Deaddocumentary focused on the franchise’s dedicated followers, will be premiering next month as part of the Fantasia International Film Festivals virtual show beginning on the 20th of August.
A guided look into the world ofEvil Deadsuperfans,Hail to the Deaditesis chock-full of interviews with some of the franchise’s biggest fans, wackiest personalities, and even includes familiar faces likeEvil Deadstar Bruce Campbell. The documentary seeks to be an investigation into the ever-growing fanbase of a franchise that has risen far beyond its creators' expectations, and transformed into a cultural phenomenon in its own right.
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Don’t go in expecting a deep dive on the making of the films however;Hail to the Deaditesis narrow in its focus on the fans. Filmmaker Steve Villeneuve has made it clear that the documentary will not feature any footage from the actual films, and that this was a deliberate choice: “This is what I’ve been aiming for since day one, I’m really proud to say that everything you will see or hear in this documentary was created by the fans.”
This is not the first documentary to explore the nature and concept of fandoms and how they interact with their favorite properties. Famously,The People Vs. George Lucasexplored the push and pull relationship between an artist’s original vision and the fans' love for that franchise. Bruce Campbell himself made a similar short film titledFanalysiswhich also gaveEvil Deadfans a turn in the spotlight. And then there’sTrekkies.
Despite the occasional stumble, theEvil Deadbrand is still going strong between the recently finishedAsh Vs. Evil Deadseries, and the planned filmEvil Dead Rise.Until the next film finally releases,Hail to the Deaditesshould giveEvil Deadfans yet another fun look into their favorite films from a slightly different perspective.
Hail to the Deaditeswill premiere virtually in August as part of the Fantasia International Film Festival starting August 20th.
