HalloweenComplete Watch Order Guide
Halloween is a horror film series that consists of slasher films focused on the fictional character of Michael Myers. Michael's killings occur on the holiday of Halloween, on which all of the films primarily take place. Originally intended to be an anthology franchise, the only film that doesn't feature Michael or any of the characters from previous films is Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982). However, audiences were unhappy with Michael's disappearance, and he was eventually brought back for Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988).
Halloween Release Timeline
What order should you watch the Halloween movies?
Release order — click any era to expand or collapse. All 11 released films shown below.
3 films released between 1978 and 1982.
2 films released between 1988 and 1989.
3 films released between 1995 and 2002.
3 films released between 2018 and 2022.
Additional Films
Watch Halloween in Order
Watch the Halloween movies in release order, starting with Halloween (1978) and continuing through Halloween Ends (2022). The series spans 11 films, released between 1978 and 2022. Audiences rate the franchise 6/10 on average.
What order should you watch Halloween?
For most viewers, release order is the recommended way to watch Halloween. This is how the story was crafted and revealed to audiences — earlier films seed details, callbacks, and twists that pay off in later entries. Watching in release order preserves those reveals and matches the pacing the filmmakers intended.
Halloween largely tracks its own in-universe chronology, so release order and chronological order overlap closely. You can use either without losing much, though release order is still the safest first watch.
About the Halloween franchise
Halloween is a horror film series that consists of slasher films focused on the fictional character of Michael Myers. Michael's killings occur on the holiday of Halloween, on which all of the films primarily take place. Originally intended to be an anthology franchise, the only film that doesn't feature Michael or any of the characters from previous films is Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982). However, audiences were unhappy with Michael's disappearance, and he was eventually brought back for Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988).
Each film builds on the previous one, rewarding viewers who watch in sequence.
Halloween by the Numbers
Every figure below is calculated from the full film list on this page.
- 11
- Films released
- 44
- Years running
- 6.0/10
- Average audience rating
- 7.6/10
- Highest rated
- 4.6/10
- Lowest rated
- Flat
- Rating trajectory
- 16 years
- Longest gap between films
Halloween has 11 released films, the first in 1978 and the most recent in 2022.
The series has been running for 44 years, from 1978 to 2022.
Across its 11 rated films, Halloween averages 6.0/10 on TMDB, from 29,279 audience ratings.
The highest-rated entry is Halloween (1978) at 7.6/10 on TMDB.
The lowest-rated entry is Halloween: Resurrection (2002) at 4.6/10 on TMDB.
Its first 5 films average 6.2/10 on TMDB and its most recent 5 average 5.9/10, so audience ratings have held flat across the series.
The longest gap between consecutive films is 16 years, between Halloween: Resurrection (2002) and Halloween (2018).
Computed by Movies in Order from The Movie Database (TMDB) collection data for Halloween, covering all 11 released films. Last recalculated November 2026.
Halloween Fun Facts & Trivia
The Halloween franchise spans 44 years, from 1978 to 2022.
The highest-rated entry is Halloween with a 7.6/10 audience score.
Across all films, the franchise averages a 6.0/10 rating from audiences.
Halloween films have collected over 29k audience ratings combined.
The most recent entry, Halloween Ends (2022), continues a franchise that began 44 years earlier.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best order to watch Halloween?
What is the first Halloween movie?
What is the most recent Halloween movie?
How many Halloween movies are there in total?
How long does it take to watch all Halloween movies?
What is the highest-rated Halloween movie?
Can I watch Halloween movies without watching them in order?
Where can I watch Halloween movies online?
More Movies in Order
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Want the classic franchise overview?
See the original timeline, full stats, and editorial intro on the franchise overview page.
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