Look, the first time I sat down to watch The Evil Dead, I was deeply confused. Not because of the plot—the plot is basically "kids go to a cabin, find a book, everything goes to hell"—but because the franchise is a messy, beautiful, blood-soaked disaster of continuity. Sam Raimi didn't start out trying to build a "cinematic universe." He was just a guy with a 16mm camera and a bunch of fake blood made of corn syrup and food coloring.
It's 1981. You’re in a theater. You see a low-budget flick that looks like it was filmed in someone's backyard because, well, it mostly was. That’s the magic. But if you’re trying to navigate this series in 2026, you need a roadmap because the sequels don't always act like sequels, and the remakes aren't always remakes.
Where the Hell Do You Even Start?
Most people think you should just start at the beginning. Simple, right? Not really. If you watch The Evil Dead (1981), you’re getting a pure, raw, grueling horror experience. It’s dark. It’s mean. Bruce Campbell’s Ash Williams isn't the quip-machine hero yet; he’s a terrified kid watching his friends turn into Deadites.
Then you get to Evil Dead II. This is where the confusion peaks. The first ten minutes of the sequel basically recap the first movie but change all the details because they didn't have the rights to the footage from the original. It feels like a remake, but it’s actually a sequel. Confused? You should be. It’s part of the charm. If you can handle the tonal whiplash from "cabin-in-the-woods slasher" to "Three Stooges with a chainsaw," you're in the right place.
Honestly, the best way to consume this is to stop worrying about the "canon." Raimi and Campbell have said for years that the timeline is whatever it needs to be for the movie to be cool. You've got the original trilogy, then a 2013 "soft" reboot that’s actually a sequel if you look at the car in the background, then a TV show, then Evil Dead Rise. It’s a lot.
The Streaming Reality of 2026
Finding where to watch The Evil Dead today is like a game of digital whack-a-mole. Because the rights are split between different studios—New Line, Renaissance Pictures, Lionsgate—the movies are rarely all in one spot.
You’ll usually find the 1981 original drifting between indie streamers like Shout! Factory or AMC+. Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness (the third one) are often separated because Army was a Universal release. If you’re looking for the most bang for your buck, Max (formerly HBO Max) has been the consistent home for the newer entries like Evil Dead Rise, which took the carnage to a Los Angeles apartment building and somehow made it even more claustrophobic than a cabin.
The "Correct" Order Isn't Chronological
If you want the full experience, don't do a chronological timeline. That’s for nerds who care about logic. The Evil Dead doesn't care about logic. You should watch it in the order of "Evolution of Groovy."
The Evil Dead (1981): Start here to see the grit. It’s impressive how much they did with no money. The "shaky cam" was literally Sam Raimi running through the woods with a camera bolted to a piece of wood.
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Evil Dead II (1987): This is the masterpiece. It’s the bridge. It’s the moment Ash becomes ASH.
Army of Darkness (1992): Total 180. It’s a medieval fantasy action-comedy. It’s weird, it’s loud, and it features a "S-Mart" shotgun.
Ash vs Evil Dead (2015-2018): Three seasons of pure joy. It brings back the horror but keeps the comedy. It’s the most Bruce Campbell has ever Bruce Campbelled.
Evil Dead (2013): Fede Álvarez’s version. It’s brutal. No jokes. Just blood. So much blood that they literally had a "blood rain" scene that used 50,000 gallons of the fake stuff.
Evil Dead Rise (2023): The newest flavor. It proves the franchise can survive without Ash, which was a huge gamble that actually paid off.
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Why the 2013 Version Divides People
Some fans hate the 2013 film. They say it lacks the "spirit" of the original. I think they’re wrong. When you watch The Evil Dead (2013), you’re seeing what the 1981 film wanted to be if they had a budget and modern prosthetic tech. It’s a relentless assault. There’s a scene involving an electric carving knife that still makes me wince just thinking about it.
The lack of Ash Williams is the sticking point for many. But honestly? Jane Levy’s Mia is a fantastic protagonist. She goes through a literal meat grinder of an arc. It’s a different kind of "groovy."
Practical Tips for Your Horror Marathon
If you’re planning to sit down and watch The Evil Dead back-to-back, you need a strategy. Don't try to do the movies and the TV show in one weekend. You’ll get Deadite fatigue. The TV show alone is about 15 hours of content.
- Check the Edit: Army of Darkness has like four different endings. The "International Cut" and the "Director's Cut" change the fate of Ash significantly. If you want the version that leads into the TV show, watch the theatrical ending where he goes back to S-Mart.
- Audio Matters: These movies are famous for their sound design. The whispers in the woods, the creaking floorboards, the sound of a chainsaw revving—get a good pair of headphones or crank the soundbar.
- Physical Media: I know, I know, it’s 2026 and everything is in the cloud. But the 4K transfers of these movies are stunning. The HDR on the original 1981 film makes the shadows look terrifying in a way a compressed stream just can't match.
The Cultural Impact You Can't Ignore
Why are we still talking about this? Why do people still want to watch The Evil Dead forty-five years later?
It’s the "DIY" energy. It’s the ultimate inspiration for filmmakers. Every horror director working today—from James Wan to Ari Aster—owes something to Sam Raimi’s backyard experiment. It’s a franchise that refused to die. It survived a X-rating (back when the original came out, the UK "Video Nasty" panic almost got it banned). It survived a 20-year hiatus between the third movie and the remake.
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It’s about the underdog. Ash isn't a superhero. He’s a guy who works at a grocery store and is kind of an idiot, but he’s the only one standing between us and the Necronomicon. That’s relatable. Well, maybe not the chainsaw hand part, but the "trying to survive a Monday" part definitely is.
Actionable Steps for Your Viewing
- Step 1: Check JustWatch. Since streaming rights change monthly, use a tool like JustWatch to see which platform currently holds the license for the specific title you want.
- Step 2: Start with 1981, but don't feel guilty if you skip to the 1987 sequel. If the low budget of the original is too distracting, Evil Dead II functions perfectly well as a starting point.
- Step 3: Watch the "Making Of" documentaries. The Men Behind the Maggots and other behind-the-scenes features are legendary. They’re arguably as entertaining as the movies themselves.
- Step 4: Keep the lights on. Or don't. But don't say I didn't warn you about the cellar door.
The franchise is currently in a "multiverse" state without using that annoying word. Every entry is a window into a different way the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis can ruin someone's life. Whether it’s a cabin, a castle, or a penthouse, the results are always the same: absolute, glorious carnage. Go find a screen, grab some popcorn, and stay groovy.