Bruce Campbell’s prominence in cult classic films is legendary among his dedicated fan base, but even his presence in the Starz original Ash vs. Evil Dead couldn’t save his most iconic role. While impressively surviving for three seasons, the show was inevitably cancelled due to low viewership, with Campbell having various opinions on what caused its cancellation.
Still, this hasn’t stopped the franchise from powering forward thanks to some truly excellent reboot films, particularly Evil Dead Rise bringing it in some new and exciting directions while showcasing new, brilliant talent. But for fans of Ash Williams, Ash vs. Evil Dead’s continuously low streaming exposure deserves redemption in 2026, especially with a new animated series in production.
Ash vs. Evil Dead Deserves New Life on HBO Max
While the Evil Dead franchise as a whole has scattered streaming availability at best these days, its former largely collective home at HBO Max was especially convenient. Given the potential integration of HBO Max programming, should the Netflix merger successfully finish, it’d boost visibility for the franchise, and be the biggest combined subscriber base the show has seen yet.
Campbell has at least once discussed his particular issues with Ash vs. Evil Dead being locked away on Starz, especially when all three seasons were temporarily added to Netflix. The series was loved by audiences for clear reasons; it boasted Sam Raimi’s involvement, the same gruesome, irreverent action-comedy blend, and meaningfully pushed the story forward.
I’d tell people, ‘Hey! Great news! They’re bringing Evil Dead back as a series!’
‘Oh my God! Bruce, that’s great news! What’s it gonna be on?’
‘Starz…’
‘… What’s Starz?’
-Bruce Campbell
On top of blaming audiences for illegally downloading the show too much, Campbell took issue with its lack of a broader platform to appeal to fans beyond Starz. Consolidating its presence on a massive platform like HBO Max or Netflix would allow longtime fans and curious viewers to conveniently watch. Furthermore, one project would be especially great on the platform.
Evil Dead’s Animated Series Deserves the Best Shot Possible
Confirmed by Bruce Campbell in 2022 with him returning as Ash’s voice, this will be the only way to see Ash Williams in any future Evil Dead media, if his retirement continues to hold true. While no longer a continuation of Ash vs. Evil Dead, it’d be ultimately the spiritual successor with his participation, instead of a Deadite cash grab.
It’s a shame that Ash vs. Evil Dead won’t see more content. The series features some of the most absurd, gloriously violent slapstick comedy around, whether it’s S-tier bathroom humor in the morgue scene, or some truly exceptional one-liners. An animated series featuring the best Evil Dead can offer would be perfect on HBO Max.
More than Campbell, though, the series’ talented performers also included Ray Santiago, Dana DeLorenzo, Lucy Lawless, Ted Raimi, and many others. Each are adored in their roles, especially DeLorenzo, whose badass portrayal of Kelly Maxwell was among the greatest reasons to watch the show. One can only hope they’ll return for the animated series.
- Cast
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Bruce Campbell, Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lily Sullivan, Nell Fisher, Ray Santiago, Dana DeLorenzo
- Movie(s)
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The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II, Army of Darkness, Evil Dead (2013), Evil Dead Rise
- Character(s)
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Ashley Williams, Mia Allen, David Allen, Bethany Bixler, Kassie Bixler, Pablo Simon Bolivar, Kelly Maxwell
