History Franchise / EvilDead

The third film catapulted Ash from cult classic-dom into pop culture popularity; there are four videogames, tons of comic book adaptions (including {{crossover}}s with ComicBook/MarvelZombies, [[Series/XenaWarriorPrincess Xena]], [[{{ComicBook/Vampirella}} Vampirella]], [[ComicBook/DangerGirl Danger Girls]] and [[ComicBook/HackSlash Hack/Slash]], as well as ''ComicBook/FreddyVsJasonVsAsh''), a [[TheRolePlayingGame Role-Playing Game]] under the UsefulNotes/{{Unisystem}} umbrella, and [[http://www.evildeadthemusical.com/ a Broadway musical]] all based on Ash and the ''Evil Dead'' trilogy.

The [[Film/TheEvilDead1981 first film]]'s story follows a bunch of teens who get together in a cabin in Tennessee and play a tape recorded recitation from a demonic book of the dead (the [[TomeOfEldritchLore Necronomicon]]) -- which leads to each of them becoming possessed and attacking the others. ''Film/EvilDead2'' is a partial sequel and a partial remake. Because Raimi was unable to use scenes from the original film,[[note]]This was because the rights to the first two films were owned by separate companies, and it would've been too much of a hassle to get the rights to the original film's footage.[[/note]] he turned the first act of the sequel into a quick, simplified version of the first film. In it, Ashley J. Williams survives the possession of his girlfriend and, along with some new arrivals, manages to fight back the evil demons possessing the house. This film leads straight into ''Army of Darkness''.

* ''VideoGame/PokerNight2'' (2013) - Ash is one of the players

* {{Unreboot}}: Several years after ''Film/ArmyOfDarkness'', the ''Film/EvilDead'' series got a reboot with an all new cast starting the story from scratch or so we thought. [[spoiler: The cameo by Bruce Campbell's Ash at the end kinda leaves it all up in the air.]] However, a few years later, the story returned to series protagonist Ash Williams with the TV series Ash Vs. The Evil Dead., which featured none of the character or scenarios from the remake film.

** And with the release of ''VideoGame/PokerNight2'', he has also met [[WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers Brock Samson]], [[VideoGame/{{Borderlands}} Claptrap]], VideoGame/{{Sam|AndMaxFreelancePolice}} and {{SelfDemonstrating/GLaDOS}}. The game also pokes fun at his comic crossover whoring by having Claptrap tell him that he's going to do battle against ''Series/{{Degrassi}}'' in 2016. Another line has Ash ranting about how Hollywood should just let old franchises die. The game came out the same month as the 2013 remake.

After years of ''Evil Dead 4'' rumors, Ash's story from ''Army Of Darkness'' was continued in the Creator/{{Starz}} TV series ''Series/AshVsEvilDead'', created by Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, and Bruce Campbell, and with Bruce Campbell reprising his role as Ash. [[note]] While the series doesn't explicitly say it continues from ''Army Of Darkness'' (primarily due to rights issues), Bruce Campbell stated that the time travel from ''Evil Dead 2'' [[{{Canon}} did happen]].[[/note]] Another film set in the continuity of the original series, ''Film/EvilDeadRise'', is set for theatrical release in 2023; Campbell is producing but not starring.

[[quoteright:280:https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/evil_dead.jpg]]
[[caption-width-right:280:''"I'll swallow your soul!"'']]

After years of ''Evil Dead 4'' rumors, Ash's story from ''Army Of Darkness'' was continued in the Creator/{{Starz}} TV series ''Series/AshVsEvilDead'', created by Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, and Bruce Campbell, and with Bruce Campbell reprising his role as Ash. [[note]] While the series doesn't explicitly say it continues from ''Army Of Darkness'' (primarily due to rights issues), Bruce Campbell stated that the time travel from ''Evil Dead 2'' [[{{Canon}} did happen]].[[/note]] Another film set in the continuity of the original series, ''Evil Dead Rise'', is set for theatrical release in 2023; Campbell is producing but not starring.

