Halloween Movies in Order: Release Order and Separate Timelines

Where should you start?

For a first visit to Haddonfield, our recommendation is the four-film route below. It preserves the original film’s mystery and gives you a defined continuation without asking you to reconcile conflicting sequels.

1. Halloween (1978) — the starting point.
2. Halloween (2018) — a sequel to the original, ignoring the intervening sequels.
3. Halloween Kills (2021) — continue after the 2018 film.
4. Halloween Ends (2022) — finish this branch.

This is one option, not a master chronology. If you prefer to experience how the franchise evolved, use release order instead.

Release order: the 11 films in the cards

1. Halloween (1978)
2. Halloween II (1981)
3. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)
4. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
5. Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)
6. Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)
7. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
8. Halloween: Resurrection (2002)
9. Halloween (2018)
10. Halloween Kills (2021)
11. Halloween Ends (2022)

The pinned card selection excludes Rob Zombie’s Halloween (2007) and Halloween II (2009). For all 13 theatrical films in release order, insert those two after Resurrection and before Halloween (2018). They retell the story in their own continuity; neither bridges the 2002 and 2018 films.

Which films belong to each timeline?

The original sequel branch

1. Halloween (1978)
2. Halloween II (1981)
3. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)
4. Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)
5. Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)

This route continues through the fourth, fifth and sixth films. Skip Halloween III for this particular story. You can also stop after Halloween II if you only want the original film and its immediate sequel.

The H20 branch

1. Halloween (1978)
2. Halloween II (1981)
3. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)
4. Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

H20 follows the first two films and leaves the fourth-to-sixth-film storyline behind. Do not try to fit all of those sequels between Halloween II and H20.

The remake branch

1. Halloween (2007)
2. Halloween II (2009)

These are Rob Zombie’s versions. Watch them as a separate pair, with different character histories and a more explicit approach to violence.

Where does Halloween III fit?

Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982) is a standalone story about a different threat. It is not the third chapter of Michael Myers’s pursuit. You can watch it independently, or in its release-year position when exploring the whole franchise.

Our take on the collection

Moviebase editorial

The original builds dread through space, attention and what remains out of view. Later films vary between suspense, slasher spectacle and explicit mythology. That variation makes the series interesting to compare, though viewers who value the first film’s simplicity may find some branches over-explained. Switching continuity midway through a marathon makes those differences harder to follow; finish one branch first.

Planning your watchlist

Keep a separate list for each branch and include release years when adding films called Halloween or Halloween II. A film that appears in two routes only needs to be watched again if you want a refresher. Save rankings and plot explanations until afterward to avoid revealing who survives.

For a mixed seasonal movie night, try our Halloween movie selection. For another continuing slasher series, see Scream in order. Download Moviebase to organize your own watchlist; this link opens the download page.

Sources

The card selection uses TMDB collection 91361. The broader 13-film scope and the 1978-to-2018 continuity are corroborated by Peacock’s Halloween collection and its Michael Myers guide. Branch details can be cross-checked in JustWatch’s Halloween guide. Viewing recommendations are Moviebase editorial opinion. Verified September 13, 2026; streaming availability is not promised here. Film data and artwork come from TMDB. This product uses the TMDB API but is not endorsed or certified by TMDB.