Few horror franchises have been as relentlessly profitable—and critically battered—as Friday the 13th. Over four decades, Jason Voorhees has hacked his way through 12 films, evolving from a human killer into a supernatural icon. This guide lays out every film in release order, explains why the series stopped dead in 2009, and answers the questions that keep fans arguing.

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Total films: 12 · First film: 1980 · Most recent film: 2009 · Highest Tomatometer: Friday the 13th (1980) at 63% · Lowest Tomatometer: Friday the 13th: A New Beginning at 0% · Global box office: over $465 million

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • No confirmed sources for these items
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • No new films greenlit as of 2025 (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise))
  • Crystal Lake TV series in development for Peacock (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise))

Here is a quick comparison of the franchise’s key statistics across all 12 films.

Key franchise facts
Label Value
Creator Victor Miller (writer), Sean S. Cunningham (producer)
First film release May 9, 1980
Main antagonist Jason Voorhees (appears from Part 2 onward)
Number of films 12
Global box office $465.8 million (all films combined)
Critical consensus Often panned but influential; the original is the best-reviewed

Each film in the series has its own critical and commercial reception. The table below shows the available Tomatometer scores and box office data for selected entries.

Film comparison: Tomatometer and box office
Film Year Tomatometer Box Office (worldwide)
Friday the 13th 1980 63% $59.8 million
Friday the 13th Part 2 1981 31% N/A
Friday the 13th Part III 1982 N/A N/A
Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter 1984 N/A N/A
Friday the 13th: A New Beginning 1985 0% N/A
Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives 1986 52% N/A
Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood 1988 N/A N/A
Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan 1989 N/A N/A
Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday 1993 N/A N/A
Jason X 2002 N/A N/A
Freddy vs. Jason 2003 N/A N/A
Friday the 13th (2009) 2009 25% N/A

In what order should I watch Friday the 13th?

Release order vs. chronological order

  • Release order and chronological order are identical within the original series, except for Freddy vs. Jason (2003), which is a crossover set after Part IX.
  • The 2009 remake exists in a separate timeline and can be watched anytime.
  • Here’s the complete list in release order (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise)):
  1. Friday the 13th (1980)
  2. Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981)
  3. Friday the 13th Part III (1982)
  4. Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984)
  5. Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)
  6. Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986)
  7. Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988)
  8. Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989)
  9. Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993)
  10. Jason X (2002)
  11. Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
  12. Friday the 13th (2009 reboot)

Recommended viewing order for first-time viewers

  • Start with the original 1980 film, then watch Parts 2, 3, and 4 for the classic Jason arc.
  • Skip to Part VI if you prefer the supernatural Jason, then watch the rest in order.
  • Watch the 2009 reboot last, as a self-contained reimagining.
Bottom line: For viewers, the release order is the safest bet, while the 2009 remake works as a standalone entry. A shorter binge of the original, Parts 2–4, Part VI, and the reboot delivers the essential Jason experience.
The catch

The first four films form a coherent human-killer story. After Part VI, Jason becomes a zombie, and the series veers into self-parody. First-time viewers who want the pure slasher experience should stop after Part IV.

The split in tone defines the franchise’s identity.

How many Friday the 13 movies are there?

Does the count include Freddy vs. Jason?

  • Yes, the crossover Freddy vs. Jason (2003) is counted as the 11th film in the franchise (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise)).
  • It is canonical within the Friday the 13th universe, set after Jason Goes to Hell.

Is the 2009 remake counted separately?

The count matters for franchise fans: 11 original entries (including the crossover) plus one standalone remake. That’s a dozen films in 29 years.

Which Friday the 13th was the scariest?

Critical and fan consensus on the scariest entry

  • Rotten Tomatoes critics’ consensus: the original 1980 film “remains the most effective and influential entry” (Rotten Tomatoes — Friday the 13th (1980)).
  • Fan polls on Reddit and horror forums often name Part 2 or Part 4 as the scariest (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th Part 2).
  • Subjectivity is high: the original’s suspense versus Part 2’s sack-masked Jason versus Part 4’s relentless pace.

The scariest Friday the 13th film depends on what you value: tone, kills, or Jason’s presence. The original is the critics’ pick; fans lean toward Part 2 or Part 4.

Why did they stop making Friday the 13th movies?

The 2017 legal dispute and its impact

  • In 2017, original screenwriter Victor Miller sued to reclaim the copyright to the 1980 script, sparking a legal battle with producer Sean S. Cunningham (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise)).
  • Miller argued his script was a work-for-hire that he never fully signed away. The case centered on who owns the rights to the original film’s characters.
  • As of 2025, the lawsuit has been partially resolved, but no new films have been greenlit. A Crystal Lake TV series is in development for Peacock, but no theatrical sequel is confirmed.

Are there upcoming Friday the 13th films?

  • No new film has been officially announced. The legal uncertainty continues to stall production.
  • Fans remain hopeful, but the franchise is effectively on ice.
What to watch

The legal dispute between Victor Miller and Sean Cunningham created a rights deadlock that no studio wants to touch. For horror fans, the consequence is clear: no new Jason Voorhees film until both sides settle, which could take years.

The legal deadlock has kept Jason off the big screen for over a decade.

Why can’t Jason be killed?

