Franchise Evolution: The Evil Dead franchise has successfully continued without its original lead, Ash Williams.
New Heroes: Characters like Mia have emerged as viable protagonists, proving the franchise can thrive with new leads.
Creative Direction: Recent films have explored different tones and settings, showcasing the franchise’s adaptability.
Future Potential: Upcoming projects like Evil Dead Wrath may introduce fresh narratives and characters.
Horror franchises have always suffered from the same problem: What happens when the face of the franchise moves on? In the case of A Nightmare on Elm Street, we’ve always heard someone say it: You can’t have Freddy Krueger without Robert Englund. Many will point to the not-so-great A Nightmare on Elm Street remake to prove their point. But the Evil Dead franchise had a completely different problem. And wouldn’t you know it? They solved it in a completely different way.
Across the three Evil Dead movies that didn’t feature Ash Williams as the lead – Evil Dead (2013), Evil Dead Rise, and Evil Dead Burn – the franchise has grossed roughly $317 million worldwide. All three were also generally well received by critics, although Evil Dead Burn has proven more divisive than its predecessors. But how did they pull that off without the face and chin of the franchise? Can they keep it up much longer? Or did Evil Dead Burn prove that, in the immortal words of Bonnie Tyler on the Footloose soundtrack, “I need a hero”?
Let’s take a look at how Evil Dead has survived without Ash and why it needs a new hero.
Ash Williams was never supposed to be the face of Evil Dead
One thing is for sure: Ash Williams just isn’t walking through that door. Bruce Campbell has made it clear that he is done playing Ash Williams, whether that’s in a new movie, a television series, or an animated project. He’s ready to close the book on that part of his career as an actor. But to understand the future, sometimes you have to go back to the past.
When Sam Raimi, Bruce Campbell, and producer Robert Tapert pulled together their resources to make the first Evil Dead, they weren’t thinking about building a cinematic universe. They were trying to make a horror movie. Ash wasn’t originally the swashbuckling, wisecracking hero we came to know. In the first movie, he’s just an ordinary dude. In fact, he seems like one of the least likely heroes in the room. Ashley evolved into Ash before our very eyes.
By Evil Dead II, Raimi, Campbell, and Tapert realized something hilarious about watching this guy get relentlessly tormented: They could build an entire character around it. Ash’s entire journey is basically one of those days when your car won’t start, your clothes look like shit, and your boss yells at you to hit the bricks and beat it because you’re fired. Only with Deadites, dismemberment, and the occasional inconvenience of time travel.
It was insanely relatable how the universe just seemed to hate this guy. Then, when Ash became defiant in the face of all that misery, he became believably heroic in his own completely ridiculous way. He also became more arrogant, horny, petty, and frequently incompetent.
All of that amounted to someone who was unique and extremely entertaining. By the end of Army of Darkness, there was no one else in horror quite like Ash Williams. And that was the problem.
Evil Dead proved Ash didn’t have to come back
Sam Raimi eventually moved on to the Spider-Man franchise and a slew of other projects. Campbell built his own acting career, and Tapert continued producing. Fans, meanwhile, kept asking the same question: Where the hell is Evil Dead 4?
When Fede Álvarez’s Evil Dead arrived in 2013, the movie was initially viewed as a remake, although it was never quite that simple. Álvarez wasn’t trying to replace Ash Williams. Recasting him wasn’t even really an option. Everyone seemed to recognize what a terrible idea that would be. You can replace the actor behind Jason Voorhees’ or Michael Myers’ mask and, to varying degrees, get away with it. You can even recast Laurie Strode, as the Halloween franchise demonstrated. But Bruce Campbell as Ash? That’s different. He is one of a kind.
So Evil Dead kept the Book of the Dead, the demonic possession, and the mutilation but stripped away much of the humor and slapstick comedy along with its hero. The result was a shockingly nasty movie that took everyone by surprise. Every nook and cranny that used to be filled by Ash Williams was replaced with even more blood, guts, and gruesome set pieces. People cut their faces with broken glass, puke into each other’s mouths, and stick needles into eyeballs. This shit was wild.
And then something crazy happened. Even with the darker tone, the Evil Dead feeling somehow remained. The violence was so over-the-top that the pendulum could swing from depravity all the way back to laughter. Just a very different kind of laughter. Let’s not pretend The Evil Dead and Evil Dead II didn’t have their own gross-out moments. But by increasing the shock factor and changing the tone of the horror, Álvarez proved that Evil Dead could still feel like Evil Dead without Ash. And he gave us Mia.
Mia proved the franchise could have a new hero
Jane Levy’s Mia wasn’t Ash 2.0 by any means, and that’s exactly why she worked. A recovering heroin addict brought to a remote cabin for an intervention, Mia had one thing in common with Ash: The universe seemed to hate her too. Through a trial by fire, hand dismemberment, and loads of blood, Mia became a full-on heroine in her own right.
