Besides the obvious - ie. Bruce Campbell as Ash, Ted Raimi as Fake Shemp - we've had no idea of the casting for Starz and Sam Raimi's Evil Dead sequel series until today. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the first actors to book their seats at the read through are Ray Santiago, of Meet the Fockers, and Dana DeLorenzo of A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas. With that kind of broad comedy on their resumes these guys shouldn't have any trouble at all with Sam Raimi's Three Stooges-inspired splatstick. It's not in the original report but I can add that both actors will play co-workers of Ash's in a superstore, though this is maybe not the S.Mart of Army of Darkness fame. As the pilot episode unfolds, however, the rising Deadites will change everything and the characters' business becomes not selling red vines and baby dolls but hunting down and killing the forces of darkness. And sometimes, running away from the force of darkness because they're just too dark and forceful to tackle head on. Ash vs. Evil Dead will most definitely be a comedy, much more in line with Army of Darkness and Evil Dead II than the first movie. Starz are planning ten thirty minute episodes to air later this year, and I'm probably more excited about this than any other TV show on the 2015 calendar. It's a shame Sam Raimi's not directing every episode, mind you, but I'm sure he'll be pretty hands on.
Brendon Connelly has been a film writer since the early 90s, with time on the staff of Orbit Magazine, Slashfilm, Bleeding Cool, Den of Geek and many more. He's a long time teacher of film studies and practical filmmaking classes, and has directed music videos, commercials, short films and more. His favourite film is Terry Gilliam's Brazil, his favourite food is pancakes or crepes, and he tries to live his life by the teachings of Kermit the Frog.
