The Big Picture

Bruce Campbell returns to his second home at San Diego Comic-Con to discuss his role in the new series Hysteria! coming to Peacock.
Campbell shares insights on playing Police Chief Dandridge in Hysteria! and compares his character to the iconic Ash from Evil Dead.
Exciting news for Evil Dead fans as Campbell hints at new installments in the franchise and a possible animated Evil Dead series in the works.

It’s no secret that Bruce Campbell is a king of conventions, so appearing at this year’s San Diego Comic-Con is like returning to his second home. Forever integrated into cult fandom thanks to the popularity of the Evil Dead franchise, Campbell is always working on something new. His new series, Hysteria!, is coming soon to Peacock. The upcoming show follows a struggling high school heavy metal band of outcasts who use the town’s sudden interest in the occult to start a reputation as a Satanic metal band. Campbell plays Police Chief Dandridge in a cast that also includes Julie Bowen and Garrett Dillahunt.

At this year’s SDCC, Bruce Campbell sat down with Collider’s Aidan Kelleyto tease what’s in store in Hysteria!, how his role compares to Ash of Evil Dead, future Evil Dead projects, working on new projects with Sam Raimi, reboots of Sky High and Burn Notice, and why the rumored Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash Williams movie was canceled.

Image via Comic-Con

COLLIDER: We have a very, very special guest here today. A pop culture and horror icon who requires no introduction, but I’m gonna give him one anyway: the most fabulous, the most groovy, Mr. Bruce Campbell.

BRUCE CAMPBELL: Good morning! Thanks for having me in this amazing scenario—San Diego Comic-Con, the mother of all Comic-Con!

Absolutely. I know you’re very, very familiar with the [convention] scene, and I gotta imagine San Diego’s gotta be one of your favorites.

CAMPBELL: Well, it’s challenging because if you actually go out onto the floor, it’s elbow to elbow. If you’re claustrophobic, I don’t know. It’s great to have it back, though. That’s the most important thing—it’s back.

Last year was an unusual one with the strikes.

CAMPBELL: [Sarcastically] Yeah, those actors had to go striking and mess everything up!

I know video games are now going through the same thing. They’re now doing a video game strike.

CAMPBELL: They should! Get the money, man, because everyone plays video games.

How Bruce Campbell’s Role in ‘Hysteria!’ Compares to Ash from ‘Evil Dead’
Image via The Nacelle Company

You have plenty of experience with Evil Dead: The Game; you were just in that. I know you are making a very, very welcome return to the horror genre with the new Peacock original series Hysteria!, and it’s still very early days for the show, but I got to wonder–

CAMPBELL: I can tell you all kinds of stuff, all kinds of stuff. They gave me the green light on anything I wanted to say.

That’s perfect.

CAMPBELL: Isn’t that awesome? It’s a new show. That’s what I can say.

What drew you to the show?

CAMPBELL: No, that’s it.

Sweet.

CAMPBELL: I’m kidding! The category is hard to say. It’s horror, but it has a quirky underpinning that really attracted me. It’s got a fascinating time period. It’s the late ’80s in Michigan, where I’m from. I play the chief of police, and I’ll tell you what, at this point in my life, that’s what I’m playing. I’m playing prison wardens, chief of police. The words really got me. With horror, I get picky, and this was really interesting. I’m looking forward to it.

You play the police chief, Dandridge. How does Dandridge differ from other characters you’ve played in the past?

CAMPBELL: Fewer chainsaws, shotguns. He’s a man who uses his mind as much as his gun. He’s a little bit of the anchor of this situation because it’s about a small town in Michigan where weird shit happens. Nobody knows what’s happening, and they may or may not succeed.

Would you say he’s more of the responsible type compared to the more gung-ho Ash Williams? [of Evil Dead]

CAMPBELL: Are you saying that Ash was irresponsible? He is irresponsible. Ash is completely irresponsible. Ash does drugs before he goes into battle. That’s the way it works.

I guess getting high and then reading the Necronomicon wasn’t the most responsible thing.

