Halloween Movies in Order: Chronological & Release Order Guide
- Saloni Gupta
- August 10, 2026
- Entertainment
- Halloween Movies
- 0 Comments
Michael Myers is easily one of the most recognized villains ever to appear in horror. After the premiere of John Carpenter’s Halloween in 1978, the masked killer went on to star in a set of sequels, reboots, alternate universes, and what is, in fact, completely unrelated to the masked serial killer.
This leads to the Halloween movies in order being slightly tricky.
Not only do the Halloween Movies and their continuity have numerous stories, but unlike the Scream movies, where events mostly flow logically from one sequel to the next, the Halloween series has numerous alternate continuities and storylines. Several sequels occur immediately after the events of Halloween, where other storylines ignore previous entries altogether and start over.
As of 2026, there are 13 completed Halloween movies.
If you’re looking to watch them for the first time, then following the release order is the simplest way to go. However, if you want to delve into a certain form of Michael Myers story, viewing by timeline might be more fulfilling.
Halloween Movies in Order of Release
| S.no. | Movie | Year |
| 1 | Halloween | 1978 |
| 2 | Halloween II | 1981 |
| 3 | Halloween III: Season of the Witch | 1982 |
| 4 | Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers | 1988 |
| 5 | Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers | 1989 |
| 6 | Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers | 1995 |
| 7 | Halloween H20: 20 Years Later | 1998 |
| 8 | Halloween: Resurrection | 2002 |
| 9 | Halloween | 2007 |
| 10 | Halloween II | 2009 |
| 11 | Halloween | 2018 |
| 12 | Halloween Kills | 2021 |
| 13 | Halloween Ends | 2022 |
The release order is the simplest way to experience the franchise’s evolution, from Carpenter’s original slasher to the various reboots and legacy sequels.
Halloween Movies Explained
1. Halloween (1978)
Directed by John Carpenter
It all starts on Halloween night in Haddonfield, Illinois, when Michael Myers breaks out of Smith’s Grove Sanitarium and returns to his hometown. He then proceeds to terrorize teen Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis). The film establishes the simple formula that the entire franchise is built upon: an implacable killer, an ordinary suburb, and one survivor who must fight back.
A must-see to begin the 13-film series. And if you loved this one: here is a list of 25 horror movies.
2. Halloween II (1981)
Continuing on the same night as the first movie, Halloween II begins where the 1978 classic left off. Laurie is rushed to Haddonfield Memorial Hospital while Michael searches for her. The film expands on the relationship between Michael and Laurie and works as a direct continuation of the first film. If you follow the original continuity, these two go together without question.
3. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
This is where things get complicated.
Halloween III completely jettisons Michael Myers and instead follows an entirely new plot involving killer Silver Shamrock masks. Since it’s disconnected from the events of the first two movies and its subsequent sequels, this entry technically can be watched anytime on its own. Nevertheless, for any complete 13-movie series marathon, you’ll want to get your money’s worth and watch it with everything else.
4. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
Michael Myers is back following Halloween III! This entry, more than ever, focuses on Laurie’s daughter, Jamie Lloyd. Michael goes back to Haddonfield to pursue her, while Dr. Loomis is still trying to stop him.
This kicks off another branch of the original continuity, which would then go on through Halloween 5 and The Curse of Michael Myers.
5. Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)
Following immediately where Halloween 4 left off. Jamie has recovered from the events of the prior year, while Michael is once again on the move in Haddonfield, trying to reach her. Dr.
Loomis is in hot pursuit of Michael once again, with Jamie’s personal connection to him at the forefront of the proceedings.
This movie ends on yet another cliffhanger leading into Halloween VI.
6. Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)
At this point, there is a much deeper mythology developed regarding Michael Myers’s past as the franchise ventures deeper into his childhood origins. The focus shifts over to Tommy Doyle, first introduced as a child in the 1978 original.
