John Carpenter's flagship horror film has spawned several timelines. Here's how to tackle the franchise. How to watch the Halloween movies in order: Your guide

John Carpenter's flagship horror film has spawned several timelines. Here's how to tackle the franchise.

How to watch the Halloween movies in order: Your guide to every sequel, reboot, and remake

John Carpenter's flagship horror film has spawned several timelines. Here's how to tackle the franchise.

By Chris Snellgrove

October 25, 2025 9:00 a.m. ET

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'Halloween'; 'Halloween 4'; 'Halloween Ends'. Credit:

Compass International Pictures/Getty; Galaxy International Releasing/Getty; Ryan Green/Universal

Watching Michael Myers stalk and slash his way through the streets of Haddonfield is always a scary good time, but there's something about queuing up the *Halloween *movies in October that just hits different (especially on the namesake holiday itself).

But while a *Halloween *marathon is a seasonal must, trying to figure out how to watch all 13 films can feel as daunting as coming face-to-face with the Shape himself.

Luckily, we've done the hard work for you. Here's **'s guide on how (and where) to watch John Carpenter's *Halloween *and every sequel and reboot in order.

Halloween (1978)

Jamie Lee Curtis in 'Halloween'. Mary Evans/COMPASS INTERNATIONAL PICTURES/FALCON INTERNATIONAL PRODUC/Ronald Grant/Everett

Meet the arguable granddaddy of the slasher genre (though we see you, *Psycho *and *Black Christmas*). John Carpenter's original *Halloween* is an iconic horror cornerstone, spawning the next 45 years (and counting) of blood-spattered goodness. But the franchise was never better than in the original entry, in which the infamous Michael Myers escapes from an asylum, dons a pale expressionless mask, and evades his alarm-sounding psychiatrist (Donald Pleasence) while killing off teen after unsuspecting teen (including proto-Final Girl Jamie Lee Curtis as Laurie Strode in her debut role.)

As we said in our ranking of the *Halloween *movies, this is a relatively simple film, "yet it evokes such primal fear, shattering the illusion of suburban utopia for maximal tension." Better check behind every bush and tree, because this movie will convince you every sleepy suburb is a slaughterhouse in the making.

Where to watch *Halloween*: Shudder

Halloween II (1981)

Jamie Lee Curtis in 'Halloween II'. Everett

Though some fans say that the OG *Halloween* never needed a sequel, this first expansion of the franchise is still surprisingly good. It adds some controversial lore about Laurie Strode being related to Michael Myers (now Dick Warlock, who's perfectly creepy behind the mask), but it's not like this is some half-hearted addition; John Carpenter himself penned the script along with Debra Hill.

*Halloween II* finds new ways to exploit suburbanite fears, as we pointed out in our ranking, "this time weaponizing the flaws in law enforcement and health care to terrify the audience." It's a subtle bit of storytelling, emphasizing that even if Michael Myers and Dr. Loomis ended their epic showdown, the suburbs would still be a far more dangerous place than most residents care to imagine.

Where to watch *Halloween II*: Peacock

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

Brad Schacter in 'Halloween III: Season of the Witch'. Universal/Everett

The second entry in the franchise ends with the explosive death of Michael Myers, and, to the studio's credit, they intended to leave that classic killer dead. That's why *Season of the Witch* gives us a different hero (a doctor played by Tom Atkins), a new villain (Dan O'Herlihy), and a wild plot involving costume masks that offer deadly tricks and no treats to those who wear them. As long as you go into the film with an open mind (and you're not disappointed by the lack of Michael), you'll be pleasantly surprised.

As EW's writer described, this standalone movie is "a strange, deeply creepy, one-off seasonal tale packed with an enthralling opening sequence, besuited, stalking androids, a chilling score complete with many synth stingers, a narrative built around Samhain, and an unforgettably bold ending."

Where to watch *Halloween III: Season of the Witch*: Peacock

Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

George P. Wilbur in 'Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers'. Galaxy International/Everett

*Halloween 4* is a slow-burn exercise in patience that really pays off for those willing to wade through its earlier, plodding scenes. As the name implies, this is the film that welcomes Michael back to the franchise, seeing him return to Haddonfield, where he once again clashes with Dr. Loomis and stalks new would-be victims, including excellent child actor Danielle Harris as his niece. The fourth film lays the groundwork for future entries by showing us a town willing to band together and fight the Shape (which we witness again decades later in *Halloween Kills*).

