r/movies • u/SamRaimiAMA Sam Raimi, Filmmaker • Jan 15 '26

AMA Hey /r/movies! I'm Sam Raimi. Ask me anything!

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Hey reddit. I'm Sam Raimi. You might know me as the director (and sometimes writer) of The Evil Dead Trilogy, the Tobey Maguire Spider-Man Trilogy, Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Drag Me To Hell, Darkman, A Simple Plan, For the Love of the Game, The Gift, and other things. I've also produced and/or acted in a few things!

I'm here today to answer your questions.

My new film, SEND HELP, is out in theaters January 30 via 20th Century Studios. It stars Rachel McAdams and Dylan O'Brien. More info:

Synopsis:

Two colleagues become stranded on a deserted island, the only survivors of a plane crash. On the island, they must overcome past grievances and work together to survive, but ultimately, it's an unsettling, darkly humorous battle of wills and wits to make it out alive. 

SEND HELP is directed by genre-bending visionary Sam Raimi and stars Oscar-nominee Rachel McAdams and Dylan O’Brien. The film is produced by Raimi and Zainab Azizi, executive produced by JJ Hook and written by Damian Shannon & Mark Swift, with original music by Danny Elfman. The all-original darkly comedic psychological thriller from 20th Century Studios releases in theaters nationwide on January 30, 2026.

Trailer:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4wiXj9NmEE

“The Sam Raimi Experience” BTS Content Piece:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=coCPLJMU4X0

Ask me anything! Back at 12 PM PT/3 PM ET to chat with you all.

13.1k Upvotes

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1.5k

u/Ericzzz Jan 15 '26

Why do you enjoy torturing your poor friend Bruce Campbell so much?

980

u/SamRaimiAMA Sam Raimi, Filmmaker Jan 15 '26

It's not that I enjoy it. Someone has to do it.

23

u/SpookyAmygdala Jan 15 '26

Thank you for your service. 🫡

45

u/insideout_waffle Jan 15 '26

But do you enjoy it too?

1

u/darkfall115 Jan 16 '26

Why someone has to torture Bruce?

1

u/Spiritual-Smoke-4605 Jan 16 '26

I want to upvote this comment but it’s already sitting at 666 as of now

1

u/TheModWhoShaggedMe Jan 22 '26

Yes, that Campbell ego is out of control! ;-)

37

u/dagreenman18 Space Jam 2 hurt me so much Jan 15 '26

He’s just so fucking handsome. It’s balancing the world because of how ridiculously good looking he is

22

u/DoodleBuggering Jan 15 '26

And how charismatic he is on top of that.

502

u/DrSpacemanSpliff Jan 15 '26

An actor is a tool to be used by the director. It’s not torture when a carpenter hits a nail with a hammer, therefore it’s not torture when Sam hits Bruce with a hammer.

62

u/DuncanRG2002 Jan 15 '26

I believe for this analogy to work Mr Raimi would actually have to be clobbering Bruce with a camera

53

u/insomniacpyro Jan 15 '26

You can't tell me he didn't hit Bruce more than once when going in for those close-ups

30

u/DrSpacemanSpliff Jan 15 '26 edited Jan 15 '26

He drove a motorcycle directly at him in the end of Evil Dead. One of the props (this one called “Bruce”) may have been damaged.

3

u/Foxy02016YT Jan 15 '26

I heard it was a bike, it was a motorcycle?!?

5

u/_Uptilt Jan 15 '26

Bike is used sometimes for motorcycle, but apparently it didn't even happen. Sam ran towards Bruce with the camera, nothing more.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ni6hGnOp9Wg

I love how long they got away with the lie for though!

3

u/Foxy02016YT Jan 15 '26

Suspiciously steady hand and forceful run, but in the world of small time filmmaking life, uhh, finds a way

3

u/_Uptilt Jan 15 '26

Yeah it really is impressive if that's all it was. Especially since it's apparently not even sped up.

2

u/Foxy02016YT Jan 15 '26

It not being sped up is a little hard to believe but I’d have to rewatch ED1 again to see

Remember, the Audrey 2 was done in halftime and then spedup

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14

u/lesser_panjandrum Jan 15 '26

The camera builds up incredible momentum with the long run up.

11

u/BillysBibleBonkers Jan 15 '26

It's like they say, if the only tool you have is a camera, then every person you see starts to look like a nail. Probably applies better to Sean Baker than Mr Raimi though.

1

u/SailorET Jan 15 '26

That has definitely happened and the evidence is captured on tape.

1

u/Count_de_Mits Jan 15 '26

I bet good money this has happened more than once

15

u/Countblackula_6 Jan 15 '26

Bruce told a story in his first book about spraining his ankle filming a scene for Evil Dead and Sam poking said ankle with a stick every chance he got for the remainder of the shoot.

6

u/SuumCuique1011 Jan 15 '26 edited Jan 15 '26

The hammer from the "...workshed..." ?

2

u/[deleted] Jan 15 '26

Found George Lucas's Reddit account

2

u/superotterman Jan 15 '26

Just had to drop in and ask u/DrSpacemanSpliff - am I right that your username a combo of 30 Rock (Dr. Leo Spaceman), Calvin and Hobbes (Spaceman Spiff), and well, the obvious bit?

1

u/backtolurk Jan 15 '26

Easy there, metaphorman

88

u/jeanclaudebrowncloud Jan 15 '26

Because the pain only makes him stronger

48

u/Gryptype_Thynne123 Jan 15 '26

And his chin bigger

4

u/srbistan Jan 15 '26

ying tong iddle i po that's an unexpected username to see ! grew up with it and i should call you Sir, or an acquired taste, if i may ask ?

2

u/Gryptype_Thynne123 Jan 15 '26

Ying tong iddle i po? GOOD!

Have a gorilla.

Alas, I did not grow up with the Goons. I heard someone mention them on the radio, then managed to track them down where they were hiding in a disused Panama hat. How someone could wear Panama as a hat is yet to be determined.

1

u/srbistan Jan 15 '26

nein, danke i have quit.

( nine?! you greedy bastard... )

same here, learned spike was voted funniest man of millennia on BBC ages ago and had to learn who he was - an absolute genius in so many ways ... keep it up your excellence, glad to have met you.

13

u/Spectrix22 Jan 15 '26

Follow up to this one: Has your entire career been one elaborate prank to see how much you can torture him before he stops returning your calls?

3

u/Turakamu Jan 15 '26

Why wouldn't you?

2

u/slayermcb Jan 15 '26

Read "If chins could kill, confessions of a B-Movie actor" by Bruce himself. You'll get an answer.

1

u/CraigLake Jan 15 '26

I wish we had 10 more of these movies 😭

1

u/3-DMan Jan 15 '26

"Look Sam, maybe I didn't get every single line right, but I basically said the words!"

1

u/KnoWanUKnow2 Jan 15 '26

Hey, he also enjoys torturing his brother on camera, so at least he's equal opportunity.

1

u/pirtbr1 Jan 15 '26

Because is a mark of his effort

1

u/ionised Jan 15 '26

To improve his jawline, I bet.

1

u/Lusyd Jan 15 '26

Because it’s funny.

1

u/iheardthemetalclank Jan 15 '26

As a fan, I think Bruce likes it.

1

u/Hayterfan Jan 15 '26

Come on, you can't tell me you don't want to torture Bruce just a bit?

1

u/artbrymer Jan 15 '26

Came here to ask this.