Comic-Con: ‘Ash vs. Evil Dead’ Debuts Terrifying Trailer, Sets Halloween Premiere

Here’s the best look at Ash vs. Evil Dead yet.

Sam Raimi and B-movie king Bruce Campbell reunited for the Starz show’s Comic-Con panel, where they debuted a new trailer and announced the series would premiere on Halloween at 9 p.m.

The series picks up with Ash as a Deadite plague threatens to destroy all of mankind, forcing him to step up and embrace his destiny.

“Ash has spent the last 30-odd years being Ash, the loveable, asshole-ish blowhard wasting his time,” said showrunner Craig DiGregorio. “He, in a very Ash-like fashion, releases evil again. The first season tracks him trying to put it away. It also tracks Ash, who has had no real relationships over the past 30 years, making relationships with people who tag along with him. ” 

Raimi described the show as what an Ash movie would have been, “but greatly expanded.” Raimi, who directed the premiere, said he would direct more in season two, should the show be renewed. 

Campbell — who received an crazy standing ovation from the crowd — said they needed to be on a network like Starz, which would allow them to do the type of gore they wanted to do.

“Ash, even in his prime, would be the wrong guy to save the world,” said Campbell. “Now he’s 30 years older and he has to save the world. I’m really worried about the world.”

Campbell played up Ash’s womanizing when he hosted an impromptu Ash costume contest, inviting four audience members dressed as his character up onstage. He flirted with a young woman contestant, putting a $20 in her bra when she won.

Lucy Lawless co-stars as Ruby, a mysterious figure obsessed with hunting down the source of the outbreaks. The big problem: She believes that Ash is the cause. Other stars include Ray Santiago and Jill Marie Jones.

Production on the 10-episode Starz series began this spring in New Zealand. They are working on episode 10. It comes more than 30 years after 1981’s The Evil Dead made Raimi and Campbell B-movie icons, with the pair following it up with Evil Dead II (1987) and Army of Darkness (1992). Raimi produced 2013’s Evil Dead reboot, which earned nearly $100 million worldwide on a $17 million production budget.

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