The KING is back baby! Well… sort of. NYCC panel attendees got a special treat with a surprise premiere of the “Ash Vs Evil Dead” series coming t0 Starz, and it was everything fans could hope for!
That’s right New York Comic Con gave stage to a monumentous panel moderated by Kevin Smith (“Mallrats”) and featuring the entire new cast of “Ash Vs Evil Dead” including the King Heffe himself, Bruce Campbell, and the visionary Sam Raimi. Then the unthinkable happened. As fans were hypnotized by the blowhard charm of Campbell, conceptual creator and longtime pal Raimi throws down the gauntlet. Instead of giving fans the same teaser San Diego Comic Con got, he challanged to go bigger and NYCC fans got the whole kit and kaboodle. The world premiere.
In “Evil Dead” a group of friends go out to a cabin for their vacation only to stumble upon a book bound in human flesh and inked in blood. Soon their world was turned upside down as an ancient evil is awakened and claims them one by one as victims. Only one man had the metal (literally) to get the job done, that man was Ash. Fast forward 30 years and we find our blowhard hero un-evolved and bound to his wanton ways of womanizing and general debauchery, still employed by a chain retailer, and still being bad at it. Just as always Ash’s wanton ways land him in the center of the deadite war against man, this time he has some new friends and a coin purse overbrimming with money one-liners.
NOTE: Kevin Smith puts Bruce Campbell on the spot when he asks him to star in “Mallrats 2.” Click HERE to find out what Campbell said.
I don’t want to ruin the first episode, but what I will say is that as a longtime “Evil Dead” fan “Ash Vs Evil Dead” brings everything to the table and then some. It is impossible to walk away from the premiere without a sense of gore laden nostalgia. I can also say that many insightful reveals were made and, in one overly gratuitous moment, perhaps even a spoiler.
What’s the deal with the whole “The KING is back baby! Well… sort of” thing? Well, Campbell elaborated that given three different studios made the three films, there was a great deal of legality in attaining the rights.
Unfortunately for “Army of Darkness” diehards, the rights were only allotted for “Evil Dead ” and “Evil Dead 2.” Although that seems soul crushing, there seemed to be some optimism for that to change. If the show is able to last more than a single season (as pleaded by Campbell himself), there is a high likelihood that will change. For now however, don’t expect any “Hail to the Kings” and “Give me some Sugars.”
So what’s the spoiler? Well, in addition to the above-mentioned a certain Lucy Lawless (“Xena: Warrior Princess”) may have made a substantial gaff in giving away the core story line.
Basically the over zealous New Zealander seemingly spills the beans on what will drive the show. Essentially her character, Ruby, has a vendetta against Ash and his crew of “goobers” and takes her new found girl friend (cue the suspense on that ambiguity) officer Amanda Fisher (Jill Marie Jones) on a “Thelma and Lousie” type chase to find and bury Ash. Now keep in mind that this all was said admidst a jest filled Q&A, but giving the wide eyed reactions of Raimi and a humorous yet Lawless silencing retort by Campbell, the validity seems to be sound.
All in all, from the beginning the panel gave “Evil Dead” fans what they most desired. There are loads of nods to look forward to in the future even if the spoilers do turn out to be true. The only way to find out is to strap on a handy (get it?!) chainsaw and raise your remotes. See you there.