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Film & TV · Guide

How to Watch the Halloween Movies in Order: A Complete Viewing Guide

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In brief

There is no single "Halloween" order because the 13-film Michael Myers franchise splits into four separate continuities, each of which treats different sequels as canon. Every path starts with Halloween (1978); after that, the sequel you pick next depends on which timeline you want to follow.

Anyone trying to watch the Halloween franchise in order runs into the same problem: several films share the same title across different decades, and later entries routinely erase earlier sequels rather than building on them. According to a breakdown by The Nerdy, the series splits into four distinct continuities that all branch off the original 1978 film but never reconnect with one another.

Why there is no single viewing order

The Nerdy explains that some sequels build directly on the previous film while others skip several installments and restart the story, which is why release year alone does not tell you what to watch next. TheWrap's own guide to the franchise confirms the same four-way split, describing each branch as treating a different set of sequels as the continuation of Laurie Strode's story that fans are meant to follow.

The four Halloween timelines
TimelineFilms includedYearsWhat changes
Original (Thorn) timelineHalloween, Halloween II, Halloween 4, Halloween 5, Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers1978–1995Introduces the Cult of Thorn mythology and the reveal that Laurie is Michael's sister
H20 timelineHalloween, Halloween II, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later, Halloween: Resurrection1978–2002Skips 4, 5 and Curse of Michael Myers; Laurie survives under a new identity as a school headmistress
Rob Zombie timelineHalloween (2007), Halloween II (2009)2007–2009A full remake rather than a sequel, disconnected from every other continuity
Blumhouse (2018) timelineHalloween, Halloween Kills, Halloween Ends1978, 2018–2022Ignores every sequel including the 1981 Halloween II and removes the sibling storyline

Step-by-step: picking and following your order

  1. Start with Halloween (1978) regardless of which path you choose — every continuity treats it as the true origin.
  2. Decide whether you want the slasher-sequel route or the modern reboot route; this choice determines everything that follows.
  3. For the original/Thorn timeline, continue with Halloween II (1981), then Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988), Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989), and Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995).
  4. For the H20 timeline, watch Halloween II (1981), then skip directly to Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998) and Halloween: Resurrection (2002), bypassing 4, 5 and Curse entirely.
  5. For the modern Blumhouse trilogy, go straight from the 1978 original to Halloween (2018), Halloween Kills (2021) and Halloween Ends (2022) — this branch ignores the 1981 sequel and every film between 1981 and 2018.
  6. Watch Halloween (2007) and Halloween II (2009) as a separate, self-contained pair; Rob Zombie's films are a remake continuity with no ties to the other three branches.
  7. Slot in Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) whenever you like — Michael Myers does not appear in it, and it stands alone as an anthology-style entry.

Where to stream the films

Streaming availability shifts often, but TheWrap's current rundown lists Halloween (2018) on Netflix; Halloween Ends (2022) on Starz; Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers, Halloween H20: 20 Years Later and Halloween: Resurrection on Paramount+; Halloween II (1981), Halloween III: Season of the Witch, both Rob Zombie films, Halloween (2018) and Halloween Kills (2021) on Peacock; the bulk of the original and H20 timelines on AMC+; the 1978 original, Halloween 4 and Halloween 5 on Shudder; and the 1978 original, Halloween II (1981), the Zombie films, Halloween (2018) and Halloween Kills on FuboTV. Checking a specific platform before a marathon is recommended, since listings change.

Franchise rights and what comes next

Per the English Wikipedia entry on the franchise, the film rights reverted to producer Malek Akkad after Halloween Ends (2022), and Miramax acquired the television rights by October 2023 with plans for a TV series described as a "creative reset" for the property.

Questions

Do I need to watch all 13 Halloween movies to understand the story?
No. Only Halloween (1978) is required viewing for every branch; after that you can follow just one of the four continuities — original/Thorn, H20, Rob Zombie, or the 2018 Blumhouse trilogy — without needing the others, according to both The Nerdy and TheWrap's guides.
Does Halloween II (1981) matter for the 2018 trilogy?
No. According to The Nerdy, the 2018 Blumhouse timeline keeps only the 1978 original and ignores every previous sequel, including Halloween II, so Laurie and Michael are not depicted as siblings in that continuity.
Is Halloween III: Season of the Witch connected to Michael Myers?
No. Both The Nerdy and TheWrap describe it as a standalone anthology film with no Michael Myers appearance, despite the numbered title.
Where can I stream the Halloween movies right now?
Per TheWrap, availability is split across several services: Peacock, Paramount+, Netflix, Starz, Shudder, AMC+ and FuboTV each carry different parts of the franchise, so no single platform has the full set.
Are the 2007 and 2009 Rob Zombie films sequels or remakes?
The Nerdy describes them as "an actual remake rather than a sequel," forming a separate two-film continuity unconnected to the other timelines.

Sources

  1. The Nerdy — Halloween Movies in Order: Every Film, Every Timeline Explained
  2. TheWrap — How to Watch the 'Halloween' Movies in Order: Michael Myers Timeline Explained
  3. Wikipedia — Halloween (franchise)

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