A Nightmare on Elm Street Movies in Order: Release Order, Where New Nightmare Fits and Freddy vs. Jason

Watch the A Nightmare on Elm Street movies in release order: the 1984 original, Freddy’s Revenge, Dream Warriors, The Dream Master, The Dream Child, Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare and Freddy vs. Jason, then the 2010 remake as a separate watch. That is nine films over 26 years. Release order is a sound story order for the first six, with two wrinkles: New Nightmare steps outside the series’ fiction, and Freddy vs. Jason is a crossover that follows on from Freddy’s Dead.

The original opened in the United States in November 1984. The guide uses U.S. release dates so you can compare the films on one timeline.

A Nightmare on Elm Street movies in release order

These are original U.S. release dates. Availability and release dates vary by market.

The core run: films 1 to 6

The first six films tell one continuing story about Freddy Krueger, a child murderer who stalks teenagers in their dreams.

• A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984): Teenagers on Elm Street are killed in their dreams by Fred Krueger, whom their parents burned alive. Nancy Thompson, played by Heather Langenkamp, tries to stay awake and uncover the truth. Robert Englund plays Freddy, and Johnny Depp made his film debut as Glen Lantz.
• Freddy’s Revenge (1985): Freddy possesses Jesse Walsh, who has moved into Nancy’s old house, until his girlfriend Lisa helps exorcise him. It is part of the main story.
• Dream Warriors (1987): Nancy returns as an intern at Westin Hills and helps child patients discover dream powers of their own.
• The Dream Master (1988): Kristen unknowingly frees Freddy and passes her powers on to Alice, who releases the souls Freddy has taken.
• The Dream Child (1989): Freddy uses Alice’s unborn son Jacob to return, and Freddy’s mother Amanda Krueger steps in to help Alice and Jacob escape.
• Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991): John Doe searches for Freddy’s daughter Maggie, who uncovers his past and destroys him with a pipe bomb.

Films 3 to 5 follow a recurring cast of dream-powered survivors, so they play best back to back. If you only have time for three, the original, Dream Warriors and Freddy’s Dead cover the first story, the child-patient storyline and the ending of Freddy’s run.

Where does Wes Craven’s New Nightmare fit?

Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (October 14, 1994) is a meta-horror film best watched after Freddy’s Dead. Craven, Heather Langenkamp and Robert Englund play themselves. The film imagines an ancient supernatural entity that had been kept trapped by the movies escaping into reality after the series ends. It takes Freddy’s form, with a darker look and a redesigned glove, and targets Langenkamp, who must agree to play Nancy once more.

Because it treats the earlier films as fiction, it is best watched after film 6 and before Freddy vs. Jason.

Where does Freddy vs. Jason fit?

Freddy vs. Jason (August 15, 2003) is a crossover with Friday the 13th, directed by Ronny Yu. It picks up from Freddy’s Dead and Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993), with both characters returning from hell. It is the eighth Elm Street film and the eleventh Friday the 13th film.

Robert Englund played Freddy in his final feature-film appearance in the role. Ken Kirzinger played Jason.

You can watch it without the Friday the 13th films, though the Jason side makes more sense after Jason Goes to Hell. Our Friday the 13th movies in order guide covers that franchise and where the crossover sits in it.

What about the 2010 remake?

The 2010 A Nightmare on Elm Street is a remake directed by Samuel Bayer, with Jackie Earle Haley as Freddy. It retells the story with Freddy as a child molester killed by vengeful parents, who stalks the children’s dreams until Nancy Holbrook and Quentin kill him. The remake stands on its own. The former City Methodist Church in Gary, Indiana, pictured above, served as the setting for one of Quentin’s encounters with Freddy.

Is there an Elm Street TV series?

Yes. Freddy’s Nightmares premiered on October 8, 1988 and ran for two seasons and 44 episodes, ending on March 12, 1990. It is an anthology horror series hosted by Freddy, again played by Robert Englund. The pilot, “No More Mr. Nice Guy,” shows Freddy’s trial and death, and Tobe Hooper directed it. It is optional viewing and is not needed to follow the films.

Is there a new Nightmare on Elm Street movie?

Variety reported that Paramount acquired U.S. adaptation rights to Wes Craven’s original screenplay from his estate and has a new film in development under Paramount Primal. The project has no announced release date.

Which order should you choose?

First-time viewers: use release order, films 1 to 6, then New Nightmare and Freddy vs. Jason. Skip the remake unless you want to compare.

Short on time: watch the 1984 original, Dream Warriors and New Nightmare. They cover Freddy’s creation, the child-patient storyline and Craven’s return with a meta twist.

Crossover fans: watch the original Elm Street and Friday the 13th films first, then finish with Freddy vs. Jason.

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 Evil Dead movies in order.

FAQ

What order should I watch the Nightmare on Elm Street movies in?

Release order: the 1984 original, Freddy’s Revenge, Dream Warriors, The Dream Master, The Dream Child, Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare and Freddy vs. Jason. Watch the 2010 remake separately.

How many Nightmare on Elm Street movies are there?

Nine: the six main films, New Nightmare, the Freddy vs. Jason crossover and the 2010 remake. New Nightmare treats the previous movies as fiction, and the remake starts a separate continuity.

Who plays Freddy Krueger?

Robert Englund plays Freddy in the original film, its sequels, New Nightmare and Freddy vs. Jason. Jackie Earle Haley plays him in the 2010 remake.

Where does Wes Craven’s New Nightmare fit?

After Freddy’s Dead (1991). It is a meta-sequel in which the cast and creator play themselves.

Do I need to watch Friday the 13th before Freddy vs. Jason?

No. It stands on its own, but it picks up from Jason Goes to Hell on the Jason side.

Is there a new Elm Street movie?

A reboot from Paramount is reported in development, with no director or release date announced as of our check.

Filming location photograph: Peter Fitzgerald via Wikimedia Commons, CC BY 3.0. Resized for the web.