Sam Raimi
Sam Raimi | |
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![]() Raimi in 2014 | |
Born | Samuel M. Raimi October 23, 1959 Royal Oak, Michigan, U.S. |
Occupation |
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Years active | 1972–present |
Spouse(s) | Gillian Greene (m. 1993) |
Children | 5 |
Relatives | Ted Raimi (brother) Ivan Raimi (brother) Lorne Greene (father-in-law) |
Samuel M. Raimi[1] (/ˈreɪmi/ RAYM-ee; born October 23, 1959)[2][3] is an American film director, producer, screenwriter and actor primarily known for creating the cult horror Evil Dead series, and directing the Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007). He also directed the 1990 superhero film Darkman, the 1998 neo-noir crime-thriller A Simple Plan, the 2000 supernatural thriller film The Gift, the 2009 supernatural horror film Drag Me to Hell, and the 2013 Disney fantasy film Oz the Great and Powerful. Raimi has also produced several successful television series, including Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and its spin-off Xena: Warrior Princess. He founded the production company Renaissance Pictures in 1979. His next movie, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, is scheduled for a release on March 25, 2022.[4]
Early life[]
Raimi was born in Royal Oak, Michigan,[2] to a Conservative Jewish family.[5] He is a son of merchants Celia Barbara (née Abrams) and Leonard Ronald Raimi.[3] His ancestors were Jewish immigrants from Russia and Hungary.[6] He is an elder brother of actor Ted Raimi,[7] and a younger brother of screenwriter and physician Ivan Raimi.[6] His sister is Andrea Raimi Rubin.[8] Another older brother, Sander, died at 15 in an accidental drowning; Raimi has said that the trauma knitted the remaining family closer together and "colour[ed] everything [he's done] for the rest of [his] life."[9]
Raimi graduated from Groves High School[10] and later went on to attend Michigan State University,[11] where he studied English but left after three semesters to film The Evil Dead.
Career[]
Film[]
Raimi became fascinated with making films when his father brought a movie camera home one day. He began to make Super 8 movies with his friend Bruce Campbell, whom he met in 1975. In college, he teamed up with his brother's roommate Robert Tapert and Campbell to shoot Within the Woods (1978), a 32-minute horror film which raised $375,000, as well as his debut feature film It's Murder!. During that time, he also shot the 7-minute short film Clockwork (1978), starring Scott Spiegel, who had appeared in Within the Woods, and Cheryl Guttridge.[12][13] Through family, friends, and a network of investors, Raimi was able to finance production of the highly successful horror film The Evil Dead (1981) which became a cult hit and effectively launched Raimi's career.
He began work on his third film Crimewave (1985), which he co-wrote with the then unknown Coen brothers, shortly after. Intended as a live-action comic book, the film was unsuccessful, partly due to unwanted studio intervention. Raimi then returned to the horror genre with the seminal Evil Dead II (which added slapstick humor to the over the top horror, showcasing his love of the Three Stooges). With his brother Ivan Raimi (and crediting himself as Celia Abrams), Sam Raimi also wrote Easy Wheels (1989), which parodied the Outlaw biker film genre. A long-time comic book buff, he then attempted to adapt "The Shadow" into a movie, but was unable to secure the rights, so he created his own super-hero, Darkman (1990). The film was his first major studio picture, and was commercially successful, spawning two sequels. Through it he was still able to secure funding for Evil Dead III, which was retitled Army of Darkness and turned away almost totally from horror towards fantasy and comedy elements. Army of Darkness, the final movie in the Evil Dead trilogy, commercially underperformed, yet on video became a cult classic.
In the 1990s, Raimi moved into other genres, directing such films as the western The Quick and the Dead (starring Sharon Stone and Gene Hackman), the critically acclaimed crime thriller A Simple Plan (1998) (starring Bill Paxton and Billy Bob Thornton), and the romantic drama For Love of the Game (1999) (starring Kevin Costner).
Raimi achieved great critical and commercial success with the blockbuster Spider-Man (2002), which was adapted from the comic book series of the same name. The movie has grossed over US$800 million worldwide, spawning two sequels: Spider-Man 2 and Spider-Man 3, both directed by Raimi and each grossing approximately $800 million. After the completion of the third Spider-Man film, he planned on producing two more sequels (although Sony Pictures planned three sequels) but could not find a satisfactory script.
