Love it or hate it, no one can deny that Evil Dead is one of the most influential horror franchises in the history of cinema. Most surprisingly, after four decades, Evil Dead is still releasing sequels to the first movie, released in 1981. Yes, that’s right, while most horror franchises go through reboots, remakes, and alternated timelines, Evil Dead keeps delivering movies that are part of the same continuity. That’s definitely a feat to be celebrated, especially when Hollywood is always eager to restart things from scratch. Then again, Evil Dead couldn’t have done this without delivering high-quality movies that please longtime fans while still being friendly to newcomers.

Breaking down the Evil Dead timeline can be a challenging feat since the franchise has also expanded beyond the silver screen. There are dozens of Evil Dead games in the market, and a few fan-favorite comic book series, including the iconic Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash. The franchise also managed to release a successful three-season series called Ash vs. Evil Dead, which serves as a direct sequel to the original film trilogy. However, if we want to stick only with the movies, there’s still a lot of ground to cover since with the release of Evil Dead Rise there are five bloody delicious Evil Dead features in the market.

RELATED: How to Watch Every 'Evil Dead' Movie and Show in Order (Chronologically and by Release Date)

The Evil Dead (1981)

Betsey Baker as the processed Linda in The Evil Dead (1981)

The story of the Evil Dead franchise actually begins in 1978, when director Sam Raimi managed to craft Within the Woods, a short film starring his friend and partner in crime Bruce Campbell. The short told the story of a group of teenagers surviving the attacks of a demonic entity in a cabin in the woods, all elements that would be reused for The Evil Dead. Thanks to the short, Raimi managed to find the funding he needed to create the first movie in the franchise, released in 1981. The Evil Dead introduces protagonist Ash Williams (Campbell), cements the Book of the Dead as the source of all evil, and introduces the world to Deadites, demon-possessed undead humans that can survive even the most brutal dismemberments. The Evil Dead is bleak, and bloody, and never gives its characters a rest. As such, it shocked audiences worldwide and became a huge critical and commercial success.

Evil Dead II (1987)

A bloodied Ash (Bruce Campbell) and a concerned Annie (Sarah Berry) in the cabin in 'Evil Dead'
Image via New Line Cinema

After The Evil Dead, Raimi and Campbell joined forces to release the dark comedy Crimewave, which turned out to be an absolute flop. With the help of Stephen King, who’s a huge fan of the Evil Dead franchise, Raimi managed to get a generous budget to shoot a sequel to his directorial debut. The only catch was that Raimi was obliged to keep the story as close as possible to The Evil Dead. That’s why Evil Dead II's first arc is basically a remake of Raimi’s first movie. While Evil Dead II still revolves around a never-ending battle against the forces of darkness in a cabin in the woods, for the sequel, Raimi and Campbell leaned hard on slapstick action, changing the tone of the franchise to the highly recognizable brand of horror comedy it's known for today. Arguably the best movie in the entire franchise, Evil Dead II is a non-stop thrill ride in which Campbell becomes a chainsaw-wielding madman slicing through the revived bodies of friends and family. Unsurprisingly, the movie was a huge hit, eventually leading to the third and final chapter of Ash Williams' cinematic journey.

Army of Darkness (1993)

Bruce Campbell with a metal hand in Army of Darkness
Image Via Universal

One of the biggest creative crimes of humanity is that Army of Darkness isn’t called MediEvil Dead. At the end of Evil Dead II, Ash manages to use the Book of the Dead to exorcize the Kandarian demon responsible for the Deadite outbreak. Unfortunately, he’s sucked through a portal and gets displaced in time. Yes, Army of Darkness completely turns the franchise upside down to give Ash Williams a dark medieval fantasy adventure. The slapstick comedy of Evil Dead II is back and raised to the max. However, instead of remaining constraints to the boundaries set by the first two movies, Raimi and Campbell stretch their wings and reach out for the horizon. There’s too much happening in Army of Darkness, which might lead to some pacing problems. Nevertheless, it’s a delicious horror adventure with multiple alternate endings that either give Ash Williams a definitive end or allow his story to continue, which eventually happened thanks to the Ash vs. Evil Dead TV show.

Evil Dead (2013)

Jane Levy as Mia in Evil Dead (2013)
Image via Sony

Two decades after the release of Army of Darkness, Raimi gave creative control over the franchise to a different filmmaker. And similar to how The Evil Dead served as Raimi's directorial debut, 2013’s Evil Dead introduced the world to the brilliant work of Fede Álvarez. Instead of continuing Ash William’s saga, Evil Dead introduces a new heroine, Mia (Jane Levy), who still fights Deadites in a cabin in the woods. Sold as a reimagining of the franchise, 2013’s Evil Dead recreates multiple scenes of The Evil Dead with a new perspective, as Álvarez movie drops the slapstick comedy and uses mind-blowing practical effects to bring a gruesome and terrifying version of Raimi’s first movie to life. While some might consider Evil Dead to be a remake of sorts, the movie makes several nods to the original trilogy. It even features a cameo of Campbell’s Ash Williams, which is what makes it part of the main canon. Nevertheless, the movie served as a fresh entry point for horror lovers, who didn’t have to watch the original trilogy to understand the story. In addition, the extreme gore and disturbing violent scenes of Evil Dead turned it into one of the most memorable horror movies ever created, and this strange sequel still holds strong as a standalone movie.

Evil Dead Rise (2023)

Alyssa Sutherland in Evil Dead Rise
Image via Warner Bros.

Even though Álvarez’s Evil Dead was a financial success, Raimi and Campbell didn’t manage to get a sequel or a crossover featuring Ash Williams off the ground. It would take ten more years for the franchise to return to theaters, now with writer and director Lee Cronin behind the wheel. Just like 2013’s Evil Dead, Evil Dead Rise is a standalone story with a brand-new cast. However, while Evil Dead Rise is a perfect entry point for newcomers, Cronin’s movie also introduces new story elements that help to streamline the franchise’s canon. In addition, Cronin likes his Evil Dead movies cruel and scary, like Álvarez, but Evil Dead Rise still has some funny scenes that tip the hat to Raimi’s slapstick style. In the end, Evil Dead Rise is the perfect treat for longtime fans and people who are just looking for a freaking great horror movie to watch. Also, Alyssa Sutherland was born to play a Deadite, helping Cronin craft the scariest monster of the franchise. Just like every previous entry of the Evil Dead franchise, Evil Dead Rise is one of the best horror movies of 2023, which means this fabulous franchise will keep haunting us for many years to come.