How to watch Friday the 13th films in order? Chronology of the horror franchise explained

Friday the 13th is a Hollywood horror franchise that started with the same-named slasher movie released in 1980. The film's success came during a time when the slasher genre was popular, with several similar titles releasing in proximity. It was followed by several sequels and also inspired video games, comic books, and other media.

Given how vast this franchise is, it can be difficult for viewers to keep track of all the titles. So here is the complete chronology of the franchise to give you a comprehensive overview. Let's take a look.

Chronology of the Friday the 13th franchise

This horror franchise revolves around a hockey-masked serial killer named Jason Vorhees. Over the years, the franchise has churned out a total of 12 films. Of these, eight came out in the 1980s. After that, the franchise slowed down as the genre experienced a decline in Hollywood. Here is a timeline of the entire franchise. All these films are available to watch on Max, Paramount+, and AMC+.

Friday the 13th - (May 9, 1980)
Friday the 13th Part 2 - (May 1, 1981)
Friday the 13th Part III - (August 13, 1982)
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter - (April 13, 1984)
Friday the 13th: A New Beginning - (March 22, 1985)
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives - (August 1, 1986)
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood - (May 13, 1988)
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan - (July 28, 1989)
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday - (August 13, 1993)
Freddy vs. Jason - (August 15, 2003)
Friday the 13th - (February 13, 2009)
Jason X - (April 26, 2002)

Among all the titles, Freddy vs. Jason was a crossover film featuring Freddy Krueger from the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. If you want to watch the films in chronological order by release date, it mostly stays the same, with some minor adjustments. After The Final Friday, viewers should watch Jason X, Freddy vs. Jason, and the 2009 film in that order.

More about the franchise

The last film in the franchise met with mixed critical response but ended up becoming a commercial success. Since then, the rights to the film have become complicated, which means that it might take a while before another installment is made. Earlier, Peacock ordered a series called Crystal Lake, which will serve as a prequel to the films. This could be good news for longtime fans who grew up watching their favorite slasher franchise.

We can expect the series to explore the origin story of Vorhees. The first film focused on a group of teenagers being stalked and murdered by a mysterious killer at Crystal Lake. Its official synopsis, according to Letterboxd:

Camp counselors are stalked and murdered by an unknown assailant while trying to reopen a summer camp that was the site of a child’s drowning.

Over the years, the films in the series have undergone several changes. Despite their commercial success, critical response to these titles has waned over time. This is one of the reasons why the franchise lost momentum and abruptly ended in 2009. Other franchises released around the same time, like Halloween, The Hills Have Eyes, and Nightmare on Elm Street, which went through their own trajectories in Hollywood.

In the early 2010s, it was reported that several proposed installments were canceled by Warner Bros. Pictures. Recently, former WWE wrestler Adam Scherr (who was known as Braun Strowman in the ring) said that he is in talks to portray serial killer Jason Voorhees. He told Collider,

"There may be some talks about it with people that I know and my agency. If we could ever get everybody to get back on the same page and allow the things to work, I might be the next Voorhees."

So this means we might see another revival of this franchise. But so far, there is no official confirmation from any studio or director. Fans might have to wait for any confirmation or updates from others.

Which is your favorite film from the slasher horror franchise?