#CultCinemaIcons #EvilDeadMarathon Evil Dead marathon leads up to Sam Raimi-directed Ash vs Evil Dead premiere

Setting the stage for the premiere of Starz Original series “Ash vs Evil Dead,” the cable net will present a marathon of the cult classic Evil Dead horror franchise on Friday, October 30th, starting at 8:00 pm, hosted by Evil Dead star Bruce Campbell (Ash). The marathon will conclude with a sneak peek of the first episode of “Ash vs Evil Dead” at 12:15 am.

The Evil Dead marathon kicks off with the original 1981 cult classic, The Evil Dead at 8:00 pm on STARZ. This seminal horror movie features five friends who go to a cabin in the woods where they find unspeakable evil lurking in the forest. They discover the Necronomicon, the Book of the Dead, which when translated releases a legion of demons and spirits. In order to survive the night, Ash must do battle with the evil dead.

The marathon continues with the 1987 sequel, Evil Dead 2 at 9:30 pm. Ash, the lone survivor of the original demon attack, returns in the second chapter of the cult franchise. Armed with a chainsaw and a shotgun, he again must fight the evil dead when a group of strangers interrupt his romantic vacation in a lonely cabin in the woods.

The Evil Dead marathon concludes with the 1992 third installment, Army of Darkness at 10:55 pm, along with a sneak peek at the first episode of the Starz Original series “Ash vs Evil Dead.” In Army of Darkness, our hero, Ash, is transported back in time to 1300 A.D. and once again faces off against the evil unleashed. In order to return to the present and get back home, he must take up his chainsaw and “boomstick” to defeat the Deadites and return the Necronomicon to its final resting place.

Fans are encouraged to join social media conversations throughout the night using #EvilDeadMarathon and other scene-specific hashtags that will appear within each cult classic film.

“Ash vs Evil Dead” premieres on Halloween night, Saturday, October 31st at 9:00 pm. The series is executive produced by Sam Raimi, Rob Tapert and Bruce Campbell – the original filmmakers of the franchise – along with Craig DiGregorio who serves as executive producer and showrunner.

Campbell reprises his role as Ash, the stock boy, aging lothario and chainsaw-handed monster hunter who has spent the last 30 years avoiding responsibility, maturity and the terrors of the Evil Dead. When a Deadite plague threatens to destroy all of mankind, Ash is finally forced to face his demons – personal and literal. Destiny, it turns out, has no plans to release the unlikely hero from its “Evil” grip.

The cast is led by Campbell (Evil Dead, “Burn Notice”) in the role of Ash Williams; Lucy Lawless (“Salem,” “Spartacus”) as the mysterious Ruby, who believes Ash is the cause of the Evil outbreaks; Ray Santiago (“Touch,” Meet the Fockers) as Pablo Simon Bolivar, an idealistic immigrant who becomes Ash’s loyal sidekick; Dana DeLorenzo (A Very Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas) as Kelly Maxwell, a moody wild child trying to outrun her past; and Jill Marie Jones (“Sleepy Hollow”) as Amanda Fisher, a disgraced Michigan State Trooper set to find our anti-hero Ash and prove his responsibility in the grisly murder of her partner.

Raimi directed the first episode of “Ash vs Evil Dead” that he wrote with Ivan Raimi (Darkman, Army of Darkness, Drag Me to Hell), and Tom Spezialy (“Chuck,” “Reaper,” “Desperate Housewives”). Raimi also serves as executive producer, with Rob Tapert (Evil Dead, “Spartacus,” Xena: Warrior Princess”) and Bruce Campbell (Evil Dead, “Burn Notice”) along with Craig DiGregorio (“Workaholics,” “Chuck”) who serves as executive producer/showrunner. Ivan Raimi serves as co-executive producer and Aaron Lam (“Spartacus”) and Chloe Smith (“Spartacus”) serve as producers.