Bruce Campbell says he’s ‘tapped out’ of the Evil Dead franchise due to lack of ‘ability and interest’

Tom MurraySat, August 22, 2026 at 5:16 PM UTC

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(Getty)

Bruce Campbell has clarified his status in the Evil Dead franchise as the modern film trilogy continues.

Campbell, 68, originated the role of Ash in Sam Raimi’s 1981 horror cult classic, playing a college student who accidentally unleashes a legion of demonic entities.

“Apologies if this news seems new. It’s hard to communicate everything with everyone,” wrote Campbell on X.

“I tapped out after [Ash vs Evil Dead]. Mostly, the reasons were ability and interest, in equal measure. I didn’t want Ash to be compromised by declining skills and as a borderline Geezer, my interests have diverged. I’ll always love Evil Dead to death – literally.”

Campbell starred in the original film trilogy — The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987), and Army of Darkness (1992) — and reprised his role in the TV spinoff Ash vs Evil Dead on Starz (2015-2018).

His tweet comes months after he announced his “shock” diagnosis with cancer in March.

“I’m posting this, because professionally, a few things will have to change – appearances and cons and work in general need to take [a] backseat to treatment,” he wrote on X.

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“There are several cons this year summer [sic] that I have to cancel. Big regrets on my part. Treatment needs and professional obligations don’t always go hand-in-hand,” he explained.

He did not specify what type of cancer he had been diagnosed with.

Campbell concluded his post: “That’s about it. I’m not trying [to] enlist sympathy – or advice – I just want to get ahead of this information in case false information gets out (which it will).”

‘Evil Dead Burn’ (2026) is the latest installment in the horror franchise (Warner Bros. Pictures)

Reassuring fans, he added: “Fear not, I am a tough old son-of-a-bitch and I have great support, so I expect to be around a while.

“As always, you’re the greatest fans in the world and I hope to see you soon!”

Since Campbell stepped away from the role of Ash, the franchise returned with Lee Cronin’s Evil Dead Rise in 2023, which became a box-office hit, and Sébastien Vaniček’s Evil Dead Burn in 2026. A further installment, Evil Dead Wrath, is also in the works, with Francis Galluppi directing.

“We moved away from the cabin, we’ve moved away from Sam Raimi, we’ve moved away from Ash and Bruce Campbell,” Campbell shared in June.

“Thankfully, Evil Dead Rise made the most [$147 million] of any money we’ve made from any Evil Dead, so far, and it validated the fact that we can get away from those main elements. You’ve got to find a new audience, because the original Evil Dead fans, you get some of them, you’re not going to get all of them, because they like those original elements. They like me and Sam and Ash and all that sort of crap.”

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”