The [[Film/TheEvilDead1981 first film]]'s story follows a bunch of teens who get together in a cabin in Tennessee and play a tape recorded recitation from a demonic book of the dead (the {{Necronomicon}}) -- which leads to each of them becoming possessed and attacking the others. ''Film/EvilDead2'' is a partial sequel and a partial remake. Because Raimi was unable to use scenes from the original film,[[note]]This was because the rights to the first two films were owned by separate companies, and it would've been too much of a hassle to get the rights to the original film's footage.[[/note]] he turned the first act of the sequel into a quick, simplified version of the first film. In it, Ashley J. Williams survives the possession of his girlfriend and, along with some new arrivals, manages to fight back the evil demons possessing the house. This film leads straight into ''Army of Darkness''.

* PeekABooCorpse
* PopculturalOsmosis
* POVCam: The evil thing chasing characters.

* CaliforniaDoubling: ''Army of Darkness'' takes place in medieval England, but it's pretty obviously filmed in Bronson Canyon and [[KirksRock Vasquez Rocks]]. Bruce Campbell has a lot of fun ribbing Sam Raimi about it in their DVD commentary. Notably averted in the first two movies, which really were filmed in the Appalachian forest (much to the chagrin of the Michigan-based cast and crew, especially during the first movie).

* ''VideoGame/MortalKombat11'' (2019): Ash was [[WhatCouldHaveBeen going to be]] a playable DLC GuestFighter, but this didn't happen for unknown reasons.

* TheLostWoods: The setting of the first two movies and remake once the Necronomicon's been read aloud, they also take up some of the plot during ''Army of Darkness'', as Ash rides to find the Necronomicon. ''Within the Woods'' was also a "practice" film Raimi and company made pre-''Evil Dead''.

After years of ''Evil Dead 4'' rumors, Ash's story from ''Army Of Darkness'' was continued in the Creator/{{Starz}} TV series ''Series/AshVsEvilDead'', created by Sam Raimi, Robert Tapert, and Bruce Campbell, and with Bruce Campbell reprising his role as Ash. [[note]] While the series doesn't explicitly say it continues from ''Army Of Darkness'' (primarily due to rights issues), Bruce Campbell stated that the time travel from ''Evil Dead 2'' [[{{Canon}} did happen]].[[/note]] Another film set in the continuity of the original series, ''Evil Dead Rise'', is in development for Creator/HBOMax; Campbell is producing but not starring.

* ''Film/EvilDeadRise'' (2022)

* ''Evil Dead Rise'' (2022)

** Taken UpToEleven in the reboot. The cutting off the arm scene is made far worse when said arm is hanging from your body by a string of flesh then just sloughs to the floor. Not to mention a close up of cutting your tongue in half with a knife or slicing off a large portion of your cheek. All of these scenes also are conveniently shown in the trailers just to make sure the viewer knows what type of movie they are going to.

* TheChewToy: Ash just can't get a break. The original ending of the third movie would have taken this UpToEleven.

* {{Jerkass}}: Scotty in the first film, Jake and Bobby Joe in the second and Ash in the third. Scotty's jerkassery is turned UpToEleven in the musical.

** Cranked UpToEleven in ''Fistful of Boomstick'' videogame, where Ash would spout random one-liners with [[TauntButton a press of a button]].

* EarlyInstallmentWeirdness: The first film is straight up low-budget horror. The rest of the franchise leans far more heavily on comedy, with Army of Darkness being straight up parody. Also, the first film has Ash keep his hand throughout the entire movie, never cracks a joke, is more of a goof with one girlfriend than an actual ladies' man, and is a nervous wreck the entire time who isn't much of a fighter until the very end. The second and third movie gradually turns him into the womanizing, wise-cracking, deadite killer we all know and love.
* EverybodyDiesEnding: Strongly implied in the first film, but the second film continues on from that, and Ash is just possessed but shakes it off.

* KillEmAll:
** Everybody but Ash in 1 and 2.
** Everybody but [[spoiler: Mia]] in the reboot, and even in her case, she merely failed to stay dead.

* ''VideoGame/EvilDeadTheGame'' (2022)