How to Watch the ‘Halloween’ Movies in Order: Michael Myers Timeline Explained

It’s October, and that means horror movie marathons galore. But one of the most common horror movie franchises to binge this time of year is, fittingly, the “Halloween” movies. There are 13 “Halloween” movies (and counting), as the series that began with John Carpenter’s 1978 classic has continued through various ups, downs and reboots. There are no less than five separate timelines for the events that occur in the “Halloween” series, which makes watching the ”Halloween” movies in order a tricky task.

But not to worry, we’re here to help guide you. Below, we’ve put together a guide to how to watch the “Halloween” movies in chronological order through the various different timelines. There’s the OG series, the Rob Zombie remakes and the most recent series of “Halloween” movies that see Jamie Lee Curtis reprising her role as Laurie Strode in yet another new timeline of events. That particular one came to a conclusion with “Halloween Ends,” so whether you’re looking to brush up before watching the new trilogy or just curious to find a new way to watch the franchise, we’ve got you covered.

Let’s dig in.

How to Watch the “Halloween” Movies in Chronological Order

The Original Timeline

The original “Halloween” movies’ timeline is fairly straightforward and plays out like most of the slasher franchises from the 1980s did. The main throughline of continuity here is Michael Myers, concluding with 1995’s “The Curse of Michael Myers.” This timeline does not include “Halloween III: Season of the Witch,” which is a standalone entry that does not involve Michael Myers, Laurie Strode or any of the events from Haddonfield.

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 First Jamie Lee Curtis Timeline

The “Halloween” franchise went through a semi-reboot with 1998’s “Halloween H20: 20 Years Later,” which essentially ignores the three sequels made after “Halloween II” and picks up with Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode now living under a different name in a different town. It’s a solid 90s horror flick, but was followed by the unfortunate “Halloween: Resurrection” which picks up after the events of “H20” and dispatches with Laurie Strode in the first act.

Halloween (1978)

Halloween II (1981)

Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

The Rob Zombie Timeline

Love ‘em or hate ‘em, Rob Zombie’s “Halloween” movies are certainly distinct. Set in their own timeline, his 2007 film is a remake of John Carpenter’s original film, albeit with more of a gritty and gory texture that also gives a fuller picture of Michael Myers’ past. But it’s his 2009 film “Halloween II” that’s most interesting, as it diverts from the original course of the first few films (after a fake-out first act) to follow its own path. This is a two-movie timeline with no continuity to any of the other timelines.

Halloween (2007)

Halloween II (2009)

The Rebooted Jamie Lee Curtis Timeline

The 2018 reboot of the franchise brought back Jamie Lee Curtis’ Laurie Strode, but did something bold: it ditched the idea posited in “Halloween II” that Michael Myers is Laurie’s brother. In this timeline, he’s just a strange maniac who descended upon Haddonfield all those years ago, and Laurie is a PTSD-riddled survivor who has been dreading his release from prison ever since.

“Halloween Kills” picks up immediately after the events of the 2018 film, but “Halloween Ends” boasts a four-year time jump from the end of the previous movie.

Halloween (1978)

Halloween (2018)

Halloween Kills (2021)

Halloween Ends (2022)

The Season of the Witch Timeline

And then we have “Season of the Witch,” which was an attempt by the producers to solidify “Halloween” as an anthology series of spooky stories. It’s pretty great as its own thing, but its lackluster performance led the studio to bring Michael Myers back for the next film.

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

How to Watch the “Halloween” Movies in Release Order

If you’re looking to experience the “Halloween” franchise as it’s rolled out over the years — which, honestly, is your best bet if you’ve got some time on your hands and are looking to go all-out for Spooky Season — here’s the order in which the “Halloween” movies were released. Can you believe they released a “Halloween” movie in July?

• Halloween – Oct. 25, 1978

• Halloween II – Oct. 30, 1981

• Halloween III: Season of the Witch – Oct. 22, 1982

• Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers – Oct. 21, 1988

• Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers – Oct. 13, 1989

• Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers – Sept. 29, 1995

• Halloween H20: 20 Years Later – Aug. 5, 1998

• Halloween: Resurrection – July 12, 2002

• Halloween – Aug. 31, 2007

• Halloween II – Aug. 28, 2009

• Halloween – Oct. 19, 2018

• Halloween Kills – Oct. 15, 2021

• Halloween Ends – Oct. 14, 2022

Where Are the “Halloween” Movies Streaming?

“Halloween” (1978) – FuboTV, AMC+ and Shudder

“Halloween II” (1981) – FuboTV, Peacock, AMC+

“Halloween III” – Peacock and AMC+

“Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers” – AMC+ and Shudder

“Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers” – AMC+ and Shudder

“Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers” – Paramount+ and AMC+

“Halloween H20: 20 Years Later” – Paramount+ and AMC+

“Halloween Resurrection” – Paramount+ and AMC+

“Halloween” (2007) – FuboTV and Peacock

“Halloween II” (2009) – FuboTV and Peacock

“Halloween” (2018) — FuboTV and Peacock

“Halloween Ends” – Prime Video

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