View source for Army of Darkness

{{Short description|1992 film by Sam Raimi}}
{{About||the wrestling stable known as Army of Darkness|Kevin Sullivan (wrestler)}}
{{Use American English|date=January 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2016}}
{{Infobox film
| name           = Army of Darkness
| image          = Army of Darkness poster.jpg
| alt            =
| caption        = Theatrical release poster by [[John Bolton (illustrator)|John Bolton]]
| director       = [[Sam Raimi]]
| producer       = [[Robert Tapert]]
| writer         = {{Unbulleted list|Sam Raimi|[[Ivan Raimi]]}}
| starring       = {{ubl|[[Bruce Campbell]]|[[Embeth Davidtz]]}}
| music          = [[Joseph LoDuca]]
| cinematography = [[Bill Pope]]
| editing        = {{Unbulleted list|[[Bob Murawski]]|R. O. C. Sandstorm}}
| studio         = {{Unbulleted list|Dino De Laurentiis Communications|Renaissance Pictures|[[Introvision International]]}}
| distributor    = [[Universal Pictures]]
| released       = {{Film date|1992|10|09|[[Sitges Film Festival|Sitges]]|1993|02|19|United States}}
| runtime        = {{ubl|81 minutes (United States)|88 minutes (International)|96 minutes (director's cut)}}
| country        = United States
| language       = English
| budget         = $11 million<ref name="the-numbers.com">{{cite web |url=https://the-numbers.com/movie/Army-of-Darkness#tab=summary |title=Army of Darkness (1993) - Financial Information |publisher=The-numbers.com |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006084653/https://the-numbers.com/movie/Army-of-Darkness#tab=summary |archive-date=October 6, 2016 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref>
| gross          = $21.5 million<ref name="the-numbers.com">{{cite web |url=https://the-numbers.com/movie/Army-of-Darkness#tab=summary |title=Army of Darkness (1993) - Financial Information |publisher=The-numbers.com |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161006084653/https://the-numbers.com/movie/Army-of-Darkness#tab=summary |archive-date=October 6, 2016 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref>
}}
'''''Army of Darkness'''''{{efn|Titled onscreen as '''''Bruce Campbell vs. Army of Darkness''''' and marketed as such on some [[home video|home releases]].<ref>{{cite web | title=Bruce Campbell vs. Army of Darkness - Studio Canal | url=http://www.studiocanal.co.uk/Film/Details/d8aec917-9448-499e-98fa-9e7f006298f3 | access-date=May 29, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171023091848/http://www.studiocanal.co.uk/Film/Details/d8aec917-9448-499e-98fa-9e7f006298f3 | archive-date=October 23, 2017 |url-status = live| df=mdy-all }}</ref>}} is a 1992 American [[dark fantasy]] [[comedy film]] directed, co-written, and co-edited by [[Sam Raimi]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2022-09-23 |title='Army of Darkness' is still a dose of pure Sam Raimi joy |url=https://www.syfy.com/syfy-wire/army-of-darkness-sam-raimi-streaming-peacock-review |access-date=2023-01-10 |website=SYFY Official Site |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.allmovie.com/movie/army-of-darkness-v2865|title=Army of Darkness|last=Williams|first=Karl|publisher=[[AllMovie]]|access-date=July 2, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170809041612/https://allmovie.com/search/all/Army%20of%20Darkness|archive-date=August 9, 2017|url-status = live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> The film is the third installment in the [[Evil Dead|''Evil Dead'' film series]] and the [[sequel]] to ''[[Evil Dead II]]'' (1987). Starring [[Bruce Campbell]] and [[Embeth Davidtz]], it follows [[Ash Williams]] (Campbell) as he is trapped in the [[Middle Ages]] and battles the undead in his quest to return to the present.

The film was produced as part of a production deal with [[Universal Pictures]] after the financial success of ''[[Darkman]]'' (1990). Filming took place in California in 1991. The makeup and creature effects for the film were handled by two different companies: [[Tony Gardner (designer)|Tony Gardner]] and his company [[Alterian, Inc.]] were responsible for the makeup effects for Ash and Sheila, while Kurtzman, Nicotero & Berger EFX Group was credited for the remaining special makeup effects characters.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.bookofthedead.ws/website/army_of_darkness_credits.html |title=Book Of The Dead - The Definitive Evil Dead Website |publisher=Bookofthedead.ws |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161112070105/http://bookofthedead.ws/website/army_of_darkness_credits.html |archive-date=November 12, 2016 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref> [[Tom Sullivan (special effects artist)|Tom Sullivan]], who had previously worked on ''[[Within the Woods]]'', ''[[The Evil Dead]]'', and ''[[Evil Dead II]]'', also contributed to the visual effects.<ref>{{cite magazine|last=Uram|first=Sue|date=August 1992|title=Evil Effects: Tom Sullivan, Gore Auteur|url=|magazine=[[Cinefantastique]]|publisher=|volume=23|issue=1|page=50|issn=0145-6032}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://love-it-loud.co.uk/interview-with-tom-sullivan-the-evil-dead/|title=Interview with Tom Sullivan (The Evil Dead)|website=Love-It-Loud|access-date=April 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190219012020/http://love-it-loud.co.uk/interview-with-tom-sullivan-the-evil-dead/|archive-date=February 19, 2019}}</ref>

''Army of Darkness'' had its premiere at the [[Sitges Film Festival]] on October 9, 1992, and was released in the United States on February 19, 1993. It grossed $21.5 million total over its $11 million budget and received generally positive reviews from critics, who praised Raimi's direction, humor, visuals and Campbell's performance, though criticism was aimed at the lighter tone compared to the previous films.

