39 Years Ago, the Most Iconic Horror Movie Sequel Was Released (And It’s Still the Best in the Series)

by

It’s rare for a movie to stay popular and impactful for nearly 40 years, but one film has definitely achieved that. Its story actually began 48 years ago when a determined filmmaker and his friends created a short film called Within the Woods on a tiny budget of $1,600. This film followed two young couples on a weekend getaway to a secluded cabin, unaware it was built on an ancient, haunted burial ground. The short film showed enough promise to attract $90,000 in funding for a full-length feature, released in 1981. It became a huge success, earning $27 million worldwide and launching the beloved Evil Dead franchise that horror fans enjoy today.

While Evil Dead (1981) was an early work, it showed the potential of writer/director Sam Raimi, who was still developing his distinctive style. After the film became a hit, Raimi fully demonstrated his skills in the sequel, solidifying his reputation as a talented horror director.

Evil Dead‘s Sequel Was An Instant Cult-Classic

Sam Raimi’s Evil Dead II premiered in theaters on March 13, 1987. Though originally made with a small $90,000 budget, it eventually received $3.5 million in funding, allowing Raimi, Bruce Campbell, and the whole team to create a much more ambitious film.

Evil Dead II acts as a connection between the first Evil Dead movie and its sequel, Army of Darkness. It revisits many of the same story points as the original, with Ash (played by Bruce Campbell) taking his girlfriend, Linda, to a secluded cabin for a weekend getaway. This film really develops the mythology surrounding the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis – also known as the “Book of the Dead” – and introduces the “deadites,” which are created when people become possessed by its evil power.

As a huge fan, I’ve always loved how Evil Dead II expanded the story. We see Ash and Linda battling for survival, and there’s this fascinating parallel story about the daughter of the archaeologist from the first film trying to uncover what happened to him after he found the Necronomicon. But more than just the plot, this is where director Sam Raimi really found his voice. It’s so much more of a horror-comedy than the original – incredibly over-the-top, with limbs flying everywhere for both scares and laughs. Bruce Campbell is absolutely brilliant, becoming a true horror icon with his perfect delivery of one-liners and wildly physical performance. It’s strange, though, that despite the bigger budget and expanded mythology, it didn’t make a ton of money in theaters – only about $5.9 million. But it really took off on home video! For so many horror fans growing up in the 90s and 2000s, Evil Dead II was the definitive introduction to the horror-comedy genre – a must-see. Even now, almost 40 years later, a lot of us still consider it the best film in the whole Evil Dead series.

Although Sam Raimi couldn’t yet make the exact movie he wanted, Evil Dead II ended with a cliffhanger that set up the next film to do just that. Army of Darkness, released in 1993, earned $21.5 million worldwide and cemented Evil Dead‘s place as one of the most beloved cult-classic trilogies of all time. This success also allowed the franchise to grow, with a 2013 remake, a 2023 reboot, and the TV series Ash vs. The Evil Dead. The franchise will continue expanding with Evil Dead Burn in July.

You can stream Evil Dead II on Amazon Prime Video, Roku, and Pluto TV. Join the conversation about the movie on the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/horror/news/evil-dead-movie-franchise-sequels-ranked-bruce-campbell-reboot-rise/embed/#

Read More

2026-03-13 16:11