Raimi frequently collaborates with Joel and Ethan Coen, beginning when Joel was one of the editors of Evil Dead. The Coens co-wrote Crimewave and The Hudsucker Proxy with Raimi in the mid-1980s (though Hudsucker was not produced for almost a decade). Raimi made cameo appearances in Miller's Crossing, The Hudsucker Proxy, and with Joel Coen in Spies Like Us. The Coen brothers gave Raimi advice on shooting in snow for A Simple Plan, based on their experiences with Fargo.[14]
He worked in front of the camera in The Stand as a dimwitted hitman, John Carpenter's Body Bags as a murdered gas station attendant, and Indian Summer in what is perhaps his biggest role as a bumbling assistant to Alan Arkin. The film was written by his childhood friend, writer-director Mike Binder, and shot at the camp that they both attended when they were younger. Raimi also produced the entire English-language The Grudge franchise, based on the original Japanese films.
According to Entertainment Weekly, Raimi had expressed an interest in directing a film version of The Hobbit, the prequel to the Lord of the Rings trilogy.[15] In 2008, Guillermo del Toro was selected as the director, with Peter Jackson as the executive producer. Raimi may direct By Any Means Necessary, the next film based on the "Jack Ryan" CIA character created by Tom Clancy for Paramount Pictures. Disney also approached him to direct W.I.T.C.H.: The Movie, based on the popular comic.
Blizzard Entertainment announced on July 22, 2009 that Sam Raimi will be directing a Warcraft film.[16] However at Comic-Con International 2012, it was revealed that he would not be the one directing the World of Warcraft adaptation.[17]
On September 23, 2009, he became the producer for the British supernatural thriller Refuge, which is directed by Corin Hardy and published by Mandate Pictures.[18] He will produce the remake of the Danish thriller The Substitute, which will be directed by Scott Derrickson under his new label Spooky Pictures.[19] Raimi produced with his company Ghost House Pictures the British thriller flick Burst 3D, directed by Neil Marshall.[20]
Raimi directed Oz the Great and Powerful, which was released on March 8, 2013 by Walt Disney Pictures.[21][22] He said he would not be directing the planned sequel.[23][24]
On December 11, 2006, the website SuperHero Hype reported that director Sam Raimi and Michael Uslan would co-produce a new film version of The Shadow for Columbia Pictures.[25] On October 16, 2007, Raimi stated that: "I don't have any news on 'The Shadow' at this time, except that the company that I have with Josh Donen, my producing partner, we've got the rights to 'The Shadow.' I love the character very much and we're trying to work on a story that'll do justice to the character."[26][27]
Raimi, along with Bruce Campbell and Rob Tapert, produced the remake of Raimi's The Evil Dead. First-time feature filmmaker Fede Álvarez wrote and directed, and Diablo Cody was also brought in to revise/rewrite the script.[28] Raimi confirmed plans to write Evil Dead 4 with his brother; it was later specified that this film would be Army of Darkness 2.[29] Alvarez revealed that Raimi would direct the sequel to Army of Darkness.[30] However, in a 2014 interview, Bruce Campbell announced that Army of Darkness 2 is not happening, saying "It's all internet b.s. There's no reality whatsoever. These random comments slip out of either my mouth, or Sam Raimi's mouth, next thing you know, we're making a sequel."[31]
On February 26, 2016, it was confirmed that Raimi is attached to direct the upcoming film World War 3 for Warner Bros. The film will be based on a possible future inspired by the book The Next 100 Years by George Friedman.[32]
On February 16, 2017, it was reported that Raimi will be directing a thriller about the Bermuda Triangle for Skydance Media, with the script being written by Doug Miro and Carlo Bernard.[33]
By January 29, 2018, Raimi was set to direct the first in the movie adaptations of Patrick Rothfuss's Kingkiller Chronicle series, The Name of the Wind, with Rothfuss and Lin-Manuel Miranda serving as executive producers.[34]
On February 5, 2020, it was announced that Raimi was in talks with Marvel Studios to direct Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,[35] and Raimi confirmed his involvement in April 2020.[36] This marks Raimi's return to the superhero film genre after more than 13 years following Spider-Man 3 in 2007 and his first directorial effort since 2013's Oz the Great and Powerful.
