Evil Dead Franchise Diversifies With New Characters In Upcoming Films

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There are two new Evil Dead movies in the works, and the series is taking a unique approach compared to most horror franchises. It all started in 1981 with the first film, directed by Sam Raimi. The story centers on a group of friends whose cabin getaway turns into a nightmare when they accidentally unleash evil spirits called Deadites.

The series began as a horror show, but with Evil Dead 2 and Army of Darkness, it blended horror with comedy. Bruce Campbell’s character, Ash Williams, became a famous horror hero, defeating the Deadites in over-the-top, often funny, ways.

Bruce Campbell reprised his role for the Ash vs Evil Dead series on Starz, but wasn’t in the 2023 film Evil Dead Rise. That movie, and the two planned sequels, are introducing entirely new characters to fight the Deadites. This is unusual for a big horror franchise, as Evil Dead is choosing not to bring back established characters.

Bruce Campbell’s Ash Isn’t Expected To Be In The Next Two Evil Dead Films

The horror film Evil Dead Rise was a big hit with audiences, earning over $147.2 million globally on a $15 million budget. This showed that fans are still excited about the Evil Dead series, even without Bruce Campbell as Ash. Now, two more movies are planned: Evil Dead Burn, set to release on July 24, 2026, and Evil Dead Wrath.

Like Rise, the two new Evil Dead movies will introduce fresh characters to the franchise. While they’ll both feature the Deadites, they have different directors and actors than previous films. Importantly, Ash Williams won’t be appearing in either of them.

Bruce Campbell probably won’t be in the upcoming Evil Dead Rise film, and it’s unlikely he’ll be in Evil Dead: Wrath either. He told Fangoria he’d only consider returning to the franchise if Sam Raimi directs another Evil Dead movie. As Campbell put it, ‘If Sam says, ‘I, Sam Raimi, will direct another Evil Dead movie,’ then I, Bruce Campbell, will consider being in it.’

Sam Raimi remains involved with the series as a producer for both Burn and Wrath. However, he’s letting other directors take the helm, which suggests Bruce Campbell might actually follow through on his previous statements.

Evil Dead Isn’t Using Familiar Characters Like Many Other Horror Franchises

Most horror series stick with their popular characters, continuing the stories fans already love. For example, the recent Halloween movies brought back Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode to resume her struggle against Michael Myers, and Scream usually features Neve Campbell as Sidney Prescott facing off against a new Ghostface – with Scream 6 being the exception.

Modern horror franchises, like The Conjuring and Insidious, often bring back the same characters. Others, such as A Nightmare on Elm Street, Saw, and Friday the 13th, rely on a consistent villain to connect the movies. In the Evil Dead series, the demons—known as Deadites—are always the enemies, but their appearance changes based on the person they’ve taken over.

The film Rise demonstrated that continuing the Evil Dead series with fresh faces and directors is a smart strategy. This approach allows each movie to feel unique while still providing the signature gore fans expect.

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2026-02-28 21:58