The Evil Dead franchise has steadily revealed more and more about the Necronomicon and its different variants. The cursed tome is at the core of the franchise, debuting in 1981's The Evil Dead as the source of the mystical maladies that befall Ash Williams and his friends. A version of the book has subsequently been vital to the plots of each movie and show in the Evil Dead timeline, even when shifting focus to different characters or settings. However, that's in part because there's more than just one version of the book.

Films like Army of Darkness and Evil Dead Rise expanded the lore of the franchise by hinting at the separate copies of the book. The one from the original trilogy has even shifted and evolved over time, reflecting the age of the series and the way it's changed. Evil Dead's characters have done their best to rid the world of the Books of the Dead, but still struggle to even just survive their encounters with the tome. Here are each version of the Necronomicon that have appeared so far, and how they differ from one another.

6 Necronomicon Ex-Mortis

The Evil Dead (1981)

The Necronomicon Ex-Mortis is the progenitor of all "evil" in the Evil Dead films, and is one of the most important elements of the entire series. Bound in human flesh and inked in blood, this H.P. Lovecraft-inspired text allows for ancient demonic entities to from hidden realms into the human world. Reading from it unleashes the forces of darkness onto the mortal plane, who search for living vessels to possess and corrupt.

The book seems to focus on Deadites (also known as Kandarian demons) which, in Evil Dead lore, lurk in dark forests such as the one Ash and his friends find themselves in during the events of the original film. It's recognizable by the distinct face it has on its cover, which becomes more refined over time. Debuting in the series' initial entry, the Necronomicon has remained a major aspect of Evil Dead's DNA across several other films, shows, and other media.

5 Necronomicon Ex-Mortis

Evil Dead 2 (1982)

The original Necronomicon in Evil Dead was destroyed by Ash, saving him from the Deadites that had killed and taken over his friends. However, another Necronomicon appears in Evil Dead 2 that closely resembles its predecessor. Notably, the book wasn't destroyed in the quasi-requel Evil Dead 2, which otherwise effectively served as a remake of The Evil Dead. This book gets sucked up into the time warp that connects the film to Army of Darkness and disappears into medieval times alongside Ash.

Evil Dead 2 also adds to the lore of the series by suggesting there are more than just one copy of the Necronomicon in existence. In the intro to Evil Dead 2, Professor Knowby discusses the Necronomicon Ex Mortis in tape recordings, but also refers to the Naturom Demonto. Fans have taken this to mean that the Necronomicon in Army of Darkness and Ash vs. Evil Dead is the larger, complete volume, while the other books are more like "chapters" that can still do a lot of damage.

4 The Necronomicon

Army of Darkness (1992)

When Ash is sent to 1300 AD in Army of Darkness, his main goal becomes to locate "The Necronomicon." Finding it and present it to the Wise Man (Ian Abercrombie) will allow him to return to own time period. What he finds on his quest are three Necronomicon books in a graveyard, each with their own mystical properties.

While Ash initially believes only one of them to be the true Necronomicon, Evil Dead Rise makes it clear that each of them was a separate volume entirely. This is why a differing versions of the Necronomicon can appear in the Evil Dead trilogy (as well as the television series Ash vs. Evil Dead) as well as the 2013 Evil Dead remake and Evil Dead Rise. There could even be more variants out there, potentially expanding the franchise even further in the future.

3 The Necronomicon

Ash vs. the Evil Dead (2015-2018)

The Necronomicon appears in the Ash vs. Evil Dead series as the source of Deadite-related incidents around the country, and remains tied to the fate of Ash Williams. However, it's not the same exact book that helped transport Ash back to the modern world in Army of Darkness. This version of the Book of the Dead stands out for its distinct appearance.

In addition to having a face on its cover, it also is revealed to have an ear on its back. The generally rough design on the jacket gives it a more worn out appearance, matching the aged Ash's wear and tear from years of surviving dangerous encounters. Unfortunately, the series was canceled before it received a definitive end, leaving the fate of this Necronomicon unknown. The size and importance of the book means that like the version of the Necronomicon in Army of Darkness, it is considered by some fans to be the "complete" version.

2 Naturom Demonto

Evil Dead (2013)

The Necronomicon featured in the Evil Dead remake is known as the Naturom Demonto, making it somewhat unique even while retaining many key qualities to other versions of the Book of the Dead. The book is bound in human flesh, but appears to be stitched together from various pieces of skin. It is also substantially bigger than the others.

In the film, Mia and her friends visit a remote cabin in the woods and use the book to awaken The Abomination, a dangerous entity that requires five souls in order to be reborn fully. This is a departure from the other versions of the book seen in The Evil Dead films like the original trilogy, where the demonic force at work was known as Kandarian is the ultimate threat. Mia believes she destroys the book when she burns the cabin to the ground in the ending of Evil Dead, but the book is seen lying on the grass in the final scene.

1 The Necronomicon

Evil Dead Rise (2023)

The Necronomicon in Evil Dead Rise is found buried in the vault of a bank beneath an apartment complex along with vinyl recordings of its ages. The book resembles the version found in the Evil Dead remake, with veins in its binding rather than stitches, and pin-like teeth clamping it shut. After the book is opened, the forces of darkness possess a young mother and endanger her children. While her victims think to kill her, they don't focus on destroying the book, ensuring that it's still left in the apartment complex and can tempt people once again.

The version of The Necronomicon in Evil Dead Rise is noteworthy because of the explanation its recorded ages give for the reasons those possessed by its darkness don't kill their victims. With one line in Evil Dead Rise, the Deadites' unpredictability is explained; they thrive on "chaos" and disorder. The entities seek to create that sort of environment around them through torture rather than simply disposing of their victims quickly. This explanation adds to the world-building of the Evil Dead franchise and the lore of previous films that didn't have a precise answer for Deadites' erratic behavior.