Despite not being a box office success in the U.S., it became a success on video release and later garnered a [[Cult film|cult following]] from fans of the series, along with the other two films in the trilogy. The film was dedicated to ''The Evil Dead'' sales agent and ''Evil Dead II'' executive producer [[Irvin Shapiro]], who died before the film's production in 1989.

== Plot ==
Having been accidentally transported to the [[Middle Ages]],{{efn|As depicted in ''[[Evil Dead II]]'' (1987).}} [[Ash Williams]] is captured by [[King Arthur|Lord Arthur]]'s men, who suspect him of being a spy for Duke Henry, with whom Arthur is at war. He is enslaved along with the captured Henry, his [[shotgun]] and [[chainsaw]] are confiscated, and he is taken to Arthur's castle. Ash is thrown in a pit where he kills a Deadite and regains his weapons from Arthur's Wise Man. After demanding that Henry and his men be set free and killing a Deadite publicly, Ash is celebrated as a hero. He grows attracted to Sheila, the sister of one of Arthur's fallen knights.

According to the Wise Man, the only way that Ash can return to his time is through the magical ''[[Necronomicon#In popular culture|Necronomicon Ex-Mortis]]''. Ash then starts his search for the ''Necronomicon''. As he enters a haunted forest, an unseen force pursues Ash into a windmill, and he crashes into a mirror. Small reflections of Ash in the mirror shards come to life and antagonize him, with one becoming a life-sized copy of him, which Ash dismembers and buries.

When he arrives at the ''Necronomicon''{{'}}s location, he finds three books instead of one, and has to determine which one is real. Realizing at the last moment that he has forgotten the last word of the phrase that will allow him to remove the book safely{{snd}} "[[Klaatu barada nikto]]"{{snd}} he tries to mumble and cough his way through the pronunciation. He grabs the book and begins rushing back. Meanwhile, unknown to Ash, his ruse has failed and his body's copy rises from the dead, uniting other Deadites into the Army of Darkness.

Upon his return, Ash demands to be returned to his own time. However, Sheila is abducted by a flying Deadite and later transformed into one by "Evil Ash". Ash becomes determined to lead the outnumbered humans against the Army, and the people reluctantly agree. Using knowledge from textbooks in his 1973 [[Oldsmobile 88|Oldsmobile Delta 88]] and enlisting the help of Duke Henry, Ash successfully leads the soldiers to victory over the Deadites, blows up "Evil Ash", saves Sheila, and brings peace between Arthur and Henry. Using a passage from the ''Necronomicon'', the Wise Man tells him how to return to the present by giving him a potion after reciting the same phrase as earlier.

Back in the present, Ash recounts his story to a fellow employee at the S-Mart department store. As he talks to a female co-worker who is interested in his story, a surviving Deadite, present because Ash once again forgot the last word, attacks the customers. Ash kills it using a [[Winchester rifle]] and exclaims, "Hail to the king, baby", before passionately kissing the co-worker.

===Original ending===
For the film's original ending, using a passage from the ''Necronomicon'', the Wise Man tells Ash to swallow six drops of the potion to return to the present; unfortunately, due to a distraction by falling rocks, Ash miscalculates the amount of potion needed to be able to correctly return to his own time, swallowing seven instead of six. As a result, Ash wakes up in a post-apocalyptic [[London]] where human civilization is destroyed, and he screams in dismay at having overslept. Universal Pictures objected to this climax, feeling that it was too negative and depressing in tone; as such, a more positive and optimistic ending was filmed and ultimately incorporated into the theatrical cut.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=159}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/canceled-movie-twists-saved/|title=10 Canceled Twists That Would've Saved Movies (And 10 That Would've Hurt Them)|author=Leon Miller|date=July 30, 2018|work=ScreenRant|access-date=August 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180823105451/https://screenrant.com/canceled-movie-twists-saved/|archive-date=August 23, 2018|url-status = live|df=mdy-all}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/lukethompson/2018/08/21/bruce-campbell-ash-vs-evil-dead-3-sam-raimi-rob-tapert-lucy-lawless-starz/|title=Bruce Campbell Talks 'Ash Vs. Evil Dead' Season 3, And The End Of The Saga|author=Luke Y. Thompson|date=August 21, 2018|work=Forbes|access-date=August 22, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180821221633/https://www.forbes.com/sites/lukethompson/2018/08/21/bruce-campbell-ash-vs-evil-dead-3-sam-raimi-rob-tapert-lucy-lawless-starz/|archive-date=August 21, 2018|url-status = live|df=mdy-all}}</ref>

