Starting in 1981, the Evil Dead franchise has given its audience high-quality horror with each new entry for nearly four decades. Though the first movie was produced on a tiny budget, Sam Raimi has created a multi-million dollar franchise and one of the most praised horror franchises.
For the first three movies, we follow Ash, played by Bruce Campbell, and his friends as they go on vacations to a deserted cabin where they find a haunted book that releases the now-famous Kandarian Demon. The first two movies are set in a more realistic world, while the third is set in a fantasy world. The fourth movie is considered a prequel to the original, and the most recent movie is a sequel to the original trilogy. A common factor throughout these movies is the ability to scare the audience significantly.
Read: Blade Movies in order
So, if you’re looking to get into this cult-classic horror franchise, you’ve come to the right place. This article is the one-stop shop for everything you need about evil dead movies. The correct order to watch the film, a small summary of them, and everything you might need to know are all available here.
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All Evil Dead Movies in Order
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The Evil Dead
Streaming On: AMC Plus Apple TV channel
Director: Sam Raimi
Writer: Sam Raimi
Stars: Bruce Campbell, Ellen Sandweiss, Richard DeManincor, Betsy Baker, Theresa Tilly, Sam Raimi, Robert G. Tapert, Bob Dorian
Genre: Horror
The Evil Dead, the cabin-in-the-woods horror adventure that started it all, consistently frightens audiences and features stunning special effects while having an exceedingly low budget. The future franchise hero Ashley Williams, played by Bruce Campbell, is introduced right away in the first movie.
A group of five college students, Ash, Linda, Sheryl, Scott, and Shelly, go on a vacation to a deserted island. As they arrive, some members start noticing some paranormal activities but decide to ignore them.
During dinner, the cellar door flies open. As Ash and Scott investigate the cellar, they find the “Book of the Dead” with a tape recorder next to it. Scott plays the recorder, which resurrects a demonic entity. When exploring the woods later that evening, Cheryl is attacked by demons, and when she returns home bruised, Ash agrees to take her back to the city. As he readies the car, the group notices the bridge they came by is destroyed.
Later that day, Cheryl is possessed by an entity; she stabs Linda and hits Ash hard. Scott knocks Cheryl out and locks her in the cellar. As the group argues about what to do, Shelly is possessed and starts attacking the group. After some struggle, Scott slashes her into two with an axe. Shaken from the experience, Scott leaves and tries to find a way off the island. Scott returns mortally wounded and dies, warning Ash about the possessed trees.
Ash returns to find Linda possessed and has to dismember her, too. Ash heads inside the house to find that Cheryl has escaped. Scott reanimates as a Deadite and attacks Ash. As Ash is constantly being attacked, he throws the Book of the Dead into the fire. This kills Cheryl and Scott, and Ash starts to leave. In the end, as Ash leaves, he is attacked by a demon.
Filled to the brim with jumpscares and spine-chilling gore, Evil Dead does an excellent job keeping viewers on their toes. Although controversial when first released, the movie quickly gained cult status. Some sequences had to be removed to appease the British Board of Film Censors.
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Evil Dead II
Streaming On: IndieFlix
Director: Sam Raimi
Writers: Sam Raimi, Scott Speigel
Stars: Bruce Campbell, Sarah Berry, Dan Hicks, Kassie Wesley, Denise Bixler, Snowy Winters, Richard Domeier, John Peaks, Lou Hancock, Ted Raimi, William Preston Robertson
Genres: Comedy, Horror
Although there is a slightly perplexing beginning with a re-shot sequence indicating that only Ash and Linda went to the cabin, the sequel to the iconic horror movie takes off right where the original left off. The movie spins the original narrative, giving it a much more gruesome ending.
Ash and Linda decide to take a vacation in a seemingly abandoned cabin. There, Ash plays a tape that Raymond, the previous resident of the cabin. The tape summons a demon that possesses Linda. Ash decapitates her and buries her body in the backyard. As Ash tries to run away, he is possessed by a demon but wakes up during the day.
As Ash tries to run away again, he is attacked by Deadite Linda, whom he overpowers and kills. Ash’s right-hand gets possessed by a demon and starts attacking him. He cuts it off with a chainsaw, and the hand runs away.
Two of Ash’s friends, Ed and Annie, return from the excavation site but find the bridge to the cabin destroyed. They take a different route with the help of Jake and Bobby Joe and, on the way, find a blood-covered Ash. They Lock Ash up in the Cellar, suspecting him of murder. The four new people listen to the rest of the tape.
