By Donald W. Morgan & William A. Kingman
100 years after a murderous crime spree in New Orleans mysteriously ends, the spirit of the killer returns to again terrorize the city.
Feature-length Movie | Crime, Horror, Thriller
Lookbook
Think of Deliver Us from Evil
meets The Big Easy.
Synopsis
The Return of Evil
4301 Rue Royale is a supernatural crime thriller, blending modern police procedures with ghosts, reincarnation, and Voodoo. The story was inspired by historical events in New Orleans terrorized by a 1920’s mob enforcer (“the Axeman”) who used an axe to intimidate and punish debtors to the mob.
When the Axeman becomes too much of a liability to his mob bosses, they arrange for him to be killed by Theresa Romano, the disfigured young widow who had survived one of his earlier attacks. To prevent the Axeman’s spirit from returning, he’s buried in a pauper’s grave accompanied by a Voodoo ceremony. However, 100 years later, the tomb is struck by lightning, which releases the Axeman’s deadly spirit.
Louisiana State Police Detective John Huey is assigned to work with the New Orleans Police Department to reduce the number of unsolved homicides plaguing the city. Not only is John angry for being taken off his own cases to work with the infamously corrupt NOPD, but he’s also dying of terminal cancer and only has months to live. As the Axeman’s spirit descends back to the very spot he died 100 years earlier, local bartender and jazz musician Nick Vasta accidentally steps in front of a car and is critically injured. In a weakened state, Nick’s body is taken over by the reincarnated spirit, causing the murderous spree to begin again.
John is assigned to investigate the multiple gruesome axe murders being committed by Nick. He’s assisted in his quest by an unlikely team consisting of Ted Marshall—an honest but over-the-hill detective, Madam Pe—a mysterious Voodoo Priestess, and TV reporter Linda Hunter—the granddaughter of Theresa Romano.
John only wants to deal with facts, and initially rejects the help offered by Madam Pe for not only solving the string of murders, but also healing his terminal cancer. Once John accepts that Voodoo is far more real and relevant to the modern world than he ever imagined, he realizes it may be the only way to stop Nick’s bloody rampage and provide a cure for his own terminal sentence.
Script
Bible
