We’ve always been big fans of the film Bubba Ho-Tep, but we’ve also longed for more Elvis vs evil action. The premise has so much untapped potential, it’s a shame that no sequel or spinoff has ever been produced. But that could soon change if director Don Coscarelli gets his way.
In an interview with Syfy where he discusses his new memoir, Coscarelli states his interest in turning his 2003 cult film into a new TV series or producing a sequel, and reveals the reason why something hasn’t been done yet is that star Bruce Campbell hasn’t shown an interest in doing anything, and Coscarelli is reluctant to move forward on a new Bubba Ho-Tep project without the actor. “Bubba Ho-Tep, as detailed in the book, we had a lot of setbacks with regard to a lack of involvement with Bruce Campbell on the [sequel],” Coscarelli revealed. “He gave such a memorable performance, it was very hard to do something without him involved. Again, I think that that story would make for a great sequel or series.”
Last August, Campbell declared once and for all that he wasn’t going to play Elvis in a Bubba Ho-Tep sequel, while also giving permission to Coscarelli to make one without him. “I killed it,” Campbell told EW of the sequel. “I killed it for me. I told the creators that I didn’t want to dance around it anymore. I feel that the first one was a nice little gem and you don’t have to make a sequel for everything. Don Coscarelli, god bless him, go make it. You know, get somebody else. They had Ron Perlman at one point. Knock yourself out. I don’t want to stop you from making this, but I don’t want to [do it]. So, that one I’m just going to let go.”
Since then, Campell’s series Ash vs. Evil Dead has been canceled and the actor has retired from his most iconic role, so maybe he’s changed his tune regarding Bubba Ho-Tep. But even if he hasn’t — and he probably hasn’t — Coscarelli shouldn’t hesitate to produce a series based on the property. It’s too good and too unique of a story to just let sit there getting dusty, and as great as Bruce Campbell is, there are a lot of other actors out there who would no doubt make a great mummy-fighting Elvis Presley.