The demon starts possessing people and killing them one by one. With Annie’s help, Ash can kill Raymond’s wife while the trees try to destroy the cabin. While Annie completes a spell, Ash’s severed hand stabs her. The episode opens up a vortex that sucks the demon, Ash and his car.
The movie ends with Ash being sent into the Middle Ages, where he shoots a Deadite and is hailed as a hero.
The second installment in the series takes all the elements from the previous movies and ramps them up heavily. The jumpscares are more scary, the gore in the movies is increased, and a bunch of slapstick humor is added to balance the movie. Sam Raimi’s skilled camerawork was also highly applauded.
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Army of Darkness
Streaming On: Can be Rented from: Amazon Video, Apple TV, VUDU
Director: Sam Raimi
Writers: Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi
Stars: Bruce Campbell, Embeth Davidtz, Marcus Gilbert, Ian Abercrombie, Richard Grove, Timothy Patrick Quill, Michael Earl Reid, Bridget Fonda, Bill Moseley, Patricia Tallman, Ted Raimi, Angela Featherstone
Genres: Horror, Comedy
For the last movie in the trilogy, Raimi ditches the serious horror element of the previous two movies and decides to take a lighter, more comedy-filled route. With a good amount of horror, the movie also gives its audience a good laugh.
Ash is transported to the Middle Ages, where he is captured by Lord Arthur, who suspects him of being a spy for Duke Henry, with whom Arthur is at war. Ash is then released when he proves helpful to Lord Arthur. During the process, he grows attracted to Sheila, a resident.
According to Arthur’s wise man, Ash would have to use the “Book of the Dead,” so Ash sets out in search of it. Ash enters a haunted forest where he is attacked psychologically. When Ash reaches the book’s location, he finds three different ones. He fumbles the safety incantation and rushes away, which causes a copy of him to rise and unite an army of Deadites.
When Ash requests to be sent back, Sheila is abducted by a flying Deadite and is later converted into a Deadite by Evil Ash. Ash unites all the humans against the Deadites and successfully defeats them. The wise man gives him a potion to return him to his present timeline.
The movie ends with Ash killing off one last Deadite in the present and shouting, “Hail to the King, Baby.”
Leaning heavily into the comedy aspect of the previous movies, Army of Darkness features fewer horror scenes. It gives Ash a happy end to his journey. Nonetheless, the movie is still acclaimed and considered a cult classic.
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Evil Dead
Streaming On: Tubi Tv
Director: Fede Álvarez
Writers: Fede Álvarez, Sam Raimi, Rodo Sayagues
Stars: Jane Levy, Shiloh Fernandez, Lou Taylor Pucci, Jessica Lucas, Elizabeth Blackmore, Phoenix Connolly, Jim McLarty, Sian Davis, Stephen Butterworth, Karl Willetts, Randal Wilson, Rupert Degas
Genre: Horror
Though considered by the director to be a sequel to the original Evil Dead movie, as the story does not involve Ash Williams, many think it to be a reimagination of the original. The movie provides chilling scenes that will keep the viewer glued to the screen.
David and his friends Natalie, Mia, Eric, and Olivia come to an isolated cabin to help Mia overcome her drug addiction. The group experiences foul smells and finds dead animals all over the house. David finds a book called Naturom Demonto and reads a chant, releasing an evil force. Mia starts seeing her doppelganger and begs the group to leave, but they refuse.
Mia tries to steal the car and escape but fails and is possessed by her counterpart. Mia starts terrorizing the people in Cabin. Eric explains that according to the book, the possessed needs to kill five people to release an “abomination.” Eric explains that Mia should be purified by live burial, dismemberment, or burning. After being bitten by Mia, Natalie becomes possessed but is suppressed by David as he shoots her.
When David decides to bury Mia, Eric intervenes but is stabbed fatally. David sedates Mia, he buries her. After David hears her heartbeat stop, he tries to save her but gives up after several attempts. A possessed Eric stabs David. David locks himself in and burns the house.
With the fifth death complete, blood starts raining down, and the abomination attacks the resurrected Mia. With the help of a chainsaw, Mia defeats the abomination but forgets to destroy the Naturom Demonto and leaves to find help.
The first movie in the franchise not to feature Ash as the main character, the movie uses new characters to its advantage and provides a more severe narrative than the previous movie’s more comedic route.