Television[]
In addition to film, Raimi has worked in television, producing such series as Hercules: The Legendary Journeys and its spin-off Xena: Warrior Princess, both featuring his younger brother Ted Raimi and long-time friend Bruce Campbell, American Gothic, Cleopatra 2525, M.A.N.T.I.S., 13: Fear Is Real, Young Hercules, and Jack of All Trades. In 2008, Raimi executive produced a syndicated TV series called Legend of the Seeker, based on Terry Goodkind's best-selling The Sword of Truth fantasy series. He also executive produced the Starz original television series Spartacus: Blood and Sand and Spartacus: Gods of the Arena,[37] Spartacus: Vengeance and Spartacus: War of the Damned. He directed the pilot episode of Ash vs Evil Dead for Starz.[38]
Personal life[]
Raimi has been married since 1993 to Gillian Greene, daughter of actor Lorne Greene. They have five children, three of whom (daughter Emma Rose and sons Lorne and Henry) appeared as extras in Drag Me to Hell, and in Spider-Man 3 during the movie's final battle.[39]
Filmography[]
Film[]
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1977 | It's Murder! | Yes | Yes | Yes | Also editor and sound mixer (uncredited) |
1981 | The Evil Dead | Yes | Yes | Executive | Also special effects (uncredited) |
1985 | Crimewave | Yes | Yes | No | Written with the Coen brothers |
1987 | Evil Dead II | Yes | Yes | No | |
1989 | Easy Wheels | No | Yes | No | Credited as "Celia Abrams" |
1990 | Darkman | Yes | Yes | Executive | |
1992 | The Nutt House | No | Yes | No | Credited as "Alan Smithee Jr." |
Army of Darkness | Yes | Yes | No | Also editor (credited as "R.O.C. Sandstorm") | |
1994 | The Hudsucker Proxy | No | Yes | No | |
1995 | The Quick and the Dead | Yes | No | No | |
1998 | A Simple Plan | Yes | No | No | |
1999 | For Love of the Game | Yes | No | No | |
2000 | The Gift | Yes | No | No | |
2002 | Spider-Man | Yes | No | No | Also special effects (uncredited) |
2004 | Spider-Man 2 | Yes | No | No | |
2005 | Man with the Screaming Brain | No | Story | No | Credited as "R.O.C. Sandstorm" |
2007 | Spider-Man 3 | Yes | Yes | No | |
2009 | Drag Me to Hell | Yes | Yes | Yes | |
2013 | Oz the Great and Powerful | Yes | No | No | |
2022 | Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness | Yes | No | No | Post-production |
Short films
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Producer | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
1972 | Out West | Yes | Yes | No | Also cinematographer |
1975 | The Great Bogus Monkey Pignuts Swindle | Yes | No | No | |
1976 | Uncivil War Birds | Yes | No | No | |
The James R. Hoffa Story, Part II | Yes | No | No | ||
Mystery No Mystery | Yes | No | No | ||
Attack of the Pillsbury Doughboy | Yes | No | No | ||
1977 | The Happy Valley Kid | Yes | No | No | |
Six Months to Live | Yes | No | No | ||
Picnic | Yes | No | No | ||
Civil War Part II | Yes | No | No | ||
1978 | Within the Woods | Yes | Yes | executive | Also editor |
Clockwork | Yes | Yes | Yes | ||
1979 | William Shakespeare: The Movie | Yes | No | No | |
1985 | The Sappy Sap | Yes | No | No | |
2017 | The Black Ghiandola | Yes | No | No |
Television[]
Year | Title | Director | Writer | Executive Producer |
Creator | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1994–1997 | M.A.N.T.I.S. | No | Story | Yes | Yes | Wrote story and directed "Pilot" |
1995–2001 | Xena: Warrior Princess | No | No | Yes | Developer | |
1997 | Spy Game | No | No | Yes | Yes | |
2008–2010 | Legend of the Seeker | No | No | Yes | Yes | |
2014 | Rake | Yes | No | Yes | No | 2 episodes |
2015–2018 | Ash vs Evil Dead | Yes | Yes | Yes | Developer | Wrote and directed episode: "El Jefe" |
2020 | 50 States of Fright | Yes | Yes | Yes | No | 3 episodes |
Executive producer only
Year | Title | Notes |
---|---|---|
1994 | Hercules and the Lost Kingdom | TV movie |
Hercules and the Circle of Fire | ||
Hercules in the Underworld | ||
Hercules in the Maze of the Minotaur | ||
1995–1996 | American Gothic | |
1995–1999 | Hercules: The Legendary Journeys | |
1998–1999 | Young Hercules | |
2000 | Jack of All Trades | |
2000–2001 | Cleopatra 2525 | |
2009 | 13: Fear Is Real | |
2010 | Zombie Roadkill | |
2011 | Spartacus: Gods of the Arena | |
2013 | Spartacus: War of the Damned |
Acting roles[]
Year | Title | Role | Notes |
---|---|---|---|
1977 | It's Murder! | Uncle Jasper | |
