Sam Raimi

Director & actor · born 23 October 1959 · Royal Oak, Michigan, USA

Samuel Marshall Raimi (/ˈreɪmi/ RAY-mee; born October 23, 1959) is an American filmmaker. He is best known for writing and directing the Evil Dead trilogy (1981–1992) and directing the Spider-Man trilogy (2002–2007). He also directed Darkman (1990), The Quick and the Dead (1995), A Simple Plan (1998), The Gift (2000), Drag Me to Hell (2009), Oz the Great and Powerful (2013), and Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness (2022).

His films are known for their highly dynamic visual style, inspired by comic books and slapstick comedy. He founded the production companies Renaissance Pictures in 1979 and Ghost House Pictures in 2002. Raimi has also produced several successful television series, including Hercules: The Legendary Journeys (1995–1997), its spin-off Xena: Warrior Princess (1995–2001), and Ash vs Evil Dead (2015–2018) starring longtime friend and collaborator Bruce Campbell, reprising his role in the Evil Dead franchise.

Where to start: Evil Dead II (1987).