==Cast==
* [[Bruce Campbell]] as [[Ash Williams|Ashley "Ash" J. Williams]] and "Evil Ash"
* [[Embeth Davidtz]] as Sheila
* [[Marcus Gilbert (actor)|Marcus Gilbert]] as Lord Arthur
* [[Ian Abercrombie]] as Wise Man
* Richard Grove as Duke Henry the Red
* Timothy Patrick Quill as Blacksmith
* Michael Earl Reid as Gold Tooth
* [[Bridget Fonda]] as Linda
* [[Bill Moseley]] as Deadite Captain
* [[Patricia Tallman]] as Possessed Witch
* [[Bob Bergen]] as [[Necronomicon#In popular culture|Necronomicon Ex-Mortis]]<ref>{{cite web|title=Combat Radio on Facebook: "Our buddy Bob Bergen on voicing the book in ''Army of Darkness''! (Along with Gremlins, Porky Pig, Tweety Bird, etc...)"|url=https://www.facebook.com/reel/9547410422019605|date=March 10, 2025|publisher=Facebook|access-date=October 27, 2025}}</ref>/Creature Voices<ref name="Resume">{{cite web|title=Bob Bergen Official Web Site: Resume|url=https://www.bobbergen.com/resume.htm|access-date=October 27, 2025|website=www.bobbergen.com}}</ref>
* [[Ted Raimi]] as Cowardly Warrior/Second Supportive Villager/S-Mart Clerk<ref>{{cite web|title=Interview with Ted Raimi|url=https://bookofthedead.ws/website/interviews_ted_raimi.html|access-date=2025-10-28|website=Book Of The Dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230130143235/https://bookofthedead.ws/website/interviews_ted_raimi.html|archive-date=2023-01-30}}</ref>/Skeleton Voices
* [[Angela Featherstone]] as Girl in S-Mart (uncredited)<ref>{{cite web|title=Interview with Angela Featherstone|url=https://www.bookofthedead.ws/website/interviews_angela_featherstone.html|access-date=2025-03-12|website=Book Of The Dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250907131330/https://www.bookofthedead.ws/website/interviews_angela_featherstone.html|archive-date=2025-09-07}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|title=Angela Featherstone autograph collection entry at StarTiger |url=https://www.startiger.com/myStars/l.php?i=&s=754306&u=4140|access-date=2025-03-12|website=www.startiger.com}}</ref>

==Production==

===Development===
Plans to make a third ''[[Evil Dead]]'' film had been circulating for a number of years, even prior to the production of ''[[Darkman]]''.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=152}} ''[[Evil Dead II]]'' made enough money internationally that [[Dino De Laurentiis]] was willing to finance a sequel.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=152}} Director and script writer [[Sam Raimi]] drew from a variety of sources, including literature with ''[[A Connecticut Yankee in King Arthur's Court]]'' and [[Jonathan Swift]]'s ''[[Gulliver's Travels]]'' and films like ''[[The 7th Voyage of Sinbad]]'', ''[[Jason and the Argonauts (1963 film)|Jason and the Argonauts]]'', [[The Three Stooges]], and ''[[Conan the Barbarian (1982 film)|Conan the Barbarian]]''. ''Evil Dead II'', according to [[Bruce Campbell]], "was originally designed to go back into the past to 1300, but we couldn't muster it at the time, so we decided to make an interim version, not knowing if the 1300 story would ever get made".{{sfn|Warren|2000|p=143}} Promotional drawings were created and published in ''[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]'' during the casting process before the budget was deemed too little for the plot. The working title for the project was ''Medieval Dead'', before it was later known as ''Evil Dead III: Army of Darkness''.{{sfn|Warren|2000|p=107}}<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/army-of-darkness-sam-raimi-medieval/ | title=Army of Darkness: The Weirdness of Sam Raimi's Medieval Dead | date=February 19, 2019 }}</ref> The title "Army of Darkness" came from an idea by [[Irvin Shapiro]], during the production of ''Evil Dead II''.<ref>Sam Raimi. DVD audio commentary, 3:12.</ref>

===Writing===
Initially, Raimi invited [[Scott Spiegel]] to co-write ''Army of Darkness'' because he had done a good job on ''Evil Dead II'', but he was busy on rewrites for the [[Clint Eastwood]] film ''[[The Rookie (1990 film)|The Rookie]]''.{{sfn|Warren|2000|p=140}} After the good experience of writing the screenplay for a film called ''Easy Wheels'', Sam and his brother [[Ivan Raimi|Ivan]] decided to co-write the film together.{{sfn|Warren|2000|p=142}} They worked on the script throughout the pre-production and production of ''Darkman''.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=152}} After filming ''Darkman'', they took the script out and worked on it in more detail. Raimi says that Ivan "has a good sense of character" and that he brought more comedy into the script.{{sfn|Warren|2000|p=142}} Campbell remembers, "We all decided, 'Get him out of the cabin.' There were earlier drafts where part three still took place there, but we thought, 'Well, we all know that cabin, it's time to move on.' The three of us decided to keep it in 1300, because it's more interesting".{{sfn|Warren|2000|p=143}} Campbell and Tapert would read the script drafts, give Raimi their notes and he would decide which suggestions to keep and which ones to discard.{{sfn|Warren|2000|p=145}}

===Pre-production===
The initial budget was $8 million; during pre-production, however, it became obvious that this was not going to be enough.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=152}} ''Darkman'' was also a financial success and De Laurentiis had a multi-picture deal with Universal and so ''Army of Darkness'' became one of the films. The studio decided to contribute half of the film's $12 million budget.{{sfn|Warren|2000|p=144}} However, the film's ambitious scope and its extensive effects work forced Campbell, Raimi and producer [[Robert Tapert]] to put up $1 million of their collective salaries to shoot a new ending and not film a scene where a possessed woman pushes down some giant pillars.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=152}} Visual effects supervisor William Mesa showed Raimi storyboards he had from [[Victor Fleming]]'s film ''[[Joan of Arc (1948 film)|Joan of Arc]]'' that depicted huge battle scenes and he picked out 25 shots to use in ''Army of Darkness''.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=153}} A storyboard artist worked closely with the director in order to blend the shots from the ''Joan of Arc'' storyboards with the battle scenes in his film.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=153}}

[[Traci Lords]] was among the actresses auditioning for the film, saying in 2001, "I didn't get the part but I clicked with Bruce [Campbell]," with whom she would later work as a guest star in the TV series ''[[Hercules: The Legendary Journeys]]''.<ref>{{cite web | url = http://scifi.com/transcripts/2001/tracilords.html | title=Traci Lords |publisher= (chat transcript), [[Syfy|Sci Fi Channel]] | date = January 25, 2001 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20030729085136/http://scifi.com/transcripts/2001/tracilords.html | archive-date=July 29, 2003}}</ref>