And, as EW's writer notes, the ending is killer: "The final half-hour of this movie is one of the best stretches in the entire series, full of wild kills and a tense atmosphere," culminating in a chilling conclusion nearly as good as the original's final scene.

Where to watch *Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers*: Shudder and AMC+

The 30 best Halloween movies to stream this spooky season

Every 'Halloween' movie, ranked: From the 1978 original to 'Halloween Ends'

Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

Donald Pleasence in 'Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers'. Galaxy International Releasing/Everett

While we'd hesitate to call it the second part of a duology, it's fair to say that *Halloween 5* is the perfect companion piece to *Halloween 4*. It continues the misadventures of its key players: Michael Myers is still here to stalk and slash, but he now has to deal with a weird psychic connection to his young niece. Unfortunately, the movie never does anything interesting with the premise, choosing instead to give us a streamlined "slice of knife" adventure.

That's not necessarily a bad thing, though, with EW's writer describing the work as "a short, brisk story that understands the fundamental appeal of *Halloween*: watching Michael Myers silently murder a bunch of teenagers without pretense or prejudice." It's not exactly Shakespeare, but it's fun regardless.

Where to watch *Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers*: Shudder

Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)

Marianne Hagan, Devin Gardner, and Paul Rudd in 'Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers'. Dimension Films/Everett

Here's a fact spookier than a mask from Silver Shamrock: Whether you loved or hated the previous two entries in the franchise, *The Curse of Michael Myers* makes them look like genuine works of art. We get returning (and very tired) actor Donald Pleasence and some new blood, including a young Paul Rudd. The movie tries to pick up the threads of previous films, but, in attempting to make Myers more mystical, this film robs him of his knife-edge menace.

Don't worry, though: No babies were harmed in the making of this film...unless you count *Halloween* as John Carpenter's baby. That's one child experiencing death by a thousand cuts with these inferior sequels.

Where to watch *Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers*: HBO Max

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

Jamie Lee Curtis in 'Halloween H20: 20 Years Later'. Dimension Films/Everett

While *Halloween* became a franchise mired by its own murderous multiverse, *H20* deserves credit for being the first movie to ask audiences to ignore the last four entries. This film is situated as a direct sequel to *Halloween II*, giving us a chance to check in with Laurie Strode 20 years after Michael Myers' first rampage. This soft franchise reset has some great actors in it, including Michelle Williams, Josh Hartnett, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and Curtis' mother Janet Leigh.

EW's review also notes that the work was deeply affected by the popularity of *Scream *(for better or for worse): "In this landscape, horror is never so blackly frightening that it's not a little, like, amusingly ironic, too." Still, if you don't mind a bit of irony as a chaser to blood splatter, you may find this late-'90s genre flick to be a bright spot in some otherwise murky waters.

Where to watch *Halloween H20: 20 Years Later*: HBO Max

Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

Jamie Lee Curtis and Brad Loree in 'Halloween: Resurrection'. Miramax/Everett

If *H20* gave us hope that this venerable franchise had found new life, *Halloween: Resurrection* cut through that optimism like Myers slashing through flesh. It's a film where Jamie Lee Curtis puts in a forgettably brief performance before the story focuses on a different cast. Some of the newcomers are admittedly entertaining, including Tyra Banks and Busta Rhymes, but the premise of teens recording themselves in the original *Halloween* house was far too thin to succeed.

As EW's critic laments in their review, this is "a horror sequel that's maladroit enough to be a self-conscious ripoff of *Blair Witch 2*." Myers doesn't work when taken out of his element, and the found footage format doesn't work when the sequences are as dreadfully boring as they are here.

Where to watch *Halloween: Resurrection*: HBO Max

Halloween (2007)

Danny Trejo, Tyler Mane, and Lew Temple in 'Halloween'. Dimension Films/Everett

This film represents an ambitious attempt to reboot *Halloween* altogether, and it comes to us courtesy of horror evocator Rob Zombie. The musician-turned-director isn't everyone's cup of tea, but, to his credit, he has a definitive vision and style while retelling the events of the first movie with a few twists. The new cast is also surprisingly captivating: Malcolm McDowell shines as the new Dr. Loomis, and, while she's no Jamie Lee, Scout Taylor-Compton does a fine job as Laurie Strode.

Then there's Tyler Mane, who makes Michael Myers look novelly gritty. It may not hold a candle to the original, but this work is the closest we've felt to the killer in decades.

