Sam Raimi's Popular $374M Horror Franchise Dominates HBO Max With New Movie At The Perfect Time

Published Oct 4, 2026, 8:40 AM EDT

Ryan Northrup is a Senior Staff Writer on ScreenRant's Movie & TV News team, where he has authored nearly 5,000 articles, including features and reviews. A graduate of McMaster University, Ryan began his career in public relations before attending Vancouver Film School. There, he built lasting industry connections and optioned a feature film screenplay.

Sam Raimi remains one of the most beloved names in the world of horror. Raimi burst onto the scene as a filmmaker with his 1981 cult classic The Evil Dead, a film that spawned a successful and long-running franchise. Though Raimi is now perhaps even better known for his three Spider-Man movies starring Tobey Maguire, he continues to operate in the horror space, regularly producing and sometimes directing new films. After Doctor Strange and the Multiverse of Madness (2022), Raimi's most recent release is Send Help (2026), but his original franchise is what is now lighting up the streaming charts.

Following its theatrical release on July 10, Evil Dead Burn ranks as the second most popular movie on HBO Max in the U.S., as of writing. The film, which Raimi produces, comes second only to Backrooms (2026), the hit A24 Kane Parsons movie from earlier this year.

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• Image via Everett Collection

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The latest entry in the Evil Dead franchise only hit HBO Max on October 2, and it quickly shot its way up the streamer's top 10 chart. Directed by Sébastien Vanicek, the movie follows Alice (Souheila Yacoub), a recently widowed woman who seeks solace with her in-laws only to find herself under attack when they all start turning into deadites. Though the horror flick may not be beating Backrooms currently, it still comes ahead of some notable titles.

On HBO Max, Evil Dead Burn beats Supergirl (2026), the DC Studios superhero bomb from June, as well as some fitting October titles, including Corpse Bride (2005), A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984), and Coraline (2009). HBO Max's top 5, then, is dominated by horror, a feat that isn't necessarily surprising given how heavily streamers tend to push the genre as Halloween approaches. Of the titles above, Evil Dead Burn stands as probably the most violent and scary.

The Future Looks Bright For Evil Dead Series After Back-to-Back Hits

© Warner Bros. / Courtesy Everett Collection

Evil Dead Burn reviews were generally positive, and the film grossed $72 million worldwide on a $20 million budget. Though on the lower end for recent entries in the franchise, this total means the film can be considered a modest success. This profitable box office run follows Evil Dead Rise in 2023, which was a considerable hit at $147 million worldwide. A full franchise box office chart is included below, affirming that Evil Dead remains a popular franchise even 45 years later.

Title	Budget	Worldwide Box Office	RT Score
The Evil Dead (1981)	~$375,000	$2.8M	85%
Evil Dead II (1987)	~$3.5M	$5.9M	88%
Army of Darkness (1992)	$11M	$21M	68%
Evil Dead (2013)	$17M	$97M	63%
Evil Dead Rise (2023)	~$15M	$147M	85%
Evil Dead Burn (2026)	$20M	$72M	70%

Burn's performance bodes well for the franchise's future. Next up for the IP is Evil Dead Wrath from director Francis Galluppi, which hits theaters on April 7, 2028. It remains to be seen how Wrath fares with audiences, but Evil Dead Burn's success on HBO Max certainly suggests that this franchise won't be heading to the grave anytime soon.