CAMPBELL: Right, because you’re not gonna do that shit straight. I said to a buddy of mine, “What are you doing this Saturday?” He goes, “I’m mowing my lawn,” and I go, “Well, OK,” he goes, “but I’m not doing that shit straight!” It’s the same theory. I’m not gonna fight demons straight. No, this chief of police is a very reliable character.

It almost sounds like it’s the opposite of Ash, specifically in Season 2 of Ash vs Evil Dead when he gets to his hometown, and he’s known as Ashy Slashy.

CAMPBELL: Are you writing something here right now? Another season of something? I don’t know that there are parallels. It’s hard to say. The pundits like you can decide!

Bruce Campbell Reveals New ‘Evil Dead’ Installments Are on the Horizon
Image via Warner Bros. 

Your contributions to Evil Dead obviously go well beyond just playing Ash Williams. You produced the wildly successful Evil Dead Rise. I know you and Sam Raimi have both expressed a lot of interest in doing a lot more Evil Dead on a regular basis. Do you think you’re going to be doing more projects in the future for Evil Dead that are more stand-alone and more anthology-based, like Evil Dead Rise?

CAMPBELL: Yes. Because I’m done playing Ash, and people have accepted directors other than Sam Raimi. There’s been two other directors, and they’re both going on to have wonderful careers. Fede [Alvarez], he’s doing the new Alien movie [Alien: Romulus]—not a bad little stepping stone! He’s doing fine. Same with Lee Cronin [director of Evil Dead Rise]. He’s got a new deal with Warner Bros. to make a fabulous new movie. So, we’ll never get him again! The audience accepts it because the thing that they want is the basic principles of Evil Dead—crazy shit has to happen to innocent people who are not ready for it. That’s the basic premise. There are two more coming, by the way.

You also mentioned two years ago with Perri [Nemiroff] that you were considering making an animated Evil Dead series that may or may not have been a continuation of where Ash vs Evil Dead left off.

CAMPBELL: That’s still in play.

Related Bruce Campbell Confirms ‘Ash vs. Evil Dead’ Animated Series Talks Have Begun The live-action series was cancelled after three seasons.

Very exciting. Is it gonna be on Starz? I know that’s your favorite.

CAMPBELL: I can’t tell you that—only because we don’t know yet. We’re pitching. You pitch your concepts, you see who lines up, and then you make it. But I would voice Ash. I should be clear about that. My voice has not aged as much as I have.

You’ve mentioned before that voicing would be the way.

CAMPBELL: I can do that in my little home in Jacksonville, Oregon!

Going back to Evil Dead Rise, a big component that made that movie special was the brand new setting—going out of a cabin in the woods to a high-rise building. If we’re going more with the anthology for future installments, what would be a new setting or maybe even a new time period?

CAMPBELL: You’re trying to trap me, man! “Bruce Campbell, two years ago, you said it would take place on an ocean liner!” Yes, you have to find the next setting for it. The answer is we are out of the cabin. You don’t even have to do urban [settings] anymore. This week you can do a suburban Evil Dead very well. Some little Levittown neighborhood gets lit up. That’s the challenge with each new one now because it’s not the cabin. It’s a whole new opportunity, but it’s also a whole new challenge.

I can’t wait to see what you guys come up with.

Bruce Campbell Teases a Possible Reunion with Sam Raimi’s Upcoming Horror Film
Image via Sony

I mentioned Sam Raimi earlier, who I imagine you’re familiar with.

CAMPBELL: I’ve heard that voice.

We got some really exciting news a few weeks back that he is going to be back in the directing chair for a brand-new movie.

CAMPBELL: Well, you would think. That ridiculous Doctor Strange [in the Multiverse of Madness] movie made like a bazillion dollars. Prop the old man up, get him back in the chair, and let’s go!

His last [horror movie] was 2009’s Drag Me To Hell, so that’s gonna be very exciting. It’s titled Send Help, and it’s still very, very early [in production]. I gotta wonder if you and Sam had any conversations about being in it?