1978 | Attack of the Helping Hand | Milk Man | Short film |
Shemp Eats the Moon | Angelo the Knife | Short film | |
1981 | The Evil Dead | Hitchhiker | Uncredited |
1982 | Cleveland Smith: Bounty Hunter | Nazi | Short film |
1983 | Hefty's | Cook No. 2 | |
1985 | Spies Like Us | Drive-in guard No. 2 | |
1987 | Evil Dead 2 | Knight hailing Ash | Uncredited |
Thou Shalt Not Kill... Except | Cult leader | ||
1988 | Maniac Cop | News Reporter | |
1989 | Intruder | Randy | |
1990 | Miller's Crossing | Snickering Gunman | |
Maniac Cop 2 | Newscaster | ||
1992 | Innocent Blood | Roma Meats Man | |
Army of Darkness | Knight in Sweatshirt and Sneakers | Uncredited | |
1993 | Indian Summer | Stick Coder | |
Body Bags | Dead Bill | Segment: "The Gas Station" | |
Journey to the Center of the Earth | Collins | TV Movie | |
1994 | The Hudsucker Proxy | Hudsucker Brainstormer | |
The Flintstones | Cliff Vandercave Look-A-Like | ||
The Stand | Bobby Terry | TV miniseries | |
1995 | Galaxis | Nervous Official | |
1997 | The Shining | Gas Station Howie | TV miniseries |
2002 | Spider-Man | Popcorn Throwing Wrestling Fan | |
2009 | Drag Me to Hell | Ghost at Seance | Uncredited |
2013 | 3 Geezers! | Sam | |
2016 | The Jungle Book | Giant Squirrel | Voice role |
Awards[]
- Sitges – Catalan International Film Festival Prize of the International Critics' Jury 1981
- Sitges – Catalan International Film Festival Best Director Award 1990
- Sitges – Catalan International Film Festival Time-Machine Honorary Award 1992
- Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film Golden Raven Award 1993
- Fantasporto Critics' Award 1993
- Cognac Festival du Film Policier Special Jury Prize 1999
- Saturn Award Best Director Award 2004
- Empire Award Best Director Award 2004
- Inkpot Award 2014[40]
See also[]
References[]
- ^ Luke Savage (March 7, 2013). "Sam Raimi interview: Oz, Warcraft, The Shadow, Spider-Man". Den of Geek. Dennis Publishing. Retrieved January 1, 2019.
...IMDB. They’ve added a name to me, they’ve called me Samuel Marshall Raimi, and I never knew I had a middle name. I have a middle initial, 'M'.
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Sam Raimi: Director, Producer, Screenwriter". Turner Classic Movies. Archived from the original on October 30, 2020. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
Birth Place: Royal Oak, Michigan, USA. Born: October 23, 1959
- ^ Jump up to: a b "Sam Raimi Biography (1959-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved March 19, 2012. Source notes Raimi born "in Royal Oak (some sources cite Franklin), MI."
- ^ "'Doctor Strange' sequel confirms cast, will tie into 'Spider-Man 3'". EW.com. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
- ^ Pfefferman, Naomi (August 22, 2012). "Sam Raimi's latest horror flick draws on 'true' tale, Jewish exorcism". Jewish Journal. Archived from the original on November 23, 2020. Retrieved March 14, 2013.
Raimi — who grew up in a Conservative Jewish home in Detroit....
- ^ Jump up to: a b Aushenker, Michael (April 25, 2002). "Spider-Mensch: The Jewish roots of director Sam Raimi and 'Spider-Man'". Jewish Journal. Archived from the original on December 8, 2012. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
He was raised by parents of Russian and Hungarian Jewish descent in a Conservative Jewish home that included older brother Ivan, now a screenwriter and physician; younger brother Ted, an actor, and older sister, Andrea.
- ^ "Ted Raimi Biography (1965-)". Filmreference.com. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
- ^ Headapohl, Jackie (March 7, 2013). "Made In Michigan". The Jewish News. Detroit, Michigan. Archived from the original on November 1, 2019.
- ^ "Sam Raimi: Man behind the mask". The Independent. UK. July 15, 2004. Archived from the original on August 6, 2017. Retrieved November 23, 2020.
Led by their father, who ran a furniture store, and mother, who owned a lingerie shop, the family became very close after Raimi's elder brother Sander drowned in a swimming pool at the age of 15. Raimi has said of that trauma: 'It colours everything you do for the rest of your life.'
- ^ Houser, Laura (February 16, 2013). "Macomb Co. Native Helps Organize Charity Premiere of 'Oz: The Great and Powerful'". Utica.Patch.com. Archived from the original on March 17, 2013. Retrieved February 17, 2013.