Where to watch *Halloween*: Shudder

Halloween II (2009)

Tyler Mane in 'Halloween II'. Marsha LaMarca/Weinstein Company/Everett

While Rob Zombie's first *Halloween* was a remake of the John Carpenter classic, the sequel allowed the director to get more creative. The cast of the previous film returns, but everyone has been flattened to a single dimension: Malcolm McDowell is a sneering charlatan, Scout Taylor-Compton is a one-note screaming victim, and Tyler Mane offers nothing new. If you're just in it for the kills, there's some bleak brutality on display here. Ultimately, though, Zombie delivers something that is less like a movie and more like a bloated music video.

Where to watch *Halloween II*: Paramount+

Halloween (2018)

Jamie Lee Curtis in 'Halloween'. Ryan Green/Universal/Everett

Ready to do the time warp again? No, we aren't visiting Dr. Frank-N-Furter, but director David Gordon Green's *Halloween* prequel follows in the footsteps of *H20*. Instead of being a follow-up to *Halloween II*, though, this movie asks us to ignore everything that came after the original and treat this work as the one true successor. It's a bold gambit that largely pays off in a story of Jamie Lee Curtis as a traumatized survivor who just wants to keep her family (including a daughter played by Judy Greer) safe. Inevitably, Michael Myers returns to this world, and that homecoming is surprisingly effective.

As EW's critic declares in their review, the result of Green's efforts is "a big, funny, scary, squishy, super-meta sequel that brings it all back to John Carpenter's iconic 1978 original." A franchise — and its killer — reborn at last.

Where to watch *Halloween*: Hulu

Halloween Kills (2021)

Jamie Lee Curtis in 'Halloween Kills'. Universal Pictures/Everett

*Halloween Kills* feels like the weird middle sibling out of David Gordon Green's trilogy. It takes place only minutes after his first film, but they couldn't be tonally more different. We begin with Laurie Strode recovering in the hospital, leaving us to follow the strange adventures of Anthony Michael Hall's Tommy Doyle leading a mob against Michael Myers while the killer exerts nearly superhuman levels of strength and stamina.

This culminates in a movie that "can't marry its thematic ambitions to its crowd-pleasing slasher sensibilities, resulting in a frustrating, inconsistent film that tries to have its cake and eat it, too," says EW's franchise ranking.

Where to watch* Halloween Kills*: Amazon Prime Video (to rent)

Halloween Ends (2022)

Jamie Lee Curtis and James Jude Courtney in 'Halloween Ends'. Ryan Green/Universal Pictures/Everett

It's neither the best nor worst entry in the franchise, but we feel safe in saying that *Halloween Ends* is the most divisive of them all. As EW's critic bluntly puts it in their review, it's a movie that "feels almost incidental to a final chapter in name only." That's because Laurie is mostly sidelined — as is Michael himself.

Now, the narrative is led by a troubled young man (Rohan Campbell) who might be the town's next great evil. He leads a tumultuous relationship with Laurie's granddaughter (Andi Matichak), and we get a kind of *Romeo and Juliet* story shot through a decidedly gonzo lens. The much-advertised showdown between Laurie and Michael ultimately feels like a studio-mandated ending to what was otherwise an ambitious departure from what we were expecting.

Where to watch *Halloween Ends*: Peacock

The *Halloween *movies in order by release date

- *Halloween* (1978)

- *Halloween II* (1981)

- *Halloween III: Season of the Witch* (1982)

- *Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers *(1988)

- *Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers *(1989)

- *Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers *(1995)

- *Halloween H20: 20 Years Later *(1998)

- *Halloween: Resurrection* (2002)

- *Halloween *(2007)

- *Halloween II *(2009)

- *Halloween *(2018)

- *Halloween Kills *(2021)

- *Halloween Ends *(2022)**

The original Halloween timeline

- *Halloween* (1978)

- *Halloween II* (1981)

- *Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers *(1988)

- *Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers *(1989)

- *Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers *(1995)

The *Halloween H20 *timeline

- *Halloween* (1978)

- *Halloween II* (1981)

- *Halloween H20: 20 Years Later *(1998)

- *Halloween: Resurrection* (2002)

Rob Zombie's *Halloween *timeline

- *Halloween *(2007)

- *Halloween II *(2009)**

David Gordon Green's Halloween timeline

- *Halloween* (1978)

- *Halloween *(2018)

- *Halloween Kills *(2021)

- *Halloween Ends *(2022)**

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