Every Evil Dead Movie, Game, and Book, Ranked (2024)

For the most part, Evil Dead movies are considered horror comedies, and while they contain plenty of humor, they work as legitimately scary films. What makes the Evil Dead universe so unique is that, despite the trademark slapstick antics, the danger is real. They feature shocking jump scares, horrifying monsters, and gory violence that brings genuine terror between the laughs.

While director and creator Sam Raimi's unconventional vision attracted fans, it was the central character of Ash Williams, played brilliantly by Bruce Campbell, that drew a rabid cult following. When friends Raimi and Campbell got together to film a low-budget horror in the early 1980s, nobody, especially them, could have predicted that it would turn into The Evil Dead multimedia franchise, which is still going strong more than 40 years later.

10 Within The Woods Begins It All

• Release date: October 30, 1978
• Running time: 32 minutes
• Budget: $1,600

Most casual fans think that everything began with 1981's The Evil Dead, but actually, there was a short film that preceded it, which marks the first entry in the franchise. Sam Raimi filmed the horror short, Within the Woods, as a way of drumming up investors for a feature-length project that would eventually become The Evil Dead.

Within the Woods is three steps below low-budget, but it hinted at what was to come. Starring Bruce Campbell and Ellen Sandweiss, who plays Cheryl Williams in the franchise, the movie first explored the idea of an ancient evil that possesses humans, turning them into homicidal zombie demons. It also featured a ceremonial dagger and Bruce losing his hand, which would become familiar themes.

9 Army of Darkness Comics Expand The Evil Dead Universe

The Army of Darkness vs Reanimator: Necronomicon Rising #1

WRITER

Erik Burnham

Artist

Eman Cassallos

Letterer

Troy Peteri

Cover Artist

Tony Fleecs

Publisher

Dynamite

Price

$3.99

Release Date

July 13, 2022

Colorist

Jorge Sutil

• Publishers: Dark Horse Comics, Devil's Due Publishing, Dynamite Entertainment
• Production run: 1992-present

Dark Horse Comics began publishing Army of Darkness comics based on the movie of the same name and then Dynamite Entertainment picked up the series, taking it to some weird and wild places. Because comic books are a wide-open medium, these stories can, and do, wander into some off-canon territory, which turns out to be endlessly entertaining.

In the comics, Ash gets to take on the likes of Herbert West from Re-Animator and Dracula. Fans are also treated to some heavy-weight slasher bouts, with Ash battling Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees. It seems like Ash and his chainsaw hand would be a natural opponent of Leatherface, which hasn't happened yet but the comics are still going so there's room for hope.

8 Evil Dead The Musical Hits A Sour Note On Purpose

Evil Dead the Musical is more of a parody of Broadway hits based on movies than it is a serious attempt to bring Evil Dead to the stage. It is purposefully cheesy, and the fact that it doesn't take itself too seriously is what makes it so entertaining. It does, however, bring the gratuitous gore of the Evil Dead franchise to the audience, who will be soaked in blood by the end.

The production began in 2003, with the blessing of both Sam Raimi and Bruce Campbell, in Toronto. It was such a hit, that it earned an off-Broadway run and then an international tour, before getting residency in Las Vegas. The story is basically a mix of The Evil Dead and Evil Dead II, with hokey song and dance numbers, as well as gallons of blood.

7 Evil Dead Isn't Quite Evil Dead Enough

• IMDb Rating: 6.5

The 2013 film Evil Dead is a reimagining of the Evil Dead story, and while it's not a bad horror, it misses the mark. The movie has the familiar story of an ancient evil possessing friends in a remote cabin, as well as all the signature blood and gore, but it is sorely missing the humor that makes for a true Evil Dead franchise entry. This is one property that doesn't need a gritty reboot.

That being said, the movie is actually quite good, and if it was a stand-alone film, unassociated with the Evil Dead, it would have played better. Evil Dead fans who went in hoping to feel connected to the original films, were left sorely disappointed, which is a shame because there was some top-notch gore and violence. Bruce Campbell's Ash Williams cameo at the end was not enough to make this film a part of the Evil Dead universe.

