Here’s How to Watch the “Friday the 13th” Movies in Order
Here’s How to Watch the “Friday the 13th” Movies in Order
Keith Langston, Nicole PomaricoThu, October 15, 2026 at 1:30 PM UTC
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Kane Hodder in ‘Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan’Credit: PARAMOUNT PICTURES via Alamy -
Friday the 13th premiered in theaters on May 9, 1980
Since then, the series has spawned a horror franchise comprised of 12 movies
The prequel show Crystal Lake premieres on Peacock on Oct. 15
The 1980 premiere of Friday the 13th marked the beginning of one of Hollywood’s longest-running horror franchises.
It was originally intended to replicate the success of the 1978 film Halloween amid the slasher genre’s growing popularity. Nearly 50 years later, the Friday the 13th series has evolved into a total of 12 movies.
Peacock is now breathing new life into the franchise with the prequel show Crystal Lake, which stars Linda Cardellini as Jason’s mother, Pamela Voorhees, premiering Oct. 15.
With the arrival of the new series and Halloween season, here’s how to watch all of the Friday the 13th films by release date and in chronological order.
Warning: Spoilers ahead!
Friday the 13th Movies in Release Date Order -
Friday the 13th (1980)
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
Friday the 13th Part V: 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 (2002)
Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
Friday the 13th (2009)
Friday the 13th Movies in Chronological Order
01 of 12
Friday the 13th (1980)
From left: Peter Brouwer as Steve Christy, Kevin Bacon as Jack, Mark Nelson as Ned, Laurie Bartram as Brenda, Harry Crosby as Bill and Adrienne King as Alice in the 1980 film ‘Friday the 13th, ‘.Credit: Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock
The film that started it all is also the first chronologically, though viewers don’t see much of the masked serial killer until the end of Friday the 13th.
As the legend goes, Jason Voorhees was a bullied kid at summer camp who drowned in 1957 after being neglected by the counselors. In present-day 1979, Camp Crystal Lake is about to reopen, but when the new counselors arrive, they’re murdered — by Jason’s mother (Betsy Palmer).
At the end of the movie, a young Jason (Ari Lehman) pops out of the water during a dream sequence, grabbing the sole survivor and dragging her underwater, alluding that there’s more horror to come.
Watch Friday the 13th on Paramount+
02 of 12
Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
Amy Steel as Ginny in the 1981 film ‘Friday the 13th: Part 2,’.Credit: Georgetown Prods/Kobal/Shutterstock
The following year, a sequel was released with Jason wearing a burlap sack instead of his iconic mask.
In Friday the 13th Part II, Alice (Adrienne King), the survivor from the first film, returns and attends a camp counselor training school that happens to be built right near the abandoned Camp Crystal Lake.
Now an adult, Jason (Warrington Gillette) is out for revenge after his mother’s death, and he kills the counselors.
Watch Friday the 13th Part 2 on Paramount+
03 of 12
Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
Dana Kimmell (left) as Chris and Richard Brooker as Jason in 1982’s ‘Friday the 13th Part 3’.Credit: AJ Pics/Alamy
Taking place soon after the events of Part 2, the beginning of Friday the 13th Part III reveals that Jason has survived and is continuing his murder spree.
Meanwhile, Chris (Dana Kimmell), a traumatized girl who was assaulted years ago, decides to visit her old family homestead near Crystal Lake to confront her past.
Upon arriving, it becomes clear that the man who assaulted her was Jason (Richard Brooker), and he still stalks the woods around the lake.
This is also the first movie where he sports his now-iconic hockey mask.
Watch Friday the 13th Part III on Paramount+
04 of 12
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
From left: Frankie Hill as Lainie, Antony Ponzini as Vincent and Bruce Mahler as Axel in 1984’s ‘Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter,’.Credit: Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter explores the idea that Jason isn’t mortal and has some supernatural power.
Taking place the day after Part III, police take Jason’s (Ted White) corpse to the morgue, where his body suddenly reanimates and his killing spree resumes.
Meanwhile, a group of teens are taking a weekend trip to a cabin on Crystal Lake, and all hell breaks loose when Jason arrives.
This was supposed to be the potential conclusion of the franchise since the slasher genre hit a lull in the mid-80s. However, The Final Chapter became a financial success, and later that year, A Nightmare on Elm Street premiered — reinvigorating the slasher genre and prompting both franchises to release more sequels.
Watch Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter on Paramount+
05 of 12
Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
Dick Wieand as Jason in 1985’s ‘Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning,’.Credit: RGR Collection/Alamy
Despite being released the following year in 1985, A New Beginning is set years after The Final Chapter.
Tommy, who was only 12 years old in the previous film, is now in his late teens (John Shepherd) and lives in a halfway house after suffering a mental breakdown. Before long, people start dying one by one.
The big twist in A New Beginning is that Jason isn’t actually in the film, and the murders were committed by a copycat killer. In the end, Tommy dons the infamous hockey mask, alluding that he would be the killer moving forward.
