How do you watch the Friday the 13th movies in order? There are few sights more iconic in the horror movie world than Jason Voorhees and his grubby hockey mask. The slasher movie franchise has spawned a whopping 12 films now.
The Friday the 13th series began in 1980 when a group of teenagers were slaughtered at Camp Crystal Lake by the masked mass murderer Jason Voorhees. Over the years, the series has produced some of the best horror movies of all time, and some… well, not so good. To judge them for yourself, we've organized all the Friday the 13th movies in order, both chronologically and by release. Stay safe out there!
How to watch the Friday the 13th movies in chronological order:
- Friday the 13th (1980)
- Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
- Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982)
- Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
- Friday the 13th (2009)
- Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
- Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
- Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
- Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
- Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
- Freddy vs Jason (2003)
- Jason X (2001)
1. Friday the 13th (1980)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Max, and Paramount Plus
Ah, the original. It was a simpler time. A nice, straightforward story about a group of teens looking to repair an abandoned summer camp became one of the best slasher movies of all time, and quickly changed the game when it came to the sub-genre.
That all goes to shit, though, when a mysterious killer shows up and starts slicing and dicing. We won't spoil the fun of the plot twist, but let's just say the killer isn't who you expect it to be here. Essentially, this first movie is a piece of horror movie history, so you'd be missing out if you haven't already seen it.
2. Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Max, and Paramount Plus
After the shocking events of the first movie, Jason does indeed become the killer we know and love today in this sequel. He does not, however, have his staple hockey mask and machete. A bag over his head and a pick-axe will have to suffice.
Camp Crystal Lake may have bore witness to horrific murders, but that doesn't stop Jason. Luckily a new Camp Counselor Training program opens up right by his home. How convenient! This sequel came pretty quickly, only one year after the original, but this is nothing compared to the sheer expanse of what lies ahead.
3. Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Max, and Apple TV Plus
Picking up just one day after the second film, and the hockey mask is here in all its glory! This time, Jason decides to terrorize a group of teens who are visiting a friend at Crystal Lake. That's right, we're back at the world's worst summer camp!
I don't know about you, but I'd politely decline if anyone invited me to the area. A sweet coming-of-age teen movie this is not, as Jason once again pulls out all the stops to fulfill his bloodlust. Oh, and Part 3 was also released in 3D, and was the only movie in the series to attempt that. Naturally, you can't quite recreate that at home, so you'll just have to imagine how strange that looked with the '80s technology.
4. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Max, and Apple TV Plus
This movie again takes place just one day after the end of the previous installment in the saga and sees Jason rise from the dead to slaughter another group of teens who were foolish enough to visit Crystal Lake (just close it down at this point, surely).
This installment was meant to wrap up the franchise (as you've probably already guessed from the title) since the slasher genre was in decline at the time of the film's release. But, of course, that did nothing to stop the army of movies that were soon to follow.
5. Friday the 13th (2009)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Max, and Apple TV Plus
This is where it gets a bit confusing. This 2000s movie was supposed to be an origin story for Jason but turned into a weird kind of remake/reboot of the first four movies. It all starts when a young man goes in search of his missing sister, who's been kidnapped by Jason while camping at Crystal Lake.
It doesn't add much, if anything at all, to the overall timeline, and probably just makes things messier if anything. Upon its release, it was generally panned by critics and audiences alike, but it did end up being the second-highest-grossing movie in the franchise.
6. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Max, and Apple TV Plus
The plot thickens! Here, we see a guy called Tommy Jarvis, who witnessed first-hand the atrocities carried out by Jason years before. Now institutionalized in a psychiatric facility, Tommy is deeply disturbed by his past trauma.
New victims soon start to appear, and like any good detective movie, we ponder who's responsible. Is it Jason, back from the dead once more? Or has Tommy adopted the ways of his nightmarish attacker?