===Filming===
[[Principal photography]] took place between soundstage and on-location work. ''Army of Darkness'' was filmed in [[Bronson Canyon]] and [[Vasquez Rocks|Vasquez Rocks Natural Area Park]]. The interior shots were filmed on an [[Front projection|Introvision]] stage in [[Hollywood, Los Angeles|Hollywood]]. Raimi's use of the Introvision process was a tribute to the [[stop-motion animation]] work of [[Ray Harryhausen]].{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=153}} Introvision uses front-projected images with live actors instead of the traditional [[rear projection]] that Harryhausen and others used. Introvision blended components with more realistic-looking results. To achieve this effect, Raimi used 60-foot-tall Scotchlite front-projection screens, miniatures and background plates.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=153}} According to the director, the advantage of using this technique was "the incredible amount of interaction between the background, which doesn't exist, and the foreground, which is usually your character".<ref name="Robley">{{cite news | last = Robley | first = Les Paul | title = Mobilizing ''Army of Darkness'' via "Go-Animation" |work=[[American Cinematographer]] |page = 74 | date = March 1993 }}</ref>

Shooting began in mid-1991, and it lasted for about 100 days.{{sfn|Warren|2000|p=147}} It was a mid-summer shoot and while on location on a huge castle set that was built near [[Acton, California|Acton]], California, on the edge of the [[Mojave Desert]], the cast and crew endured very hot conditions during the day and very cold temperatures at night.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=155}} Most of the film took place at night and the filmmakers shot most of the film during the summer when the days were longest and the nights were the shortest. It would take an hour and a half to light an area leaving the filmmakers only six hours left to shoot a scene.{{sfn|Warren|2000|p=151}} Money problems forced cinematographer [[Bill Pope]] to shoot only for certain hours Monday through Friday because he could not be paid his standard fee. Mesa shot many of the action sequences on the weekend.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=156}}

It was a difficult shoot for Campbell who had to learn elaborate choreography for the battle scenes, which involved him remembering a number system because the actor was often fighting opponents that were not really there.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=157}} Mesa remembers, "Bruce was cussing and swearing some of the time because you had to work on the number system. Sam would tell us to make it as complicated and hard for Bruce as possible. 'Make him go through torture!' So we'd come up with these shots that were really, really difficult, and sometimes they would take thirty-seven takes".{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=157}} Some scenes, like Evil Ash walking along the graveyard while his skeleton minions come to life, blended stop-motion animation with live-action skeleton puppets that were mechanically rigged, with prosthetics and visual effects.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=157}}

During the filming of a scene in which Campbell flipped a stuntman down a set of stairs, the lower part of his face contacted with a piece of armor, which resulted in him bleeding.{{sfn|Campbell|2002|p=211–212}} Campbell was brought to a local [[emergency room]] to have the wound mended by a [[plastic surgeon]], who, upon seeing the number of artificial cuts and slashes on Campbell's face, asked, "Which one is it?"{{sfn|Campbell|2002|p=211–212}} In order to maintain the continuity of the injuries and dirt on Ash's face, the on-set makeup specialist utilized a plastic template that fit over Campbell's face.{{sfn|Campbell|2002|p=211–212}}

The filmmakers initially intended to reshoot the shot from ''Evil Dead II'' in which Ash and the Oldsmobile fall from the sky onto the ground of medieval England, with Campbell later stating that the reason they sought to reshoot it rather than reusing the footage from the previous film was due to "a rights issue".{{sfn|Campbell|2002|p=212–213}} Campbell was initially supposed to jump from a ladder onto the ground, and the Oldsmobile dropped from its suspension on an aircraft cable attached to a crane on a nearby access road.{{sfn|Campbell|2002|p=213}} However, the support legs under the crane gave out, causing the car to prematurely crash to the ground and the crane to fall off a cliff into a gravel pit.{{sfn|Campbell|2002|p=213}} Campbell noted that, "Ironically, after all the hassle, we wound up using the footage from 1986."{{sfn|Campbell|2002|p=213}}

===Post-production===
While [[Dino De Laurentiis]] gave Raimi and his crew freedom to shoot the film the way they wanted, Universal took over during post-production.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=159}} Universal was not happy with Raimi's cut, specifically its ending in which Ash wakes up in a futuristic, post-apocalyptic wasteland, as they felt it was too negative.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=159}} A more upbeat ending was shot a month later in a lumber store in Malibu, California. (Raimi later noted, "Actually, I kind of like the fact that there are two endings, that in one alternate universe Bruce is screwed, and in another universe he's some cheesy hero".){{sfn|Warren|2000|p=156}} Two months after principal filming was finished, a round of re-shoots began in Santa Monica and involved Ash in the windmill and the scenes with [[Bridget Fonda]].{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=159}}

Raimi needed $3 million to finish his film, but Universal was not willing to give him the money and delayed its release due to a dispute with De Laurentiis over the rights to the [[Hannibal Lecter]] character which Universal needed so that they could film a [[Hannibal (2001 film)|sequel]] to ''[[The Silence of the Lambs (film)|The Silence of the Lambs]]''.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=162}} The matter was finally resolved, but the release date for ''Army of Darkness'' was pushed back from summer of 1992 to February 1993.