Watch Friday the 13th Part V: A New Beginning on Paramount+
06 of 12
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Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
From left David Hagen as Sheriff Garris, Thom Mathews as Tommy and Vincent Guastaferro as Deputy Rick Cologne in the 1986 film ‘Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives,’.Credit: Paramount/courtesy Everett
After A New Beginning’s noble attempt at a fresh story, fans still wanted Jason, and as the title implies, Part VI brings the killer back from the dead again.
Tommy also returns (Thom Matthews), but the film bypasses his descent into rage in the previous movie and makes him the protagonist.
He goes to a cemetery near Crystal Lake to destroy Jason’s body once and for all; however, a conveniently timed lightning bolt strikes the original serial killer, resurrecting him and starting the carnage again.
In the finale, Tommy manages to wrap a chain around Jason (C.J. Graham), sinking him to the bottom of Crystal Lake — and just before the credits roll, his eyes move, indicating he’s not dead yet.
Watch Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives on Paramount+
07 of 12
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
From left: Kane Hodder as Jason, Kevin Spirtas as Nick and Lar Park-Lincoln as Tina in 1988’s ‘Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood, ‘.Credit: Paramount/courtesy Everett
The New Blood introduces viewers to a new protagonist: Tina Shepard (Jennifer Banko), a young girl with telekinetic powers.
At the start of the film, she accidentally kills her abusive father in Crystal Lake using her untrained powers. Years later, as a teenager, Tina (now played by Lar Park-Lincoln) returns to the location to try and resurrect him — but she ends up bringing Jason back to life.
This time around, Jason isn’t the only character with superhuman powers, and he’s forced to battle it out with Tina, whose telekinesis grows stronger with each scene. Part VII was also the first time fan-favorite Kane Hodder portrayed Jason, a role he would reprise four more times.
Watch Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood on Paramount+
08 of 12
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
Kane Hodder as Jason in 1989’s ‘Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan,’.Credit: Moviestore/Shutterstock
Set after the events of Part VII, two teens mistakenly revive Jason (Hodder) from his watery grave, and he boards a cruise ship that’s headed to New York City.
Unsurprisingly, the titular character starts picking off passengers during the voyage.
Despite the subtitle Jason Takes Manhattan, little of the movie is set in the Big Apple, with only the final act taking place in the city.
Watch Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan onParamount+
09 of 12
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
Kane Hodder as Jason in 1993’s ‘Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday,’.Credit: RGR Collection/Alamy
After a brief hiatus, Jason (Hodder) returned — sort of — in The Final Friday. This time, the movie tries to create lore and mythology by explaining that Jason was a supernatural entity that could possess anyone and turn them evil.
Although the concept was out of the box, the film’s ending played an important part in Jason’s rebirth. After he’s sent back to hell, his hockey mask is seen sitting on the sand. Suddenly, Freddy Krueger’s hand reaches up, grabs the mask and drags it underground.
Rent Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday on Prime Video
10 of 12
Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
Robert Englund (left) as Freddy Krueger and Ken Kirzinger as Jason in 2003’s ‘Freddy vs. Jason,’.Credit: New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock
A decade after The Final Friday, Jason (Ken Kirzinger) is raised from the dead by Freddy Krueger (Robert Englund), who disguises himself as Jason’s mom to manipulate him into killing the children of Elm Street.
Freddy can only terrorize people in their dreams, and after 20 years of peace, the residents have forgotten about him. To gain enough energy to hijack people’s dreams, Freddy needs Jason to create some chaos, hoping that it makes everyone think he’s returned.
However, once Jason gets going, he becomes uncontrollable, and Freddy realizes he’ll need to put a stop to it himself.
Watch Freddy vs. Jason on Prime Video
11 of 12
Friday the 13th (2009)
Amanda Righetti as Whitney Miller and Jared Padalecki as Clay Miller in 2009’s ‘Friday the 13th,’.Credit: Paramount/Kobal/Shutterstock
Part reboot and part sequel, 2009’s Friday the 13th retcons the previous films and shows a world where Jason (Derek Mears) didn’t die. Instead, he witnessed his mother’s murder in the original film, turning him into a wild killer hellbent on revenge.
A group of teens arrive at a summer cabin on the shores of Crystal Lake 30 years later, only to discover that Jason is out for blood.
It stars Supernatural’s Jared Padalecki as a survivor of Jason’s killing spree who seeks to avenge his kidnapped sister, Whitney (Amanda Righetti).
Watch Friday the 13th on HBO Max
12 of 12
Jason X (2002)
Peter Mensah as Sgt. Brodski and Kane Hodder as Jason in 2002’s ‘Jason X,’.Credit: Ava V Gerlitz/New Line/Kobal/Shutterstock
Set 450 years in the future, Jason’s (Hodder) frozen body is transported to space to be researched by the government. Naturally, everything goes wrong, and he lives again, running around the spaceship and killing everyone in sight — but it gets even wilder.
Complete with androids, holograms and even “Cyber-Jason,” it is pure camp. Jason X ends with his body being burnt to a crisp while entering the orbit of Earth II, a new utopian planet humans have inhabited, alluding to the fact that, even in the future, Jason will still be stalking teens in the woods.
Rent Jason X on Prime Video
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