Every “Halloween” movie, ranked: From the 1978 original to “Halloween Ends”

From gruesome kills and compelling character arcs to screwy narrative twists, here's EW's ultimate ranking of the "Halloween" franchise.

Since Michael Myers ' original suburban killing spree in 1978, the Halloween saga has become one of the most iconic and prevalent staples in American horror. Across five decades, the series has spawned 13 films, ranging wildly in quality and popularity. Aside from one outlier, every Halloween entry follows a near-identical setup: Michael Myers returns to his hometown of Haddonfield, Ill., and wreaks havoc on Halloween night, killing everyone in his path until someone temporarily gains the upper hand and forces him to retreat.

As new filmmakers have joined the franchise, the continuity and canon have often been played fast and loose — sequels, reboots, and remakes frequently contradict or ignore one another, leading to inevitable audience confusion and narrative disorder. Sometimes Michael (or "the Shape," as he's credited in the original film) is a supernatural being made immortal by a Druid curse; other times, he's related to the main characters, and, occasionally, he doesn't even appear in the movie at all. But which entries in the iconic slasher series are still worth watching?

Here's EW's ranking of every Halloween installment, from worst to best.

Related: Where to watch the Halloween movies in order by release date

13. Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers (1995)

The sixth Halloween movie fails on a basic narrative level. It's the final chapter in the Thorn Trilogy (parts 4–6), which follows Dr. Loomis ( Donald Pleasence ) and Michael's niece Jamie Lloyd (J.C. Brandy, previously portrayed by Danielle Harris ) as they try to escape Michael's attacks on Haddonfield. A pre- Clueless Paul Rudd stars as Tommy Doyle — one of the kids that Laurie Strode ( Jamie Lee Curtis ) originally babysat — who now must protect a baby from a cult. The movie also reveals Michael's immortality and bloodlust stems from a Druid curse.

Despite being Michael's fourth rampage through Haddonfield, the characters remain laughably unprepared. Beyond their questionable decisions, The Curse of Michael Myers suffers from an awful soundtrack, muddled direction, goofy performances, an infuriatingly non-committal ending, and a ridiculous barrage of convoluted mythological lore.

What's canon? Halloween (1978), Halloween II (1981), Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988), Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

Where to watch Halloween: The Curse of Michael Myers : AMC+

12. Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

The follow-up to H20 undoes its predecessor's triumphant ending, giving Laurie and Michael a lackluster rematch that will infuriate Jamie Lee Curtis fans everywhere. What follows is a tonally bizarre pseudo-satire about the perils of reality TV — which is a creative concept yet poorly executed. Michael invades the set of Dangertainment and kills many of the show's competitors and crew, with everyone initially mistaking the real murders for staged ones.

Unfortunately, director Rick Rosenthal doesn't replicate the solid success he had with Halloween II , as the movie often feels like a cheap made-for-TV production with stiff performances and terrible dialogue. The only silver lining: Busta Rhymes adds much-needed energy with his limited screen time as the reality show's charismatic, kung fu-fighting director.

What's canon? Halloween (1978), Halloween II (1981), Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

Where to watch Halloween: Resurrection : AMC+

11. Halloween Kills (2021)

Halloween Kills picks up minutes after David Gordon Green 's Halloween (2018), with Michael continuing his first murderous night on the town in 40 years — targeting everyone from random strangers to former victims ( Kyle Richards , Anthony Michael Hall , Nancy Stephens) and Laurie Strode's shell-shocked family ( Judy Greer , Andi Matichak). Like the 2018 film, Kills attempts to ground the series with a serious tone and lofty themes (this one focuses on the dangers of mob mentality and the sorrow of personal failure).

Unlike its predecessor, however, this chapter can't marry its thematic ambitions to its crowd-pleasing slasher sensibilities. The kills make for grotesquely exhilarating entertainment, but it can't integrate them into a meaningful story, one which also sees its beloved heroine mostly sidelined.

What's canon? Halloween (1978), Halloween (2018)

Where to watch Halloween Kills : Peacock

10. Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers (1989)

The Revenge of Michael Myers is one of the silliest movies in the series, but it's also eminently watchable because it channels its nonsense into a short, brisk story that understands the fundamental appeal of Halloween . The proceedings get pretty wacky pretty quickly, as the film begins with Michael waking up from a year-long coma, peaks with a sexy Halloween party on a farm, and ends with — you guessed it — the Shape vanishing into the night.

