Editorials
Six Characters We’d Love to See in ‘Evil Dead: The Game’
Saber Interactive’s Evil Dead: The Game unites many characters from the Evil Dead universe, specifically the first three movies and the “Ash vs. Evil Dead” TV series. The game focuses on the franchise survivors as they gather loot from caches scattered on the game map and complete objectives before taking on the Deadites.
Evil Dead: The Game categorizes its survivors in four distinct classes of combat, taking their personalities and strengths into consideration in their attributes and special abilities. The game offers nine playable characters from the universe, spread among Leaders, Warriors, Hunters, and Support from the outset.
Then there’s the tricky and oft frustrating solo missions, four of which unlock more characters from the Evil Dead universe. If you’ve completed all five solo missions, you’ll notice a remaining Survivor slot available for Leaders, Warriors, and Support. It naturally elicited the question as to which Evil Dead franchise players could fill those slots in future DLC updates.
While we’re already pumped to battle Deadites at Castle Kandar in the future, here are six Evil Dead franchise characters we’d love to play as in the video game down the road.
Note: We’re curating our wishlist based on the IP currently offered within the game, which includes The Evil Dead, Evil Dead 2, Army of Darkness, and the “Ash vs. Evil Dead” series.
Jake – Evil Dead II

Played by the late Danny Hicks, the owner of Jake’s Gas ‘n Go (a location seen in the game!) from Evil Dead II would fit right into the video game realm. Jake never hesitates when it comes to taking action. He guides Annie Knowby straight to the Knowby cabin and immediately incapacitates an understandably trigger-happy Ash. Jake’s all muscle, no strategy, with decent survivor instincts. While he may not have survived his encounter with the Deadites, he was far from the first to perish. Jake would be right at home alongside fellow Warriors.
Sheila – Army of Darkness

Fellow Army of Darkness characters Lord Arthur and Henry the Red already exist within the game, and their medieval stomping grounds will soon offer players a new map to explore. So, Ash’s love interest seems like a prime candidate to appear as a playable candidate. While not much of a fighter and prone to possession, Sheila does demonstrate a supportive nature that would make her a perfect addition to the Support class.
Blacksmith – Army of Darkness

Castle Kandar’s resident Blacksmith created the weapons and armor used by Lord Arthur and his knights. If you’ve unlocked Arthur in Mission 5 or at least played far enough to retrieve his legendary sword, you’d know what a valuable weapon this is during combat. Blacksmith is as tough as his weaponry and first to volunteer to aid Ash in the fight against the enemy. That opens up exciting possibilities in-game.
Brandy Barr Williams – “Ash vs. Evil Dead”

Like father, like daughter. Brandy gets introduced in the third season of “Ash vs. Evil Dead” as a high school student utterly oblivious to the world of demons. Nor is she aware of Ash Williams, her father. Despite her initial fear, skepticism, and outright denial, Brandy adjusts rather quickly, becoming an asset to the team. Brandy also exhibits many of Ash’s traits, including a demonic hand injury. While “Ash vs. Evil Dead” didn’t make it past season three, Brandy’s journey seemed headed toward leadership, giving her Leader potential.
Brock Williams – “Ash vs Evil Dead”

Ash’s far more unfiltered and obnoxious dad makes it abundantly clear where Ash gets his personality. While abrasive and crass, Brock loves his children fiercely; he still mourns over his daughter Cheryl and harbors a mean grudge against Ash for abandoning him decades ago. That he’s very fond of guns means he could make for a good Hunter, though the class is already heavily stacked. Evil Dead: The Game rewards teams who fill their roster with all iterations of Ash with a “Four Horseman” trophy. If your group plays as characters chosen by specific movies – all Army of Darkness players, for example – you get trophies for that as well. Maybe a Williams family trophy is in order?
Ruby – “Ash vs Evil Dead”

The series’ on and off again central antagonist had quite the arc over the three seasons. First introduced as “Ruby Knowby,” the Dark One and Necronomicon author acted as Annie Knowby’s sister to manipulate Amanda Fisher into helping her track down Ash Williams. When Ruby’s demonic spawn turns against her in season two, she becomes an unwitting anti-hero and valuable ally to Ash’s team. Alternate timeline versions of Ruby ultimate replaced Good Ruby with a 1982 version that’d never met Ash, therefore still evil. Ruby’s power and her potential to shift back and forth between teams make her one of the most exciting options to add to the game. Ruby could exist as a Demon or a Survivor, giving multiple character iterations to test out in combat.
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.

For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
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For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
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