In a time when franchises are hot and so many films are receiving sequels, it can be a bit daunting going into yet another rendition of a seen-before plot. One of the most notorious genres for franchising and sequels is horror. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing, some of the best horror movies ever are part of a franchise, one of them being 1981’sThe Evil Dead. However,The Evil Deadfilms feel separated from most franchises as they tend to do their own thing. Their plots have never felt influenced by Hollywood or cheques, and writer/directorSam Raimistuck to his vision for them.
ForEvil Dead II, Raimi opted for a more humorous approach, taking the comedic aspects of the original film and amping them up into pure slapstick comedy that would come to define the series. And forArmy of Darkness, we went all the way back to England in 1300 AD with Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell). It’s such a unique series, and even for its later additions (Evil Dead(2013)andEvil Dead Rise), Raimi was a key player in their development and lent his original vision to a whole new generation of moviegoers. While the series is clearly doing well for itself, there is one thing that could elevate it to new heights: morphing the timelines together.
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With a handful of films under its belt (and a TV series) the timeline feels a bit complicated. But though there are multiple films from multiple time periods, the timeline isn’t as complicated as you may think. Obviously, we know the original trilogy connects, and thatAsh Vs Evil Deadserves as a sequel to it, but what about the other two films?
For a while, it was just assumed that 2013’sEvil Deadwas simply a remake of the original film. But writer/directorFede Álvareztook to Twitterback in 2018 and set the record straight. He replied to a fan and said: “It continues the first one. The coincidences between the first film and mine are not coincidences, but more like dark fate created by the evil book. (Ash car is still there rusting away.)” If you’re a fan of the original film you may have noticed Ash’s car in the 2013 film,some simply assumed it was an Easter egg, but it turns out that’s not the case at all. So if the 2013 film is a confirmed sequel,where doesEvil Dead Risestand in the franchise?
It’s rather complicated and is more up to the interpretation of the viewer, but it wouldn’t be completely wrong to consider it connected to the previous films in some way. After all, in an interview with Collider, Bruce Campbell himself said thatthe three Necronomicons we saw inArmy of Darknessare indeed real, meaning that more than one person can unleash and experience the wrath of the Deadites.
The Necronomicons are Still at Large
So, for all we know there could be even more people fighting off Deadites after finding one of these mysterious books, and that’s certainly a scary thought. Couple that with the fact that, though they may have destroyed the horrifying Deadite monster at the end of the film, Beth (Lily Sullivan) and Cassie (Nell Fisher) didn’t destroy the book. Add to that, the book from the 2013 movie wasn’t destroyed either, meaning both books are still in play and will likely come back to torment the unsuspecting and unfortunately curious reader who finds it next. All this to say it would be completely plausible for the timelines to come together, and it wouldn’t be the first time a franchise has done it. After all, theChuckyTV series brought back many characters from the films, including Andy (Alex Vincent,) Kyle (Christine Elise,) and Tiffany (Jennifer Tilly), and it worked so exceptionally well. The same could be done withThe Evil Deadfranchise, and it may just be the perfect way to bookend the series.
Let Ash Join Up With Our Final Girls!
The key to bringing all of these timelines together may just rest in the hands ofAsh Vs Evil Dead. The series debuted back in 2015, lasted for 3 seasons, and brought back the man who started it all, Ash. After another wave of Deadites is unleashed upon the world, Ash is forced to face off against them once again to save humankind. Couple that plot with the knowledge that there are three books of the dead just out in the world, and you’ve got the incentive to bring it all together. It would just be awesome to see all of these badass characters come together to put an end to the Deadites (and the Necronomicons), but it would be especially great to see Bruce Campbell come back as Ash and face off against the Deadites some more. After all, he started this whole thing off back in 1981, he knows Deadites better than anyone.
More than him though,the newer additions have granted us some really great final girls. Mia (Jane Levy) and Beth are so strong and capable and though their circumstances were about as crappy as one can imagine, they persevered and made it out. Not only that but they had some serious personal struggles going on, with Mia’s addiction, and Beth’s pregnancy on top of trying to keep Cassie safe — and yet they still managed to kick some serious Deadite ass.
Not only would morphing the timelines just be downright cool, but it could serve as a good bookmark to the series. Not to say it needs to stop making new films, as it hasn’t overstayed its welcome yet with its more sporadic and spaced-out releases, but it would be great to see nonetheless. Even if they just destroy one book, or heck, even if they go back in time, the four of them together would be unstoppable. The Deadites seem relatively unbeatable, and the book seems impossible to destroy, but if anyone could do it it would be our final girls and guy. So let the films come together like the brilliant, gory, funny, puzzle pieces they are and give us the showdown of all showdowns, chainsaws and all.
