The horror community learned some disappointing news when Bruce Campbell announced that he is retiring from playing Ash Williams, the star of The Evil Dead series. The news came after Starz cancelled Ash vs. Evil Dead after the third season finale, which airs on April 29, 2018.
Campbell announced that he’d retire from playing Ash via Twitter on Monday, April 23. Horror website Bloody Disgusting posted about the show’s cancellation and suggested that fans petition Netflix to pick up the show. In response, Campbell tweeted, “Big props to fans for the effort, but I’m retired as Ash. #timetofrysomeotherfish”
“Ash vs. Evil Dead has been the ride of a lifetime,” Campbell said in a statement after the show was cancelled. “Ash Williams was the role of a lifetime. It was an honor to reunite with Evil Dead partners Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi to give our tireless fans another taste of the outrageous horror/comedy they demanded. I will always be grateful to Starz for the opportunity to revisit the franchise that launched our careers.”
Ash has been the lasting protagonist in The Evil Dead series for nearly four decades. The supernatural horror series was initially very frightening with demons possessing human hosts and engaging in violent actions, but soon transitioned into horror-comedy territory with plenty of gore and schlock.
Campbell’s career, which is dominantly in comedy and horror, is punctuated by this character. He played Ash for the first time in 1981 for Sam Raimi’s The Evil Dead, then returned for Evil Dead II in ’87, Army of Darkness in ’92, voiced him in several video games, an uncredited stinger cameo in the 2013 reboot of Evil Dead, and three seasons of the Starz TV show.
With all that history, it’s hard to imagine The Evil Dead franchise will continue without its hero. Granted, other actors, directors, and series have retired, but been tempted back for a reunion or reboot. So there’s always a chance he could be convinced to return to Ash down the road. Currently, he is set to appear in the TV series Lodge 49 in 2019.
