Bruce Campbell has recently expressed one major complaint about the latest Evil Dead movies. Thankfully, the actor-filmmaker has also proposed a way for the franchise to regain its former glory.

In a recent exclusive interview with Men’s Journal, Campbell stated, “I’d like more humor back in. The three features have been mostly humorless, and I personally have a problem with that. There’s no point for these to get too grim. You can be scary without being grim.”

The 68-year-old has been an inseparable part of the horror genre. Portraying the character of Ash Williams in three movies and TV shows, he has continued making appearances in the Evil Dead movies. Campbell, who is also an executive producer for the franchise, had cameo appearances in Evil Dead (2013), Evil Dead Rise (2023), and Evil Dead Burn (2026).

Why Bruce Campbell wants the franchise to lighten up

Evil Dead Burn was the latest movie of the franchise. According to Rotten Tomatoes, it received 71% on Tomatometer and 74% on Popcornometer. Having a production budget of $20 million, the movie garnered approximately $71 million worldwide. Now, while this might look impressive, it was quite less than what Evil Dead Rise collected. According to The Numbers, the 2023 movie was the most successful of the lot, grossing $147.2 million worldwide.

Thus, to bring back the glory days, Campbell elaborated why lightening up a bit might be helpful. He said, “A little more humor wouldn’t kill you. And one hero that you really can root for. Ash is an idiot, but you want him to survive.”

Campbell also gave examples of other filmmakers, as he said, “Modern filmmakers love to color their movies like a David Fincher movie, like a hospital room, you know? Gray-green, like a garage. Garage lighting. And so, okay, it’s a choice. It’s not mine. I think even a horror movie can look pretty. Why not throw them off? Make it all look pretty and wonderful, and then let them have it.”