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Horror Happenings: ASH VS. EVIL DEAD Casts Female Lead and more!

Happy Sunday, horror nerds! Welcome back to Horror Happenings. We’ve got lots of interesting news about what’s next for a slew of genre actors, writers and directors including more Ash vs. Evil Dead casting, Scarlett Johansson’s next and indie favorites Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett heading into The Woods this spring.

Ash vs. Evil Dead Casts Sleepy Hollow Guest Star As Female Lead

Jill Marie Jones, best known from the TV series Girlfriends and appearing as Cynthia Irving on Sleepy Hollow for two seasons, has been announced as Bruce Campbell’s co-star in the upcoming 10-part Starz series Ash vs. Evil Dead. According to The Hollywood Reporter, Jones will play “Amanda Fisher, a disgraced Michigan state trooper who, following the grisly murder of her partner, sets out to find Ash and prove his responsibility for the crime. But as she soon learns, Ash and his cohorts may be mankinds only hope against the plague of the evil dead.”

Jones’ casting comes on the heels of the announcement that Ray Santiago and Dana DeLorenzo will round out the cast as Ash’s sidekicks. Sam Raimi will direct the pilot and produce alongside Campbell and Bob Tapert.

The Psychopath Test, Starring Scarlett Johansson, Hires Screenwriter

Universal Pictures appears to be taking their deep dive into genre fare pretty seriously. In addition to partnering with Blumhouse Productions for ultra-low budget horror on both film and television, and Legendary Pictures to produce thrillers like As Above, So Below and Crimson Peak, the studio has hired screenwriter Kristin Gore to pen the adaptation of The Psychopath Test based on the novel of the same name by Jon Ronson, Deadline is reporting. Kristin Gore’s writing credits include Futurama and Saturday Night Live. She is also the daughter of former Vice President of the United States Al Gore.

Set to star Scarlett Johansson and to be directed by Jay Roach, The Psychopath Test, according to Deadline, centers around “how the medical community tries to diagnose and classify an elusive group: remorseless, deadly psychopaths. They say one out of every hundred people is a psychopath, devoid of empathy, manipulative, deceitful, charming, seductive, and delusional. The book explores their world and the madness industry.”

You’re Next Team Return to Horror to Make The Woods for Lionsgate

In a bit of news that broke earlier this month, genre favorites Adam Wingard and Simon Barrett are returning to horror for their next film titled The Woods. After directing the pilot for the Showtime adaptation of the Robert Kirkman comics Outcast, Wingard will direct the original script written by Barrett for Lionsgate. The Hollywood Reporter notes that the film will likely go into production this spring with a mostly unknown cast which has not been announced yet. The pair last teamed up on my favorite movie of 2014 The Guest and are currently signed on to remake I Saw The Devil for an American audience.

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Comments

  1. DiverDan says:

    Every story seems to say- “Casts female lead” feels more opportunistic than thoughtful in media right now.  Absolutely more diverse characters but this doesn’t feel entirely genuine.

  2. TJ Heesch says:

    uh…isn’t Outcast with Cinemax? might want to hire a fact checker, Nerdist…I’ll fax you my resume…