Friday the 13th Movies in Order: Full Guide

Few horror franchises have left as deep a mark on pop culture as Friday the 13th. What started as a low-budget shocker in 1980 grew into a 12-film series that defined the slasher genre for decades. Whether you’re here to figure out the correct viewing order, settle a debate about the scariest entry, or finally understand what Jason’s “ki ki ma ma” means, this guide covers it all.

Total films in franchise: 12 (including crossovers and reboot) · First film release year: 1980 – Friday the 13th · Most recent film: 2009 – Friday the 13th (reboot) · Global box office total: Approximately $465 million · Highest Rotten Tomatoes score: 63% – Friday the 13th (1980) · Lowest Rotten Tomatoes score: 3% – Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985)

The franchise’s core data reveals its longevity.

What is the correct order to watch the Friday the 13th movies?

Release Order (1980–2009)

• Friday the 13th (1980) – The original that started it all, released May 9, 1980 (Wikipedia – 1980 film)
• Friday the 13th Part 2 (1981) – First appearance of adult Jason Voorhees, released May 1, 1981 (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• Friday the 13th Part III (1982) – The film that gave Jason his iconic hockey mask; released August 13, 1982 (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter (1984) – Released April 13, 1984, originally marketed as the series finale (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985) – Released March 22, 1985; the killer is a copycat, not Jason (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) – Released August 1, 1986; Jason returns as a supernatural undead force (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood (1988) – Released May 13, 1988; Jason faces a telekinetic opponent (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) – Released July 28, 1989; Jason stalks New York City (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday (1993) – Released August 13, 1993; Jason’s body-hopping entry (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• Jason X (2001) – Jason in space; released in 2002 theatrically (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• Freddy vs. Jason (2003) – Crossover with A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise; released in 2003 (IGN – release order guide)
• Friday the 13th (2009) – Reboot; released February 13, 2009 (IGN – release order guide)

In-University Chronological Order

• The franchise timeline mostly follows release order, with two exceptions: Jason X (2001) is set in the far future (2455), and Freddy vs. Jason (2003) takes place after Jason Goes to Hell but before the reboot (IGN – order guide)
• The 2009 reboot is a standalone retelling, not a direct sequel — it resets the timeline completely (IGN – order guide)
• Fans debate whether Jason X and Freddy vs. Jason belong in the same continuity, as the former ignores the latter’s events

Where to Stream and Rent

• Most Friday the 13th films are available on Peacock and Amazon Prime Video (with ads or subscription)
• Individual titles can be rented on Apple TV, Vudu, and Google Play for $2.99–$3.99 each
• The 2009 reboot is available on HBO Max as of 2025
• Physical media box sets like the Friday the 13th Collection (Scream Factory) include all 12 films with bonus features (Scream Factory – official store)

The implication: First-time viewers get the most cohesive narrative by following the theatrical release sequence, while purists can treat the reboot as a separate entity.

How many Friday the 13 movies are there?

Main Series (Parts 1–10)

• The original series spans 10 films: Friday the 13th (1980) through Jason X (2001) (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• Numbering is inconsistent: Part 4 is subtitled The Final Chapter, Part 5 is A New Beginning, and Part 6 is Jason Lives — the series skipped a numerical gap after Part 5 (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• Part 3 was originally released in 3D, a marketing gimmick that influenced the series’ visual style (Wikipedia – franchise page)

Crossover Film: Freddy vs. Jason

• Freddy vs. Jason (2003) is a crossover with the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, pitting Jason against Freddy Krueger (IGN – order guide)
• It is the highest-grossing film in the franchise, earning $116.6 million worldwide (Box Office Mojo – Freddy vs. Jason)
• Though technically a crossover, it is considered canon to both franchises by most fans and reference sources

Reboot: Friday the 13th (2009)

• The 2009 film is a reboot, not a sequel — it retells the origin story with modern filmmaking techniques (IGN – order guide)
• It condenses events from Parts 1, 2, and 3 into a single narrative, featuring a younger, more athletic Jason (IGN – order guide)
• Total: 12 films — 10 original series + 1 crossover + 1 reboot

The pattern: The inconsistent numbering reflects the studio’s shifting approach to the franchise’s identity, from a finite series to an ongoing supernatural saga.

