Bruce Campbell has responded to the fan campaign from some WWE fans to see CM Punk as the next Ash Williams in anEvil Deadremake, and it doesn’t look like the B-movie legend is convinced. Recently, we covered the social media push for Punk to land the role, with many publicly calling for the recasting to really happen. Noticing the reports of this news, Campbell himself has since weighed in on the possibility, and though he’s all for Punk leading a horror series, Campbell seems to suggest the former wrestler would be much better off taking on an original character.
From Twitter, here’s Campbell’s official response to the CM Punk as Ash fan campaign.
“You know what?CM Punkis great! He should play a guy in a horror series named Nash, or Bash, or Lash. With all due respect, the name Ash is, like the best table at a restaurant, reserved.”
It’s not unlike Campbell to use humorous analogies to express what he’s feeling. Reading between the lines here, it appears that Campbell doesn’t seem very excited about the prospect of Punk taking over his iconic role. Meaning no disrespect against Punk or any other actor hoping toplay a new version of Ash Williamsin anEvil Deadreboot, Campbell makes a good point by suggesting that the coveted part is essentially reserved. Still, should Punk theoretically star in another horror series as a character with a namesimilarto Ash, Campbell would apparently be supportive.
The rallying for Punk to become the new Ash stems mostly from the release of the indie horror flickGirl on the Third Floor, which features the formerWWEChampion in the lead role. Many horror fans watching the movie noticed some physical similarities between Punk andBruce Campbellwhile watching the movie, which plays a big part in the suggestion. The movie itself, set in a haunted house, is also fairly reminiscent of theEvil Deadmovies, making the comparison easier to see. Punk also impressed some genre fans with his memorable role in the Soska Sisters' remake of the David Cronenberg movieRabidand is looking to become a horror mainstay.
If we’re being honest here, we can assume the majority ofEvil Deadfans would have a very difficult time accepting a new performer in the role of Ash, whether it’s CM Punk, Bob Saget, or any other actor in Hollywood. Perhaps the best approach would be to do what Fede Alvarez did with his ownEvil Deadmovie in 2013, which introduced Jane Levy as an entirely new protagonist. Maybe fans of the franchise wouldn’t necessarily mind seeing Punk leading a newEvil Deadmovie, though, like Campbell, they might prefer for him to be a new character named Nash, Bash, or Lash - perhaps the long-lost son of Ash?
Campbell has officially retired from ever playing Ash Williams again in any more movies, but he has suggested theEvil Deadfranchise is still moving forward. Previously, Campbell teased that the next chapter of the saga may go into development this year, but it remains to be seen who will be directing the movie and which actors will be leading the project. This news comes to us fromBruce Campbell on Twitter.
