I understand Bruce's reasons. Especially his concerns regarding his health. They way Brandon Frasier's career took after his last big screen action roles is kind of sad. But what I don't get are Bruce's quality standards. I just don't understand why he declined to do Bubba Nosferatu with Don and Paul f****** Giamatti as Colonel Parker and made a stinker like My Name is Bruce instead. The script could not be thaaat bad ...
It's about preserving a legacy and a really great film. Bubba Ho-Tep was a perfect one-off film. The ending was solid and there's no reason to do more because it will very likely pale in comparison. It would tarnish/water-down the original.
With 'My Name Is Bruce', it was a whole new thing: an exploration of the weird cult-fandom world Bruce Campbell found himself in (something he never expected or asked for). A love letter to his fans. A reciprocation for treating him like a god and making fun of that fact in the process, that he's more likely the complete opposite inside. I really appreciated it as a mega-fan. It's amazing that we have this film in that time that explores our love for Bruce Campbell.
I'm sure Bruce has heard so many personal stories told to him about fans.
I'll give you my example about the magic of Bruce Campbell and especially the Evil Dead films that matched his awesomeness:
My mind always goes back to high school and how Evil Dead bonded me with a couple of bullies (on separate occasions). These weren't hardcore bullies, but they clearly had broken home lives and just picked on people a bit because they were so uncomfortable with themselves.
On the outside, I was the goody-little-two-shoes A+ teacher's pet student. "You saw Evil Dead?" "Yea" Then we said a similar phrase at the same time: "Bruce Campbell is the greatest actor." Then he said, "Well, not the greatest ever but my favorite." "Yea." "Hey, we should hang out some time." Then I got red-faced because I don't hang out, especially back in school when I didn't have a car. I just wanted to be alone at home. I had no means of getting anywhere and I had absolutely no money to do anything and I sure as fuck didn't want anybody coming to my house, especially some troublemaker. I was trying to make excuses for why I couldn't hang out.
And then another occasion, a bully was mentioning to everyone how he saw this awesome film called 'The Evil Dead'. And I mentioned that it was a good film. He was surprised I already knew it. Then I mentioned Evil Dead 2 and Army Of Darkness. He was like, "There's an Evil Dead TWO?" "Yea, I have it on tape." "I'm going to your house" (He lived like right down the street). And that's the last thing I wanted, so I followed up with, "Well, my mother doesn't really like visitors." (Which was true. But it was also especially true for me.)
And I've met plenty of other people where Evil Dead is mentioned and it creates this little bond because it's so unknown to the masses and it feels special when someone else also experienced it because it took us all by great surprise when we first saw it.
And that's why 'My Name Is Bruce' was worth making. Here's the guy that's the focus of that great fandom (the totem pole, the lightning rod). Write about what he knows. Make a film on what he knows. So he did. And it was great if you're a fan. I can't recommend it because it's like a secret handshake or a secret letter/message that's an inside joke, you won't get it if you are not already a Bruce Campbell fan. So there's absolutely no need to recommend it because you were already going to see it if it was made for you.
Concerning his choice to retire Ash, I think that comes out of the fact that Season 3 was written and made knowing it was going to be the last season. Lionsgate bought Starz when Season Two was premiering (before they wrote Season Three but right after Season Three was greenlit). The ratings were already low for Season One and for Season Two. Starz might have kept it going for a season four and five because they had such a good relationship with Rob Tapert and probably liked the show enough themselves to give it a decent run (and, look, three seasons is a pretty damn good run for any show) but Lionsgate was in charge now and all about business (had no pre-relationship with anybody). They knew they didn't have the ratings to keep it afloat and it only went downward overall for Season Two (which was apparent as it was finishing airing as they started writing Season Three in December 2016). So they knew. That's probably why the theme of the season is Death (The End). Everyone dies in the season including the world. It doesn't get more final than that. And Bruce Campbell ends it giving the performance of that character's life.
It ended perfectly. And the best incarnation of Evil Dead is over, so there's no reason to bring Ash back in some neutered film. Not only that, but Bruce doesn't care for the contractual obligations that go along with Ash. He's still stuck in a contract with Starz (Lionsgate), pimping the show and having to be a talking puppet essentially because they still have to sell Season 3 on Bluray. Bruce is not the Hollywood type while Sam Raimi is. Yea, they're friends, but not the friendly-dindly kinda friends we might all dreamily imagine. They came up together and are really strong acquaintances. Bruce would probably rather shoot an independent film (like 'My Name Is Bruce' in his hometown) rather than schmooze with the soulless business of Hollywood filmmaking (where Sam lives). So there's that little bit of difference there which helps a continuation not happen.
And again, the whole thing ended perfectly. That whole post-apocalyptic thing at the end was just a fun thrilling feel-good ending (just like Army Of Darkness) which further solidified the fact that Ash has willfully taken his place as the chosen one to ride off into eternal battle with the Dark Ones (as Zoe/the Knights Of Sumeria prophecized to him). It doesn't matter what happened to the characters, their fates are meant to be of our choosing, in our imaginations, leaving us something to wonder about and stay in love with (because, like real life, you may never see your best friends again when your lives separate). The real ending was the tearful goodbye and self-sacrifice, taking his place, and bringing the character to his full responsibility (he finally grew up). And anything further would just be a reiteration of that fact, of something that already happened. The story is complete every season. (And it's also unknown if they shot multiple/alternate endings in case they don't get picked up). With Season 3, they definitely knew it was over before the season aired, so that's the ending knowingly put out there with the knowledge it was canceled/ended. And of course it's open-ended just in case... It always is/was/will be because this is a franchise. Bruce could conceivably come back given a certain set of circumstances (everyone has a price and is capable of changing their mind due to circumstances), but Bruce feels complete and happy with that ending and is relieved to not do anymore of it (business/contract reasons mainly). And it's tough as shit making a film/tv-show (barely any sleep, no real-leisure time, your entire life is about making that film). When you're in nearly every scene of a TV show, yea, work is gonna feel like it's killing you (especially at that age - no offense, Bruce).
