Bruce Campbell: If Ash vs Evil Dead is cancelled there won’t be a movie
When a fan asked him if there would be another movie based on the Evil Dead franchise, Bruce Campbell had a rather sobering message to deliver.
“Don’t be holding your breath too long.” – Bruce Campbell on another Evil Dead movie
Honesty Really Is the Best Policy
This month, Bruce Campbell has been touring the UK and Ireland to promote his book, “Hail to the Chin.” Recently, he stopped by the Irish Film Institute in Dublin to meet and greet fans. During the question and answer session, a fan asked him about a potential movie to add to the Evil Dead franchise.
The topic of Evil Dead 4 and Army of Darkness 2 has been an on again, off again, casual conversation kind of thing. Now, it’s back in play since several horror sites have recycled the conundrum about another franchise film.
Although in an interview with Fox News, Bruce didn’t exactly shut the door on the idea but he didn’t exactly embrace it either. When queried on the topic, he responded candidly with “We made this show in response to fans demanding a movie. Don’t be holding your breath too long.”
“If you think about it, by the time we’re done with Season 3, that’s 15 fresh hours of new material. You wouldn’t get that with a movie.” He is absolutely right. Plus, not to mention a film is rated.
The material in Ash vs Evil Dead on STARZ is unrestricted so that fans can get more bang for their buck. They get the gore, the horror and the splatstick they crave. If you look at the facts, Army of Darkness, as Bruce is so apt to point out, wasn’t a box office success.
That said, the ability to get a movie greenlit by a studio based on lackluster performance is difficult and remember, Hollywood is a town full of what-have-you-done-for-me-lately entities.
The Bottom Line
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Also, Bruce’s production partners, Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi, are both busy. The pair, via Ghost House Pictures, are working on a Grudge reboot. Also, Raimi is in negotiations to direct Patrick Rothfuss’ Name of the Wind for television.
So, when Campbell was queried by a fan at his Irish Film Institute question and answer session on whether or not there would be another Evil Dead movie, his response was, “No, no, no. Cause if they cancel it (Ash vs Evil Dead), I think Ash is done.”
After he made this statement, the crowd reacted by collectively gasping to register their disappointment. Bruce then told them, “I have lavender on my property. I’m going to smoke weed and hang out.”
View the video below via Twitter and Dave Williams:
The indominable Bruce Campbell, @GroovyBruce , explains that Ash vs the Evil Dead will be the end of Ashley Williams' adventure. Sad but he sounds like a man with a plan.#dublin #ifi #brucecampbell#evildead #ashvsevildead #ash #hailtothechin #hailtothechinbooktour pic.twitter.com/rbWVRhKBPq
— Dr Dave Williams (@TheDaveWilliams) March 16, 2018
As everyone knows, Ash vs Evil Dead has been struggling in the ratings department. Campbell has been constantly warning and preparing fans for a possible cancellation. If that is the outcome, then it’s time for us to let Ash Williams go.
It Might Be Hard
Bruce, Rob and Sam have given us this beloved character for almost four decades. Should STARZ decide Season 3 is it, then it is what it is. Let them move on.
As painful as that realization is going to be for fans if and when the day comes, Campbell can’t play Ash forever. From his recent interviews, he has quite a few greenlights in his future. There will be more books to write, smaller projects in his home state of Oregon to be made and upcoming dates for his gameshow, Last Fan Standing.
Whatever the outcome, I wish Bruce, Sam and Rob all the best in their future endeavors and look forward to whatever the universe has in store for them.
Next: Finally time to enter the Death House, was it worth the wait?