Film · in order

Halloween Movies in Order

By the Bingerun team · How we choose the order →

#2 in Best Horror Franchises Horror Universes universe

All 13 Halloween films span five separate timelines. Watch in release order, or pick one continuity: the original + Thorn trilogy, the H20 timeline, the Rob Zombie remakes, or the 2018 reboot.

0 / 13 done
  1. Halloween 1978

    Carpenter's original; the root of every timeline

  2. Halloween II 1981

    Same night as the original; shared by two timelines

  3. Halloween III: Season of the Witch 1982

    Standalone; no Michael Myers at all

  4. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers 1988

    Starts the Thorn trilogy branch

  5. Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers 1989

    Thorn trilogy, part two

  6. Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers 1995

    Ends the Thorn trilogy

  7. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later 1998

    Reboot ignoring parts 4-6

  8. Halloween: Resurrection 2002

    Closes the H20 timeline

  9. Halloween 2007

    Rob Zombie's gritty remake

  10. Halloween II 2009

    Rob Zombie sequel; ends his continuity

  11. Halloween 2018

    Reboot; only the 1978 film is canon

  12. Halloween Kills 2021

    Middle of the 2018 reboot trilogy

  13. Halloween Ends 2022

    Finale of the 2018 reboot trilogy

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Why this order?

Halloween is the most timeline-tangled franchise in horror, so release order is the default here because it is the only sequence that contains every film and never asks you to pretend a movie does not exist. Released between 1978 and 2022, the 13 movies actually belong to five separate continuities that branch, reboot, and contradict each other, so the real question is not "what comes next" but "which Halloween am I watching."

The original continuity begins with John Carpenter's 1978 classic and runs through Halloween II (1981), then jumps the gap to Halloween 4, 5, and The Curse of Michael Myers (1995). Those last three are the so-called Thorn trilogy, which explains Michael's evil through a cursed bloodline. The H20 timeline keeps only the first two 1978-1981 films, then leaps forward with Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998) and Resurrection (2002), erasing parts 4 through 6 entirely.

Halloween III: Season of the Witch is the famous oddity: a standalone with no Michael Myers at all, conceived when the producers hoped to make the brand an anthology. It belongs to no Michael timeline and can be watched any time. Separately, Rob Zombie rebooted everything with a grittier 2007 remake and its 2009 sequel, a self-contained two-film story.

Finally, the 2018 reboot trilogy, Halloween, Halloween Kills, and Halloween Ends, ignores every sequel and treats only the 1978 original as canon, making it the cleanest entry point for newcomers. If you only want one path, watch the 2018 trilogy or the original-plus-Thorn run. Fans of slasher icons should also see Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street, the other pillars of 1980s horror.

Timeline 1978-2022

Every entry by release year: rows that share a year are a cluster, and the long droughts are called out on the rail.

  1. 1978 Halloween
  2. 1981 II
  3. 1982 III: Season of the Witch
  4. 6-year gap
  5. 1988 4: The Return of Michael Myers
  6. 1989 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers
  7. 6-year gap
  8. 1995 The Curse of Michael Myers
  9. 1998 H20: 20 Years Later
  10. 4-year gap
  11. 2002 Resurrection
  12. 5-year gap
  13. 2007 Halloween
  14. 2009 II
  15. 9-year gap
  16. 2018 Halloween
  17. 2021 Kills
  18. 2022 Ends

Where to play it today

Availability changes often and varies by region - links search each platform for Halloween.

Frequently asked questions

How many Halloween movies are there?

There are 13 Halloween films, released between 1978 and 2022. They are spread across five separate, often contradictory continuities rather than one connected story.

What order should I watch Halloween in?

For everything, use release order. To follow a single story, pick one timeline: the original plus the Thorn trilogy (1978, II, 4, 5, 6), the H20 timeline (1978, II, H20, Resurrection), the Rob Zombie remakes (2007, 2009), or the 2018 reboot trilogy (2018, Kills, Ends).

Why does Halloween III have no Michael Myers?

Halloween III: Season of the Witch was an attempt to turn the franchise into an anthology with a new spooky story each entry. Audiences rejected the idea, so Michael returned in Halloween 4 and the experiment ended.

Do I need to watch the old movies before the 2018 Halloween?

No. The 2018 reboot treats only the 1978 original as canon and ignores every sequel, so you only need the first film. The 2018, Kills, and Ends trilogy stands on its own from there.

What is the Thorn trilogy?

It is the nickname for Halloween 4, 5, and The Curse of Michael Myers, which explain Michael's evil through an ancient cursed bloodline known as the Cult of Thorn.

Are the Rob Zombie Halloween movies part of the same story?

No. Rob Zombie's 2007 Halloween and its 2009 sequel are a self-contained remake continuity with their own cast and origin story, unconnected to any other timeline.

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