For the film's poster, Universal brought Campbell in to take several reference head shots and asked him to strike a sly look on his face. They showed him a rough of the [[Frank Frazetta]]-like painting. The actor had a day to approve it or, as he was told, there would be no ad campaign for the film.{{sfn|Warren|2000|p=158}} Raimi ran into further troubles when the [[Motion Picture Association of America]] gave it an NC-17 rating for a shot of a female Deadite being killed early on in the film. Universal wanted a PG-13 rating, so Raimi made a few cuts and was still stuck with an R rating.{{sfn|Warren|2000|p=153}} In response, Universal turned the film over to outside film editors who cut the film to 81 minutes and another version running 87 minutes that was eventually released in theaters, still with an R rating.{{sfn|Warren|2000|p=153}}

==Music==
[[Danny Elfman]], who composed the score for ''Darkman'', wrote the "March of the Dead" theme for ''Army of Darkness''.{{sfn|Warren|2000|p=153}} After the re-shoots were completed, [[Joseph LoDuca]], who composed the music for ''[[The Evil Dead]]'' and ''[[Evil Dead II]]'', returned to score the film.{{sfn|Muir|2004|p=160}} The composer used his knowledge of synthesizers and was able to present many cues in a mock-up form before he recorded them with the [[Seattle Symphony]].{{sfn|Warren|2000|p=153}} A vinyl release of the score was revealed during the [[MondoCon]] in [[Austin, Texas]], on October 3 and 4, 2015 over [[Mondo Records]].<ref>{{cite web |last=Barkan |first=Jonathan |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3356356/mondo-announces-army-darkness-vinyl-soundtrack/ |title=Mondo Announces 'Army Of Darkness' Vinyl Soundtrack |publisher=Bloody-disgusting.com |date=August 6, 2015 |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170419084208/https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3356356/mondo-announces-army-darkness-vinyl-soundtrack/ |archive-date=April 19, 2017 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref>

==Reception==
[[File:Army of Darkness (1992 Film).jpg|thumb|International [[film poster]] by [[Renato Casaro]]]]

===Box office===
''Army of Darkness'' was released by Universal on February 19, 1993, in 1,387 theaters in the United States, grossing $4.4 million (38.5% of total gross) in its first weekend. On a budget of $11 million, the film earned $11.5 million in the US and $21.5 million worldwide.<ref name="boxoffice">{{cite news| title =''Army of Darkness''| work =Box Office Mojo| url =https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=armyofdarkness.htm| access-date =July 22, 2008| archive-url =https://web.archive.org/web/20090101193616/https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=armyofdarkness.htm| archive-date =January 1, 2009|url-status = live| df =mdy-all}}</ref>

===Critical response===
On [[review aggregator]] website [[Rotten Tomatoes]], the film holds an approval rating of 69% based on 90 reviews, with an average rating of 6.6/10. The site's critics consensus reads, "Some of the evil magic is gone as this trilogy capper dispenses with most of the scares, but Bruce Campbell's hammy charm and Sam Raimi's homage to classic visual effects make for a fun enough adventure."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://rottentomatoes.com/m/army_of_darkness/ |title=''Army of Darkness'' Movie Reviews |website=Rotten Tomatoes |access-date=October 8, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110314023244/https://rottentomatoes.com/m/army_of_darkness/ |archive-date=March 14, 2011 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref> On [[Metacritic]], the film holds a weighted average score of 59 out of 100, based on 32 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://metacritic.com/movie/army-of-darkness |title=Metacritic.com |publisher=Metacritic.com |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161231153538/https://metacritic.com/movie/army-of-darkness |archive-date=December 31, 2016 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref>

[[Roger Ebert]] gave the film two out of four stars and wrote, "The movie isn't as funny or entertaining as ''Evil Dead II'', however, maybe because the comic approach seems recycled."<ref name="Ebert">{{cite news | last = Ebert | first = Roger | title = ''Army of Darkness'' | work = [[Chicago Sun-Times]] | date = February 19, 1993 | url = http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19930219/REVIEWS/302190301/1023 | access-date = July 22, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081207081609/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F19930219%2FREVIEWS%2F302190301%2F1023 | archive-date = December 7, 2008 |url-status = live| df = mdy-all }}</ref> In her review for ''[[The New York Times]]'', [[Janet Maslin]] wrote that "Mr. Campbell's manly, mock-heroic posturing is perfectly in keeping with the director's droll outlook."<ref name="Maslin">{{cite news | last = Maslin | first = Janet | title = An Army of Skeletons In a Dark Ages Battle | work = [[The New York Times]] | date = February 19, 1993 | url = https://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE4DF123EF93AA25751C0A965958260&scp=2&sq=%22Army+of+Darkness%22&st=nyt | access-date = July 22, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20081207120352/http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9F0CE4DF123EF93AA25751C0A965958260&scp=2&sq=%22Army+of+Darkness%22&st=nyt | archive-date = December 7, 2008 |url-status = live| df = mdy-all }}</ref> Desson Howe, in his review for ''[[The Washington Post]]'' praised the film's style: "Bill Pope's cinematography is gymnastic and appropriately frenetic. The visual and make-up effects (from artist-technicians William Mesa, [[Tony Gardner (designer)|Tony Gardner]] and others) are incredibly imaginative."<ref name="Howe">{{cite news | last = Howe | first = Desson | title = ''Army of Darkness'' | newspaper =[[The Washington Post]] | date = February 19, 1993 | url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/armyofdarknessrhowe_a0af6d.htm | access-date = July 22, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20121106050130/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/armyofdarknessrhowe_a0af6d.htm | archive-date = November 6, 2012 |url-status = live| df = mdy-all }}</ref> However, ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' gave the film a "C+" rating and wrote, "This spoofy cast of thousands looks a little too much like a crew of bland [[Cinema of the United States|Hollywood extras]]. By the time ''Army of Darkness'' turns into a retread of ''[[Jason and the Argonauts (1963 film)|Jason and the Argonauts]]'', featuring an army of fighting skeletons, the film has fallen into a ditch between parody and spectacle."<ref name="Gleiberman">{{cite magazine | last = Gleiberman | first = Owen | title = ''Army of Darkness'' | magazine = [[Entertainment Weekly]] | date = March 5, 1994 | url = https://ew.com/article/1993/03/05/army-darkness/ | access-date = July 22, 2008 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080529051703/https://ew.com/ew/article/0,,305759,00.html | archive-date = May 29, 2008 |url-status = live| df = mdy-all }}</ref>

