| Evil Dead | |
|---|---|
 Official franchise logo | |
| Created by | Sam Raimi |
| Original work | Within the Woods (1978) |
| Owner | Renaissance Pictures |
| Years | 1978–present |
| Print publications | |
| Comics | List of comics |
| Graphic novel(s) | Marvel Zombies vs. The Army of Darkness (2007) Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash (2007) Freddy vs. Jason vs. Ash: The Nightmare Warriors (2009) |
| Films and television | |
| Film(s) | Original trilogy:
Standalone films:
|
| Short film(s) | Within the Woods (1978) |
| Television series | Ash vs Evil Dead (2015–18) |
| Theatrical presentations | |
| Musical(s) | Evil Dead The Musical |
| Games | |
| Video game(s) | List of video games |
Evil Dead is an American comedy horror franchise created by Sam Raimi consisting of five feature films and a television series. The series originally revolves around the grimoire the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, an ancient Sumerian text that wreaks havoc upon a group of cabin inhabitants in a wooded area in Tennessee.
The protagonist, Ashley Joanna "Ash" Williams (Bruce Campbell), appears in the original trilogy including The Evil Dead (1981), Evil Dead II (1987), and Army of Darkness (1992), all written and directed by Raimi, produced by Robert G. Tapert and starring Campbell. The franchise has since expanded into other formats, including a television series, video games, comic books and a musical.
The film franchise was resurrected in 2013 with Evil Dead, both a reboot and a loose continuation of the series directed by Fede Álvarez, who co-wrote the screenplay with Rodo Sayagues. It was produced by Raimi, Campbell and Tapert, featuring a new protagonist in Mia Allen (Jane Levy). A television series, Ash vs. Evil Dead, premiered on cable network Starz in 2015, lasted for three seasons, and ended in 2018, with Campbell announcing an animated revival to be in active development in July 2022.[1] It starred Bruce Campbell as Ash and was executive produced by Campbell, Raimi and Tapert.[2][3] A fifth film in the franchise, titled Evil Dead Rise, was theatrically released on April 21, 2023, with Lee Cronin serving as writer and director, Alyssa Sutherland and Lily Sullivan starring as sisters Ellie and Beth Bixler, Tapert serving as a producer, and Raimi and Campbell both acting as executive producers.[4][5][6][7]
Each film of the franchise has received generally positive reviews from critics, with the original trilogy developing a cult following, and has grossed a collective $300 million worldwide.
- ^ "Bruce Campbell Confirms 'Ash vs. Evil Dead' Animated Series Talks Have Begun". Collider. July 25, 2022.
- ^ Stedman, Alex (July 29, 2014). "Bruce Campbell Says He Plans to Star in Sam Raimi's 'The Evil Dead' TV Series". Variety.
- ^ "Starz Orders 'Evil Dead' TV Series". The Hollywood Reporter. November 10, 2014.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:0was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Leighton, Susan (June 23, 2020). "The Cool Side of My Pillow Interview: A Trip Inside the Mind of Bruce Campbell - Diabolique Magazine". Retrieved June 23, 2020.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
:2was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Squires, John (August 24, 2022). "'Evil Dead Rise' Getting a Theatrical Release in April 2023!". Bloody Disgusting. Retrieved August 24, 2022.