What is the best order to watch the Nightmare on Elm Street movies?

Freddy Krueger is one of the most iconic horror villains of all time, and not just because he’s an easy Halloween costume. Freddy has rampaged through nine theatrical releases, spanning over three decades and leaving plenty of terror in his wake.

Whether you’re in it for the witty quips or the creative kills, there’s a lot to love about the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. But, if you want the whole story, then there’s a lot of watching to do. So, where should you start?

We’ve broken down the best order to watch all of the Nightmare on Elm Street movies, as well as providing a bulleted spoiler-free version at the bottom. It’s basically chronological, but the names of the films can make it a little confusing, so we’ve laid it out for you, complete with info on how the story progresses.

For true completionists, we’ve also outlined the extended universe order, which includes all of the Friday the 13th movies that lead up to Freddy vs Jason.

What is the best order to watch the Friday the 13th movies?Nightmare on Elm Street movies: Best viewing orderChronological movie order (spoilers)Chronological movie order (spoiler-free)Freddy vs Jason extended universe order (spoiler-free)