This installment adds a psychic link between Michael and his niece, Jamie (Danielle Harris), allowing her to witness his actions from afar — creating some fun dueling point-of-view set pieces. Donald Pleasance returns as the unhinged Dr. Loomis, but Harris is the star of the show, imbuing a mediocre character with overwhelming natural emotion that makes it especially terrifying to witness her in danger.

What's canon? Halloween (1978), Halloween II (1981), Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

Where to watch Halloween 5: The Revenge of Michael Myers : AMC+

9. Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers (1988)

The first hour of the fourth entry is nothing to write home about — it swiftly but unceremoniously introduces Jamie and reintroduces Michael (who's been in a coma in a sanitarium for a decade) and Loomis. It is, however, refreshingly distinct from the rest of the series because of one key detail: Haddonfield expects Michael's return and attempts to prepare accordingly. Sure, their preparations are totally insufficient, but at least they tried, right?

The final half-hour of this movie is one of the best stretches in the entire series, full of wild kills and a tense atmosphere. It all pales in comparison to the ending, though, which chillingly echoes a similar scene from the 1978 movie, and might be the series' single best finale outside of John Carpenter's original.

What's canon? Halloween (1978), Halloween II (1981)

Where to watch Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers : AMC+

8. Halloween Ends (2022)

The conclusion to David Gordon Green's sequel trilogy is the most narratively and thematically audacious of the recent trio, primarily focusing on Corey Cunningham (Rohan Campbell) — a friend of Laurie's granddaughter, Allyson (Andi Matichak), who takes on Michael's bloodthirsty mantle after severe social isolation.

Rather than catering to fan service or providing a conclusive end, Halloween Ends grapples with cycles of violence and the lingering effects of trauma on a communal level. It also often feels more like a remake of John Carpenter's Christine (1983), but it's less scary than most of its predecessors. This movie deserves props for taking bold swings, even if not all lead to home runs. And diehard Halloween fans might be disappointed by the somewhat-lackluster final showdown between Laurie and Michael, which feels pointedly low-key after years of the franchise constantly trying to one-up itself.

What's canon? Halloween (1978), Halloween (2018), and Halloween Kills (2021).

Where to watch Halloween Ends : Starz

Related: The 13 best John Carpenter movies, ranked

7. Halloween II (2009)

Rob Zombie 's Halloween II remake is a stylistic, often surrealistic detour from the ambitious, more linear narrative he crafted in the previous 2007 remake. In this sequel, we see the devastating results of Michael's earlier rampage, with Laurie (Scout Taylor-Compton) as the traumatized survivor struggling to cope, and Dr. Loomis ( Malcolm McDowell ) as the publicity-hungry doctor-turned-author who's essentially capitalizing on Michael Myers' legacy and Laurie's pain. As Laurie learns about her past and who she is, Michael shambles closer to wreaking havoc again on his hometown.

Halloween II does bear some resemblance to the 1981 sequel in that Michael terrorizes a hospital in both films, and the Laurie-Michael connection is revealed. Still, while the killings are even more brutal in this go-around, Zombie's sequel fails to live up to the cohesive storytelling strengths that made his first outing so worthwhile.

What's canon? Halloween (2007)

Where to watch Halloween II : AMC+

6. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

To save the franchise after the universally loathed Curse of Michael Myers , the producers of this anniversary piece made two major decisions that broke with tradition. The first was to ignore everything after Halloween II (1981) — no curses, cults, or acknowledgment of Jamie. The even bigger second decision was to throw more money at this movie than ever before, adding a sense of professionalism and grandeur that even the original Halloween lacks.

The cast also gets a major upgrade — Adam Arkin, Josh Hartnett , Michelle Williams , Joseph Gordon-Levitt , LL Cool J , and Janet Leigh round out the ensemble. And, most importantly, Jamie Lee Curtis is back as Laurie and is magnificent at navigating the complex emotional transitions in her character's journey, smoothly maneuvering from fear to resolve and eventual empowerment.

What's canon? Halloween (1978), Halloween II (1981)

Where to watch Halloween H20: 20 Years Later : AMC+

5. Halloween (2007)

Rob Zombie's 2007 remake is the only Halloween chapter to reimagine the 1978 original for a new era, expanding John Carpenter's template into a psychological exploration of its characters. While Carpenter and Debra Hill intentionally painted Michael Myers as a soulless force of evil, Zombie runs in the opposite direction, spending nearly half the movie on Michael's childhood to humanize the killer as much as possible.

