How to Watch the 'Friday the 13th' Movies in Order
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Of all of the cultural contributions from the '80s, its canon of horror flicks is arguably one of the era’s greatest. With The Shining, Halloween, A Nightmare on Elm Street, and more, the '80s didn’t just see the release of some of horror’s greatest titles—it also witnessed the debut of countless iconic characters and franchises that have since become synonymous with the genre. (See: Michael Myers, Chucky, and Freddy Krueger.) The lasting appeal of these films wasn't seem to be lost on filmmakers, judging by the amount of '80s horror franchises that have extended their lifespan far into the 21st-century—even when some of them should've been left to die a bloody death.
If there’s one '80s franchise that has found a way to haunt the cultural zeitgeist, Friday the 13th. At one time the highest-grossing horror franchise of all time (before the release of 2018's Halloween), Friday the 13th has reached audiences across generations. You likely saw the 1980 original in theaters, or learned about the movie through the film’s unintentional guerilla marketing tactic: having its hockey mask-wearing villain be the cheapest, easiest Halloween costume in history. From its numerous “final” installments that are absolutely not the final installment, to out-of-left field titles like Jason Takes Manhattan, the franchise has managed to remain undead.
With Halloween around the corner, a Peacock prequel series on the horizon, and even a potential reboot in the works from the original director Sean S. Cunningham, now is the perfect time to catch up. Here’s how to watch the Friday the 13th franchise in order.
Friday the 13th (1980)
Though it sometimes falls into the campy slasher formula, the original 1980 Friday the 13th arguably set the tone as the campy slasher film. Starring Betsy Palmer, Adrienne King, Kevin Bacon, and more, the film follows a group of teen counselors at the newly-reopened Camp Crystal Lake—where they quickly uncover the camp’s dark past when they find themselves the targets of an unknown slasher.
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Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
Starring Adrienne King, Betsy Palmer, Walt Gorney, Amy Steel, and John Furey, Friday the 13th Part 2 doesn’t veer too much from the original's premise. However, it does mark the debut of villain Jason Voorhees—who would soon become the heart of the franchise.
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Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
Set immediately following the events of Part 2, Friday the 13th Part III sees a new group of teens venture into Camp Crystal Lake territory—this time making the unfortunate choice to lodge in the same house where Jason Voorhees is taking refuge. A box-office hit, Part III surely gained some momentum for the franchise—and saw Jason debut his iconic hockey mask.
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Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
As you might guess from the eight titles following this one, Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter is, in fact, not the final chapter. Much like the immortal franchise, the film begins with Jason making his way out of a hospital morgue to kick off yet another Crystal Lake killing spree. Though most of the team went into the making of the film prepared to make it the last of the series, the film would mark a new beginning—with the introduction of Jason’s nemesis, Tommy Jarvis.
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Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning (1985)
While its title might seem promising, A New Beginning is thought by many to be somewhat of a franchise flop for Friday the 13th. Making the bold choice to go Jason-less, the film sees Tommy Jarvis return—facing the trauma of his past encounters with Jason while dealing with a new masked killer on the loose.
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Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
In the final appearance of protagonist Tommy Jarvis, Jason Lives sees Tommy go head-to-head with Jason one last time after accidentally resurrecting him. Given the franchise’s proven stature by this sixth installment, Jason Lives tactfully builds upon its own reputation in a way that would solidify it as a mainstay. (Plus, the evolution of Jason into an immortal spirit allows for an easy justification of continued antics.)
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Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
Adolescence is a time for making mistakes. If you happen to be a teen who lives anywhere near Crystal Lake, this typically means accidentally resurrecting Jason Voorhees from the dead. This time, we see a young psychokinetic girl face off against Jason after mistakenly raising him from the waters of Crystal Lake. According to Collider, the film was pitched as Jason vs. Carrie. So, if that grabs your attention, you’re in for a treat.
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Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
While its title sounds like a Muppets Takes Manhattan-esque cheery road trip title, Jason Takes Manhattan sees our iconic villain on a killing spree in the Big Apple. The film begins with—you guessed it—someone accidentally resurrecting Jason from the bottom of Crystal Lake. After boarding a ship of high schoolers en route to New York City, Jason stalks his teen survivors throughout the city. The film was the poorest-performing entry in the franchise to date, but if you’re watching it during a marathon, its change of scenery might at least feel refreshing.
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Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
After his vacation to Manhattan, Jason is hellbound. But first, he’ll make a quick hometown pit stop in Crystal Lake. This time, he is killed in the opening of the movie. But! Get this: Someone accidentally resurrects him! This time, it’s a coroner who is driven to eat Jason’s still-beating heart, causing him to be possessed. The film embarks on a new level of supernatural, as it is revealed that Jason can only be successfully killed by a blood relative—but Jason can also successfully possess his relatives, too. The film ends with a classic '80s mashup teaser: Freddy Krueger’s glove grabbing Jason’s mask.
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Jason X (2002)
In true Y2K fashion, this 2002 installment of Friday the 13th takes a stab at imagining Jason as a cyborg—cryogenically frozen until the year 2455, when a group of teens encounter him on a field trip from “Earth II.” Though the strange remix of the franchise’s arguably tired formula disappointed viewers, it’s an interesting watch as a relic itself: of a time when cyborgs felt impossible and the destruction of earth’s climate still felt fun enough to fictionalize.
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Friday the 13th (2009)
At long last, the actual final Friday the 13th. That is, until the teens of Crystal Lake inevitably resurrect him by accident in due time. An official reboot of the series, the 2009's Friday the 13th reimagines the origin story of Jason Voorhees. It wasn’t exactly a hit, but it tries its best to pay homage to the trademarks of its originals while breathing new life into Jason.
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