Evil Dead Rise Post-Credits Tease Is A Brilliant Sam Raimi Tribute

Evil Dead Rise has a small post-credits tease that quietly works as a perfect Sam Raimi tribute. Although Raimi didn’t direct Evil Dead Rise, the film is based on his beloved original horror trilogy. Raimi was still involved, serving as the executive producer on the 2023 film. Directed by Fede Alvarez, Evil Dead Rise is a fresh approach to the material that shifts focus to a brand new cast of characters being terrorized by the Deadites. A grisly reimagining of the original premise, Evil Dead Rise features several tributes to the hallmarks of Sam Raimi’s iconic directorial approach.

Some of these come in the form of easter eggs or references to earlier Evil Dead films. The film even found a way to subtly include perennial Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell in the cast as an unnamed priest heard in a recording. One other small touch is included at the very end of the film, and it quietly is the most subtle and effective connective tissue tying the new movie to the original films. Here is how Evil Dead Rise thematically connects to the other Evil Dead movies through a sound effect.

What Happens In Evil Dead Rise’s Credits

Every Evil Dead Movie Has Featured The Same Credits Element

Although Evil Dead Rise doesn’t have a post-credits scene, it does have a post-credits sound effect. At the conclusion of the credits, audiences can hear a buzzing fly in the background. This stinger was missed by many, as Evil Dead movies typically don’t have post-credits scenes, Bruce Campbell’s cameo in 2013’s Evil Dead being the exception. Although the sound of this fly may seem innocuous, it actually continues a hidden Evil Dead trademark.

The sound of a fly buzzing after the credits has been in every movie within the Evil Dead franchise. The noise can be heard at the very end of the credits for The Evil Dead, as well as 2013’s Evil Dead remake. The sound effect was also featured in Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness. While a fly appears early in Evil Dead Rise, the post-credits stinger is a direct callback to the other films in the series, and cements the thematic connection between them.

What The Fly Buzzing Sound Means In The Evil Dead Franchise

The Easter Egg Has Multiple Meanings

At the end of the credits for Evil Dead Rise, a fly can be heard buzzing around. Although it is a small detail, the sound o has a deeper meaning in the Evil Dead franchise. When asked about the fly sound during his Bruce-O-Rama 2023 tour (and subsequently posted to Reddit), series star Bruce Campbell explained the fly. According to Campbell, Sam Raimi liked the idea of audiences being a fly on the wall of the cabin, watching the grisly events of The Evil Dead. Thus, it became a tradition to add the sound to every Evil Dead film.

On top of that, the fly has a more obvious connection to the franchise’s theme of death. Flies are attracted to decomposing bodies, and historically are treated as portents of death and decay — and the Evil Dead movies include copious amounts of corpses. It naturally makes sense for flies to be buzzing around in the aftermath. It’s a minor, but haunting reminder of the carnage audiences just witnessed, and a clever connective element between the films. While the fly is just one of many franchise references featured in Evil Dead Rise, it is one of the more subtle ones.

What Sam Raimi Has Said About Evil Dead Rise

Why Raimi Believes Evil Dead Rise Is A Worthy New Take On The Evil Dead

This direct connection between Evil Dead Rise and the earlier films highlights the lingering influence of Sam Raimi on the series. Raimi has been involved in the series ever since, directing and writing the first three films. He was also heavily involved in the three-season-long TV series, Ash vs. the Evil Dead. Raimi and Bruce Campbell were Executive Producers on Evil Dead Rise, but were far less involved than they’d been with previous entries. Still, the success of Evil Dead Rise was something Raimi celebrated as a worthy continuation of the series.

Speaking with Geeks of Color about the film, Raimi revealed his belief that Evil Dead Rise was “a revitalization of the Evil Dead movies.” Raimi and Campbell agreed the film benefited from a fresh approach that felt true to the originals, with Raimi explaining “we had to find somebody who really liked the Evil Dead movies, understood what made them work, was a fan of them but still wanted to break out and find some new territory for the audience.” The buzzing after the credits of Evil Dead Rise underscore this deep understanding Fede Alvarez brought to the franchise.

Via:Reddit, Geeks of Color