Bruce Campbell, who portrays Ash in theEvil Deadseries, has explained how the next two movies in the horror franchise will fall into its larger timeline. Following the success of 2023’sEvil Dead Rise, it was announced in February 2024 that anEvil Deadspinoffwas in production, with Sébastien Vaniček attached as director and co-writer alongside Florent Bernard. Then, in April 2024, it was revealed a second spinoff would also be entering development, written and directed by Francis Galluppi. The plots for both upcoming entries are under wraps.
Speaking withScreen Rant, Campbell teased how the newEvil Deadmovies will fit into the larger timeline, explaining that it’s not as planned out as something like George Lucas’Star Warsmovies were.The actor teased that the franchise is beyond the original cabin and Ash, hinting at the upcoming movies feeling more like their own independent stories set in the same universe. However, he acknowledges the connective tissue that will also be present, helping bolster the films as part of the wider horror universe. Check out what Campbell had to say below:
Well, we’re always going to make them pay some respects to the franchise. It’s not even a franchise. This thing came out of really nowhere. It’s been percolating for years in different directions. They just got to pay some homage. And there’s always going to be a threat. So, it’s not the George Lucas intricate, you know, Jabba the Hutt and Chapter 9, 10, 11, 12, told in reverse. It’s not that, but there will be some of that. There has to be. Hey, we’re out of the cabin. We’re well out of the cabin now. We’re well beyond Ash. We’re two movies beyond Ash. So, the old guy, no one cares about him anymore. So, it’s fine. It works good.
They’ll Potentially Be Independent Of One Another
Theend ofEvil Dead Risesaw Beth (Lily Sullivan) and Kassie (Nell Fisher) escape the forces of theNecronomiconthat had possessed their family in the apartment complex. However,the curse was later passed onto Jessica (Anna-Maree Thomas), who was shown to be a Deadite at the start of the movie. The film establishes that there are three Books of the Dead, with this one in particular requiring a possessed person to be completely destroyed in order to stop them. This expansion of the lore means plenty of possibilities for the next two movies.
Bruce Campbell’s Evil Dead Rise Cameo Cleverly Avoids A Plot Hole With Sam Raimi’s Original Trilogy
Bruce Campbell has a subtle cameo in Evil Dead Rise through which this movie cleverly avoided an Ash Williams plot hole with Raimi’s trilogy.
While it’s unclear if one of the forthcoming films will be a directsequel toEvil Dead Rise, Campbell’s statement indicates it doesn’t need to be for the franchise to keep expanding. Because there’s no direct plan in place for the wider world of the series, it allows plenty of filmmaking freedom as Vaniček and Galluppi approach their projects in different ways. However, withseries creator Sam Raimi and original producer Robert Tapert both producing the next installments, they’ll be able to steer the franchise in a strong direction as it continues to evolve.
They Should Do Their Own Thing While Honoring The Franchise
Given the creative freedom surrounding theEvil Deadmovies, which have been approached as both horror films and comedies in the past, there’s plenty of different directions the new spinoffs can go. This includes everything from presentation to time period, withArmy of Darknesspreviously proving the series can take place in any time period and still be engaging. While the lack of plot details make it difficult to decipher what’s being planned for the franchise, it also means plenty of surprises are likely in store when a time period does get fully established.
The mainEvil Deadfranchise consists of five movies and a TV series,Ash vs. Evil Dead.
Evil Dead
Created by Sam Raimi, Evil Dead is a horror-comedy franchise that began with the release of the original film, The Evil Dead, in 1981. The series follows protagonist Ashley “Ash” Williams as he and his friends venture into a cabin for a vacation only to discover it harbors a demonic book that can summon terrifying creatures known as Deadites, hell-bent on torturing and slaying them all. As the series progresses, Ash becomes more of a masculine B-movie action hero until the soft reboot helmed by Eli Roth occurs, which shifts the franchise deeper into its horror roots.
