Although word has gone around that EVIL DEAD franchise creator Sam Raimi, star Bruce Campbell, and their producing partner Robert Tapert were hoping to get five seasons out of the Starz television series Ash vs. Evil Dead, that decision is not entirely in their hands, and there is substantiated fear that the show might not continue on beyond its current season, its third. While the series is highly pirated, the number of viewers who actually tune in to watch it as it airs on Starz is disturbingly low – and I'd blame some of that on the network's decision to air the show on the same night and at the same time as AMC's The Walking Dead. Of course any other genre show is going to get trounced in that time slot.
While fans are doing what they can to save the show, including signing a petition, buying Ash vs. Evil Dead merchandise, and downloading the Starz app to binge watch the show on there, the people who make the show are stuck in what Campbell has described as "the horrible television limbo", waiting to hear if they're going to get to make a fourth season or not.
With the ownership of the network having switched hands during the show's run, the producers and showrunner Mark Verheiden have prepared to hear the worst and have set up the season three finale to work as a series finale if that is what it turns out to be.
Recently, Campbell gave some hope that he and his collaborators might make another EVIL DEAD movie if Ash vs. Evil Dead is cancelled:
If they take us off the air, we can think about another movie. And if they don’t, we can just keep plugging away."
Although, he also cautioned,
We made this show in response to fans demanding a movie. Don’t be holding your breath too long."
Now Campbell has seemingly dashed all hopes of a cinematic follow-up to the series during an appearance at the Irish Film Institute. Asked if there might be another EVIL DEAD movie, he responded,
No, no, no. Because if they cancel it, I think Ash is done. I have lavender on my property. I’m going to smoke weed and hang out."
I really hope Starz shows mercy and Ash vs. Evil Dead gets renewed for another season, because I'm not done watching Campbell/Ash kick Deadite ass.