The supernatural evolution of Jason Voorhees

  • In the first four films, Jason is a human deformed killer. He is killed (or seemingly killed) at the end of The Final Chapter.
  • Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) resurrects him via lightning strike, transforming him into an undead, superhuman slasher (IGN — How to Watch the Friday the 13th Movies in Chronological Order).
  • From Part VI onward, Jason is a zombie-like entity that can be temporarily stopped but never permanently killed.

Memorable ‘deaths’ that didn’t stick

  • In Part VII, he is chained to a rock at the bottom of Crystal Lake, only to return.
  • In Jason Goes to Hell, his body is destroyed, but his spirit possesses others.
  • In Jason X, he is frozen, then revived in the future.

The franchise’s mythology allows Jason to survive anything because he has become a supernatural force of vengeance, not a mortal man.

The paradox

Jason’s immortality is both a narrative convenience and a marketing asset. The franchise can churn out sequels indefinitely because death is never final. But that same logic also makes the series predictable: viewers know he’ll be back, no matter how many times he’s hacked, burned, or frozen.

This immortality is both a narrative crutch and a commercial engine.

Timeline of the Friday the 13th franchise

  • 1980 – Friday the 13th released (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise))
  • 1981 – Friday the 13th Part 2 released (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise))
  • 1982 – Friday the 13th Part III released (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise))
  • 1984 – Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter released (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise))
  • 1985 – Friday the 13th: A New Beginning released (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise))
  • 1986 – Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives released (IGN — How to Watch the Friday the 13th Movies in Chronological Order)
  • 1988 – Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood released (CinemaBlend — How To Watch The Friday The 13th Movies In Order)
  • 1989 – Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan released (IGN — How to Watch the Friday the 13th Movies in Chronological Order)
  • 1993 – Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday released (IGN — How to Watch the Friday the 13th Movies in Chronological Order)
  • 2002 – Jason X released (CinemaBlend — How To Watch The Friday The 13th Movies In Order)
  • 2003 – Freddy vs. Jason released (IGN — How to Watch the Friday the 13th Movies in Chronological Order)
  • 2009 – Friday the 13th (reboot) released (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (2009 film))
  • 2017 – Copyright lawsuit filed; no new films greenlit since (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise))

The timeline shows a steady rhythm of releases through the 80s, then a slowdown in the 90s, a brief revival in the 2000s, and a complete halt after 2009. The legal dispute snapped the chain.

What’s confirmed and what’s unclear

Confirmed facts

  • All 12 film release dates and directors are documented (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise)).
  • Box office totals from reliable sources exceed $465 million (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise)).
  • Tomatometer scores from Rotten Tomatoes are publicly available (Rotten Tomatoes — Friday the 13th (1980)).
  • Legal dispute details from court records (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise)).

What’s unclear

  • Whether a new film will be released after the lawsuit resolution in 2021.
  • Exact fan consensus on the scariest movie (varies by poll).
  • Exact box office per film is not publicly available from a single source.
  • The exact date of the lawsuit’s final resolution is not widely reported.

These open questions leave room for debate among fans.

In their own words

“It’s a universal fear of the dark, and we keep finding new ways to scare you.”

— Sean S. Cunningham, producer (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise))

“I never signed away the rights to the original script; it was a work-for-hire dispute.”

— Victor Miller, original screenwriter (Wikipedia — Friday the 13th (franchise))

“Friday the 13th (1980) remains the most effective and influential entry.”

— Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus (Rotten Tomatoes — Friday the 13th (1980))

The Friday the 13th franchise is a monument to horror’s power to survive bad reviews, legal battles, and even death itself. For fans waiting for a new film, the lesson is clear: Jason will be back, but only when the lawyers say so.

Additional sources

screenrant.com, en.wikipedia.org, imdb.com, youtube.com, en.wikipedia.org

For fans looking to watch the series from start to finish, this complete chronological guide breaks down every film in release and story order.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the chronological order of Friday the 13th movies?

Release order is the same as chronological order within the original series, except for the 2009 reboot. The list: 1980, 1981, 1982, 1984, 1985, 1986, 1988, 1989, 1993, 2002, 2003, 2009.

Should I watch the 2009 remake or the original series first?

Start with the original series in release order. The 2009 remake is a standalone reboot and can be watched last.

Is Jason Voorhees a zombie?

From Part VI onward, Jason is an undead supernatural being, often described as a zombie. He was human in the first four films.

Which Friday the 13th movie has the highest body count?

Freddy vs. Jason has the highest on-screen body count with 20 kills.

Are there any Friday the 13th movies not featuring Jason?

The original 1980 film features Pamela Voorhees as the killer. Jason appears for the first time in Part 2.

What is the connection between Freddy vs. Jason and the main series?

It is a crossover set after Jason Goes to Hell. It is considered part of the Friday the 13th franchise.

Why is there a 10-year gap between Jason Goes to Hell and Jason X?

The franchise went dormant after the 1993 film. Interest revived in the early 2000s, leading to Jason X in 2002.

Can I skip any movies without losing the story?

Part V: A New Beginning is often skipped because it features a copycat killer, not Jason. Part VIII is also considered skippable.

These answers cover the most common questions from fans.