It's a fascinating idea that totally justifies a remake, even though the solid Halloween- ier killing spree of the second half never lives up to the strength of the first. This movie also has more quality performances than the 1978 version: Scout Taylor-Compton's mortifying screams alone prove she's a worthy new Laurie; Danielle Harris gives a likable supporting performance as Laurie's loyal friend, Annie; and Daeg Faerch inspires surprising sympathy as young Michael.

What's canon?Nothing — this is a hard reboot with no connections to previous films.

Where to watch Halloween : Peacock

4. Halloween III: Season of the Witch (1982)

Season of the Witch has zero connections to any of the other Halloween films in the series (aside from a cheeky Easter egg in Halloween Kills ), though it's since grown to be one of its most beloved. The film follows Dr. Dan Challis (Tom Atkins) as he investigates a conspiracy involving Halloween mask manufacturer Silver Shamrock, founded by the mysterious Conal Cochran (Dan O'Herlihy).

The film was an attempt to turn the franchise into an anthology series where the unifying elements were stylistic instead of narrative — Dean Cundey's cinematography, John Carpenter's music, Halloween editor/production designer Tommy Lee Wallace's direction, and the titular holiday setting are the only links to the first two movies. It's a strange, deeply creepy, one-off seasonal tale packed with an enthralling opening sequence; besuited, stalking androids; a chilling score complete with many synth stingers; a narrative built around Samhain; and an unforgettably bold ending.

What's canon?Nothing — this is a self-contained one-off with no connections to previous films.

Where to watch Halloween III: Season of the Witch : Peacock

3. Halloween (2018)

David Gordon Green's confusingly titled film pulls a similar trick to H20 : It ignores virtually the entire series save for the original and brings back Jamie Lee Curtis for another magnificent performance.

Since his 1978 attacks were an inexplicable one-time event that never recurred — and his minimalist backstory has no significant connection to any of his victims — Michael Myers is scarier here than in any of the previous sequels. His unknowable qualities and the randomness of his attacks suggest he could be anywhere, threatening anyone, without rhyme or reason. The film also hosts the strongest characterization of Laurie to date, as the movie unpacks the devastation of her trauma. Her understandable defensiveness and cautiousness have complex effects on her family relationships and also make her more similar to Michael than she'd like to admit.

What's canon? Halloween (1978)

Where to watch Halloween : Netflix

2. Halloween II (1981)

The first Halloween sequel is also the only subsequent Michael Myers flick with significant creative input from John Carpenter and Debra Hill (producer and co-writer). It's a direct continuation of the 1978 film's events, as Michael stalks Laurie through a hospital on the same Halloween night as the first movie.

Like the original Halloween , it exploits the false security of suburban life for scares, this time weaponizing the flaws in law enforcement and health care to terrify the audience. Original cinematographer Dean Cundey ensures that the film looks as visually gorgeous as the first film, full of unsettlingly dark nighttime imagery and eerie point-of-view camerawork. The biggest strike against this otherwise solid, spooky follow-up is its introduction of the idea that Michael might have a personal connection to Laurie. But the more we learn about Michael's backstory and motivations, the less scary he becomes.

What's canon? Halloween (1978)

Where to watch Halloween II : Peacock

1. Halloween (1978)

John Carpenter's original masterpiece remains the most thrilling Halloween to date. It's as simple a horror movie as can be — just a guy with a knife stabbing people and slipping away — yet it evokes such primal fear, shattering the illusion of suburban utopia for maximal tension (thanks in large part to Carpenter's immortal score). Additionally, the intermittent point-of-view camerawork inspires audience paranoia even when we're looking at the images from a neutral perspective, because there's always a chance that the camera's vantage point is also that of a killer stalking his prey.

Meanwhile, Donald Pleasence delivers rudimentary exposition with authority and weight, and Jamie Lee Curtis perfectly balances vulnerability and determination. And no one has ever quite matched the brooding, unreadable physicality of Nick Castle under Michael's mask.

Where to watch Halloween : AMC+

Related: Where was  Halloween  filmed? Five filming locations from the 1978 horror classic

Read the original article on Entertainment Weekly .