Evil Dead 2: New Chapter (2025) continues the horrifying legacy of the Necronomicon, this time introducing a fresh cast of characters who must face the relentless evil spirits once again. The film picks up years after the events of the first Evil Dead reboot, in which the Book of the Dead was thought to be lost and its curse vanquished. However, evil never truly dies, and the nightmare returns in full force.
The movie opens with a group of college friends—Sarah, Ethan, and Maya—embarking on a weekend getaway to a secluded cabin in the woods for some peace and relaxation. Unbeknownst to them, the cabin hides the Necronomicon, which has remained dormant since the last incident. As they explore the cabin, they find strange carvings on the walls and an eerie tape recording left behind by the previous occupants, detailing the history of the demonic book.
Despite warnings on the tape, Ethan, out of curiosity, plays a passage from the recording, unknowingly summoning the dark forces within the woods. Almost immediately, the familiar sinister winds whip through the forest, signaling the return of the Deadites. The friends are soon plunged into a terrifying ordeal as one by one, they become possessed by the malevolent spirits, turning them into horrifying, grotesque Deadites that feed on fear and violence.
Sarah, the film’s protagonist, fights for survival as her friends are overtaken by the evil presence. Armed with a chainsaw and the iconic shotgun, Sarah takes on the role of the reluctant hero, battling her possessed friends in increasingly gory and violent encounters. The film’s signature over-the-top practical effects are back, with limbs flying, bodies contorting in unnatural ways, and relentless, gruesome combat scenes.
The final act sees Sarah discovering a way to banish the Deadites through an ancient ritual, but the price is high. As she begins the spell, she realizes that the only way to stop the evil is to destroy the Necronomicon, sacrificing herself in the process. The movie ends on a chilling note, with the cabin engulfed in flames—but the Necronomicon mysteriously surviving, teasing another chapter of terror.
