Rosebud Releasing Corporation
How to Watch the Evil Dead Movies In Order, Including 'Evil Dead Rise'
In 1981, director Sam Raimi launched his career with The Evil Dead, a low-budget gorefest. Since then, he's gone on to have an incredible career and has released record-breaking films. Regardless of his success, however, Raimi has always carried a love for the Evil Dead franchise. Every few years, he returns to it in some form, either as director or producer. While the list may be short, it's action-packed. Here's how to watch all of the Evil Dead movies in order.
Related: The Best Demonic Possession Movies of All Time
Evil Dead Movies In Order
1. The Evil Dead (1981)
"The Evil Dead" (1981)
Renaissance Pictures
In 1981, Sam Raimi released a low budget horror film named The Evil Dead. The film tells the story of a group of college students, including the indelible Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams, who head to a cabin in the woods for the weekend. When they arrive, they discover an ancient book in the basement, along with some audio tapes of a man reading from the book. Unfortunately, playing the tapes awakens an evil presence that begins possessing the students one by one. Unlike its sequels, the original plays the horror mostly straight, resulting in a creepy, gory nightmare. We would have no list without this OG entry in the horrifying franchise.
Related: How to Watch the Child's Play and Chucky Movies In Order
2. Evil Dead 2 (1987)
Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams in "Evil Dead 2"
Rosebud Releasing Corporation
Sam Raimi returned to the woods in 1987 with Evil Dead II. Unable to secure the rights to footage from the first, Raimi filmed new scenes to recap the story from the first, although he cut most of the characters from the flashbacks, making for a confusing intro. While the film is meant to pick up where the first left off, the new scenes make it seem like Ash returns to the cabin for a second time with a new girlfriend. Either way, the sequel leans more into comedy than the first, although it still has plenty of gore.
Related: The Best Horror Comedy Movies of All Time
3. Army of Darkness (1992)
Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams in "Army of Darkness"
Universal Pictures
Army of Darkness film picks up immediately after the events of the second film, which ended with Ash thrown back into medieval times. Trapped in the past, Ash must once again fight off the deadites, save a kingdom and find a way back home. Unlike the previous two films, this movie leans away from the horror genre and feels more like a fantasy adventure, with plenty of camp thrown in. By this point, Ash has turned into a catchphrase uttering buffoon, which only adds to his charm.
Related: The Best Horror Movie Quotes of All Time
4. Evil Dead (2013)
"Evil Dead" (2013)
Sony Pictures
While this film was marketed as a remake of the original, 2013's Evil Dead could be part of the same continuity. The film tells a similar story to the first, except this time the young adults head to the cabin to help one of their friends detox from drugs. When they find a strange looking book in the cabin, of course someone reads from it and awakens the demons. The film features plenty of connections to original, including a shot of Ash's car seemingly abandoned near the cabin. Whether its a remake or a sequel, this film is decent entry to the franchise.
Related: The Best and Worst Horror Movie Remakes of All Time
5. Evil Dead Rise (2023)
"Evil Dead Rise"
Warner Bros.
The most recent film in the franchise takes place in the modern day. It features a new cast of characters who are seemingly unrelated to the original cast. Once again, a strange book is discovered, this time in an apartment building in Los Angeles. Naturally, the book unleashes an ancient evil, because these films take place in a world where people never learned not to read from creepy, ancient books that look like they're bound in human flesh.
