One of the Greatest Horror Movies Ever Made Was Released 39 Years Ago Today
One of the greatest horror movies ever made, which is also among the best sequels of all time, was released on this day in 1987. Nearly four decades later, the Sam Raimi-directed, Bruce Campbell-starring horror comedy is a beloved cult classic that regularly is praised for being among the best in scary movie cinema history.
'Evil Dead 2' Was Released on March 13, 1987
In 1981, The Evil Dead became a surprise hit even though it was produced on a shoestring budget. Fortunately for horror fans everywhere and anyone who recognizes the genius of Bruce Campbell and Sam Raimi, that success launched a franchise that became the foundation of both men's careers. The first step in building the Evil Dead franchise came when the sequel was released in 1987.
Evil Dead II came out exactly 39 years ago today, on March 13, 1987. Unfortunately for the team behind the movie at the time, it wasn't a mammoth success. According to Box Office Mojo, it only made $5,932,279 at the worldwide box office. However, its true success came later as the film's legacy is now widely celebrated.
'Evil Dead 2' Is Recognized as One of the Best Horror Movies Ever
Along with a handful of other genres, like sci-fi and superhero films, the horror movie genre tends to attract many extremely passionate and loyal fans. As a result, debates over what the greatest horror movie is can be hard fought, and even the competition to be part of the conversation is fierce. Despite those passionate debates, respected outlets have deemed Evil Dead II to be one of the best horror movies ever produced.
When the editorial team at Rotten Tomatoes put together a list of the 200 Best Horror Movies of All Time, they ranked Evil Dead II at number #114. Similarly, when The Guardian published a series of articles on the best horror films of all time, Evil Dead II and The Evil Dead were jointly named the 23rd greatest scary movies.
Beyond its best scary movie rankings, Evil Dead II has also been praised for being something very rare, a follow-up film that outshines the original. In 2010, Time included the movie on its list of the Top 10 Movie Sequels Better than the Original. Years later, in 2023, Paste Magazine ranked it the 6th best movie sequel ever released. Another notable example of an outlet praising how great the film is came in 2026 when IGN named Evil Dead II the best Sam Raimi film.