CAMPBELL: Well, that’s a private conversation that we’ve had, but he is aware of the fact that he needs me to provide pivotal roles in his movie. It’s not about big parts. It’s about pivotal parts, right? A small part in the first Spider-Man as the ring announcer, but I named the character.

Image via Marvel Studios

What did you name him?

CAMPBELL: The Amazing Spider-Man. He wanted to be called the Human Spider. Get with the program here! Do you understand “pivotal” now? Small, but pivotal. He’s working on the next pivotal role for me.

Bruce Campbell Talks ‘Sky High’ Reboots and Weird Collectibles

You mentioned Spider-Man. Sam has also expressed interest in making another Marvel movie after Multiverse of Madness. You have plenty of experience with superhero movies as well. One of my personal favorites, it’s an early 2000s film that follows a teenager growing up and learning how to control his powers. It starts with an “S.” I’m, of course, talking about Sky High.

CAMPBELL: You’re the perfect age for Sky High!

I grew up watching it!

CAMPBELL: I run into you guys all the time. “Hey, Sky High!” “Sidekick!”

Image via Walt Disney

There’s been whispers of a sequel or some continuation.

CAMPBELL: That needs to be a TV series on Peacock.

Or Disney+. I believe it’s a Disney product.

CAMPBELL: On Peacock. I’m working for Peacock right now! Disney might just sell it to Peacock. They’ll work it out. That would be a good TV show because you’re following high school kids, only they’re superheroes.

Would you return as Coach Boomer?

CAMPBELL: The stars have to align, but never say never. Because it’s Kurt Russell. I’d have to work with Kurt again for the third time. I work with his son, Wyatt, on Lodge 49. I know all the Russells!

Going back to Evil Dead, the original film is so well known for being made in some pretty harsh conditions. You’ve talked a lot about that, but I’m curious what the most challenging on-set experience for you was that was not on an Evil Dead project?

CAMPBELL: It’s the stuff before I even got into the union or Evil Dead. I did spokesman stuff for the car companies. I had training films that were tongue twisters—shit that you had to say, like, “MacPherson strut suspension,” because you’re selling cars. I would train car salesmen how to sell cars, and the language that you had to memorize and say was impossible. None of it was like having a dialogue with someone in a kitchen. That’s easy compared to speaking that many words. And all of it is technical jargon. Nightmare. The hardest crap I ever did was before Evil Dead.

You mentioned before that, allegedly, your brother has the shotgun from Evil Dead.

CAMPBELL: Brother Don! Don Campbell. He’s not watching, so we can say whatever.

Are there any collectibles or any stuff you’ve gotten on set that you’ve kept for yourself?

CAMPBELL: ​​​​​​​Don has the keys to the cabin [from Evil Dead]. He has the original skeleton keys to the cabin. Why the hell does he have them? That doesn’t make any sense. Sam Rami should have them. I should have something. I never picked it up, it’s as simple as that. No one grabbed it, and my brother probably went “Huh,” and shoved them in his pocket. I have really random stuff. I have a tchotchke shelf in my office—random things that only mean something to me, like [collectibles] from the movie Sundown: The Vampire in Retreat. I play Van Helsing, and there’s a little shaker of the holy water, and they made this cool little bottle with a VH logo. That’s on my shelf. I got things that would mean nothing to anybody.

I think that makes them so much more special. I think everyone knows the shotgun.

Bruce Campbell Discusses How the ‘Freddy vs Jason vs Ash’ Movie Got Canceled
Image via Renaissance Pictures

Speaking of hypothetical sequels, going back to Sky High. You’ve talked before about the horror movie crossover that sadly never was, which was “Freddy vs Jason vs Ash,” which did become a comic book. It never became a movie. If that comic ever got a sequel, what other horror character would you throw into the mix?

CAMPBELL: Let’s back up. I gotta stop you. One, these ideas are creatively bankrupt, and I’ll tell you why. Freddie vs Jason vs Ash: we had a five-minute conversation with New Line about making that movie. We were told you cannot kill either one of them, and you cannot have any plot or dialogue that affects the other characters. Only one company has control of this character, where we can only control Ash. Your story has to be really convoluted and terrible, and Ash doesn’t get to kill either one of them. It’s a silly concept.

