The Latest Update From The Evil Dead Franchise Shows How Brilliant The Long-Term Plan Is

The Evil Dead franchise has evolved from its roots in a cult classic gorefest into a must-watch wide-release horror phenomenon thanks to the last two movies, Evil Dead (2013) and Evil Dead Rise (2023), which breathed new life into the franchise. 2026 will see the latest entry, Evil Dead Burn, light up theaters just three years after the previous entry, which is a relatively quick turnaround in the life of the franchise.

The timing of the franchise’s releases may start moving even faster, given that it was just announced that filming has already begun on the next entry in the series, confirmed with the title of Evil Dead Wrath. As of now, there is no reason to expect either Burn or Wrath to connect with each other, or with the previous entries in the franchise.

The Bruce Campbell-led original Evil Dead trilogy and the accompanying series Ash vs. Evil Dead were united by Campbell’s central character, Ash Williams. Since 2013’s Evil Dead, there hasn’t been any sort of cohesive narrative. Each movie has acted as a stand-alone movie, adhering to the established rules of the Deadites and Necronomicons, but acting as an anthology, not a connected series. That setup is actually a brilliant way to sustain the franchise over the long term for a number of reasons.

Evil Dead’s Anthology Setup Allows For Maximum Creativity

Evil Dead Wrath beginning production months before Evil Dead Burn even hits theaters is evidence that the films are almost certainly operating completely independent of one another, which is a blessing for both. Without the shackles of an overarching narrative to serve, each movie in the Evil Dead franchise is free to take on any angle.

Evil Dead Rise traded in the established cabin-in-the-woods setting for its Deadite invasion in favor of an apartment high-rise. Instead of a group of partying teens, the Deadites tormented a single mother, her three children, and her pregnant sister. It was a brilliant pivot away from the standards of the franchise, and it played a huge role in why the movie was so well-received.

With an anthology setup, each Evil Dead movie can push the boundaries into new territory, making each entry just as exciting and intriguing as the last. Why not place the Deadites in a suburban neighborhood, an airplane, or an island resort? With no past movie or characters to service, the sky is the limit for the franchise.

The Evil Dead Franchise Has Become A Showcase For Up-And-Coming Filmmakers

Aside from the narrative freedom, the other key to the Evil Dead anthology setup is how series creator Sam Raimi determines who is behind the camera, given that he himself is no longer directing any Evil Dead movies himself. Raimi has chosen a talented young filmmaker with their own unique vision to helm each new Evil Dead movie, and the results have been spectacular.

Raimi selected Fede Álvarez for the revival of Evil Dead in 2013, and after delivering a terrifying new iteration of the Deadites, he went on to smash the box office with the acclaimed sequel Alien: Romulus in 2024. He selected Lee Cronin for Evil Dead Rise, who had already explored parental fears with his excellent 2019 horror movie The Hole in the Ground–a theme he exploited again to great effect in Rise.

For Evil Dead Burn, Raimi chose Sébastien Vaniček, fresh off his spine-chilling French creature feature Vermin (later retitled Infested). Evil Dead Wrath will be just the second film for writer/director Francis Galluppi, whose first foray into features was the critically-acclaimed crime thriller The Last Stop In Yuma County. Almost by default, each new Evil Dead movie will be loaded with fresh ideas and new visions, making the long-term outlook of the franchise very bright.