Skip to main content

7 terrifying movies featuring the Necronomicon — the book of the dead

 

What is the Necronomicon, you may ask? It’s an ancient tome that sprung from the nightmarish imagination of H.P. Lovecraft, which he encouraged his peers to use in their literature as well–subsequently, it has become a book that symbolizes evil in horror culture. It continues on now, as an icon of what can come from the supernatural and occult influences of, what could be, an unknown origin of our universe.

So now we get to enjoy a plethora of movies that all have something to do with the Necronomicon–to be clear, this isn’t an exhaustive list of where the Necronomicon appears within pop-culture, but these are some of the most memorable!

Recommended Videos

The Dunwich Horror (1970)

The Dunwich Horror
This movie never got rave reviews, but it did add to the pop-culture relevance to the history of the Necronomicon. Despite its blatant 1970s style, it has a sort of creepy charm to it. This particular mystery is taken from Lovecraft’s novel by the same name in which Wilbur Whateley, a seemingly harmless young man, coerces a female virgin from a California University to be the vessel for the spawn of the devil. It’s worth a watch, even if it’s just to learn more about what the Necronomicon can do when it’s in the hands of someone who wants to destroy the world.

The Evil Dead Franchise

The Evil Dead
Yeah, we know, the Evil Dead franchise constitutes four movies, a series, as well as a handful of crossover movies, comic books, and more–but we’re going to count it as one for the sake of this list. As far as the Necronomicon is concerned, it is pretty much contained in the four feature films, as well as the television series. This supernatural horror film franchise was the brainchild of Sam Raimi and revolves around the Necronomicon Ex-Mortis, which is referenced as an ancient Sumerian text that systematically targets and possesses its victims. Initially, a group of teenagers who are staying in a cabin overnight, in The Evil Dead (1981); the franchise devolves into a sort of comedic horror hybrid, which suits fans just fine.

Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)

Jason Goes to Hell
The ninth chapter of the Friday the 13th franchise, where we get yet another dose of our favorite supernatural psycho, Jason Voorhees. We see Jason return from the dead in order to possesses the body of a medical coroner–so we realize that even after his death, we can never escape the fate of Camp Crystal Lake. This movie is one of several interesting crossovers that appears with Raimi’s Evil Dead Franchise–as the Necronomicon and the Kandarian dagger appear within the movie, very briefly. Here’s the thing though and Adam Marcus confirmed it later on–Jason Vorhees is now a deadite, after his mother made a deal with the devil to bring her son back.

Necronomicon: Book of the Dead (1994)

Necronomicon
This film is a collection of three terrifying Lovecraft stories brought together as an anthology. In the Cold revolves around a scientist who cannot tolerate warm temperatures. The Drowned tells the story of a man who inherits a dilapidated mansion from his uncle. Whispers concerns two police officers who have to deal with a particular resident of a horrifying subterranean community.

Out of Mind: The Stories of H.P. Lovecraft (1998)

Out of Mind
This particular movie never made it to the big screen; in fact, the low budget and actors made this a less refined, yet interesting take on Lovecraft’s original creations. We follow the story of a young man who inherits a book–the Necronomicon–from an estranged uncle, and against his better judgment begins to investigate the content of the book quite intently. After reading from the book, he begins to be haunted by disturbing dreams that are reminiscent of the Lovecraft universe, this leads him to become interested in the writings of the father of cosmic horror himself.

The Theatre Bizarre (2011)

The Theater Bizarre
This anthology of horror features a myriad of inexplicable and terrifying stories; part spiraling insanity, part supernatural exploration, Enola Penny is obsessed with what is thought to be a long-abandoned theatre. Acting upon her impulsive curiosity, she sneaks in one night and what she finds in that dilapidated auditorium is a show she could have never expected. This show features six different stories and while it might not be a huge part of the story, there is one entitled “Mother of Toads” which is based loosely on a story by Clark Ashton Smith, a colleague of Lovecraft’s. Smith’s stories regularly featured the Necronomicon and this one was no exception.

Color Out of Space (2019)


Loosely based on the short story by Lovecraft, Color Out of Space is possibly the most successful movie to come out of the body of work of H.P. Lovecraft. This isn’t of course due to a flaw in his stories, so much as an inability to capture the cosmic horror sub-genre for which Lovecraft is responsible. This doesn’t follow the short story that Lovecraft wrote specifically, so it can’t be judged based on those merits, but it does capture the essence of Lovecraft’s cosmic horror. This movie focuses on a secluded farm that is struck by a strange meteorite, the consequences of which are quite disastrous for the family who lives there with the potential of it reaching the rest of the world.

Puzzle Box Horror
Former Digital Trends Contributor
You started watching scary movies and reading bone-chilling stories as a kid. Like us, people probably thought you were a…
7 best comic book movies and TV shows of 2024, ranked
Colin Farrell sits in a chair in The Penguin.

Though comic book media has fallen on hard times in the 2020s, the recent rise in superhero fatigue hasn't stopped the steady flow of films and TV shows based on properties by Marvel, DC, and the rest.

While movies like Deadpool & Wolverine made huge impressions on critics and audiences in theaters, 2024 featured an especially large number of top-tier shows like Invincible, Batman: Caped Crusader, and X-Men '97. With the year at its end, the comic book genre has shown no signs of slowing down with these seven films and shows, which stand as the best of 2024.

Read more
8 best horror movies of 2024, ranked
A man laughs while fire surrounds him in "Nosferatu."

Has 2024 been a great year for movies? The general consensus right now seems to be that it definitely hasn't been a bad one, but whether 2024 will be looked back on in 10 years as a banner year for Hollywood seems like a slim possibility right now. It's been a year punctuated by a lot of alright or pretty-good movies, with a few gems emerging as the best among a batch of mid-tier titles. If one genre has thrived in 2024, though, it's undoubtedly horror.

Over the past 12 months, genre fans have been treated to a diverse and bold lineup of new horror movies. Some films, like M. Night Shyamalan's Trap and Fede Álvarez's Alien: Romulus, have been fun, low-stakes big-screen horror experiences, while others, like Cuckoo and In a Violent Nature, have taken unforgettable creative swings. Of everything that it's had to offer, here are the eight best horror movies that 2024 has given us.
8. Oddity

Read more
7 great unconventional Christmas movies you need to watch right now
A man looks at the camera in Eyes Wide Shut.

When the holiday season rolls around, most viewers are used to cozying up with classics like Home Alone and It's a Wonderful Life. For those craving something a little less traditional and more offbeat, however, there are several unconventional Christmas movies that can spice up anyone's Yuletide celebrations. These films use the festive season as a backdrop, but steer clear of the usual heartwarming holiday stories and instead offer something fresh, thrilling, or even downright bizarre.

From the iconic Die Hard to the whimsical Edward Scissorhands, these unique Christmas movies are perfect for those looking to celebrate the holidays with a twist. Whether fans are looking for thrilling action or quirky romances, there's an atypical Christmas flick for every kind of cinephile. Just be warned, some of these picks aren't exactly family-friendly!
Bad Santa (2003)

Read more