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Evil Dead Rise
Streaming On: Can be Rented from: Amazon Video, Apple TV, VUDU
Director: Lee Cronin
Writer: Lee Cronin
Stars: Lily Sullivan, Alyssa Sutherland, Morgan Davies, Gabrielle Echols, Nell Fisher, Noah Paul, Richard Crouchley, Mirabai Pease, Anna-Maree Thomas, Jayden Daniels, Billy Reynolds-McCarthy, Tai Wano, Mark Mitchinson
Genre: Horror
Evil Dead Rise, directed by Lee Cronin, is the first new installment of the Evil Dead series to hit theatres in ten years. Although Ash Williams is not a part of the story this time, it has been confirmed that the sequel will take place in the same timeline as the original trilogy and Ash vs. Evil Dead. The movie is full of jumps and twists on the original movie’s formula.
While on vacation at a lakeside cabin, cousins Teresa and Jessica and Jessica’s boyfriend Caleb are killed by a presumably unwell Jessica, who levitates above the lake.
Beth visits Ellie, her sister when Beth learns she’s pregnant. Ellie has three kids, Danny, Bridget, and Cassie, playing in the building basement. An earthquake reveals a hidden room in the basement, which Danny investigates. He finds artifacts, three records, and a strange book.
Ellie is possessed, threatens her family, and dies after telling Beth to look after her kids. While trying to put Ellie to rest, she revives and starts massacring the neighbors. Beth locks herself inside with the kids. Danny confesses to finding the book, but Beth manipulates Cassie into killing Danny and herself.
Through the recording, Beth learns how to kill the Deadites. With the help of Kassie, Beth incapacitates Ellie. Beth and Kassie run away when all the dead bodies merge into one and attack them. When Kassie is taken hostage, Beth saves her and forces the monster into a woodchipper, killing it.
The first movie in the franchise to be released in 10 years, Evil Dead Rise, uses modern technology to enhance the graphic horror that the film has and uses the eerie environment to its advantage. Full of jumpscares, good character writing, and a compelling story, Evil Dead Rise is one of the best movies in the franchise.
Conclusion
And that was all the Evil Dead movies in the correct watch order. Though the first movie was released in the theaters in 1981 (more than 40 years ago), the Evil Dead franchise still maintains a huge fan following. The Evil Dead franchise has spaced out their movies well, keeping the series’ popularity alive.
Each movie is produced very well with amazing camera work, leaving the audience in awe and frightened. What started as a low-budget horror movie from Sam Raimi evolved into a highly successful, full-blown franchise with five movies and a three-season show. So, if you’re looking to get into a spine-chilling franchise that might give you nightmares, the Evil Dead movies might be the right pick.
All Evil Dead Movies According To IMDb Ratings
- Evil Dead II (1987) – 7.7 By 173K Votes
- The Evil Dead (1981) – 7.4 By 221K Votes
- Army of Darkness (1992) – 7.4 By 186K Votes
- Evil Dead Rise (2023) – 6.7 By 70K Votes
- Evil Dead (2013) – 6.5 By 187K Votes
All Evid Dead Movies According To Box Office Collection
- Evil Dead Rise (2023) – $140.6 Million
- Evil Dead (2013) – $97.5 Million
- The Evil Dead (1981) – $29.4 Million
- Army of Darkness (1992) – $21.5 Million
- Evil Dead II (1987) – $5.9 Million
FAQs
Release order. The best watching experience and order to watch the Evil Dead series is the Release order and goes as follows – The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987), Army of Darkness (1992), Evil Dead (2013), Evil Dead Rise (2023).
Copyright Issues. Before Army of Darkness, the Evil Dead timeline was muddled because, according to Bruce Campbell, an Evil Dead 2 was never intended. Sam Raimi could not secure the rights to his film; Evil Dead 2 was created as a “requel,” meaning that The Evil Dead was recreated with new cast members.
The first three movies, directed by Sam Raimi, are connected and considered a trilogy. The trilogy was later continued in the series through the series Ash vs. The Evil Dead, which ran for three seasons. The fourth movie is a reimagining of the original Sam Raimi movie. The fifth movie is a sequel to the original trilogy, but the connection between them is minimal.
A fake driver’s license for Bruce Campbell to carry in Ash vs. Evil Dead gives Ash’s birthdate as April 8, 1957. Ash was 25 years old when the movie’s events – which took place in 1982—began, and he will be 57 when Ash vs. Evil Dead starts in 2015.
