SOME HORROR franchises are known for—let's be honest—going on just a bit too long, and doing just a bit too much. The '80s certainly went all in on the Friday the 13th series, and while Jason Voorhees is certainly one of the most iconic villains in slasher history, we also probably didn't need that much of him. It's hard to imagine any Halloween fan would disagree with the same line of thinking applied to our good friend Michael Myers; we love watching and rewatching as Laurie Strode takes on Michael, and the most recent trilogy (Halloween, Halloween Kills, Halloween Ends) was certainly fun. But did we need all of those movies? Did you even know that at one point in the '90s Paul Rudd—Paul Rudd!— played Tommy Doyle? Our point exactly.
But some franchises are a bit more consistent. Scream for one, never misses. And The Evil Dead, the franchise built essentially from the ground by director Sam Raimi and star Bruce Campbell, has prided itself by never overwhelming its audience with quantity, and never being afraid to go there, whether that's by means of ridiculous horror comedy, graphic violence, or truly surprising scares.
The Evil Dead franchise is also smart in how it spaces its projects out. The original three films in Raimi and Campbell's trilogy had six years between each installment; you can be confident that there was never any sense of overwhelming Evil Dead fatigue. The franchise has been reborn both on TV and in video games, and a 2013 reboot/continuation film kept the spirit of the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis (the franchise's ever-inciting book of the dead) alive and well.
Now, in 2023, the franchise is back in theaters for its first big screen installment in a decade. And while Raimi and Campbell aren't directing or starring (respectively) in Evil Dead Rise, they're both involved as producers—and with an 88% score on Rotten Tomatoes from critics (and 86% from audiences), the newest installment of Evil Dead lore is just as fun (and brutally violent) as the series has ever been.
Now, things can get a little tricky, because not all of the Evil Dead franchise entries are directly connected. The bulk of our piece below will simply focus on the films in the order in which they were released—which we always recommend when it comes to watching a series in any order. But there's also the fact that Evil Dead (2013) is in a different continuity from the rest of the franchise, and Evil Dead Rise (2023) continues in the original.
The complete Evil Dead series in chronological order:
The Evil Dead (1981)
Evil Dead II (1987)
Army of Darkness (1993)
Ash vs. Evil Dead (2015 - 2018) *
Evil Dead Rise (2023)
*TV series, not a film
And, separately:
Evil Dead (2013)
But if you're wondering our recommended way to get on board with the Book of the Dead, Mr. Raimi, Mr. Campbell, and all the fun that the one and only Evil Dead franchise has to offer, look no further—we've got you covered below.
The Evil Dead (1981)
The one that started it all. The Evil Dead is a fantastic introduction into the franchise, showing the skill that its soon-to-be-iconic director (Sam Raimi) has with the camera, making an unforgettable movie (albeit one that would be much improved upon with future outings) on an extremely limited budget. The Bruce Campbell of it all is also super fun; his status as 'Final Boy' or 'Scream King,' even in 1981, was pretty subversive as far as horror movie outcomes go.
Evil Dead II (1987)
The second film in the Evil Dead franchise—aptly called Evil Dead II—hits on everything this wild franchise ever hoped to accomplish at its full potential. If you start watching the movie and start thinking "Wait, haven't I seen this before?," don't be mistaken; that's by design. This movie is meant to make you wonder if our good friend Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell) is living a do-over and doesn't even realize it, or if something else is going on. (As it turns out, the movie is part remake, part sequel, and entirely it doesn't matter). Just watch the movie at full attention and you will have an absolute blast. The perfect balance of scares, humor, and weird, unexpected twists.
Army of Darkness (1993)
As the third and final film in Raimi's original Evil Dead trilogy, Army of Darkness leans away from pure horror and moves closer to sci-fi and horror comedy. The movie brings Ash through time to the Medieval Age (don't ask; just watch Evil Dead II), and gives him some great moments of gross horror violence and dismemberment as he once again takes on an army of the dead. Wild, wild fun.
Evil Dead (2013)
20 years after Sam Raimi's last run-in with the Book of the Dead, directed Fede Alvarez revived the franchise with Evil Dead, a truly violent and creepy addition to the franchise. Horror fans of recent years will likely recognize the movie's lead, Jane Levy, who also starred in the exceptionally creepy Don't Breathe alongside Stephen Lang.
Evil Dead Rise (2023)
The newest addition to the Evil Dead franchise is Evil Dead Rise, now in theaters and poised to make its mark in the 2023 horror film landscape a full decade after the most recent installment.
Where the Evil Dead series historically takes place in a cabin in the middle of the woods, Evil Dead Rise moves the action to a reunion between two sisters at an apartment building in a city—which is eventually interrupted when gross demons possess bodies and wreak disgusting, violent havoc. Incredibly violent havoc! This is an Evil Dead movie, after all. The movie is directed by Lee Cronin, who previously helmed the underrated The Hole In The Ground, and counts both Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell among its influential and highly-supportive producers.
The cast lacks a super recognizable, above-the-line star, but Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Gabrielle Echols, Nell Fisher, and Morgan Davies are all extremely game, ready to play, and good at exactly what the movie needs them to do. It's a fun time—and not for anyone with a weak stomach.
Bonus: Ash vs. Evil Dead (2015-2018)
While it's not a movie, Ash Williams' story continued on Starz for the three-season series Ash vs. Evil Dead, which aired between 2015 and 2018. Raimi directed the first episode and served as a producer on the series, while Bruce Campbell was, of course, the lead actor throughout—his name is in the title, after all. This picks up the action where Army of Darkness leaves off.
Will we ever see Ash again after this? Campbell seems open to the idea. We will see.
Bonus: Evil Dead: The Game (2022)
There have been many Evil Dead video games through the years, but if anyone's interested in diving into the Evil Dead world in a more active way, we recommend last year's Evil Dead: The Game, which is a bloody, violent, engaging good time. The game also counts Bruce Campbell among its cast, along with Dana DeLorenzo and Ray Santiago from Ash vs. Evil Dead.
