Friday the 13th Movies in Order: Release Order, Story Order and Where Jason X, Freddy vs. Jason and the Reboot Fit

Watch the Friday the 13th movies in release order: the original film (1980), Part 2, Part III, The Final Chapter, A New Beginning, Jason Lives, The New Blood, Jason Takes Manhattan, Jason Goes to Hell, Jason X and Freddy vs. Jason, then the 2009 reboot as a separate watch. That is 12 films across 29 years. Release order is also a sound story order, with two wrinkles: Freddy vs. Jason is set before Jason X even though it came out later, and the 2009 film restarts the series.

Peacock’s prequel series Crystal Lake is also part of the franchise now, which gives viewers a new reason to start from the beginning.

Friday the 13th movies in release order

Dates are the original U.S. releases listed by Wikipedia. Jason X had a single showing in Spain on November 15, 2001, before its U.S. release. Release dates in other countries can differ, and this guide does not check where each film streams.

The simplest story order

For a first watch, use release order for films 1 to 9, then take the final two in story order (see below). The first film is about Mrs. Voorhees, the killer behind the camp murders. Part 2 reveals that her son Jason is alive. Part III is where Jason first wears a hockey mask, taking it from a victim named Shelly at Higgins Haven. Part III is also the only film in the series shot in 3-D.

The Tommy Jarvis trilogy: films 4, 5 and 6

Films 4 to 6 follow the same character, Tommy Jarvis, and they are the closest the series comes to one long storyline.

• The Final Chapter (1984): Tommy kills Jason.
• A New Beginning (1985): Tommy, now institutionalised and haunted by fear of Jason, faces a copycat killer named Roy Burns who wears Jason’s look. Jason himself is not the killer in this one.
• Jason Lives (1986): Released from care, Tommy accidentally resurrects Jason with a lightning strike, and later chains him to a boulder in the lake.

These three films share one lead character, so they are best watched together and in order.

Where the later films fit

The New Blood (1988) introduces Tina Shepard, a telekinetic girl who revives Jason while trying to bring back her father. It was nicknamed “Jason vs. Carrie” during development.

Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) is the eighth film, directed by Rob Hedden, and follows The New Blood in release order.

Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) is the ninth film, directed by Adam Marcus in his feature debut. After FBI agents kill Jason, a coroner eats his heart, and Jason’s spirit possesses the coroner and begins to hop between hosts. The film says only a relative with a magic dagger can kill him, and in the ending Jason is dragged to hell. In the final shot, a bladed glove, which belongs to Freddy Krueger, pulls Jason’s mask underground. That is a nod to the crossover that followed a decade later.

Where does Jason X fit?

Jason X (U.S. April 26, 2002) is set mainly in the year 2455, after a prologue set in 2008 to 2010 on Earth. In the prologue Jason is captured and frozen. Centuries later a group of students revives him on a spaceship, where he is rebuilt as a cyborg. The film grossed about $17.1 million on a budget of $11 to $14 million, and it holds a 27% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, according to Wikipedia.

Because it is set in the far future, it is the last film in story order, even though Freddy vs. Jason was released after it.

Where does Freddy vs. Jason fit?

Freddy vs. Jason (August 15, 2003) is a crossover with A Nightmare on Elm Street. Wikipedia lists it as a sequel to both Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) and Jason Goes to Hell (1993), and it is set before the events of Jason X. It is the eighth Elm Street film and the eleventh Friday the 13th film. In it, Freddy finds Jason in hell and uses his remaining power to bring him back to the living world.

You do not have to watch the Elm Street films to follow it, but the Jason side makes more sense if you have seen Jason Goes to Hell, because that is where the story leaves him.

What about the 2009 reboot?

The 2009 Friday the 13th is a reboot rather than a remake, directed by Marcus Nispel. Wikipedia says its producers drew on plot points and character deaths from the first four films. It follows Clay Miller as he searches for his sister Whitney after she is captured by Jason at Crystal Lake. It grossed about $92.7 million worldwide on a $19 million budget.

A sequel was planned, and Warner Bros. had set an August 2010 date before pulling it in December 2009. The producer later said a sequel was not happening. Treat the 2009 film as a standalone. It does not continue the earlier films, and nothing later continues it.

Is there a Friday the 13th TV series?

Yes, but it is not about Jason. Friday the 13th: The Series ran from 1987 to 1990 for 72 episodes. It is not tied to the films and follows two cousins who recover cursed antiques.

The newer Crystal Lake is a different matter. Per Wikipedia and NBCUniversal’s announcement, all eight episodes arrived on Peacock on October 15, 2026. It is set in 1972, seven years before the original film, and stars Linda Cardellini as Pamela Voorhees. Our Crystal Lake streaming guide covers where to watch it, and the full trailer breakdown covers what the show promised. As of our last check, no second season has been announced; see our Season 2 status report.

Because it is a prequel, you can watch it before or after the movies. If you want the full chronological story, start with Crystal Lake, then watch the 1980 film.

Story order, if you want it strict

1. Friday the 13th (1980) through Jason Goes to Hell (1993), in release order
2. Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
3. Jason X (2002), set mainly in 2455
4. The 2009 reboot, separately, since it restarts the continuity

For a story-first marathon, Crystal Lake (set in 1972) can come before all of them.

Which order should you choose?

First-time viewers: use release order, films 1 to 9, then decide whether you want the genre shift of Jason X and Freddy vs. Jason.

Short on time: watch the 1980 original, Part III and Jason Lives. Those three give you the first killer, the hockey mask and the resurrection that sets up the later films.

Prequel fans: begin with Crystal Lake, then continue to the original film.

More horror franchise guides

If you like this format, see our Halloween movies in order, Scream movies in order, Saw movies in order, Final Destination movies in order and Conjuring movies in order.

FAQ

What order should I watch the Friday the 13th movies in?

Release order: the 1980 original, Part 2, Part III, The Final Chapter, A New Beginning, Jason Lives, The New Blood, Jason Takes Manhattan, Jason Goes to Hell, Jason X and Freddy vs. Jason. Watch the 2009 reboot separately.

How many Friday the 13th movies are there?

Twelve: eleven in the original continuity, counting Freddy vs. Jason, plus the 2009 reboot.

Is Jason the killer in the first Friday the 13th?

No. The killer in the 1980 film is Pamela Voorhees, his mother. Jason is revealed to be alive in Part 2.

When does Jason get the hockey mask?

In Friday the 13th Part III (1982), when he takes it from a victim at Higgins Haven.

Where does Freddy vs. Jason fit?

Wikipedia lists it as the eleventh Friday the 13th film and a sequel to Jason Goes to Hell, so it fits after film 9, and it is set before Jason X.

Is the 2009 Friday the 13th a remake?

It is a reboot that restarted the series’ continuity, with elements from the first four films.

Where does Crystal Lake fit?

It is a prequel set in 1972, seven years before the 1980 film.

Image credit and context: Paramount Pictures’ official trailer thumbnail for the original Friday the 13th*, shown for editorial identification. No open licence is claimed.*