The Evil Dead: From The Evil Dead to Ash VS Evil Dead The progression of Evil Dead story lines

From The Evil Dead to Ash VS Evil Dead
The progression of Evil Dead story lines

At the time of writing this post Ash Vs Evil Dead (2015 -?)  is streaming on Netflix and I have been viewing it. While doing this I thought it will be fun to write about the Evil Dead film series.

The Evil Dead has four films and one TV show The Evil Dead (1981), The Evil Dead 2 (1987), Army of Darkness (1992), Evil Dead (2013) and Ash Vs Evil Dead (2015-?). 

Possible spoilers if you want to avoid skip to synopsis section.

The Evil Dead stories have changed over the years, but this is a condensed history.  It starts as a classic horror movie start a group of friends going to an isolated cabin where some of the group release demons which results in everybody at the cabin getting attacked/killed one by one, before ending with a final survivor, and an opening for a sequel.

The second part Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn begins with Ash Williams the last survivor dealing with the developments of the last film before having a fever dream/nightmare of some of the events from the first film. The film progresses to resolve most of the story lines as well as having more people fighting and getting killed by demons. The ending being the only story line left unresolved, and open for a third film.

The third part Army of Darkness goes from straight horror to horror comedy and takes place right where the second films ends; in medieval times. (Thu magic Ash has traveled space and time to land himself and his car in King Aurthur's Court). At this point Ash is no longer a regular guy in a horrific situation (much like the heroes of Die Hard, or Rambo with their third films). This one ends with an open ending for another film. However, that does not happen exactly.

A fourth film I is made which is a remake of the first Evil Dead (1982), without the Ash Williams charter (Bruce Campbell).  In spite of this two years after the remake, and twenty-three years after Army of Darkness, and thirty-three years after the first Evil Dead the Starz Channel made a TV series of Evil Dead titled Ash VS Evil Dead.

  

Ash VS Evil Dead ignores the remake and takes place about 30 years after the first three films The events of the first two films having taken place in 1982 after the time travel adventure. Ash returned to his present which would have been 1982. The show starts in 2015 and uses flashbacks, and lines referencing the earlier films. At this point Ash is basically superhuman although older and fed up with fighting he continues to fight the forces of Darkness with a few sidekicks that the series introduces. As of 2018 the show is on its 3rd season. 

The Synopsis section.

The Evil Dead (1981)

Five collage age friends go to a remote cabin for a vacation. At the cabin Ash and friends find the Necronomicon and audio recordings of it being translated. At which point the audio recording and book are both used releasing demons resulting in a fight for survival.  

Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn (1987)

Evil Dead 2 picks up right where the first one ended. Ash the lone survivor meets with the professor’s daughter and some associates of the professor, then the new group fights for survival.  

Army of Darkness (1992)

The third film in the Evil Dead series; this picks up right after the second film ended. Ash has been sent back in time with his car. In the past he must rid the world of Demons and get back to the present. 

Evil Dead (2013)

A Group of five friends take a vacation in an isolated cabin in the woods, they find the Necronomicon, unleash demons and fight for survival. 

Ash VS Evil Dead (2015 - 2018)                  

This is a comedy horror TV show Taking place 30 years after the first 3 films. This starts with Ash having gotten back to the present has been hiding for 30 years. However, the book is again read from releasing more evil upon the world, resulting in Ash and a pair of sidekicks fighting and saving the world.  

Scream (1996) 20th anniversary

When I was growing up, I did not know much about movies. I parents limited us (my siblings and I) to Children’s, family, and edited for TV. In other words, G and PG stuff only. So, when I got old enough to make my own money and open my own rental account etc… I did not know where to start.

So, I started making watch lists. At first, they were trailers from when I was a child, banned movies even when edited for TV and my favorite getting titles from books and other movies. Whenever a book I was reading said a movie or Television show I would write it down and watch it or try to watch it.

One of the most important movies for this was Scream (1996) Horror was the area I knew the least about. So, with the 20-year anniversary of the release (a few months late I know) I am posting the watch list from that movie with an update section added. The update section includes being sequels, prequels, and remakes, which are now available. 

Scream - 1996                                          Watch List

Halloween – 1978

                [Halloween 2 – 1981]

                [Halloween 3: Season of the Witch – 1982]

                [Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers – 1988]

                [Halloween 5: The Curse of Michael Myers – 1995]

Nightmare on Elm Street - 1984

                [Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge – 1985]

                [Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors – 1987]

                [Nightmare on Elm Street 4: Dream Master – 1988]

                [Nightmare on Elm Street 5: Dream Child – 1989]

                [Nightmare on Elm Street (6) Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare – 1991]

                [Wes Craven’s New Nightmare – 1994]

                [Freddy’s Nightmares (TV Series) – (1988- 1990)]

Friday the 13^th - 1980

Friday the 13^th Part 2 - 1981

                [Friday the 13^th Part 3 – 1982]