- ^ Bao, Robert (April 1, 1999). "Feature: Spartans in Hollywood". Michigan State University. Archived from the original on November 12, 2020.
- ^ Riekki, Ron; Sartain, Jeffrey A. (March 4, 2019). The Many Lives of The Evil Dead: Essays on the Cult Film Franchise. McFarland. ISBN 9781476636047.
- ^ Muir, John Kenneth (2004). The Unseen Force: The Films of Sam Raimi. Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. ISBN 9781557836076.
clockwork.
- ^ Sigur, Matt. "'A Simple Plan' isn't your typical Sam Raimi movie, and that's why it's his best". rogerebert.com.
- ^ Markovitz, Adam (April 18, 2007). "'Hobbit' Forming?". Entertainment Weekly.
- ^ "Blizzard Press Release 7-22-2009". Blizzard. July 21, 2009. Archived from the original on July 23, 2009. Retrieved July 22, 2009.
- ^ Topel, Fred. "Comic Con 2012 Exclusive: Sam Raimi Won't Direct the World of Warcraft Movie". Crave Online. Archived from the original on April 3, 2015. Retrieved July 17, 2012.
- ^ "Mandate Signs Sam Raimi to Oversee Refuge".
- ^ "Raimi shall Launche Spooky Pictures with 'The Substitute'".
- ^ "Neil Marshall Throwing the Gore Onscreen With 'Burst 3D'".
- ^ Dargis, Manohla (March 7, 2013). "'Oz the Great and Powerful,' Starring James Franco" – via NYTimes.com.
- ^ Oldham, Stuart (June 14, 2010). "Sam Raimi circles 'Wizard of Oz' prequel: helmer in talks for Disney's 'Powerful' pic". Variety.
- ^ "Chatter: Who Should Replace Sam Raimi as Director of the Oz Sequel?". Fandango.com. March 11, 2013.
- ^ "Cast Signed for 'Oz: The Great & Powerful' Sequel But Not Sam Raimi". firstshowing.net. March 11, 2013.
- ^ "Exclusive: Sam Raimi's Pulp Fiction". IGN. June 14, 2012. Retrieved July 28, 2021.
- ^ "Columbia & Raimi Team on The Shadow". SuperHeroHype.
- ^ Rotten, Ryan (October 16, 2007). "Sam Raimi on Spider-Man 4 and The Shadow". Superherohype.com. Coming Soon Media, ltd. Retrieved July 28, 2019.
- ^ "Official Press Release: The Evil Dead Remake". Shock Till You Drop. July 13, 2011. Archived from the original on November 23, 2011. Retrieved March 19, 2012.
- ^ "Sam Raimi's Next Project is Army of Darkness 2′' Not Evil Dead 4". Screenrant.com. Retrieved March 17, 2013.
- ^ Alvarez, Fede (October 26, 2013). ""@thielebenjamin: Hey @fedalvar will you be directing the Army Of Darkness 2 movie?" Sam Raimi will!". Twitter.com.
- ^ "Bruce Campbell Wants to Set the Record Straight About Army of Darkness 2, And He Feels Bad for You". Shock Till You Drop. November 5, 2014.
- ^ "Sam Raimi to Predict a Terrible Future in 'World War 3' for Warner Bros". Retrieved November 19, 2017.
- ^ "Sam Raimi Ventures Into the Bermuda Triangle". February 16, 2017. Retrieved November 19, 2017.
- ^ Kroll, Justin (January 29, 2018). "Sam Raimi to Direct 'Kingkiller Chronicle' for Lionsgate and Lin-Manuel Miranda (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved December 7, 2018.
- ^ B. Vary, Adam; Kroll, Justin (February 5, 2020). "Sam Raimi in Talks to Direct 'Doctor Strange 2' (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved February 5, 2020.
- ^ Evangelista, Chris (April 15, 2020). "Sam Raimi Confirms He's Directing 'Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness'". /Film. Archived from the original on April 15, 2020. Retrieved April 15, 2020.
- ^ ""Spartacus: Blood and Sand" cast and crew". Retrieved January 30, 2010.
- ^ "Sam Raimi Directing "Ash vs Evil Dead" Pilot". Retrieved January 30, 2010.
- ^ "Sam Raimi Returns to Horror Film Roots With 'Drag Me to Hell'". ABC News. Retrieved February 6, 2020.
- ^ Inkpot Award
External links[]
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- Sam Raimi at IMDb
- 1959 births
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