Last month we shared with you what could easily be called the best TV news of 2014 when it was announced that Ash (Bruce Campbell) would be returning to the EVIL DEAD in its own TV series. The Evil Dead TV series will run 10 half-hour episodes on Starz in late 2015 with Sam Raimi, who directed the original trilogy of Evil Dead movies, returning to will helm the pilot and executive produce. It was an early Christmas that’s for sure.
It's been over 20 years since ARMY OF DARKNESS, so needless to say fans anxious for Ash’s return and like a lot of us, curious to see how the character will hold up after all this time. Campbell recently spoke to EW about the show and what fans can expect. For the excerpts below I think it’s safe to say Campbell and company care about this characters and story just as much as the most die-hard of fans.
Something we’re doing is taking the horror parts very seriously. We’re not making fun of the horror aspects. And it’s going to cause Ash—this crabby middle-aged man who doesn’t want to get dragged back into this—a lot of problems. He’s not the Ash he used to be.
He continues being a trash-talking know-it-all who doesn’t really know anything. He’s the ultimate anti-hero. He’s a guy with no appreciable skills. He’s not a former Navy SEAL, he’s not a former CIA or FBI. He’s no special anything. He’s just a guy from S-Mart, you know?
Ash has survivor’s guilt. You could have a heyday with his PTSD. He’s a war vet. He doesn’t want to talk about it, and he’ll lie about that stump on his hand to impress the ladies. This is a guy who’s got some issues. He’s emotionally stunted. But he’s the guy you want in the foxhole next to you. That’s the funny thing—he’s kind of an idiot, but man, if I had to go to battle, I’d want to be next to that guy, because he’ll bring it if he has to.
He had me at "taking the horror parts very seriously." Just as important as the horror element is also staying true the entire franchise, including the comedy:
We’re going to give people a little of the old fashioned splatstick—horror and comedy. The fans have been really good to us over the years. This is an opportunity to do something with full street cred. [Fan reaction to last year’s Evil Dead remake] was all, “Yeah yeah, that was nice, fellas, but we still want the real deal.” This is it. Sam’s back. I’m back. [Executive producer Rob Tapert’s] back. Love it or hate it, this will be the real deal. I’m going to try to roll back the hands of time a little bit. It’s probably about doing a lot of stretching. And my stunt man will probably be spectacular—this guy’s going to wish his mother never met his father.
Campbell didn't offer much in the way of plot details but did say he wouldn’t be alone on this adventure, saying that they’re “two very good counterparts”, and the male-bonding relationship with one and a father-figure relationship with the other will chip away at Ash’s loner-veteran persona. I’m pleased with everything I’ve heard so far in regards to this project. It sounds like Campbell and company are taking this very seriously and don’t want to mess anything up. Campbell clearly cares about the material and knows what made it so enjoyable. This is going to rock.