6 Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick Is A Video Game Gem

• Publisher: THQ
• Platform: Playstation 2, Xbox

The Evil Dead: Hail to the King video game for the PlayStation was a neat idea, but frustrating controls and bad gameplay made it a less-than-fun experience. Evil Dead: Regeneration for the PlayStation 2 was a decent game, but it was incredibly short with absolutely no replay value, and it took place in an alternate reality where Army of Darkness never happened. For a great Evil Dead game that connects to the movies, Evil Dead: A Fistful of Boomstick for the PlayStation 2 can't be beaten.

The story takes place 11 years after the Army of Darkness, where Dearborn, Michigan is suddenly overrun by Deadites. Players control Ash Williams as he gathers weapons to wipe out the evil scourge, with combat and destruction that is very satisfying. Bruce Campbell did the voice-over, so there is no shortage of one-liners and the game is true to the source material with a fun mix of horror and comedy. It is a pseudo-sandlot game with a certain amount of free-roaming, and there is an epic story arc that takes the player through time and to the depths of hell.

5 Evil Dead Rise Is A Bloody Good Surprise

Evil Dead Rise

R

Horror

Where to Watch

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A twisted tale of two estranged sisters whose reunion is cut short by the rise of flesh-possessing demons, thrusting them into a primal battle for survival as they face the most nightmarish version of family imaginable.

Director

Lee Cronin

Release Date

April 21, 2023

Cast

Mirabai Pease , Richard Crouchley , Alyssa Sutherland , Nell Fisher

Writers

Lee Cronin

Runtime

96 minutes

Main Genre

Horror

• IMDb Rating: 6.5

After the 2013 reboot left fans disappointed, there wasn't much optimism for Evil Dead Rise, but it was a surprisingly great entry in the franchise. What it got right, where its predecessor had failed, was nailing the formula of blending grotesque violence with moments of levity. The film's level of gore is so extreme it borders on the absurd, but it's also pretty funny in between the terror and cringing.

Evil Dead Rise isn't a sequel, but rather a standalone within the Evil Dead universe, that obeys the rules of the Necronomicon. The movie also establishes a new champion in the war against the Evil Dead, Beth, who knows her way around a chainsaw and has some serious Deadite-killing skills, she can drop some one-liners. The movie was a big hit, so there's hope this will spawn a fun new direction for the franchise.

4 The Book Of The Dead Unleashes The Evil Dead

The Evil Dead (1981)

NC-17

Horror

Five friends travel to a cabin in the woods, where they unknowingly release flesh-possessing demons.

Director

Sam Raimi

Release Date

April 15, 1983

Cast

Bruce Campbell , Ellen Sandweiss , Richard DeManincor , Betsy Baker , Theresa Tilly

Writers

Sam Raimi

Runtime

85 minutes

Main Genre

Horror

Producer

Robert G. Tapert

Production Company

Renaissance Pictures

Sequel(s)

Evil Dead 2 , Evil Dead (2013) , Evil Dead Rise , Army of Darkness

Franchise(s)

Evil Dead

• IMDb Rating: 7.4

The Evil Dead, released in 1981, was the feature that launched the franchise, and should arguably be at the top of the list, but other entries are more, for lack of a better term, Evil Deadish. As great as the movie is, Ash Williams and the forces of evil weren't quite fleshed out yet. It did, however, establish everything fans love about the franchise, and when viewed on its own merit, stands as one of the greatest independent horror movies ever made.

It was originally titled Book of the Dead, after the Necronomicon/ Naturom Demonto that acts as a catalyst for the evil mayhem, but the distributor noted that it made the movie sound boring, so director Sam Raimi came up with Evil Dead on the spot, saying it was the "least worst" thing he could think of. Aside from establishing the ancient evil and demonic possession that are the foundations of the franchise, The Evil Dead brought the ridiculous amounts of blood and gore that are central to the horror comedy.