This is the conclusion to the storyline that began with Halloween 4. There are actually two versions of the film, a theatrical cut and a Producer’s cut, that diverge in various ways.
7. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
Halloween H20 is what you would call an entirely separate continuity. It ignores 4, 5, and 6 completely and brings Laurie back as a teacher trying to outrun the trauma that Michael Myers had inflicted on her life at school.
This film is considered an important timeline because Jamie Lee Curtis is the central figure in the Halloween saga’s life once more. As a consequence, you really want to consider watching both original timeline films, H20, and any further alternate sequences involving this new continuity.
8. Halloween: Resurrection (2002)
Unfortunately for Laurie, Michael isn’t done in the next alternate continuity in this franchise! Halloween Resurrection continues with H20 as the main frame of reference.
Michael Myers places a diverse cast in a live reality-TV program that airs inside his childhood home to try and kill everyone before Laurie can get her revenge.
It’s a rather uninspired addition but marks the final installment in its continuity before a new reinvention of the Franchise gets underway.
9. Halloween (2007)
Rob Zombie completely rebooted the franchise with his 2007 film. Rather than continuing the narrative that Michael left off in his last outing, the focus of his story delves directly into the origins of the killings through extensive childhood psychological profiling of a young Michael.
It’s a darker take that has gained some popularity and is considered the beginning of a fresh and totally new continuity.
10. Halloween II (2009)
Rob Zombie reprised his directorial duties for the follow-up film on his take. The sequel continues where his version of Michael leaves off with a stronger examination of the trauma that Laurie endures after the events of his first reboot of the story.
More surreal and gory than 1978’s ‘Halloween, this is another must-watch for any Rob Zombie fan and the wrap-up of his take on Michael.
11. Halloween (2018)
The latest reimagining of the franchise picks up 40 years after John Carpenter’s original and goes ahead and essentially ignores every other movie in the Halloween series besides the very first. Laurie has decades to prepare for Michael’s return to her hometown on a bloody Halloween night. This is where the newest timeline to the Halloween saga begins.
12. Halloween Kills (2021)
Set almost immediately after the 2018 Halloween, Kills brings together a larger portion of the people of Haddonfield who endured the trauma of Michael Myers during his latest escape from captivity, as Laurie is taken to the hospital and he continues the slaughter throughout that singular Halloween night.
This film expands the scope of the new continuity and continues the story started by 2018’s ‘Halloween.’
13. Halloween Ends (2022)
This final film of the latest timeline in the saga takes place a few years later, with Laurie living peacefully but trying to overcome what Michael Myers has put her and the people of Haddonfield through. A tragic event occurs with Michael at the center, once again threatening to resurface, which could end everything once and for all. The series in this particular timeline culminates here and closes out John Carpenter’s Halloween saga at least for now.
More Horror Franchise Guides
Once you’ve completed the Halloween Movies in Order, continue your horror marathon with more DTUrban franchise guides.
If you like masked killers and slasher mysteries, check out Scream Movies in Order and Texas Chainsaw Massacre Movies in Order.
For supernatural horror, explore Insidious Movies in Order or The Conjuring Movies in Order.
The Bottom Line!
Halloween Movies in Order (Best, Release, Continuity) It’s a little easier to tackle how the Halloween movies rank when you don’t think of it as a never-ending, time-spanning narrative. If you wanted to do a full-blown franchise binge, a “movie marathon of terror,” per se, you could opt for release order. You’ll catch both alternate realities and follow Michael Myers’ journey as the fans who originally watched each of these films did.
If you prefer a coherent narrative, we recommend going by one canon in chronological order (at least for that canon).
You have the “Classic Halloween movie canon”: Halloween, Halloween II, Halloween 4, Halloween 5, Halloween 6, but also the modern movie canon: Halloween (1978), Halloween (2018), Halloween Kills, Halloween Ends. Pick the one that best suits you, but either way, begin with the genesis, Michael Myers of them all: John Carpenter’s Halloween 1978).
