Ash vs. Evil Dead

When Ash vs. the likes of Freddy Krueger, Jason Voorhees, and Michael Myers were being discussed and thrown out there, I certainly, personally thought those ideas were the stuff of Dark Horse Comics not anything feasible for the movies. Well, if Hollywood wanted that, I guess it could still happen, but I'm secure in thinking that sort of nonsense died in developmental hell. When Fede Alvarez's​ remake of Evil Dead came out in 2013, all of a sudden new life seemed possible for the franchise, as it made a respectable 97 mil despite resembling the '81 film in basic outline and passing moments of homage only. But for those Evil Dead fans like me, it needed to feature deadites and Bruce. It needed that famous Campbell profile, The Chin. The swagger, wonderfully dopey offered zingers that only Campbell could pull off, womanizing (a feminist's nightmare), cartoonish facial expressions, physical endurance despite all the damage the dead cause to his person, and remarkable feats of violence towards those damned evil dead; Ash has remained a cult hero of the horror genre even if not particularly an ideal candidate for some moral crusader defending the human race against the wicked from beyond. Campbell had spent some time away from Ash and The Evil Dead, so the timing was right, it seems. Primarily notable in Burn Notice, the USA Network show, Campbell wasn't necessarily tied to anything else significantly so his career has sort of provided him with various genre roles in film and television. Since the early 90s, I did always wonder if he'd return to the character. With makeup and CGI effects quite elaborate in 2015, and Sam Raimi a Hollywood made man, The Evil Dead could be quite a commodity in either television or even in a streaming platform. Starz took the charge and the franchise was reborn. I feel the franchise's fans are all the better for it. For years, I felt there was never a better time to revive the long dormant franchise than today. Though I figured Evil Dead 4 would be the eventual return waited for, the idea of a series left me quite excited. It meant a lot of Evil Dead, not just one last 90 minute roller coaster that might function as a nostalgic treat. With the series format, the story of Ash and his continued adventures against the deadites could be expanded, developed, and extended. Not just a cabin in the woods, either, but across the land with others equally at odds with those Evil Dead. I know it's cliche but The Evil Dead (1981) and Dead by Dawn (1987) were so heavily influential on me when I was young to the genre, and seeing the franchise thriving still, now on Starz, having not abandoned what provided it the cult legacy it maintains leaves me quite well pleased.