With the season 3 finale of Ash vs Evil Dead approaching on April 29th, Starz has announced that they will not be moving forward with a fourth season of the series.
Multiple sources, including The Hollywood Reporter, report the news of Ash vs Evil Dead's cancelation. The series premiered to nearly half a million viewers in 2015, but ratings in the third season have dipped down (often below 200,000 viewers per episode) despite continued critical acclaim and support from the diehard Evil Dead fanbase.
The series gave viewers the chance to catch up with Bruce Campbell's iconic character Ash Williams decades after the events of Sam Raimi's Evil Dead films. Here's what Campbell had to say about the cancelation (via THR):
"Ash vs. Evil Dead has been the ride of a lifetime. Ash Williams was the role of a lifetime. It was an honor to reunite with Evil Dead partners Rob Tapert and Sam Raimi to give our tireless fans another taste of the outrageous horror/comedy they demanded. I will always be grateful to Starz for the opportunity to revisit the franchise that launched our careers."
Starz President of Programming Carmi Zlotnik also said farewell to Ash vs Evil Dead (via THR):
"Ash vs. Evil Dead has taken audiences on a wild ride for three seasons thanks to the fantastic performances and creative efforts of Sam, Bruce, Rob, and the entire cast and crew. We are proud to send the show out with a bang … and a splat."
In our season 3 interviews with the cast, there were discussions about the importance of this season feeling like a complete story just in case the series wasn't allowed to return, so there could very well be some closure in the final episode, even in the wake of the show's cancelation, but fans of the series will no doubt always wonder what could have been explored in future installments.
There is no talk about the series being picked up by another network or steaming service at this time, but we'll keep Daily Dead readers updated on any future announcements regarding Ash vs Evil Dead. And in case you missed it, check here for our previous season 3 coverage.
Ash Vs Evil Dead has been the ride of a lifetime. Ash Williams was the role of a lifetime.
I will always be grateful to Starz, Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and our tireless fans for the opportunity to revisit the franchise that launched our careers. Thank you! ? pic.twitter.com/oNmTopS1Ab
— Bruce Campbell (@GroovyBruce) April 20, 2018
This has been the journey of a lifetime & deathtime! THANK YOU @STARZ, Sam Raimi &producers, brilliant writers, our CREW/family, actors &extras, & above all you FANS! YOU are why #AshVsEvilDead exists & “I will f⚓ck your faces” with gratitude & love & guts always!#Ghostbeaters
— Dana DeLorenzo (@ImDanaDeLorenzo) April 20, 2018