                [Friday the 13^th: (4) The Final Chapter – 1984]

                [Friday the 13^th: (5) A New Beginning – 1985]

                [Friday the 13^th Part VI:  Jason Lives – 1986]

                [Friday the 13^th Part VII: The New Blood – 1988]

                [Friday the 13^th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan – 1989]

                [(Friday the 13^th (9) Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday – 1993]

The Exorcist – 1973

                [Exorcist II: The Heretic – 1977]

                [The Exorcist III – 1990]

Basic Instinct – 1992

All The Right Moves – 1983

Candyman – 1992

                [Candyman 2:  Farewell To The Flesh – 1995]

Frankenstein – 1931

                [The Bride of Frankenstein – 1935]

                [Son of Frankenstein – 1939]

                [The Ghost of Frankenstein – 1942]

                [Frankenstein Meets The Wolf Man – 1943]

                [House of Frankenstein – 1944]

                [House of Dracula – 1945]

E.T. – 1982

The Howling – 1981

                [Howling II: Your Sisters a Werewolf – 1985]

                [Howling III: The Marsupials – 1987]

                [Howling IV: The Original Nightmare – 1988]

                [Howling V: The Rebirth – 1989]

                [Howling VI: The Freaks – 1991]

                [Howling (7): New Moon Raising – 1995]

Prom Night – 1980

                [Prom Night 2: Hello Mary Lou – 1987]

                [Prom Night III: The Last Kiss – 1990]

                [Prom Night IV: Deliver Us From Evil – 1992]

Mother’s Boys - 1994

The Town That Dreaded Sundown – 1976

Evil Dead – 1981

                [Evil Dead 2: Dead by Dawn – 1987]

                [Army of Darkness – 1992]

Hellraiser – 1987

                [Hellbound: Hellraiser II – 1988]

                [Hellraiser III: Hell on Earth – 1992]

                [Hellraiser (4): Bloodline – 1996]

The Fog – 1980

Terror Train – 1980

Bad Seed – 1956 

Silence of the Lambs – 1991

                [Manhunter – 1986]

Trading Places – 1983

Clerks – 1994

Psycho – 1960

                [Psycho II – 1983]

                [Psycho III – 1986]

                [Bates Motel – 1987]

                [Psycho IV: The Beginning 1990]

Carrie - 1976

Update Section 
The Update section has the sequels, prequels, and remakes of the original list from 1997 - 2022. The two lists combined have 118 titles listed.

Scream – 1996

                [Scream 2 – 1997]

                [Scream 3 – 2000]

                [Scream 4 – 2011]

                [Scream: The TV Series – (2015 – 2019)]

                [Scream - 2022] 

Scary Movie – 2000

                [Scary Movie 2 – 2001]

                [Scary Movie 3 – 2003]

                [Scary Movie 4 – 2006]

    [Scary Movie 5 – 2013]

Halloween

                [Halloween H20: 20 Years Later - 1998]

                [Halloween: Resurrection - 2002]

                                [Halloween – 2007]

                                [Halloween II – 2009]

Nightmare on Elm Street

                [Freddy VS Jason – 2003]

                [Nightmare on Elm Street – 2010]

Friday The 13^th

                [Freddy VS Jason – 2003]

                [Friday the 13^th – 2009]

The Exorcist

[Exorcist: The Beginning – 2004]

[Dominion: Prequel to the Exorcist – 2005]

[The Exorcist: TV Series - (2016-2018)] 

Basic Instinct

                [Basic Instinct 2 – 2006]

Candyman

                [Candyman 3: Day of the Dead – 1999]

                [Candyman -2021] 

The Howling

                [The Howling:  Reborn – 2011]

Prom Night

                [Prom Night – 2008]

The Town That Dreaded Sundown

                [The Town That Dreaded Sundown – 2014]

Evil Dead

                [Evil Dead – 2013]

                [Ash VS Evil Dead (2015 – 2018)]

                [Evil Dead Rise - 2023] 

Hellraiser

                [Hellraiser (5) Inferno – 2000]

                [Hellraiser (6) Hellseeker – 2002]

                [Hellraiser (7) Deader – 2005]

                Hellraiser (8) Hellworld – 2005]

                Hellraiser (9) Revelations – 2011]

                [Hellraiser (10) Judgment – 2017]

The Fog

                [The Fog – 2005] 

Silence of the Lambs

                [Hannibal – 2001]

                [Red Dragon – 2002]

                [Hannibal Raising – 2007]

                [Hannibal: TV Series – (2013 – 2015)]

Clerks

                [Clerks 2 – 2006]

                [Clerks 3 - 2022] 

Psycho

                [Psycho 1998]

                [Bates Motel – (2013 - 2017)]

Carrie

                [Carrie 2: The Rage – 1999]

                [Carrie – 2002]

                [Carrie – 2013]

Has anybody every watched all 119 titles?
At this point I am at 99 of 119.