Evil Dead Movies in Order: Release Order, Chronology, Ash vs Evil Dead and Evil Dead Wrath

Watch the Evil Dead movies in release order: The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987), Army of Darkness (1992), Evil Dead (2013), Evil Dead Rise (2023) and Evil Dead Burn (2026). The only film that breaks that order is Evil Dead Wrath, a prequel set in 1972 that has a US release date of April 7, 2028.

This guide gives release dates, explains how each film connects to the last, says where the Ash vs Evil Dead TV series fits and separates what is confirmed about Wrath from what is not. It avoids plot spoilers.

Evil Dead movies in order

Dates are US release dates as listed on Wikipedia’s franchise and film pages. The Evil Dead first screened privately at Detroit’s Redford Theatre in October 1981 before New Line Cinema released it widely in the US in 1983, so you will see both years quoted. Release dates differ by country, and streaming availability changes often, so check your local services rather than assuming one platform carries the whole series.

How the films connect

The first three films follow Ash Williams (Bruce Campbell). The Evil Dead sends him and his friends to a remote cabin. Evil Dead II is a sequel that opens with a recap of the first film, which is why Sam Raimi and Campbell describe it as a direct sequel while critics have also called it part remake. Army of Darkness sends Ash to medieval England and was released in the US by Universal Pictures. The theatrical ending differs from Raimi’s original one, which Universal considered too bleak, according to Wikipedia.

The 2013 film is a soft reboot that continues the story. Fede Álvarez’s Evil Dead follows a new protagonist, Mia (Jane Levy). Wikipedia describes it as a soft reboot and records Álvarez saying it continues the events of the first film. Campbell appears uncredited as an older Ash in a post-credits scene.

Rise and Burn follow new characters. Wikipedia lists Evil Dead Rise (a Los Angeles apartment-block story starring Lily Sullivan and Alyssa Sutherland) as a sequel to the 2013 film, and lists Evil Dead Burn as a sequel to Rise. Campbell has an uncredited voice cameo in Rise and is an executive producer on Burn. The page says Alyssa Sutherland cameos in Burn as Ellie Bixler.

Which Evil Dead films should you watch first?

If you want the full story, start at the beginning. Your choice depends on the tone you want. This is a viewing opinion, not an official guide:

• Classic Ash route: The Evil Dead, Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness. The tone shifts from straight horror to slapstick comedy horror across the three films.
• Modern route: Evil Dead Rise and Evil Dead Burn are built to stand largely on their own, so you can start with Rise and go straight to Burn.
• Everything: release order, with the 2013 film as the bridge between the Ash era and the new films.

For the demons and rules behind all of them, see our Deadites explained guide.

Where does Ash vs Evil Dead fit?

Ash vs Evil Dead is a Starz series created by Sam Raimi, Ivan Raimi and Tom Spezialy. It ran for three seasons of ten episodes each, from October 31, 2015 to April 29, 2018, with Bruce Campbell, Ray Santiago, Dana DeLorenzo and Lucy Lawless in the main cast. Wikipedia describes it as a sequel to the original trilogy, set about 30 years after the end of Army of Darkness. Because of rights issues with Universal, season one could not specifically mention Army of Darkness, and the producers said references would begin in season two.

Watch it after Army of Darkness. It is not required for the 2013 film or anything later. It was canceled in April 2018. Wikipedia reports an animated revival was announced in 2022, but Campbell confirmed on August 15, 2026 that it would not happen.

How did Evil Dead Burn perform?

Evil Dead Burn opened in US theaters on July 10, 2026, after a previously announced July 24 date, and runs 109 minutes. Wikipedia lists about $72.4 million worldwide on a $20 million budget, a $13.7 million domestic opening and a 64% second-weekend drop. It lists 70% on Rotten Tomatoes from 211 critics and 54 out of 100 on Metacritic. Review aggregates change over time, so treat those figures as a snapshot of when we checked them.

Evil Dead Rise remains the highest-grossing film in the series, with about $147 million worldwide, according to Wikipedia. Wikipedia lists a digital release on August 4, 2026 and discs on September 22, 2026. For where to stream it, see our Evil Dead Burn HBO Max guide, and for spoilers on how it ends, our Evil Dead Burn ending explained.

What is confirmed about Evil Dead Wrath?

Evil Dead Wrath is written and directed by Francis Galluppi, with Sam Raimi and Rob Tapert producing. Wikipedia lists Charlotte Hope, Jessica McNamee, Zach Gilford and Josh Helman in the cast, a 1972 setting and a prequel relationship to the 1981 film. It also records that filming wrapped on May 30 in New Zealand and that Warner Bros. Pictures has dated it for April 7, 2028 in the US. Plot details and a trailer have not been confirmed, and we did not find a verified schedule for territories outside the US, so we do not treat any of them as settled.

We will update this guide if the schedule changes. In the meantime, browse everything we have published in the Evil Dead hub, or compare it with other horror franchises in our Halloween movies in order guide, Saw watch order, Scream movies in order and Conjuring movies in order guide.

FAQ

What order should I watch the Evil Dead movies in?

Release order: The Evil Dead (1981/1983), Evil Dead II (1987), Army of Darkness (1992/1993), Evil Dead (2013), Evil Dead Rise (2023) and Evil Dead Burn (2026). Ash vs Evil Dead fits after Army of Darkness.

Do I need to watch the old Evil Dead movies before Evil Dead Burn?

No. Burn follows Rise and focuses on a new family, so the earlier films add context rather than being required. Watching Evil Dead Rise first helps most.

Is Evil Dead (2013) a remake?

Wikipedia calls it a soft reboot, and says Fede Álvarez has described it as continuing the events of the first film. Bruce Campbell’s post-credits appearance links it to Ash.

Is Ash in Evil Dead Rise or Evil Dead Burn?

Wikipedia does not list Ash Williams as a character in either film. Campbell has an uncredited voice cameo in Rise and is an executive producer on Burn, where he has a photo cameo that fans speculated showed a particular character, which Campbell denied.

Is Evil Dead Wrath a prequel?

Yes, according to Wikipedia. It is set in 1972 and is described as a prequel to The Evil Dead. Its US release is scheduled for April 7, 2028.

Is Ash vs Evil Dead worth watching?

It continues Ash’s story about 30 years after Army of Darkness, with 30 episodes across three seasons. It was canceled in 2018 and ends without a follow-up.