Evil Dead Star Bruce Campbell Claims Animated Film Is Being "Actively" Pursued
Bruce Campbell officially retired from playing Ash Williams in the live-action Evil Dead franchise nearly five years ago, though Ash might not be gone for good, as he recently confirmed to Bloody Disgusting that he and fellow collaborators, including director Sam Raimi, are hoping to develop an animated installment in the series. Given that Campbell announced that his retirement was largely due to how physically taxing it was to take on Deadites for the past 40 years, by pivoting to the world of animation, he'll still seemingly be able to continue Ash's exploits indefinitely. The next entry in the series, Evil Dead Rise, lands in theaters on April 21st.
"All I can say is we're actively pursuing it," Campbell confirmed to the outlet. "Sam's a busy guy. He had a big hit movie, so he's got a lot on his plate, but he and his brother are actively shaping out the world. It's one thing to get an animator and say, 'Hey, animate this!' You've got to know what you're going to animate. I look forward to it, because my voice hasn't aged as much as I have."
In the years after the release of Army of Darkness, a film that was seemingly the conclusion of the franchise, Campbell lent his voice to multiple video games, while various comic books also offered the continued exploits of Ash. After delivering audiences three seasons of Ash vs. Evil Dead, the actor made it seem pretty definitive that he was hanging up his "boomstick." Even after that retirement announcement, though, Campbell has offered his voice to Evil Dead: The Game.
If an animated entry is developed, fans will surely speculate about how it will be unveiled. Evil Dead Rise was initially developed as an exclusive HBO Max original, though with Warner Bros. Discovery making some behind-the-scenes changes, the film will instead be landing in theaters. Whether an animated Evil Dead film will aim for a theatrical release or instead be an exclusive HBO Max release is yet to be revealed.
Even if the animated project doesn't take shape anytime soon, Campbell isn't far from the franchise, as he, Raimi, and Rob Tapert all served as producers on Evil Dead Rise, ensuring the upcoming film honors the spirit of its predecessors while filmmaker Lee Cronin brings the concept into a new generation.
Evil Dead Rise hits theaters on April 21st.
Would you like to get an animated film in the franchise? Let us know in the comments or contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter to talk all things Star Wars and horror!