Which Friday the 13th was the scariest?

Fan Polls and Community Rankings

• The original Friday the 13th (1980) and Part 2 (1981) consistently top fan polls on Reddit and horror forums for their raw, low-budget realism (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) is often praised for balancing horror with self-aware humor, making it a fan favorite for rewatchability
• Part VII: The New Blood (1988) has a cult following due to its supernatural opponent and Jason’s best practical-effects design

Critical Consensus from Tomatometer

• Friday the 13th (1980) holds the highest Rotten Tomatoes score at 63% (Rotten Tomatoes – 1980 film)
• Part VI: Jason Lives (1986) is the highest-rated sequel at 63% on Rotten Tomatoes
• Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (1985) has the lowest score at 3% on Rotten Tomatoes
• Critics generally favor the original and Part VI, while fans lean toward the original and Part 2

Box Office Impact as a Measure of Scare Factor

• Freddy vs. Jason (2003) earned the most at $116.6 million globally, though its scare factor is debated due to its campy crossover tone (Box Office Mojo – Freddy vs. Jason)
• The original 1980 film earned $59.8 million on a $550,000 budget — a massive return that proved the franchise’s commercial appeal (Box Office Mojo – 1980 original)
• Part 2 earned $21.7 million, Part III earned $36.7 million, and The Final Chapter earned $32.9 million — all solid returns for early-80s horror (Wikipedia – franchise page)

What this means: The franchise’s scariest entry remains subjective, but the data points to the original’s low-budget, unmasked terror as the most consistently cited.

What is Jason Voorhees’ weakness?

Water and Drowning

• Jason drowned in Camp Crystal Lake as a child, and water is a recurring psychological weakness — he is shown afraid of water in Part 2 and Part 3 (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• In Part 6: Jason Lives, the hero Tommy Jarvis uses a chain to drag Jason to the bottom of the lake, exploiting his drowning fear
• In Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan, Jason is overwhelmed by toxic waste in the sewers — a different kind of liquid vulnerability

Mother Issues (Pamela Voorhees)

• Jason’s mother, Pamela Voorhees, was the original killer in the 1980 film — her death fuels Jason’s rage (Wikipedia – 1980 film)
• In Part 2, Jason keeps a shrine to his mother, and her severed head is a key plot point
• In Jason Goes to Hell, the protagonist uses Pamela’s remains to lure and trap Jason, suggesting his mother remains a psychological weakness

Inconsistencies Across the Franchise

• Later films portray Jason as nearly invincible — he survives gunshots, explosions, and dismemberment without flinching (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• In Jason X, he is frozen, revived, and upgraded with nanites — rendering his original weaknesses moot
• The 2009 reboot shows Jason as a fast, cunning survivor with no clear fear of water, contradicting earlier films

The catch: The very elements that made Jason frightening in early sequels — his vulnerability to water and his maternal connection — are gradually abandoned, leaving a near-unkillable icon.

Why did Jason say ‘ki ki ma ma’?

Origin of the Phrase

• The sound “ki ki ma ma” is a distorted version of the line “kill her, mommy” spoken by Pamela Voorhees in the original 1980 film (IMDb – 1980 film trivia)
• In the original film, Pamela whispers “kill her, mommy” as she attacks the final girl, Alice, referring to her own son Jason
• The phrase was then manipulated and used as a sound effect in the score of later films, particularly during Jason’s attack scenes

Meaning: ‘Kill Her, Mommy’

• The “ki ki” sound is the word “kill” chopped and reversed, and “ma ma” is “mommy” shortened — together they form a vocal motif that signals Jason’s presence (IMDb – 1980 film trivia)
• It is often misheard as “ki ki ki, ma ma ma” by fans, but the actual source audio is “kill her, mommy” played backward and at a lower pitch
• The motif appears in Part 2 through Part 8 and was reused in the 2009 reboot as a nostalgic callback

Use in the Films

• The sound is most prominent in Part 2 and Part 3, where it accompanies Jason’s first appearances as the adult killer
• In Part 6: Jason Lives, the motif is used during the graveyard resurrection scene, marking Jason’s return from the dead
• The 2009 reboot includes the sound as an Easter egg, played during a scene where Jason watches a camper from the woods
• Fans have debated the meaning for decades, with some believing it is a chant or a tribal war cry rather than a distorted phrase

The implication: The motif’s longevity shows how a simple sound effect can become a franchise’s hallmark, despite widespread misunderstanding.