Hey, folks, I can ask this question because we’re at Comic-Con. Why is Batman fighting Superman? Can we please stop that silliness? Because Superman would squash his head like a zit in a nanosecond. The story is over

The counterargument is always, “Oh, he’s got kryptonite.”

CAMPBELL: What, in his back pocket? Batman’s carrying it around?

His whole rule is he can’t kill, so he’s not gonna kill him.

CAMPBELL: How many buildings can a superhero get punched through? The answer is a lot. Spider-Man 3 had that problem. There were too many villains, and one too many villains fighting in the middle of the air as they’re falling down a building.

Bruce Campbell Expresses Interest in a ‘Burn Notice’ Spin-Off
Image via USA Network

In addition to movies, you’ve been a part of a lot of successful TV shows that have had a huge resurgence, including Suits and Burn Notice. What’s it been like seeing the response to those shows now as opposed to when they were originally released?

CAMPBELL: It was a good time for USA [Network]. They were known for the “Blue Sky” shows. Our edict was, “You have to shoot outdoors,” and Miami is a character of the show. It was back at a time when USA [Network] had a very specific mantra, and all those shows were like that. Then it went dark. You can only maintain that for so long. To me, it’s representative of a time period when everyone’s optimistic, making cool shows with people wearing cool clothes, driving cool cars.

We know Suits is getting a brand-new spin-off. Burn Notice is still super popular. Would you consider returning to either of those franchises?

CAMPBELL: Give me a buzz, man. Heck yeah. Sam Axe? In a second. I know how to start it.

How would you start it?

CAMPBELL: I can’t tell you, man. No, Sam would be in Key Largo winning the Hemingway look-alike contest with a big beard because he’s got nothing to do now. Grow a beard and imitate Hemingway.

Going back to TV, again, and going back to Evil Dead. Ash vs Evil Dead. You’ve talked about the reasons behind why the show was canceled, but you’ve also talked about how the show has had such a resurgence in the age of streaming. Do you think if the show were released today, things would have gone a bit differently?

CAMPBELL: The fundamental thing remains: How do any of these people, these hundreds of thousands of people here, find a show? Like, how will they find Hysteria!? This is why we come to places like this, so we can scream from the highest hill, “Watch Hysteria!” That’s the challenge. There’s a lot of material out there, and how do you find people? It’s not about putting butts in seats. How do you get them to push that button?

We didn’t feel that Starz was well-known enough for people to even find it. Here’s how it would go: “Hey, great news! We’re doing an Evil Dead TV show.” “Oh my god, that’s awesome! What’s it gonna be on?” “Starz.” “What’s Starz?” Anyway, they also ran a promo that our cheapskate fans took advantage of—a 30-day free trial. They binge-watched the entire series and canceled [their subscription]. Thank you, Comic-Con fans! Those are a couple of the factors—the cheapskate fans can’t find the show!

Image via Comic-Con

The show did have a fairly definitive ending by putting Ash in this post-apocalyptic scenario, which, in some ways, might seem like a tragedy, but in other ways, might be the perfect environment for him. Without getting too much into the animated one, because I know that is still in the works, what do you think Ash is doing right now?

CAMPBELL: At this moment, Ash is living the best life in the future with a hot robot chick laying waste to the Evil Dead. We knew we were gonna get canceled. It was that simple. We went, “We better do something.” You can’t just end it with Ash running off into the sunset. We felt that we had offered a good enough ending: “Don’t worry about Ash. He’s gonna be fine in the future,” kind of ending. That’s what we thought.

That’s great that you had that opportunity.

CAMPBELL: It is! Because sometimes you don’t even have that. Shows get canceled in the off-season. Not this one.

Well, your next show, Hysteria!, is coming soon exclusively to Peacock. Be on the lookout for it.

CAMPBELL: Subscribe now, by the way. You can get the Olympics, watch the Olympics, and just keep it.

Hysteria! will stream exclusively on Peacock. In the meantime, check out all three seasons of Ash vs Evil Dead on Hulu.

Watch on Hulu