Evil Dead's Bruce Campbell Stars in Satanic Panic Series Hysteria! Trailer

The new horror-comedy hits Peacock on October 18th.

By Patrick Cavanaugh

Thanks to his compelling performances in a trilogy of Evil Dead movies, as well as starring in three seasons of Ash vs. Evil Dead, Bruce Campbell is a seminal figure in the world of horror-comedy and he's set to return to that world with Hysteria!, coming to Peacock. Interestingly, the Satanic panic-inspired series unfolds in the '80s, a time in which Campbell's horror movies were a major point of discussion in pop culture, as some people thought horror movies were inspiring audiences to carry out deadly crimes as sacrifices to the Devil. You can check out a new trailer for Hysteria! below before it hits Peacock on October 18th.

The series is described, "When a beloved varsity quarterback disappears during the 'Satanic Panic' of the late 1980s, Hysteria! follows a struggling high school heavy metal band of outcasts who realize that they can capitalize on the town's sudden interest in the occult by building a reputation as a Satanic metal band. This is until a bizarre series of murders, kidnappings, and reported 'supernatural activity' triggers a leather-studded witch hunt that leads directly back to them."

Hysteria! stars Julie Bowen (Modern Family), Anna Camp (Pitch Perfect), and Bruce Campbell (The Evil Dead, Army of Darkness), as well as Emjay Anthony, Chiara Aurelia, Kezii Curtis, and Nikki Hahn.

Due in large response to the popularity of heavy metal music, horror movies, and Dungeons and Dragons in the '70s and '80s, as well as the formation of the Church of Satan, a moral paranoia emerged surrounding all manner of crime. Communities attempted to blame animal sacrifices, kidnappings, and even murders on the work of Satanists, despite a lack of evidence. The paranoid accusations of the era reflected the persecution of witches in Europe and in Salem, Massachusetts, as well as McCarthyism in the wake of World War II.

Writers/executive producers Matthew Scott Kane and David A. Goodman shared in a statement, "'What are those kids up to? Whatever it is, it can't be good.' That fear haunts every generation. Children of the Atomic Age went on to terrifying their families by turning on, tuning in, and dropping out in the sixties. Those same 'free spirits' went on to vote for Reagan and called for censorship of the 'obscene' and 'satanic' heavy metal bands their own kids worshiped. Now, those kids are adults who rail against pronouns, TikTok, and a movie about Barbie. The cycle doesn't end. And it's hard to escape the feeling that someone, or something, is sitting by watching it all, and laughing."

They added, "Hysteria! is about both sides of that generational fear. It's about the thrills of being young, rebellious in spirit, and aspirational at heart -- and the horrors of growing up and realizing that the world you thought you knew has shifted beneath your feet. Our hope is that parents and children (of the appropriate age, of course) can enjoy the chills, the laughs, the music, and the heart of Hysteria! together. Growing up is scary. So is parenting."

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Hysteria! premieres on Peacock on October 18th.

Are you looking forward to the new series? Contact Patrick Cavanaugh directly on Twitter or on Instagram to talk all things Star Wars and horror!

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