Evil Dead Timeline Explained by Bruce Campbell

Ever wonder why Ash was dumb enough to go back to that cabin a second time in Evil Dead II: Dead by Dawn after the events of The Evil Dead? Or why the ending of Evil Dead II doesn’t quite line up with the beginning of Army of Darkness? Well, Ashley J. Williams himself, Bruce Campbell, has all the answers for you. 

Back in 2013, a video streaming movie service known as YEAH! (which is sadly no longer available), launched an extras-laden digital version of Evil Dead 2 that was positively full of Bruce Campbell interviews, where the big guy told some hilarious stories about the production…and even cleared up those long-standing continuity issues. While it was still in operation, the good folks at YEAH! were kind enough to grant us this exclusive clip from their Evil Dead 2 special features, where Bruce Campbell straightens all of those lingering continuity questions out for the fans.

“People think that Ash…was stupid enough to go back to the cabin with a new group of friends,” Mr. Cambpell said. But it was actually rights issues that brought all this about. “We didn’t own the rights to our own movie which is the most ridiculous thing ever,” he explained. “So we just shot a recap with different actors as though that was the recap [of the first movie]…but people thought ‘he’s coming back to the same cabin with these new people?'”  

As to whether Evil Dead II is a remake or a sequel, “It’s a requel! It’s whatever you wanna call it!”

And of course, the problems don’t stop with Evil Dead II, because Army of Darkness ran into similar problems with rights and the necessary recap sequences. The questions about how all three Evil Dead movies fit together (or IF they fit together at all) has always been a point of contention among Deadites, and here, Mr. Campbell suggests a potential “supercut” of all three films that might just clear things up once and for all. Maybe. We might just have to try it out for ourselves! 

Check it out…

Wasn’t that helpful?

Now, none of this explains where the Ash vs Evil Dead TV series comes in, as this was all done long before that series was in production, and that probably screws things up even further, given the Army of Darkness problems. But if you’re looking for an excuse to sit down with the original Evil Dead trilogy, maybe give Mr. Cambell’s viewing order a shot! 

This article originally ran on October 31st, 2013 back when YEAH! gave us the clip. We found it on our archives and thought you might enjoy it again!

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