3 Evil Dead II Awakens The Evil Dead

Evil Dead 2

R

Comedy

Horror

Fantasy

Where to Watch

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Not available

The lone survivor of an onslaught of flesh-possessing spirits holes up in a cabin with a group of strangers while the demons continue their attack.

Director

Sam Raimi

Release Date

March 13, 1987

Cast

Bruce Campbell , Sarah Berry , Dan Hicks , Kassie Wesley DePaiva

Writers

Sam Raimi , Scott Spiegel

Runtime

84 minutes

Main Genre

Comedy

Production Company

Renaissance Pictures

• IMDb Rating: 7.7

Evil Dead II, alternately titled Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn, is not so much a sequel as it is a retelling of The Evil Dead, that expands upon the story. Much of that expansion was setting the tone that the franchise would be known for. The ludicrous comedy and slapstick hi-jinks, juxtaposed with terrifying evil are firmly established in the semi-sequel. More importantly, the character of Ash Williams was fully realized with his arrogant swagger and memorable one-liners.

It's also the movie in which Ash loses a hand but gains his signature arms. Though he doesn't yet call it a boomstick, Ash gets a hold of a double-barrel shotgun, and he also fastens a chainsaw to his handless stump. These weapons are the perfect combo for killing Deadites and as much a part of the character as his catchphrases. In a weird twist of fate, Sam Raimi originally wanted the movie to be set in the Middle Ages, but the studio insisted he stick to the original story. Instead of getting an Army of Darkness that wouldn't have been as good, fans got two of the most amazing horror movies ever made.

2 Ash vs Evil Dead Is A Love Letter To Fans

Ash vs Evil Dead

TV-MA

Horror

Action

Comedy

Where to Watch

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Not available

Ash has spent the last thirty years avoiding responsibility, maturity, and the terrors of the Evil Dead until a Deadite plague threatens to destroy all of mankind and Ash becomes mankind's only hope.

Release Date

October 31, 2015

Cast

Ray Santiago , Dana DeLorenzo , Lucy Lawless , Bruce Campbell

Main Genre

Horror

Seasons

3

Creator

Ivan Raimi, Sam Raimi, Tom Spezialy

• Seasons: 3
• Episodes: 30
• Network: Starz

The Ash vs Evil Dead cable series started as an idea for a fourth Evil Dead movie and ended up being a gift to fans. For three seasons, the Evil Dead faithful got to see where Ash Williams lives, meet his family, and basque in his overwrought awesomeness. The show picks up 30 years after the Evil Dead movies, where, it turns out, Ash has done absolutely nothing with his life. That's okay though, because this is one character that doesn't need growth or maturity.

Naturally, Ash accidentally unleashes the demons while trying to impress a woman, and the retired Deadite-slayer has to once again pick up his chainsaw and Boomstick. The expanded story was made better by giving Ash two incredible sidekicks Pablo and Kelly, who help him battle the sick forces of evil. The show did an amazing job of bringing the Evil Dead story to an episodic format and gave fans all the Ash they could ever hope for. The only bummer is that Starz canceled the series after three seasons with a big meaty cliffhanger dangling.

1 Army of Darkness is The Ultimate Evil Dead

Army of Darkness

Where to Watch

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• IMDb Rating: 7.4

Choosing Army of Darkness for the top slot in the Evil Dead franchise may seem a bit controversial, but there is a solid argument behind it. This is the movie where Ash is at his Ashiest best, and that's really what it's all about. The mythos, the gore, and the zaniness are all important draws, but it is Ash Williams who has made this franchise what it is. In Army of Darkness, he is in peak form with his undeserved sense of self-importance and overconfident level of incompetence.

Normally, these would be unappealing personality traits, but Bruce Campbell makes them loveable, which is why he is one of the most underrated actors of all time. Army of Darkness is by far the most quotable in the franchise, and it's where audiences learn that the Boomstick came from shopping smart at S-Mart. The story is epic in scope, there are endless comic capers, and Ash drives it all, which adds up to the most satisfying, entertaining film in the franchise. Army of Darkness is a high that can be chased, but never replicated.