Bruce Campbell is back in the first picture from Ash vs. Evil Dead

July 1st 2015, 1:09pm

Last Updated on August 2, 2021

Judging by the reactions of just the teaser trailer, there's a lot of folks looking forward to Bruce Campbell's return to the most beloved of his characters; Ash. Thank the Deadite Gods that EVIL DEAD and ARMY OF DARKNESS director Sam Raimi is returning to produce and direct the pilot episode of the upcoming Starz series, Ash vs. Evil Dead. While we don't have a release date yet, thanks to Entertainment Weekly we do have the first picture of Ash in all of his chainsaw wielding glory. Give us some sugar, baby!

Bruce Campbell on what Ash has been up to the past 22 years:

Not much! He was perfectly happy doing basically nothing: telling lies about how he lost his hand in bars late at night. That was basically his MO. So, he’s not really the guy who should be dealing with this right now. But…he is. He’s our guy!

Regarding the tone of the show:

It’s THE SEARCHERS with carnage and mayhem. I’m relegated a little bit into the John Wayne mode these days with my team — the young, virile, evil fighters who will pair up with Ash and take on this nemesis: this never ending, ever evolving nemesis.

Sam Raimi on why Ash is responsible for bringing the Deadites back:

He’s the only one stupid enough to really tamper with those spirits. And he does. But he’s also still a really good monster fighter. So, he’s also going to be kicking some Deadite buttocks, if you’ll pardon the French.

These days I'm a little leery of sequels or follow-ups that take place long after they're due. In the case of Ash vs. Evil Dead, I'm "walking in" with no expectations. Bruce Campbell is always fun to watch, and Sam Raimi is bound to deliver SOMETHING entertaining now that he's not attached to a big license, but we'll see how they handle such a great character in his later years. Hopefully they factor in his age a bit (a la BUBBA HO-TEP) and not try to ignore it. If there was a fourth Indiana Jones movie that I'd acknowledge, I'd be lookin' at it right about now.

Ash vs. Evil Dead 10-epsiode season will air on Starz later this year.