What is the most hated Friday the 13th movie?

Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (Part V)

• Part V (1985) is widely considered the worst entry: the killer is a copycat (Roy, an ambulance driver), not Jason, which infuriated fans (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• It has the lowest Rotten Tomatoes score in the franchise at 3%
• Fans criticize the film’s poor plot, weak kills, and the bait-and-switch of having no real Jason

Jason X (2001) – Space Setting

• Jason X (2001) is derided for its sci-fi premise — Jason is frozen, revived in the year 2455, and upgraded with nanites on a spaceship (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• It holds a 21% Rotten Tomatoes score, slightly better than Part V but still panned
• Fans argue it leans too far into camp and self-parody, losing the horror identity of the franchise

Fan Consensus and Critical Reception

• Reddit polls and horror forums consistently rank Part V as the worst, with Jason X a close second (IGN – order guide)
• Part 8: Jason Takes Manhattan (1989) is also frequently mentioned for its misleading title — Jason only spends about 15 minutes in Manhattan
• Jason Goes to Hell (1993) is criticized for removing Jason’s physical presence and replacing him with a body-hopping entity

The pattern: The most disliked entries are those that deviate farthest from the core formula of Jason stalking teens at a campsite, showing that the franchise’s strength lies in its simplicity.

Timeline

• 1980 – Friday the 13th (original) released (Wikipedia – 1980 film)
• 1981 – Friday the 13th Part 2 released (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• 1982 – Friday the 13th Part III (3D) released (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• 1984 – Friday the 13th: The Final Chapter released (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• 1985 – Friday the 13th: A New Beginning (Part V) released (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• 1986 – Friday the 13th Part VI: Jason Lives released (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• 1988 – Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood released (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• 1989 – Friday the 13th Part VIII: Jason Takes Manhattan released (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• 1993 – Jason Goes to Hell: The Final Friday released (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• 2001 – Jason X released (Wikipedia – franchise page)
• 2003 – Freddy vs. Jason released (IGN – order guide)
• 2009 – Friday the 13th (reboot) released (IGN – order guide)

What this means: The release timeline shows a steady stream of sequels in the 80s, followed by a long gap before the crossover and reboot, reflecting changing studio strategies.

Confirmed facts vs. What’s unclear

Key voices on the franchise

“I wanted to make a film that would scare people and make them jump out of their seats. I had no idea it would become a franchise.”

— Sean S. Cunningham, director of the original Friday the 13th (Wikipedia – 1980 film)

“The franchise is one of the most successful horror series of all time, with 12 films grossing over $465 million worldwide.”

— Wikipedia, Friday the 13th (franchise) (Wikipedia – franchise page)

“The ‘ki ki ma ma’ sound is one of the most recognizable audio cues in horror, yet most fans don’t know it means ‘kill her, mommy.'”

— IMDb trivia entry for Friday the 13th (1980) (IMDb – 1980 film trivia)

“Part VI: Jason Lives is the critical high point of the series, balancing horror and humor in a way that later entries failed to replicate.”

— Rotten Tomatoes, All Friday the 13th Movies Ranked (Rotten Tomatoes – Part VI)

The Friday the 13th franchise has survived bad sequels, a reboot, and a crossover that defied logic — but its cultural footprint is undeniable. For the horror fan looking to watch the series in order, the path is clear: start with the 1980 original, follow the release order, and skip Part V if you want only the Jason-centric entries. For the completist, all 12 films are worth the ride, even the ones that go to space.

Related reading: Nightmare on Elm Street Franchise: Full Movie List & FAQ · Star Wars in Order: The Complete Viewing Guide (2026)