Sometimes when an actor plays a role for a long time they'll feel like they've taken ownership of it and will get upset when they hear a reboot of the project is in the works, or that the role is being recast. But at other times the actors feel the same way Bruce Campbell feels about playing EVIL DEAD hero Ash. Feeling that he's done all he can do as the character, and being ready for some well-earned rest and relaxation, Campbell has formally retired from the role of Ash. So if the character were to return to the screen someday with a different actor in the role, that's okay with him.
Speaking with Entertainment Weekly, Campbell said,
I'd be perfectly fine if they find some young Ash, do some new incarnation, let some other poor bastard get covered in blood. It's all good."
Although we've seen the last of Campbell playing Ash, the EVIL DEAD franchise is still expected to continue in some way after the cancellation of the Starz series Ash vs. Evil Dead. In fact, Campbell is providing the voice of Ash for an "immersive video game" right now, so he is still playing the character in that way.
As for more movies, Campbell said,
I hope there are very many variations of Evil Dead. You’ve got the leftover characters from the series, you’ve got the characters from the remake that we did a few years ago. You can intersect universes."
A movie where EVIL DEAD 2013's Mia (Jane Levy) meets Ash's daughter Brandy (Arielle Carver-O'Neill) and fellow Ghost Beaters Pablo (Ray Santiago) and Kelly (Dana DeLorenzo) would be pretty interesting. The tone of Ash vs. Evil Dead was very different from the tone of EVIL DEAD 2013, though, and the crossover would be more interesting if Campbell's Ash were still in the mix.
Of course, Campbell does have even more reason to want to see EVIL DEAD go on than the average franchise star does; he co-owns the rights with Sam Raimi and producer Robert Tapert. So wherever things go from here, Campbell will still be taking part in the decision-making process and profiting from whatever gets made.
Personally, I don't want to see a younger Ash played by someone else. I'd rather see that character retired with Campbell.