===Accolades===
{{More citations needed section|date=November 2021}}
''Army of Darkness'' won the [[Saturn Award for Best Horror Film]] (1994).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.saturnawards.org/The-Saturn-Awards-Past-Winners.php?category=3&year=1993#b |title=Past Saturn Award Winners |website=saturnawards.org |access-date=June 21, 2021}}</ref> It was also nominated for [[Saturn Award for Best Make-up|Best Make-Up]]. ''Army of Darkness'' was nominated for the Grand Prize at Avoriaz Fantastic Film Festival, and won the [[Golden Raven]] at the [[Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival|Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film]] in 1993. The film also won the Critics' Award at [[Fantasporto]], and was nominated for the International Fantasy Film Award in the category of Best Film in 1993. It was also nominated for Best Film at [[Sitges Film Festival|Sitges]], the Spanish International Film Festival.

==Other media==
===Future===
In March 2013, shortly before the release of ''[[Evil Dead (2013 film)|Evil Dead]]'', a loose continuation of the franchise, Raimi stated that the next ''Evil Dead'' film will be ''Army of Darkness 2''. Campbell confirmed that he would star as an older, but not necessarily wiser, Ash.<ref>{{cite web |author=Andy Crump |url=https://screenrant.com/army-of-darkness-2-evil-dead-4-sam-raimi/ |title=Sam Raimi's Next Project is 'Army of Darkness 2′ Not 'Evil Dead 4′ |publisher=Screenrant.com |date=April 5, 2013 |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161102024852/https://screenrant.com/army-of-darkness-2-evil-dead-4-sam-raimi/ |archive-date=November 2, 2016 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |author=Chris Hewitt |url=https://empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=36976 |title=Empireonline.com |location=gb |publisher=Empireonline.com |date=October 9, 2015 |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150924124704/https://empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=36976 |archive-date=September 24, 2015 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref> At a [[WonderCon]] panel in March, Campbell and [[Fede Álvarez]], director of the 2013 film, stated that their ultimate plan was for Álvarez's ''Evil Dead 2'' and Raimi's ''Army of Darkness 2'' to be followed by a seventh film which would merge the narratives of Ash and Mia.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://slashfilm.com/bruce-campbell-and-evil-dead-director-fede-alvarez-would-love-to-merge-original-and-remake-storylines/|title=Bruce Campbell and 'Evil Dead' Director Fede Alvarez Would Love to Merge Original and Remake Storylines|work=slashfilm.com|last=Fischer|first=Russ|date=March 30, 2013|access-date=March 31, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130403075925/https://slashfilm.com/bruce-campbell-and-evil-dead-director-fede-alvarez-would-love-to-merge-original-and-remake-storylines/|archive-date=April 3, 2013|url-status = live|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Later in October, Campbell once again confirmed in an interview with ComicBook.com that he will be reprising his role as Ash in the sequel.<ref>{{cite web |author=<!-- Author --> Joe Comicbook @ComicBook |url=https://comicbook.com/blog/2013/10/18/bruce-campbell-confirms-he-will-do-army-of-darkness-sequel/ |title=Bruce Campbell Confirms He Will Do Army Of Darkness Sequel |publisher=Comicbook.com |date=October 18, 2013 |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220000707/https://comicbook.com/blog/2013/10/18/bruce-campbell-confirms-he-will-do-army-of-darkness-sequel |archive-date=December 20, 2016 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref> Fede Álvarez posted a status update on his Twitter account that Raimi will direct the sequel.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://twitter.com/fedalvar/statuses/394170890709000192?screen_name=fedalvar |title=Fede Alvarez on Twitter: ""@thielebenjamin: Hey @fedalvar will you be directing the Army Of Darkness 2 movie?" Sam Raimi will!" |publisher=Twitter.com |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160304234003/https://twitter.com/fedalvar/statuses/394170890709000192?screen_name=fedalvar |archive-date=March 4, 2016 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref> Campbell later commented that the rumor about him returning was false.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzMjP7cE6S0&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DrzMjP7cE6S0 |title=Bruce Campbell says No Army of Darkness 2 |publisher=YouTube.com |date=November 5, 2013 |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160514234243/https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rzMjP7cE6S0&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DrzMjP7cE6S0 |archive-date=May 14, 2016 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Turek |first=Ryan |url=http://m.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/177109-bruce-campbell-wants-to-set-the-record-straight-about-army-of-darkness-2-and-he-feels-bad-for-you |title=Bruce Campbell Wants to Set the Record Straight About Army of Darkness 2, And He Feels Bad for You |publisher=M.shocktillyoudrop.com |date=November 5, 2013 |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131110024442/http://m.shocktillyoudrop.com/news/177109-bruce-campbell-wants-to-set-the-record-straight-about-army-of-darkness-2-and-he-feels-bad-for-you |archive-date=November 10, 2013 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all}}</ref>

