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The 1980 slasher movieFriday the 13thintroduced horror fans toiconic villain Jason Voorheeswith his hockey mask and childhood trauma. While the 1980 film has long been considered some of the most popular slashers, not all the 12 films in the franchise are universally beloved. Every fan has their own opinion of which movies were necessary and which didn’t need to be made. One thing is certain, though:Friday the 13this ahorror franchise with deep lore.
While many would suggest watching theFriday the 13thmovies in order, they don’t have to be watched chronologically. Here’s the best order to watch all 12Friday the 13thmovies.
Friday The 13th (1980)
While it’s not necessary to watch theFriday the 13thmovies in order of release, it makes sense to start with the first movie, whichcame out in 1980.Friday the 13thgives fans an overview of Camp Crystal Lake, which is the main setting of the franchise, along with Jason Voorhees’s backstory.
95 minutes
May 9th, 1980
Rotten Tomatoes Score
60%
Friday the 13this aslasher movie with a female killerasJason’s mother Pamela Voorhees(Betsy Palmer) attacks counselors at Crystal Lake. She wants to get revenge because, whenJason died by drowning in 1957, counselors didn’t watch him and slept together instead. As fans will recall, Casey Becker (Drew Barrymore) gets Ghostface’s question wrong in the infamous opening scene ofScreamwhen she says that Jason, not his mother, is the killer.
Friday The 13th (2009)
When watching theFriday the 13thmovies in order, it makes sense to watch theFriday the 13threboot next. While this is thetwelfth movie in the franchise, it tells an alternate story but still focuses on Jason and Pamela Voorhees. In this version, Jason is a kid when counselors kill his mother at Camp Crystal Lake in 1980. Now, Jason is the killer who is getting revenge, and he targets teenagers who are camping nearby many years later.
97 minutes
February 13th, 2009
25%
While the reboot is pretty low quality and has poorly written main characters, there is an attempt at a mysterious main storyline. As Clay Miller (Jared Padalecki) explains:
“Hey, I’m not from around here, but I’m looking for my sister. She’s gone missing.”
Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
While watching theFriday the 13thmovies in order would usually mean watching theeleventh installmentlater on, it’s possible to watchFreddy vs. Jasonthird. Although the film is undeniably campy,Freddy vs. Jasonis an entertainingcrossover betweenFriday the 13thandNightmare On Elm Street.
Ronny Yu
Cast Members
Monica Keena, Kelly Rowland, Robert Englund, Kyle Labine, Lochlyn Munro, Jason Ritter
98 minutes
August 15th, 2003
42%
The movie sees two iconic slasher villains, Jason Voorhees and Freddy Krueger, fighting each other. It also focuses on a brand new group of teenagers. Since the movie is separate from the rest of the franchise, it can be watched anytime. However, it makes sense to watch it third because Jason’s backstory will be fresh in someone’s mind.
Friday The 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Bloodmay be theseventhFriday the 13thmovie, but it should be watched fourth. The story focuses on Tina Shepard (Lar Park Lincoln), a teenager who accidentally kills her dad when hertelekinetic powersruin the Camp Crystal Lake dock. Now she is back at this famous setting and her powers bring Jason Voorhees back to life.
88 minutes
May 13th, 1988
35%
SinceFriday the 13th Part VII: The New Bloodfocuses on a new character who has a connection to Jason, it makes sense to watch it fourth. While the seventh movie isn’t considered one of thebest 1980s horror movies, it does tell a compelling story about a teenager with supernatural abilities.
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
Next, horror fans can watchJason Goes To Hell: The Final Friday, which is theninth installment. The story is unique: Jason’s ghost possesses people to kill. If he can take over a family member, he can come back to life, but they can also use a dagger to end him for good.
Adam Marcus
Steven Williams, Steven Culp, Allison Smith, Erin Gray, Kari Keegan, John De LeMay
August 13th, 1993
15%
While Jason might not be aforgettable supernatural horror villainsince fans are so familiar with him, this wasn’t a popular movie. However, if it’s reworked as the fifth movie in the franchise, it feels more interesting. After watching Tina’s paranormal journey, it’s fun to see a different version of Jason.
Friday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
Watching theFriday the 13thmovies in order might mean thatFriday The 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattanismovie number eight. However, it can be watched as if it was the sixth installment. When students sail on the SS Lazarus ship to New York City, Jason begins killing people. LikeScream IVwhich takes place in New York City, it’s a nice change to see Jason in a place other than Camp Crystal Lake.
