Here Are All 13 'Halloween' Movies (With Michael Myers) in Order
You do actually need to follow a certain order!
We can all agree that one of the best parts of Halloween are the movies about Halloween, of course! Sure, we have our kid-friendly Halloween movies that can be fun for everyone to watch! But if we really want to get down to business, we have our classic Halloween movies, and even absolutely terrifying Halloween movies, like the Halloween franchise! We're talking Michael Myers and all of his gory antics!
Die-hard fans of the infamous serial killer might know that the series is made up of 13 movies (including one released last year!). That number might seem overwhelming to those less familiar with the set of films. But not to worry—we've curated a guide on how exactly you should watch the Halloween movies. To much surprise, it isn't in order of when the films were released. 😱 (You didn't think it would be that easy, did you?)
The Halloween movies go back to 1978, following Michael Myers in his adolescent years (basically his murderous origin story), where his first victims are introduced. The terror that follows has led to many twists, murders, and spinoffs in storylines—all featuring the masked slayer. If you’re new to the Halloween series, this can get a bit confusing. Which is precisely the reason why we created this list of the best order to watch each and every Halloween movie.
So, grab your popcorn—and Halloween treats—and keep reading for directions on how to make the most of this slasher favorite.
Halloween (1978)
The first film in the Halloween franchise is indeed the one you should start with! It centers around Michael Myers and the origin of his wrongdoings. It starts with him fatally attacking his sister at just six years old, his 15-year-long mental health facility visit, and his eventual escape—which then turns into a vengeance-fueled escapade, leading to none other than Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis) fighting for her life.
Halloween II (1981)
Laurie might have escaped Michael's first attack, but she'd be delusional to think he was simply going to give up. Though, she probably didn't expect him to pay a visit to her in the hospital while she was trying to heal from what he did to her. Laurie is relentless, and is able to make an escape one again—this time finding out what the motive for Michael's slain-attempts are... the two are related!
Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
Okay, this is where things get a little tricky. You'll want to skip ahead to Halloween IIII, since the third installment focuses on a different story. This one sees Michael awakening from his decade long coma, immediately looking for Laurie. (He sure is committed to the bit!) This time, however, he must face her entire town of supporters before he can even get to her.
Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)
Yeah, the town brutally attacked Michael back in the last movie. But he is Michael Myers! So, it should go without saying that he survived and is back and stronger than before. Jamie finds out he's awake once again but seeks the help of his child psychologist, who might know how to defeat him for good.
Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)
Good news: Jamie gives birth to a precious baby! Bad news: this happens six years after she's kidnapped by a cult. She makes an effort to escape but unfortunately dies. Her baby survives and is rescued by a man named Tommy (someone Laurie used to babysit when he was a kid). Somehow Michael finds out about this and makes it his mission to seek revenge on the baby. Does Tommy have what it takes to keep the baby safe?
Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
It turns out that Laurie was playing dead this entire time! (Smart.) After faking her death to escape the wrath of Michael, she moved away and had a son. But Michael is too brilliant for anyone's game. He finds out about Laurie and continues his mission for revenge.
Halloween: Resurrection (2002)
So, it finally happened. Michael was able to catch Laurie, killing her off for good. You'd think he'd be satisfied, but when a group of college kids break into his abandoned house, he shows them why it's never okay to mess with him.
Halloween (2018)
Let's pretend that nothing happened after the first Halloween movie. Halloween (2018) is a sequel to Halloween (1978), reimagining the story of what happened after Michael's time in the mental hospital. Laurie is back, older, and prepared for Michael to break out of the ward that he's been in for so long.
Halloween Kills (2021)
Laurie is almost burned alive before being rushed to the hospital. She knows her survival will soon only mean more torment from her estranged brother (who somehow always survives himself). But Laurie and the rest of the Strode girls have decided enough is enough. They are going to battle, and they don't want to lose.
Halloween Ends (2022)
The journey that never seems to end has led us to the release of the most recent movie in the franchise. This time, it seems that things might finally have come to an end. 🤞 We see Laurie living a rather private life with her daughter as she completes the final pages of her memoir. Though, after tragedy strikes her town—we know who's to blame: Michael. He's back once again but the movie ends with Laurie and her granddaughter finally ending him once and for all! (We think!)
Halloween (2007)
You can technically watch this movie at any point, but it's good to note that it is essentially an entirely different film. The story centers around the history of Michael's wrath and all of his childhood murders.
Halloween II (2009)
View this movie as a sequel to Halloween (2007), and it'll make sense. In short, Michael has some "family matters" to take care of when he begins to have visions of his sister Laurie.
Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
This film acts as a "breather" from the mayhem that Michael Myers causes. In fact, he's not even in this movie. The movie tells the story of a popular Halloween mask that children everywhere want to wear. When the masks turned out to have a microchip in it that makes kids do unspeakable things, a certain duo must stop it.
Josiah Soto is the assistant editor of news and social for The Pioneer Woman. He helps manage the website’s social channels, in addition to writing high-performing news and entertainment content daily.
Watch Next
35 Football Movies That Can Inspire Anyone
Where To Watch And Stream 'Barbie'
'The Outsiders' Is Heading to Broadway Next Year
40 Best Psychological Thriller Movies of All Time
