In a recent Ask Me Anything (AMA) thread on Reddit, Evil Dead Burn director/co-writer Sébastien Vaniček dished about what IP he’d like to adapt. The filmmaker would like to make a more authentic adaptation of The Mask comics. While Jim Carrey’s rubber-faced antics were perfect for playing the story off as a comedy in the 1994 film version. Vaniček has something darker in mind.
“If you could make any movie about any intellectual property (other than the Evil Dead) what would you choose?” Senorpuddin asks.
“I think I would dig into THE MASK, but make it closer to the comic books. The comic books are actually very, very violent and dark,” Vaniček explains.
The Mask
The Mask is a 4-issue series that debuted in 1991. It’s created by Mike Richardson and developed by Doug Mahnke and John Arcudi. Published by Dark Horse Comics, it tells the story of Mitch Kellaway, a detective in Edge City. He’s given a mask by a woman named Kathy, who says it belonged to her recently deceased boyfriend, Stanley Ipkiss. The comic became well-known for it’s over the top violence, something that was made much more slapstick in the film adaptation.
Given Vaniček’s first film, 2023’s Infested, and his recent addition to the Evil Dead franchise, it’s not like dark and heavy material would be new territory for him.
Evil Dead Burn centers around a grieving widow who uses the Necronomicon at her in-laws’ secluded home in search of comfort. It’s not too long before Deadites start showing up and taking over one by one. Not exactly breezy topics.
You can catch Vaniček’s Evil Dead Burn exclusively in theaters. We’ll keep you posted on whether his version of The Mask ever enters development.
