'WW' saw all the trade articles about Sam Raimi and Robert Tapert remaking "Evil Dead" the other day and drops in a follow-up rumour:

"I was one of the several dozen that submitted a Freddy vs Jason sequel treatment to New Line back in November 2003. It ended up that one of the execs there had his treatment - "Freddy vs Jason vs Ash" - met most favorably (saves starting up another payroll for an outsider you see?) and it was the one that was all set to go. Then things changed...

They began negotiations with Sam Raimi. I understand that as soon as Raimi saw that there was some interest in his Evil Dead franchise, he started thinking about other possibilities for the character and the remake idea was born out of that, and at the end of the day - money talked. He gets a bigger stake in ownership this way, whereas NL wanted a 'hand your character over to us' handshake. They were trying to work out a way they could both win, but it just didn't come off.

Anyway, Senator International is doing the new series of "Evil Dead" movies. And nope, Bruce Campbell - besides a cameo I assume - isn't going to playing Ash. Not sure whether that's the financing parties decision or Raimi's. Guessing the suits made the call. One name being thrown about for the part of Ash is a guy named Justin Theroux from "Charlies Angels: Full Throttle" and "Mulholland Drive". Will be interesting to see how the fans take to him and the new start in general".

Thanks to 'WW'