There is a multiverse out there where the franchise followed her story into the future. Álvarez actually began writing a sequel that would have teamed Mia up with Ash. Instead, Ash vs Evil Dead happened, bringing Raimi and Campbell back into the fold. That series was eventually canceled after three seasons despite being well received by critics and fans. Campbell later officially retired Ash, closing the door on the character’s return while remaining involved with the franchise as a producer.
The important thing though was that Evil Dead had already proven that concept could survive without him.
Evil Dead Rise found another way forward
After Ash vs Evil Dead ended, there were discussions about continuing the franchise with characters such as Pablo and Kelly or potentially returning to Mia. But as is often the case with Evil Dead, what seems like it should obviously come next is usually not what actually comes next.
In 2019 Sam Raimi saw Lee Cronin’s debut feature,The Hole in The Ground ,and was impressed enough to meet with filmmaker about possibly working together.Cronin eventually pitched him on an idea for a newEvil Dead movie: What if instead of a group of people walking unexpectedly into a big old pile of evil ,that evil came to their doorstep? And what if cabin in woods was replaced by high-rise apartment building? That becameEvil Dead Rise .
With Ash retired ,and an Álvarez sequel looking less likely ,Raimi and Tapert decided to take path unknown .They could let talented filmmakers cut their teeth on franchise prove what they could do with their own unique versions property.Cronin’sEvil Dead Rise became blueprint for approach.Perhaps most important thing Cronin introduced idea there wasn’t necessarily one single Book of The dead.Army Of Darkness had already shown three different books when Ash was trying retrieve Necronomicon.Raimi had used one .Álvarez used another.Cronin used third.Suddenly ,franchise didn’t have strain itself explaining how every movie connected last one.There were multiple Books Of The dead out there waiting unleash hell whoever crossed paths .
After eight months filming ,COVID lockdown ,and 6 ,500 liters blood ,Evil dead rise was can.The movie opened killer set piece mixed tone original films nastiness Álvarez’s movie.The Kandarian demons were up same fucked-up hijinks but clear this iteration continuing nasty modern approach .And it worked .
Who was the hero of Evil Dead Rise?
This where franchise’s current problem started become little more obvious.The most memorable character inEvil dead rise is undoubtedly Alyssa Sutherland’s Ellie.But she’s not hero,she’s hot deadite.(Sorry.Not sorry.)
That leaves Lily Sullivan’s Beth ,who does great job absolutely qualifies as final girl.But she’s more standard horror survivor than character who immediately feels like someone franchise could build around.She does get deliver “come get some” line use chainsaw by end though.I could see franchise catching up Beth future letting her grow same way Ash did .
Evil dead rise still proved there plenty life left in franchise.The movie made $147 million worldwide well received critics demonstrating audiences willing follow deadites into yet another new setting another new cast.But we were still lacking singular character root for .
And then cameEvil dead burn .
Evil dead burn took franchise even further into darkness
A year afterEvil dead rise ,Evil dead burn was announced after Raimi impressed Sébastien Vaniček’s French spider horror movieInfested .Vaniček attracted idea working Raimi Ghost House Pictures but also liked they didn’t hand him preassembled package tell him what hisEvil dead movie had be.They asked him what hisEvil dead movie would look like if he could make it his own terms .
Vaniček brought hisInfested co-writer Florent Bernard ,and they began working through ideas.Their big addition idea thatEvil dead movies weren’t just about death.They were about love too.Ash tried save his girlfriend.Mia’s brother tried save her.The family inEvil dead rise tried save each other.SoBurn would be about death love .
This gave us Alice played Souheila Yacoub whose husband Will has died.She’s technically supposed mourning him except he was huge abusive shit so mourning gets little complicated.Her in-laws also have very different memory man.Then deadites arrive .
Vaniček talked big game when came horrorsEvil dead burn .He wanted audiences feel tested.He wanted them hurt.He wanted put much meanness into movie he’d never want make another horror movie again.He knew wasn’t going top blood levels previous movies but wanted make meanestEvil dead movie ever made.In franchise where tree has well you know that’s pretty big statement .
And he delivered gore.A deadite takes shot hot wax.A dishwasher becomes torture device.A car headrest gets impaled into skull slowly pulled back out.There beheadings,fingers being slammed car doors,and all manner other bodily atrocities.Edgar played Erroll Shand stabs family dog death fork.He repeatedly shoots himself head front family.He makes out wife while blood other nasty fluids exchange between their mouths.It gross .
If you were looking gleeful gross-outs could provoke laughter,really any semblance humor that largely sacrificed.Vaniček wanted audience feel brutality.And that’s where problem becomes unavoidable.
Evil dead burn has plenty deadites but not enough personality
I’ll just say this now:I don’t agree everything I’m about say aboutBurn .This all hearsay.The openingBurn a good time.It lets us know movie going brutal while continuing franchise tradition opening set pieces shoot moon.The deaths gore absolutely line what we’ve come expect from series afterArmy Of Darkness .ButBURN .is also first movie this modern run really feels like it’s missing something fundamental.