In July 2014, Campbell stated it was likely the planned sequel would instead be a TV series with him as the star. The ten-episode season of ''[[Ash vs Evil Dead]]''<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Andreeva |first=Nellie |url=https://deadline.com/2014/11/the-evil-dead-series-ash-vs-evil-dead-sam-raimi-bruce-campbell-starz-1201280595/ |title='Evil Dead' Series From Sam Raimi Ordered By Starz; Bruce Campbell Stars |magazine=Deadline |date=November 10, 2014 |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170217053540/https://deadline.com/2014/11/the-evil-dead-series-ash-vs-evil-dead-sam-raimi-bruce-campbell-starz-1201280595/ |archive-date=February 17, 2017 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |author=Alex Stedman |url=https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/bruce-campbell-says-he-plans-to-star-in-sam-raimis-the-evil-dead-tv-series-1201270689/ |title=Bruce Campbell Says He Plans to Star in Sam Raimi's 'The Evil Dead' TV Series |magazine=Variety |date=July 28, 2014 |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160807092104/https://variety.com/2014/tv/news/bruce-campbell-says-he-plans-to-star-in-sam-raimis-the-evil-dead-tv-series-1201270689/ |archive-date=August 7, 2016 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref> premiered on [[Starz]] on October 31, 2015, with the pilot co-written and directed by Sam Raimi.<ref name="blastr.com">{{cite web |url=http://www.blastr.com/2015-2-11/starzs-evil-dead-television-series-has-found-ashs-two-new-sidekicks |title=Starz's Evil Dead television series has found Ash's two new sidekicks |work=Blastr |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303231435/http://www.blastr.com/2015-2-11/starzs-evil-dead-television-series-has-found-ashs-two-new-sidekicks |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref> Due to legal issues with Universal, the events from ''Army of Darkness'' could not specifically be mentioned in the first season; it was later resolved and the events from that film were mentioned in the second season.<ref>{{cite web |author=MrDisgusting on |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3357283/doesnt-ash-work-s-mart-ash-vs-evil-dead/ |title="Ash vs Evil Dead": Why Doesn't Ash Work At S-Mart? |publisher=Bloody Disgusting! |date=August 14, 2015 |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161015173931/https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3357283/doesnt-ash-work-s-mart-ash-vs-evil-dead |archive-date=October 15, 2016 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref> In addition to Campbell, the series stars [[Dana DeLorenzo]], [[Ray Santiago]],<ref name="blastr.com"/> and [[Lucy Lawless]]. The series was later canceled after three seasons, with Campbell officially retiring from the role of Ash in live action.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Otterson |first=Joe |date=2018-04-20 |title='Ash vs. Evil Dead' Canceled at Starz After Three Seasons |url=https://variety.com/2018/tv/news/ash-vs-evil-dead-canceled-starz-1202775341/ |access-date=2022-09-12 |website=Variety |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |first=Clark|last= Collis |date=April 23, 2018 |title='Ash vs. Evil Dead' star Bruce Campbell says he's 'retired' from playing Ash |url=https://ew.com/tv/2018/04/23/bruce-campbell-ash-vs-evil-dead/ |access-date=2022-09-12 |website=EW.com |language=en}}</ref>

A new ''Evil Dead'' film, entitled ''[[Evil Dead Rise]]'', written and directed by [[Lee Cronin (director)|Lee Cronin]] and starring [[Alyssa Sutherland]], [[Lily Sullivan]], Gabrielle Echols, [[Morgan Davies]], Nell Fisher, and Mia Challis was theatrically released on April 21, 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=D'Alessandro |first=Anthony |date=2022-08-24 |title='Aquaman 2' Heads To Christmas 2023, 'Shazam: Fury Of The Gods' Goes To March; HBO Max Pics 'House Party' & 'Evil Dead Rise' Going Theatrical – Warner Bros. Release Date Changes |url=https://deadline.com/2022/08/aquaman-2-shazam-fury-of-the-gods-hbo-max-house-party-evil-dead-rise-1235099521/ |access-date=2022-09-12 |website=Deadline |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Comics===
{{Main|Army of Darkness (comics)}}
''Army of Darkness'' had a comic book adaptation and several [[Army of Darkness (comics)|comic book sequels]]. The movie adaptation, from publisher [[Dark Horse Comics]], was published before the film's theatrical release.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Mangels |first=Andy |date=January 1993 |title=Hollywood Heroes |journal=[[Wizard (magazine)|Wizard]] |issue=17 |page=36 |publisher=[[Wizard Entertainment]]}}</ref>
{{div col|colwidth=22em}}
* ''Army of Darkness'' (movie adaptation)
* ''[[Ashes 2 Ashes|Army of Darkness: Ashes 2 Ashes]]''
* ''[[Shop till You Drop Dead|Army of Darkness: Shop till You Drop Dead]]''
* ''[[Darkman vs. Army of Darkness]]''
* ''[[Army of Darkness (comics)#Army of Darkness vs. Re-Animator (#1-4)|Army of Darkness vs. Re-Animator]]''
* ''[[Army of Darkness: Old School]]''
* ''Army of Darkness: Ash vs. The Classic Monsters''
* ''[[Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness]]''
* ''[[Army of Darkness: From the Ashes]]''
* ''Army of Darkness: Long Road Home''
* ''[[Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash]]''
* ''[[Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash: The Nightmare Warriors]]''
* ''Army of Darkness/Xena: Warrior Princess: Why Not?''
* ''Xena vs. Army of Darkness: What Again?''
* ''Army of Darkness vs. Hack/Slash''<ref>{{cite web |last=Nadler |first=Lonnie |url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3228054/army-of-darkness-finally-crosses-paths-with-hackslash-this-summer/ |title=Bloody-disgusting.com |publisher=Bloody-disgusting.com |date=April 12, 2013 |access-date=November 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161104010526/https://bloody-disgusting.com/news/3228054/army-of-darkness-finally-crosses-paths-with-hackslash-this-summer/ |archive-date=November 4, 2016 |url-status = live|df=mdy-all }}</ref>
{{div col end}}

===Role-playing game===
[[Eden Studios, Inc.]] published the ''[[Army of Darkness Roleplaying Game]]'' in 2005.

