A Nightmare on Elm Street Movies in Order
Nine nightmares. One street that never sleeps.
Freddy Krueger moves through a mostly straightforward series before the franchise steps outside its own reality for a meta sequel and later starts over with a remake.
The cleanest first watch is theatrical release order. The labels below make the crossover, meta chapter, and remake easy to place.
The quick answer
Release order
- A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child (1989)
- Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)
- Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)
- Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
First time watching? Release order is the safest default. Chronology is shown only when it materially changes the route.
The complete timeline
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Teenagers on Elm Street discover that the same scarred killer is hunting them in their dreams.
Read entry
A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge
A new family moves into the Elm Street house, where Freddy searches for a way into the waking world.
Read entry
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
Nancy returns to help institutionalized teens fight Freddy by mastering their dream abilities.
Read entry
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
A reluctant dreamer inherits the power to challenge Freddy as his reach expands.
Read entry
A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child
Freddy exploits an unborn child's dreams to return and target a new group of victims.
Read entry
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Freddy's past is exposed as the original continuity races toward its apparent ending.
Read entry
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
The actors and filmmakers confront an ancient force wearing the shape of Freddy.
Read entry
Freddy vs. Jason
Freddy manipulates Jason Voorhees into restoring fear on Elm Street, then loses control of him.
Read entry
A Nightmare on Elm Street
A darker remake restarts Freddy and Elm Street in a separate continuity.
Read entryThree side paths to know
Wes Craven's New Nightmare is a self-aware story outside the main continuity. Freddy vs. Jason is a crossover chapter after Freddy's Dead. The 2010 film is a full remake and begins its own continuity.
A Nightmare on Elm Street Frequently Asked Questions
Where does Freddy vs. Jason fit?
Watch it after Freddy's Dead and before moving to the remake. It is a crossover that also belongs to the Friday the 13th viewing path.
Is New Nightmare part of the original story?
No. It is a meta story in which the filmmakers and actors encounter Freddy as a fictional creation becoming real.
Do I need to watch the 2010 remake?
No. It restarts the premise in a separate continuity and is best treated as an optional final chapter.