We recently reported that the lead role in the Evil Dead remake had been filled. The protagonist for the new version of the classic film is female, a rather interesting change from the original script.
That casting originally went to Lily Collins, a talented actress who has been rising in fame thanks to a few key roles including the lead in Mirror Mirror, Relativity Media’s upcoming Snow White adaptation.
She was forced to drop out of the production however, due to a change in the shooting schedule for another project, and now we’ve learned who her replacement will be.
Jane Levy will take on the role of Mia, a troubled young woman who is brought out into the woods by her friends as a way to help her break a bad drug habit. While there, the Book of the Dead is discovered, and the teens release the spirits of several demons. Of course, a big sub-plot of the film will involve some characters who aren’t sure just where Mia’s withdrawal symptoms end and where the evil begins.
Levy is mostly known for her role on Suburgatory as Tessa, beyond that she’s done a few television episodes and a TV movie. She’s also playing a part in the upcomming film Fun Size, which is in post production. Nothing on her short resume suggests she can do horror, so hopefully she can pull off a goods scream or two, if the new script requires it.
We also have news that the romantic lead role has been filled. Shiloh Fernandez will take on the role, though no name or description has been given yet for the character.
Fernandez has a slightly fuller looking resume than Levy, but is still mostly unknown for his roles. You might remember him as Sean, Bonnie’s punk boyfriend, in the short-live Jericho television series.
No further cast has yet been confirmed, but I’d expect the remaining roles to be filled within the next few weeks, as the production team wants to start shooting as soon as possible.
As a side-note, director Fede Alvarez has shared this photo of the remote New Zealand forest the crew will be using to film the horror flick.
Evil Dead should kick off production soon, in theNew Zealand forest pictured below, and is slated to hit theaters on April 12, 2013.