=== Video games ===
The 2000 video game ''[[Evil Dead: Hail to the King]]'', and its 2003 sequel ''[[Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick]]'', act as sequels to ''Army of Darkness'', taking place several years after the events of the film. Both games were published by [[THQ]]; ''Hail to the King'' was released for [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]], [[Dreamcast]], and [[Microsoft Windows]], and ''A Fistful of Boomstick'' was released for [[PlayStation 2]] and [[Xbox (console)|Xbox]].

In 2011, a [[tower defense]] mobile game titled ''[[Army of Darkness: Defense]]'', developed by [[Backflip Studios]] and published by [[Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer|MGM Interactive]], was released for [[iOS]] and [[Android (operating system)|Android]].

The 2022 video game ''[[Evil Dead: The Game]]''—published by [[Saber Interactive]] for [[PlayStation 4]], [[PlayStation 5]], [[Windows]], [[Xbox One]] and [[Xbox Series X/S]]—includes playable characters from ''Army of Darkness'', including Ash,<ref name="Franey 2023">{{cite web|url=https://www.gamesradar.com/evil-dead-game-classes-all/|title=All the Evil Dead game class|last=Franey|first=Joel|date=February 3, 2023|website=[[GamesRadar+]]|access-date=July 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717220955/https://www.gamesradar.com/evil-dead-game-classes-all/|archive-date=July 17, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> Lord Arthur,<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gamerant.com/evil-dead-the-game-best-characters-splatter-royale-mode/|title=Evil Dead The Game: Best Characters For The Splatter Royale Mode|last=Ridwan|first=Bello|date=March 5, 2023|website=[[Game Rant]]|access-date=July 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717221313/https://gamerant.com/evil-dead-the-game-best-characters-splatter-royale-mode/|archive-date=July 17, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> Duke Henry the Red,<ref name="Franey 2023" /> and Evil Ash.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://gamerant.com/evil-dead-the-game-play-evil-ash-guide/|title=Evil Dead: The Game How to Play Evil Ash|last=Shahid|first=M. Salman|date=January 7, 2023|website=[[Game Rant]]|access-date=July 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717221531/https://gamerant.com/evil-dead-the-game-play-evil-ash-guide/|archive-date=July 17, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref> A "Castle Kandar" map, featuring locations from ''Army of Darkness'', was made available as [[downloadable content]] (DLC).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/video-games/3724397/castle-kandar-map-evil-dead-the-game-dlc-update-review/|title='Evil Dead: The Game' DLC Review – Castle Kandar Map and Quality of Life Improvements|last=Trush|first=Brandon|date=July 25, 2022|website=[[Bloody Disgusting]]|access-date=July 17, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230717221715/https://bloody-disgusting.com/video-games/3724397/castle-kandar-map-evil-dead-the-game-dlc-update-review/|archive-date=July 17, 2023|url-status=live}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of films featuring miniature people]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==Sources==
* {{cite book|last=Warren|first=Bill|author-link=Bill Warren (film historian and critic)|date=2000|title=The Evil Dead Companion|publisher=Macmillan|isbn=0312275013}}
* {{cite book|last=Campbell|first=Bruce|author-link=Bruce Campbell|date=2002|title=If Chins Could Kill: Confessions of a B Movie Actor|publisher=LA Weekly Books for [[Thomas Dunne Books]]/[[St. Martin's Press]]|isbn=9780312291457}}
* {{cite book|last=Muir|first=John Kenneth|date=2004|author-link=John Kenneth Muir|title=The Unseen Force: The Films of Sam Raimi|url=https://archive.org/details/unseenforcefi00muir|publisher=[[Applause Books]]|isbn=9781557836076}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|https://www.uphe.com/movies/army-of-darkness}}
* {{IMDb title}}
* {{Mojo title}}
* {{Rotten Tomatoes}}
* [https://evildeadarchives.com/films/army-of-darkness/ Army of Darkness at Evil Dead Archives]

{{Evil Dead}}
{{Sam Raimi}}
{{Saturn Award for Best Horror Film 1991–2010}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Army Of Darkness}}
[[Category:The Evil Dead (franchise) films]]
[[Category:1992 films]]
[[Category:American films with live action and animation]]
[[Category:1992 comedy horror films]]
[[Category:1990s dark fantasy films]]
[[Category:American comedy horror films]]
[[Category:American sequel films]]
[[Category:American dark fantasy films]]
[[Category:Demons in film]]
[[Category:American fantasy adventure films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Danny Elfman]]
[[Category:Films about amputees]]
[[Category:Films directed by Sam Raimi]]
[[Category:1992 fantasy films]]
[[Category:Films set in 13th-century Plantagenet England]]
[[Category:Films using stop-motion animation]]
[[Category:1990s films about time travel]]
[[Category:Puppet films]]
[[Category:Renaissance Pictures productions]]
[[Category:Films adapted into comics]]
[[Category:Universal Pictures films]]
[[Category:Films set in castles]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Ivan Raimi]]
[[Category:Films with screenplays by Sam Raimi]]
[[Category:American supernatural horror films]]
[[Category:American sword and sorcery films]]
[[Category:1990s English-language films]]
[[Category:1990s American films]]
[[Category:Films scored by Joseph LoDuca]]
[[Category:English-language comedy horror films]]
[[Category:English-language science fantasy films]]
[[Category:Saturn Award–winning films]]