Horror fans should be getting to see more of Ash Williams, albeit in animated form.Bruce Campbellhas previously teased that Ash’s story could continue in an animated continuation of theEvil Deadfranchise set after the events ofAsh vs. Evil Dead. Last year, he said thatpreliminary talks have startedon anEvil Deadanimated series, though not much else has been revealed about the project. More focus has been put into the upcoming live-action film,Evil Dead Rise, as it’s set to be released in theaters in April.
Ash will not be inEvil Dead Rise, though Campbell is producing the film. The movie will instead follow all-new characters dealing with Deadites in their own ways. But Campbell also teases in a new interview with Alex DiVincenzo ofBloody Disgustingthat the gears are still turning on the animated project, which would continue the adventures of Ash in theEvil Deadworld. The groovy one also points out that progress is slow-moving given how busy Sam Raimi is these days, but he nevertheless anticipates returning as the voice of Ash for the series. From the interview:
“All I can say is we’re actively pursuing it. Sam’s a busy guy. He had a big hit movie, so he’s got a lot on his plate, but he and his brother are actively shaping out the world. It’s one thing to get an animator and say, ‘Hey, animate this!’ You’ve got to know what you’re going to animate. I look forward to it, because my voice hasn’t aged as much as I have.”
Campbell also makes it clear he’ll be able to easily slip right back into the role of Ash, given howEvil Dead: The Gamehas been allowing him to voice the character int he meantime.
“It’s the same idiot. I try him eight different ways to Sunday, and then the game folks ensure to steer me in the right direction. They sort of guide you through it, but it’s the same process. Same dope, lots of ad-libs.”
Related:Evil Dead Rise Runtime Revealed as Longest of the Franchise
Bruce Campbell Has Retired the Live-Action Ash
Clearly, Campbell still loves Ash andEvil Dead, but the time had come for the actor to call it quits with playing that role after endingAsh vs. Evil Deadin 2018. While filming the Starz series, the actor’s body had gone through the wringer, and at this stage in his life, Campbell decided he never wanted to do it again, announcing at that time that he was finished playing Ash in any more live-action projects. But stepping back in this way has allowed him to focus more on his duties as a producer forEvil Dead Rise, and he also spoke about what he loves about this role in the Bloody Disgusting interview.
“It’s what makes the wheels turn sometimes. As an actor, you don’t have control over stuff. As a producer, you have control, so I produce as much stuff as I can get my hands on, just to be involved. It allows you to do your own thing. In a creative industry, I don’t really want to be told what to do by pretty much anybody, especially if you’ve been in it for a while.”
Campbell executive producesEvil Dead Risealongside Sam Raimi, while Rob Tapert produces. Lee Cronin wrote and directed the film, which stars Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols, and Nell Fisher. It will be released in theaters on August 04, 2025.
