HBO Max Is Now Home To A Great Horror Franchise Before A New Sequel Hits Theaters

July has arrived and with it comes a new batch of movies on some of the biggest streaming services around. HBO Max is one of the best and their additions at the start of the month are fantastic. That catalogue features Deadpool 2, Legally Blonde, Hereditary, The Usual Suspects, Us, Super Troopers 2, all three entries in The Equalizer trilogy and all three installments of The Mummy franchise. On top of that, their new arrivals include an entire horror franchise.

Not only is this a popular and iconic series of horror films, but it's also a franchise that's in contention for the best that the genre has ever seen. It's incredibly consistent, covers multiple subgenres, features an iconic protagonist (for most installments), and has been running for more than 40 years. It even spawned a television series that's just as good, if not better, than the movies. On top of that, this series hits the platform just in time for a new installment to arrive on the big screen.

That franchise hitting HBO Max on July 1 is Evil Dead. Those who love the genre know that it's a special series of movies, while those who haven't seen them yet now have the best chance to do so, especially before the latest one hits theaters later this month. It's one of the most timely releases to ever hit the streaming service.

The Entire Evil Dead Franchise Hits HBO Max On July 1

Legendary filmmaker Sam Raimi started the Evil Dead franchise with 1981's The Evil Dead, though nobody likely ever expected it to become what it has. The Evil Dead was made on a shoestring budget of less than $400,000, yet it went on to gross nearly $30 million. On top of that, it also achieved cult status and was heavily praised for how scary it was and for how it made the most of that small budget to deliver something truly terrifying.

A few years later, in 1987, Raimi followed it up with Evil Dead II, which mostly told the same story but changed up just enough aspects while incorporating comedic elements. It also was the film that turned Ash Williams into one of the best horror protagonists in history. Both of those incredible horror films are now available on HBO Max, as is the rest of the franchise, which changes the rest of the way significantly.

Army of Darkness is the third installment and it goes down the road of comedy almost entirely. It did it well and allowed Bruce Campbell to showcase his charismatic side. The franchise was mostly dead for over two decades until 2013's Evil Dead arrived. It initially looked like a remake but is actually a sequel. It went back to the horror roots of the original, specializing in scaring people and using practical effects remarkably well.

All four of those films are joining HBO Max on July 1. When you watch all of those projects, you can check out Evil Dead Rise, which is the latest installment. It moved things to a modern setting that includes the characters being haunted by the dead in an apartment building. The movie was already on HBO Max before the month of July, which means every entry can be watched.

When discussing the greatest horror movie franchises of all time, Evil Dead has to be in the conversation. In fact, it should be at the top of the list by most metrics. For starters, the franchise is incredibly consistent and each installment received positive reviews from fans and critics. That's not something that most film series can match, especially within the horror genre where later installments tend to end up as disappointments.

On Rotten Tomatoes, the lowest score for a film is 64%, which was for 2013's Evil Dead. A lot of horror franchises would have that as their top number. Meanwhile, the latest installment, Evil Dead Rise, sits at 85%, showing that the franchise is still going strong. There's even a television show sequel, Ash vs. Evil Dead, which feels like the truest form of the blend of horror and comedy that the franchise is most known for. It received even stronger reviews than the films.

Ash vs. Evil Dead spanned three seasons, which are at 98%, 100%, and 100% on Rotten Tomatoes. Even as the Evil Dead franchise has changed protagonists, it has kept its consistency. Ash doesn't get to show much personality in The Evil Dead, but he's hilarious and brave in Evil Dead II and Army of Darkness, as well as Ash vs. Evil Dead. Mia is a fantastic final girl in the 2013 iteration and Beth is a standout protagonist in Evil Dead Rise.

Evil Dead Burn Hits Theaters On July 10

As noted, the arrival of the entire Evil Dead franchise on HBO Max on July 1 is incredibly timely. That's because on July 10, the newest entry in the long-running series will arrive in theaters. That movie is Evil Dead Burn, which is written and directed by French filmmaker Sébastien Vaniček. The trailers look like it will keep up the tone from 2013's Evil Dead and Evil Dead Rise, which forgo the comedic elements and are straight horror.

The plot will center on a family that comes together at a secluded home after the death of a mother's son. The franchise's famous Book of the Dead gets involved and some of the people turn into Deadites, which the remaining living people have to combat. The gruesome sequences from the trailer and the history of the franchise make it feel like this will be another success that continues the track record for Evil Dead.

After seeing all the Evil Dead movies on HBO Max and checking out Evil Dead Burn in theaters, you'll also be happy to know that there's already more coming from the franchise. A seventh film is slated to arrive in April of 2028. If we're going to be getting a new Evil Dead movie every two to three years going forward, as we'll have from Evil Dead Rise to the 2028 entry, that sounds like a great thing for an incredible franchise.