A horror movie series that’s been running for 45 years still has valuable lessons for today’s filmmakers. The horror genre has seen many peaks and valleys over the decades, with periods like the 1980s and 2000s producing some all-time classics. Recently, since around 2015, horror has been particularly strong, with a mix of fresh ideas, remakes, and continuations of existing stories.
Recent horror films, including psychological thrillers like Hereditary and violent slashers like Terrifier, are doing well, and classic franchises like Final Destination and Scream are being rebooted. Despite these successes, today’s horror movies could benefit from looking at the Evil Dead series, which has remained consistently popular and successful for decades.
The Evil Dead Franchise Has Reworked Itself Since 1987
In 1981, Sam Raimi directed the horror film The Evil Dead, which he also wrote. The movie centers around five friends – including Ash Williams (played by Bruce Campbell) – who go on a vacation to a remote cabin. While there, they discover an eerie tape recording that, when played, awakens a host of demons and other evil entities.
Throughout the night, Ash watches as his friends are overtaken by demonic forces and transformed into creatures known as “Deadites,” ultimately leaving him as the only one left alive. The original Evil Dead was a huge hit with both critics and audiences, and it grew into a large franchise including seven films (with another one planned), a television series, and several video games and comics.
The Evil Dead series remains a hit with horror fans, largely because it’s consistently reinvented itself since 1987’s Evil Dead II. That second film acts as both a sequel and a reimagining of the first, changing the story so Ash goes to the cabin with his girlfriend instead of his friends.
The biggest shift in Evil Dead II was its comedic tone – it moved away from the straight horror of the first film. Army of Darkness continued this blend of comedy and horror, letting the story of Ash and his world grow in surprising ways. The franchise reinvented itself again in 2013 with the Evil Dead remake, which took a darker, more intensely supernatural and gruesome direction.
After a ten-year break, the Evil Dead series came back with Evil Dead Rise, continuing the tradition of scary, over-the-top horror with moments of dark humor, all set in a very confined and unsettling space. The series has also cleverly shifted its focus from Ash to new main characters like Mia and Beth (with her niece Kassie), and it’s preparing to introduce yet another lead character.
The Evil Dead Franchise Broke A Risky Horror Trend
The popular Evil Dead series is continuing with more installments. A new film, Evil Dead Burn, directed by Sébastien Vaniček, is slated for release on July 24, 2026. Meanwhile, production is now underway on the third movie in the current storyline, Evil Dead Wrath, which is expected to come out in 2027. Francis Galluppi is directing Wrath.
It’s always a gamble to start planning a sequel, or even make one, before the first movie has finished its run – this is especially true for horror films. We’ve seen this recently with The Exorcist franchise, which attempted a revival with The Exorcist: Believer. The plan was for this to launch a new trilogy, with a follow-up film called The Exorcist: Deceiver already in development.
Despite poor reviews, plans for a three-part Believer series were canceled. Now, the Exorcist franchise is getting a fresh start with filmmaker Mike Flanagan, in a new story unrelated to Believer. The Evil Dead series has consistently delivered quality and originality, justifying this bold move, and it’s hoped that the upcoming Burn and Wrath installments will also be successful.
Will There Be More Evil Dead Movies After Wrath (& Will Ash Return)?
In 2023, director Sam Raimi hinted at plans for several more Evil Dead movies featuring Bruce Campbell as Ash Williams, and potentially bringing back the character Mia. Campbell also revealed that he, Sam Raimi, and Ivan Raimi were collaborating on a detailed outline for the future of the franchise, including a release strategy (as reported by Empire and The AV Club).
Although there are ideas for future Evil Dead films after Wrath, nothing is officially planned yet. Bruce Campbell appears more willing to reprise his role as Ash, but only if Sam Raimi directs. The success of Wrath will determine the franchise’s future, and things are currently looking promising.
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2026-02-27 17:51