7. Friday the 13th: Jason Lives (1986)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Max, and Apple TV Plus
You'll never guess, but Jason Voorhees is alive again! Okay, the title kinda gives that away, but you'll never guess how it happens. Poor old Tommy Jarvis has been released from the institution and heads back to Crystal Lake to destroy Jason's remains. But, when he sticks a metal fence post into the corpse and lightning strikes, Jason is resurrected. Don't question the science, okay?
This movie was originally meant to have Tommy as the antagonist, but producers ended up bringing Jason back into the fold. (Probably a good idea to keep your iconic slasher in the movie, right?) Because of his resurrection, Jason exhibits some supernatural abilities, meaning that this movie takes a little more of an action-based turn.
8. Friday the 13th: The New Blood (1988)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Max, and Apple TV Plus
By this point, Jason is pretty much immortal, and we just have to deal with that fact. Picking up a few years after the events of Jason Lives, this time, we see Jason chained to the bottom of Crystal Lake, only to be freed by the troubled Tina Shepherd.
Once he's free, it's party time once more for Jason, who finds there is another group of teens messing around on his patch. This movie is the first of four appearances for Kane Hodder, perhaps the actor most synonymous with the killer role.
9. Friday the 13th: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Max, and Apple TV Plus
This is one of the worst-reviewed movies in the whole franchise, and that may have something to do with the fact that the title is misleading. Jason on a Boat might have been a more fitting description. Still, Jason Takes Manhattan is one of the best comedy movies you can enjoy come Halloween night, and has some pretty gnarly kills too.
In this movie, Jason is resurrected when a boat anchor hits a power line running across the bed of Crystal Lake, and he decides to board a luxury cruise liner filled with, wait for it… teenagers! Jason's favorite.
10. Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Max, and Apple TV Plus
This '90s movie takes things to bizarre extremes when it comes to logic. A deceased Jason is taken to a coroner, but when the man performing the autopsy sees Jason's black heart, he decides to eat it, as you do. What ensues is a body-switching merry-go-round as Jason inhabits various different bodies and kills as much as he can along the way. Probably shouldn't have eaten that heart, dude.
There's a way Jason can resurrect himself for good — by possessing a member of his own bloodline. Enter his half-sister, Diana. Needless to say, fans were not happy with this incredibly supernatural twist on Jason, and much preferred him as an ominous human figure instead.
11. Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime, Max, and Apple TV Plus
It had to happen at some point. Horror movie fans had longed to see two of the most iconic baddies of all time take each other on, and they finally got their wish as Freddy Krueger battled Jason Voorhees in this twisted ghost movie.
When Freddy is forgotten, he can no longer haunt the nightmares of the people of Springdale. He decides to visit Jason instead and get him to start killing and spreading fear again so that people remember his own exploits. Unfortunately, there's only room for one iconic villain in this town, so they turn on each other.
12. Jason X (2001)
Where to watch: Amazon Prime and Apple TV+
More of a science fiction movie than anything, Jason X sees the titular killer become a government experiment. Jason is frozen and wakes up 450 years into the future on an Earth full of pollution and destruction. He is then transported to Earth 2, where he can wreak havoc on a whole new generation.
At this point, Jason's been a serial killer, an undead menace, and a supernatural body-switcher. Now, he's a cyborg. Let's just say that this movie was a complete flop, bombing at the box office and being on the receiving end of some pretty negative reviews. Honestly… are we surprised?
How to watch the Friday the 13th movies in release order:
- Friday the 13th (1980)
- Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
- Friday the 13th Part 3 (1982)
- Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
- Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
- Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
- Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
- Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
- Jason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
- Jason X (2001)
- Freddy vs Jason (2003)
- Friday the 13th (2009)
That's all the Friday the 13th movies in order, perfectly organized for your next horror movie marathon. For more of the best, check out our list of the best monster movies or all time and the best movies, period.
We've also got a breakdown of all the new movies soon to come, like the Five Nights at Freddy's release date. If that's not enough, check out our feature on why PG-13 horror can be great.