The 'Evil Dead' will rise again...

Irish filmmaker Lee Cronin is set to direct and write the latest installment of the low-budget 'Evil Dead' franchise.

Cronin directed the 2019 horror 'The Hole in the Ground', starring Seána Kerslake as a single mother whose son starts exhibiting disturbing behaviour.

He also directed the 2013 award-winning short film 'Ghost Train'.

The 'Evil Dead' horror franchise consists of four films and a TV series and was created by Sam Raimi.

The protagonist of the original trilogy is Ash Williams, played by Bruce Campbell, but he'd retired in Fede Alvarez’s 2013 installment.

The actor has also been a producer on the franchise.

Speaking to Empire Magazine, Campbell said: "We’re just getting off the phone with Lee Cronin, who is writing and directing the next 'Evil Dead'.

"It’s called 'Evil Dead Now'. Sam handpicked Lee – he did a cool movie called 'The Hole In The Ground'. We’re going to get that sucker out as soon as practical."

Campbell also dropped hints about the new potentially female protagonist for the scarefest.

He told the publication: "From this point forward, they kind of have to stand on their own. Which is fine. And liberating.

"You could have different heroes, different heroines in this case. This one’s gonna be a little more dynamic."

He added: "We jut want to keep the series current. And the mantra, really, is that our heroes and heroines are just regular people. That’s what we’re going to continue."