Army of Darkness 2 is all you'll want after Multiverse of Madness - will we get it?

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Sam Raimi is a filmmaker that many hold up with the very best of them. 

For superhero fans, his work on the Spider-Man trilogy with Tobey Maguire has grown in regard over the years, becoming a nostalgic movie marathon to embark upon time and time again. 

Before that, on the other hand, audiences championed him for another trilogy… the Evil Dead trilogy. 

Beginning in 1981 with The Evil Dead, he followed it up with Evil Dead II in 1987 and concluded the trio of films with the ambitious Army of Darkness in 1992. At the centre of all three is Bruce Campbell as Ash. 

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He’s arguably one of the most iconic characters in horror history and certainly one of the funniest. Bruce’s commitment to the role is awe-inspiring to this day, and it was wonderful to see him cameo in Raimi’s Spidey trilogy. 

Not only that, but he cameos in Raimi’s recent return to superhero cinema too. 

In Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness, Bruce briefly appears as a street vendor called Pizza Poppa. He hassles Strange and America Chavez until Strange casts a spell on him, forcing him to repeatedly punch himself in the face. 

Bruce’s animated performance style echoes his work on Evil Dead, particularly Army of Darkness in the scene when Ash sprouts another head and ultimately has to battle for control of his own body. 

It’s the perfect nod to Evil Dead fans but one that will encourage them to think “hmm, what happened to another Evil Dead movie?”

Of course, audiences were treated to the Ash vs Evil Dead TV series that elaborated upon the events of the third instalment. Nevertheless, there have long been talks of another Evil Dead movie. 

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Screenrant reports that a storyline with Ash in the future as a Sarah Connor-eque character in defiance of a robot population was considered for a potential sequel for a while. 

Indeed, another idea saw both endings of Army of Darkness – for the US and international release – become canon, with the fourth instalment offering audiences two timelines to reunite with Ash in. 

There was talk of Army of Darkness 2 all the way back in 2013, but in May 2021, fans got some encouraging news, with Collider reporting that Evil Dead 4 is officially coming to HBO Max. 

Unfortunately, on the other hand, Sam Raimi is executive producing while Lee Cronin directs; he was hand-selected by Raimi. 

Bruce Campbell won’t be starring but will be executive producing alongside Raimi. Sadly, Bruce has retired the character of Ash. The project will introduce new characters and settings. We even have a title, Evil Dead Rise. 

The Ash actor revealed that the project was going to be filmed in 2021, so it’s possible that it will arrive on screens later this year. 

Taking this into consideration though, it looks like Army of Darkness 2 will be a project that never materialised, much to the disappointment of the Evil Dead fanbase. Nevertheless, it’s great to know that the franchise will live. 

Hearing this, that Doctor Strange cameo feels all the more special. You’ve still got it Mr. Campbell – can’t four be the new magic number?

Chris Weston

Chris has a First Class Film and Journalism (Joint Honours) degree from De Montfort University and previously studied film at A-level, making him HITC’s resident movie guy. Chris's passion for all things cinema has been with him from a very young age and he has written for a number of publications, from Taste of Cinema to local sites. He has been with HITC for a five years, exploring the world of film and television while looking out for the latest titles to excite and inspire audiences.