<P Before movie's release,Campbell stepped back from his executive producer role after early script-development meeting.He told Forbes he had become tired arguing about story structure with 26-year-old filmmaker decided better take more hands-off approach.Campbell also identified what felt biggest problem recent.Evil DEAD movies:They were missing humor.
You can be scary without being grim,”Campbell said.And then he brought up most important point all:Franchise needs hero you can actually root for.“Ash is idiot but want him survive.”I couldn’t say any better myself.
Becauase when comes Alice there almost no personality speak beyond her personal trauma.By end.BURN she using household appliances murder DEADITES gets couple decent lines but movie doesn’t give enough personality make us desperately want see survive.And neither does give much personality anyone else.The focus almost entirely on DEADITES gore gags including misguided.Terminator 2 -style chase sequence toward end feels far removed essence franchise.
.That’s missing piece.Franchise has never tried replace Ash’s exact personality.It shouldn’t.Mia Beth were least viable protagonists their own ways.ButBURN /EM>.reveals what happens when remove hero entirely assume gore can fill space.It can’t.
.EVIL DEAD WRATH /EM>.could exactly what Franchise needs /H2 >
.Which brings us next iteration Evil DEAD Franchise:.EVIL DEAD WRATH /EM>.In 2024 while BURN still ramping up learned THE LAST STOP IN YUMA COUNTY director FRANCIS GALLUPPI developing another EVIL DEAD MOVIE writing script.And this one could very different.
.Watching THE LAST STOP IN YUMA COUNTY necessarily give same idea you’re getting INFESTED gave you BURN.Because YUMA COUNTY even horror MOVIE.It’s extremely clever NEO-WESTERN crime THRILLER multiple twists.
.So there’s lot curiosity surrounding WRATH.For starters producer ROB TAPERT revealed MOVIE takes place 1972 making prequel original EVIL DEAD.TAPERT says GALLUPPI’S style deliberate “Tarantino-esque,” major contrast VANIČEK’S much kinetic approach BURN.Also says WRATH distinctly warm tungsten-heavy visual style inspired Ektachrome 100 film stock used around period.
.That alone interesting.CAMPBELL recently complained tendency modern horror MOVIES look like they lit hospital rooms said filmmakers should occasionally throw audiences off pretty wonderful lighting.So hopefully WRATH look EVIL DEAD MOVIE actually some color it.
CAMPBELL also high hopes GALLUPPI praising THE LAST STOP IN YUMA COUNTY smart well thought out.“That’s half battle,”CAMPBELL said,“is go,’Okay,we got filmmaker clue.’”
The humor angle also returning.TAPERT revealed WRATH contains “lot coming-of-age sexual hijinks,” something admitted EVIL DEAD UNIVERSE exactly known for.He also suggested MOVIE could one Franchise’s biggest battles MPA since original.What means I’m interested.
.And more importantly I’m interested because WRATH seems understand most important lesson EVIL DEAD:Next MOVIE doesn’t have look previous MOVIE.
.EVIL DEAD NEEDS NEW HERO NOT NEW ASH /EM>
This ultimately where find ourselves.EVIL DEAD (2013) proved Franchise could survive modern filmmaking without ASH WILLIAMS.It still shock audiences,push gore further,introduce new heroine MIA.
.EVIL DEAD RISE/EM>.proved concept could continue without relying returning characters at all.You could have successful EVIL DEAD MOVIE nothing more than BOOKS OF THE DEAD,the DEADITES,and spirit previous FILMS.
.EVIL DEAD BURN/EM>.carried tradition delivered another MOVIE packed inventive disgusting VIOLENCE.But BURN also exposed missing limb.
The Franchise knows how replace ASH.It just hasn’t figured out how replace WHAT ASH BROUGHT TO THE TABLE.That’s not same thing.
Ash was idiot but wanted survive.He arrogant petty horny incompetent funny occasionally badass.He character first horror icon second.That’s why audiences followed him through three MOVIES television SERIES.The modern EVIL DEAD movies successfully replaced ASH different SETTINGS,different TONES,different FILMMAKERS,different FAMILIES,different VICTIMS increasingly creative ways destroy human BODY.
NOW they need replace him someone actually want follow.Maybe that’s MIA or BETH.Maybe it’s someone we haven’t met yet.Maybe it’s hiding somewhere 1972 with BOOK OF THE DEAD waiting opened.
.Whatever answer EVIL DEAD very much alive.Just might need few tweaks upgrades here there.Like cutting your hand off replacing it chainsaw.Metaphorically speaking course.
The post How Evil Dead Survived Without Ash Williams,and Why It Needs New Hero appeared first on JoBlo.
Sarah Parker is a research analyst and content contributor with a strong interest in business strategy, organizational behavior, and social development. With a background in sociology and public policy, she focuses on exploring the intersection between research and real-world application. Sarah regularly contributes articles that bridge academic insights and practical relevance, aiming to foster critical thinking and innovation across sectors.
