We’re just days away from the highly-anticipated STARZ series ASH VS. EVIL DEAD, following the wildly popular ARMY OF DARKNESS, which was of course the third film in the EVIL DEAD franchise. Bruce Campbell is back as “Ash”, once again fighting demons and making wisecracks. Sam Raimi directed the pilot, which also stars Lucy Lawless. Check out the first four minutes of the pilot episode below, in which we see Ash (Campbell) getting ready for a big night out. I’m very happy to see (or rather hear) that the use of Deep Purple’s “Space Truckin” song isn’t limited to just the trailers for the show. I just wish there was a way for me to quantify how excited I am for the series, but words wouldn’t do it justice.
“Ash vs Evil Dead” is the long-awaited follow-up to the classic horror film franchise The Evil Dead. The 10-episode first season of the half-hour series executive produced by Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell, the original filmmakers of the franchise, and Craig DiGregorio, who will serve as executive producer and showrunner.
Campbell will be reprising his role as Ash, the stock boy, aging lothario and chainsaw-handed monster hunter who has spent the last 30 years avoiding responsibility, maturity and the terrors of the Evil Dead. When a Deadite plague threatens to destroy all of mankind, Ash is finally forced to face his demons –personal and literal. Destiny, it turns out, has no plans to release the unlikely hero from its “Evil” grip.
The cast is led by Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, “Burn Notice”) in the role of Ash Williams, Lucy Lawless (“Salem,” “Spartacus”) as Ruby a mysterious figure who believes Ash is the cause of the Evil outbreaks, Ray Santiago (“Touch,” Meet the Fockers) as Pablo Simon Bolivar, an idealistic immigrant who becomes Ash’s loyal sidekick, Dana DeLorenzo (A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas) as Kelly Maxwell, a moody wild child trying to outrun her past and Jill Marie Jones (“Sleepy Hollow”) as Amanda Fisher, a disgraced Michigan State Trooper set to find our anti-hero Ash and prove his responsibility in the grisly murder of her partner.
Raimi is directing the first episode of “Ash vs Evil Dead” that he wrote with Ivan Raimi (Darkman, Army of Darkness, Drag Me to Hell), and Tom Spezialy (“Chuck,” “Reaper,” “Desperate Housewives”). Raimi will also serve as executive producer, with Rob Tapert (Evil Dead, “Spartacus,” “Xena: Warrior Princess”) and Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, “Burn Notice”) along with Craig DiGregorio (“Workaholics,” “Chuck”) who will serve as executive producer/showrunner. Ivan Raimi will co-executive produce and Aaron Lam (“Spartacus”) and Chloe Smith (“Spartacus”) will serve as producers.