Evil Dead

Lore & Background

The franchise began with the short film Within the Woods (1979), produced by Sam Raimi on a micro-budget to market his concept and acquire funding for a feature-length film. The first feature, The Evil Dead (1981), introduced Ash Williams, the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis (Book of the Dead), and the Deadites. It was followed by Evil Dead II (1987), a direct sequel that introduced slapstick comedy, and Army of Darkness (1992), which shifted toward action and comedy as Ash was transported to 1300 AD in a fictional medieval land. All three were written and directed by Raimi, produced by Rob Tapert, and starred Campbell.

Reader's Guide

The franchise was resurrected in 2013 with Evil Dead, a standalone sequel directed by Fede Álvarez featuring new protagonist Mia Allen (Jane Levy). A television series, Ash vs Evil Dead, premiered on Starz in 2015, lasted three seasons, and ended in 2018, starring Campbell as an older Ash. Evil Dead Rise (2023), directed by Lee Cronin, starred Alyssa Sutherland and Lily Sullivan as sisters. Evil Dead Burn (2026), directed by Sébastien Vaniček, was released on July 10, 2026. A sixth film, Evil Dead Wrath, is set for 2028. The franchise's significance lies in its blend of horror and comedy, its cult following, and its expansion across multiple media, with plans for future installments every few years.

Did You Know?

• The original trilogy was written and directed by Sam Raimi, produced by Rob Tapert, and starred Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams.
• Evil Dead (2013) features a new protagonist, Mia Allen, with Ash only appearing briefly in a post-credits scene.
• Evil Dead Rise used over 6,500 liters of fake blood during production.
• An animated revival of Ash vs Evil Dead was in development but was canceled as of August 2026.