Bruce Campbell is hitting the road this fall to personally introduce audiences to his latest passion project. The Evil Dead icon has announced (via Variety) a nationwide Alamo Drafthouse tour for his independent romantic comedy Ernie & Emma, giving fans across the country the chance to see the film with Campbell in attendance.
The tour kicks off September 4 in Los Angeles before making stops in San Francisco, New York City, Texas, Washington, D.C., North Carolina, Virginia, and several additional cities, wrapping up on November 14.
Bruce Campbell Brings Ernie & Emma to Fans
Unlike the horror roles that made him a cult legend, Ernie & Emma sees Campbell tackling a much more personal story. The actor not only stars in the film but also wrote, directed, and produced it.
The official synopsis reads:
The romantic comedy Ernie & Emma, which Campbell directed, wrote, produced and starred in, follows a small-town salesman who goes on a road trip across Oregon to honor his late wife through a “meticulous list of instructions she leaves behind.”
Speaking about taking the film directly to audiences, Campbell explained why the story means so much to him:
“It’s incredibly special to share this film with audiences across the nation. Getting to bring it directly to communities and experience those conversations in real time is the reason you make something like this in the first place.”
He continued:
“I’m going to start these screenings with one question: ‘How many people here have lost a loved one? Raise your hand.’ Every hand is going to go up. That’s why I believe this movie connects with everyone. Loss is universal, and so is the challenge of finding your way forward.”
A Personal Film for Campbell
Campbell has previously described Ernie & Emma as one of the most personal projects of his career.
Speaking about the film earlier this year, he said it began with “a desire to see if I could make a ‘one character’ movie.” He explained that the title character was inspired by both his father, who worked in advertising in Detroit, and the Oregon community where Campbell now lives.
As Campbell previously explained:
“Ernie and Emma were married for a long time, so there was lots of history, baggage and unresolved issues. The journey comes with many revelations, good and bad.”
He also noted that the story deals with death “directly,” adding:
“Emma is a lead character of the movie. It was nice to do an ‘age appropriate’ role.”
From Ash Williams to Behind the Camera
While Campbell remains best known for playing Ash Williams in Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead franchise and for appearances in Raimi’s Spider-Man trilogy, he has also built a directing career over the years.
His previous directing credits include My Name Is Bruce, Man with the Screaming Brain, and episodes of Xena: Warrior Princess, Hercules: The Legendary Journeys, and V.I.P.
For years, Campbell also discussed developing a horror comedy titled Bruce vs. Frankenstein, although the project has yet to move forward.
With Ernie & Emma, Campbell appears to be taking a very different creative path, trading chainsaws and Deadites for a heartfelt story about grief, love, and finding a way to move forward after unimaginable loss.
Are you planning to catch Bruce Campbell’s Ernie & Emma tour at an Alamo Drafthouse this fall? Let us know in the comments below.
I’m really looking forward to this movie – and if you’re interested in hearing more about the movie and Campbell’s thoughts on filmmaking (as well as his recent cancer diagnosis), I highly recommend checking out his interview on Michael Rosenbaum’s podcast.
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