Missed Evil Dead Burn? It's on HBO Max in October

If you're wondering where to watch Evil Dead Burn now that it's gone from cinemas, the answer is your own sofa. Bloody Disgusting reports that the film makes its streaming debut on HBO Max in October, and I have already cleared the evening. Blankets have been located. Coffee has been rationed in advance.

I'll be honest about how I got here. I meant to see it in the cinema. I really did. Then a week went by, then another, and somewhere in there the film left the big screen while I was busy doing something unimportant, like staring at a tin of soup. If that's you too, this is your second chance, and it comes with a blanket and no one rustling a sweet packet behind you.

What's been reported about the streaming date

Here is the part I'm sure of, and I'm keeping it deliberately plain. Bloody Disgusting's report says Evil Dead Burn is arriving on HBO Max, with the streaming debut coming in early October. You can read their original piece on the Bloody Disgusting site, and that's where the credit for the news belongs. I'm passing it on in my own words rather than copying theirs.

The other detail worth knowing is that the earlier Evil Dead films are lined up ahead of it. That's the bit that turned this from "oh, nice" into "right, I'm booking the whole night."

One honest caveat, because I'd rather say it than have you find out at 9pm with the popcorn ready. Streaming services differ from country to country, and I can't promise HBO Max carries it where you live, or on the same day. Have a look at what your own service lists before you build a plan around it. Nothing ruins a cosy night like a "not available in your region" message.

Where to watch Evil Dead Burn at home

So, to say it once more, clearly: Evil Dead Burn is due on HBO Max from early October, going by what Bloody Disgusting has reported. That means a phone, a laptop, a smart TV or a streaming stick, as long as you're signed in to the right service. If you do most of your watching on a telly, check that the app is working before the night, not during it. I have lost whole evenings to an app that decided it needed an update at the worst possible moment. It's a small disaster, but I'll take it personally every time.

I'm not going to review the film here. I haven't watched it yet, and this is a news piece. Once I've seen it, you'll get my thoughts, and they'll be spoiler free, because I don't do the other sort. If you've already seen it and want to talk, keep the details to yourself for now. Some of us are still waiting for our sofa slot.

Turning it into a proper night in

Here's why I like this news so much. The earlier Evil Dead films going on before the new one means you can do this as a run rather than a single film. That's my favourite kind of horror night: start with the old ones, let the mood build, and arrive at the new one already in the right frame of mind. Horror sits better when you've had time to settle into it.

Here's how I'd set it up, and it's a very unscientific method:

• Decide how many films you're really up for. Ambition is lovely at 6pm and unkind by 1am. I have fallen asleep during films I was very excited about, and it's not a good look.
• Sort the snacks before you start. Once you press play you are not getting up. That's the rule.
• Get the sofa ready. Blanket in reach, jumper on, phone face down and out of reach.
• Pick a tea or coffee break between films. It gives everyone a moment to breathe, and to insist they weren't scared.
• Agree the no-talking rule in advance. I love you, but I didn't come to hear your theory about the plot while it's happening.

If you're watching with a friend who hasn't seen the older films, this is a sneaky way to get them properly on board before the new one. If they've seen them all, you have a ready-made person to text afterwards. Either way, it beats scrolling for forty minutes and settling on something you've seen four times.

The other thing I like about October is that it's simply the right month for it. The evenings are dark early, the heating is back on, and nobody looks at you oddly for saying you're staying in. It's the one time of year when "I've got plans" can honestly mean "a horror double bill and a large mug."

So that's the news in short. Evil Dead Burn is due on HBO Max in early October, the earlier Evil Dead films are on before it, and you can watch it all without leaving the house. I'll keep an eye on the exact timing, and if anything changes, I'll say so here. Until then, tell me which of you is doing the full run and which of you is going straight to the new one. I already know which camp I'm in, and I'm not telling. It's the kind of thing that ought to stay a mystery until the night itself.