Bruce Campbell and Ash Williams have gone their separate ways.
That was the news that rocked the Evil Dead community this past weekend, when Starz announced that Sunday’s episode of Ash Vs. Evil Dead will be its last. It’s a bittersweet end for the horror-comedy series, whose ratings have dwindled ever since season 3 began back in February.
It’ll now be remembered as the third and final installment of Ash’s story, and over on Facebook (h/t Bloody Disgusting), Bruce Campbell has shared a heartfelt farewell to Ash Williams, a character he’s since retired, all the while thanking fans for their unwavering support.
Good people, Evil Dead fans everywhere, I bid you a heartfelt farewell playing Ash – the character I took acting lessons with for 39 years. I am hereby retiring from that portrayal. It’s time. I followed Ash from his formative years thru his mid-life crisis and decline. What a thrill! What a privilege!
He continued:
We had a great resurgence with the help of Starz (kudos not jeers, folks). They made it possible for 15 more hours of Evil Dead-ness in your life – the equivalent of 10 more features!
Is Ash dead? Never. Ash is as much a concept as a person. Where there is evil in this world, there must be one to counter – man or woman, it matters not.
Thanks for watching.
Love, Bruce.
Based on Campbell’s open letter, there appears to be a small chance of Fede Alvarez’s Evil Dead getting a sequel, in which case we’ll likely pick up the story of Jane Levy’s Mia. Chalk that up as innocent conjecture, though, as it’s far too soon to begin mulling over the future of those flesh-munching Deadites – or lack thereof.
If this is really to be the end of Ash Williams, and Bruce Campbell stays true to his word, then Sunday’s series finale of Ash Vs. Evil Dead will be one to remember, as it’ll bring the curtain down on not only Starz’s horror-comedy, but also Ash’s saga, as a whole. It’s the end of an era, then, so season 3’s conclusion is about to become unmissable television.
