WARNING! This article contains SPOILERS for Evil Dead Rise!Franchise staple Bruce Campbell returns for an off-screen cameo in Evil Dead Rise, but the Bruce Campbell Evil Dead Rise cameo has been left somewhat ambiguous. Directed and written by Lee Cronin, Evil Dead Rise is the fifth movie in Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead franchise, with the 2023 installment seeing a family contend with feral Deadites in Los Angeles rather than a remote cabin. Evil Dead Rise follows brand-new character Beth (Lily Sullivan) as she visits her sister, nephew, and nieces, though their reunion turns gory upon discovering a demon-releasing book in their Los Angeles apartment building – a situation very familiar to Bruce Campbell’s absent Ash Williams.
Bruce Campbell is best known for portraying final guy Ash Williams in the Evil Dead franchise, which includes starring the first three movies (1981’s The Evil Dead, 1987’s Evil Dead II, and 1992’s Army of Darkness), appearing in a brief post-credits scene cameo for Evil Dead (2013), and leading the character’s Starz TV show Ash vs. Evil Dead. However, the groovy Ash Williams isn’t featured in Evil Dead Rise, sending the franchise into a new direction led by Beth instead. Still, while Ash Williams may not be an on-screen presence in the 2023 standalone sequel, there is a hidden Bruce Campbell Evil Dead Rise cameo, and he is part of Evil Dead Rise’s cast.
Who Bruce Campbell Plays In Evil Dead Rise (It Might Still Be Ash!)
Bruce Campbell cameos as a priest speaking on a record found by the characters in Evil Dead Rise. When Ellie’s oldest child Dan finds the Book of the Dead, he also finds several vinyl records from the year 1923, which he plays back on his turntable. On the record, the priest voiced by Campbell reveals that the book they've discovered is called the "Book of the Dead." While Ash Williams isn’t explicitly in Evil Dead Rise, Bruce Campbell isn’t necessarily playing a different character.
Director Lee Cronin suggested that the “priest” voiced by Bruce Campbell might still be Ash Williams: “Bruce came over to Ireland… and I asked him if he would do this teeny, tiny, little cameo for me. And the fun part is, that’s not necessarily Bruce Campbell playing someone else – that could very well be Ash Williams.” While this would mean that Ash traveled in time to 1923 when the priest’s voice was recorded, it’s not out of the realm of possibility considering he was already sent back to Medieval times in Army of Darkness. Hopefully, Evil Dead 6 will confirm whether Bruce Campbell’s “priest” in Evil Dead Rise is actually Ash.
When To Spot Bruce Campbell's Cameo In Evil Dead Rise
The Bruce Campbell Evil Dead Rise cameo arrives shortly after the earthquake that exposes the Book of the Dead in the apartment’s parking garage. His cameo appears on a record played by Dan, with the actor's recognizable voice confirming the artifact to be the Book of the Dead. Fittingly, it’s Campbell – and potentially Ash Williams – who warns of the dangers of the Book of the Dead in Evil Dead Rise.
In addition to the priest that may or may not be Ash, Bruce Campbell has another hidden role in Evil Dead Rise. When Deadite Ellie attacks Gabriel in the apartment hallway, she eats his eyeball off of his face, which needed some disgusting sound work. Lee Cronin told Digital Spy that the munching sound of the eyeball scene was accomplished by Campbell “eating an apple furiously.” As such, Bruce Campbell has two bizarre audio cameos in Evil Dead Rise.
Could This Mean Bruce Campbell's Ash Returns To The Franchise?
On the face of it, the Bruce Campbell Evil Dead Rise cameo seems like a fun throwaway Easter egg for fans. However, there are few signifiers that hint at Bruce Campbell returning as Ash in Evil Dead 6. First of all, Cronin's comments that he thinks the priest from 1923 on the vinyl is Ash hints at the return of the character. Not only that, but one of four Evil Dead 6 ideas Cronin has is an origin story about the Book of the Dead that's in Evil Dead Rise. That means that the film must feature the mysterious priest who may or may not be Ash.
Unfortunately, it has been well-documented how reluctant Campbell is to reprise his role as Ash in the franchise, as Campbell retired the Ash character after Ash vs. Evil Dead season 4 was canceled. The actor explained, "I’m done playing Ash, so that determines a lot of where we go with the franchise without that character, but there are more stories." However, Evil Dead Rise was a phenomenal success, making almost $150 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo), despite having a budget of just $15 million. Given that Campbell is one of the franchise's producers, the new movie's success could change Campbell's mind.
Sources: Digital Spy