Rob Hedden
Kane Hodder, Peter Mark Richman, Barbara Bingham, Scott Reeves, Jensen Daggett
100 minutes
July 28th, 1989
11%
At the end of the movie, Jason’s face melts after Rennie puts toxic waste on it. Since it seems like Jason could be dead, it works to watch thisFriday the 13thmovie in this order and then watch the third movie next since the storyline will still make sense.
Friday The 13th Part III (1982)
Next, horror fans can watchFriday The 13th Part III, which brings the franchise back to Camp Crystal Lake. AsCrystal Higgins and her friend groupplan to have fun at Higgins Haven, which is her family lake house, Jason Voorhees is ready to get revenge once again.
August 13th, 1982
7%
While this movie could be watched at any time, it works to imagine Jason proving that he is still powerful by coming back to life after his face is melted. As fans can see from this low Rotten Tomatoes score, however, this movie isn’t the best from the franchise.
Friday The 13th Part 2 (1981)
While watching the second movie after the third might seem strange, it works thanks to the ending ofFriday the 13th: Part IIIwhen Jason Vorhees seems to have died. At the beginning ofFriday the 13th Part 2, Alice Hardy is aforgotten horror movie final girlwho is trying to move on after surviving Jason’s attacks. Of course, Jason isn’t actually gone.
87 minutes
May 1st, 1981
32%
While manyhorror movies didn’t need sequels,Friday the 13th Part 2is memorable thanks to Alice, who is one of the only characters from the franchise that fans might recall besides, of course, Jason. Besides Alice and Tommy Jarvis, the others are hard to tell apart.
Friday The 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
InFriday the 13th: A New Beginning,Tommy Jarvis (John Shepherd) is haunted by having murdered Jasonyears earlier. When he begins living at Pinehurst Halfway House, everyone thinks that Jason Voorhees is back. The movie has a compelling plot twist that sets it apart.
Danny Steinmann
John Shepherd, Melanie Kinnaman, Corey Feldman, Shavar Ross, Marco St. John, Richard Young
92 minutes
March 22nd, 1985
17%
When it comes to watching theFriday the 13thmovies in order,A New Beginningmight bethe fifth movie, but it would be fun to watch it after the second film. If watched in this order, then the ending ofFriday the 13th Part 2makes a lot of sense since no one knows where Jason is. After he disappears, it’s possible that he ends up at Tommy’s new home.
Friday The 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Livesshould be watched after the previous installment in the slasher franchise since both movies focus on Tommy Jarvis (Thom Matthews). WhenTommy goes back to Camp Crystal Lake, which is calledForest Greennow, Jason Voorhees comes back to life more powerful than ever before. While many otherslasher villains deserve franchises, this movie is a reminder of why Jason has endured for so long.
86 minutes
August 1st, 1986
50%
Friday The 13th: The Final Chapteris thefourth movie in the franchise. Since it was supposed to be the conclusion to the franchise, it could be watched second last. According toVHS Revival, Joseph Zito, the movie’s director, said:
“We were told — and would believe — that Part IV was going to be THE final chapter. I mean, ‘final chapter’ as in no more Jason, no more Fridays, no more nothing. Therefore, it was going to be a movie about the death of Jason.”
At the beginning of the movie, Jason Voorhees is thought to be dead, but he runs away from the morgue and goes on another killing spree at Camp Crystal Lake. It works to watchThe Final ChapterafterJason Livessince at the end ofJason Lives, Jason seems to be dead at the bottom of the lake.
91 minutes
April 13th, 1984
24%
Jason X (2001)
There are a few common threads throughout theFriday the 13thfranchise, includingJason Voorhees’s well-known masks. However,Jason Xtells a sci-fi story about the famous horror villain, which means that it can be watched anytime. Still, when thinking about watching theFriday the 13thmovies in order, it makes sense to saveJason Xfor last.
April 26th, 2002
19%
Although it’s thetenth movie,Jason Xis a separate story where the villain is a cyborg who wakes up in 2455. When students study him, he begins murdering them. The end ofJason Xis a great conclusion to the franchise as teenagers living in Earth II see a falling star near a lake. The final image is Jason’s mask at the lake bottom.
