Director Sam Raimi speaking to our very own Irish charmer Neill Virtue  while promoting his latest film Oz The Great and Powerful in London has finally put horror fans out of their misery by definitely confirming official plans for a new Evil Dead 4 Sequel starring Bruce Campbell as goofball hero Ash.

Sam plans to start work this summer on a  script with his brother and writing collaborator Ted Raimi, picking up where the third installment of the eternally popular franchise Army Of Darkness left off. Director Raimi confirmed that the new film would stand apart from the forthcoming Evil Dead remake and that the existence of the new remake would not interfere with plans for the new sequel because it doesn’t feature the character of Ash at all.

As for what might be in store for Ash this time, Raimi revealed he’s yet to decide which of the two alternate endings of Army of Darkness to follow on from. Infamously the American version of the film had a more happy ending with hero Ash returning to his beloved S-Mart store, whilst he international release of the film saw him stranded in a post apocalyptic future having characteristically screwed up while taking a sleeping potion.

Read what Sam had to say below for yourself:

Are you going to get a chance to do Evil Dead 4?

I’d love to make Evil Dead 4. I hope to.

I’m not hearing a yes there, is that a firm yes?

I’d like to, my brother and I are going to take the time to work on the script this summer. I do plan to make it. Yes!

Can Evil Dead 4 exist alongside the new Evil Dead remake?

We don’t think about anything too much, but thinking about it right now, yes. The new Evil Dead film doesn’t have the Ash character it’s a brand new set of characters in a similar situation. So the Ash character is still either trapped in time in the far flung future in a blasted London, or he’s working in S Mart; based on either the Japanese version or the American version of the film. I’m not quite sure yet. That’s where Evil dead 4 would probably pick up.

Neill and his new best buddy Sam on the Yellow carpet at the European Premiere of Oz The Great and Powerful… Hail to the king.