All 12 Friday the 13th Movies in Chronological Order

Director Sean S. Cunningham ignited a multi-decade slasher craze with this brutal Camp Crystal Lake massacre. Unsuspecting teenage camp counselors reopening the cursed camp are systematically hunted by an unseen killer. The iconic twist reveals that not Jason, but his grieving, deranged mother Pamela Voorhees (Betsy Palmer) is the culprit avenging her son's 1958 drowning. Tom Savini's groundbreaking practical gore effects cemented its status as a horror milestone.

Picking up five years later, Jason Voorhees emerges fully grown from the surrounding wilderness, donning a menacing burlap sack with a single eyehole to avenge his mother's murder. Director Steve Miner delivers a tense, well-paced slasher that establishes Jason as an unstoppable woodland force. Final girl Ginny (Amy Steel) delivers one of the smartest performances in horror history by psychologically disarming Jason using his mother's sweater.

A pivotal turning point in pop culture history, Part III is where Jason Voorhees finally acquires his legendary hockey mask after claiming it from the prankster Shelly. Originally released in theatrical 3D, the film embraces delightfully over-the-top kills involving spear guns, pitchforks, and popping eyeballs. Stuntman Richard Brooker infused Jason with a hulking physical menace that defined the character for decades.

Widely hailed by horror purists as the ultimate traditional entry in the series, The Final Chapter brings relentless energy and genuine terror. Stuntman Ted White delivers an exceptionally ferocious Jason, while a young Corey Feldman shines as resourceful child protagonist Tommy Jarvis. Makeup wizard Tom Savini returned to craft spectacular practical death sequences, culminating in Jason's gruesome machete demise.

A delightfully sleazy and polarizing chapter that follows a deeply traumatized Tommy Jarvis residing at a halfway home for troubled youth. When a spate of vicious killings erupts, Tommy fears that Jason has returned from the grave to finish him. The notorious climax reveals a vengeful copycat ambulance driver behind the blue-chevroned mask, dividing fans for generations.

Director Tom McLoughlin resurrected the franchise by infusing it with sharp self-referential humor, Gothic atmosphere, and pure comic book energy. When Tommy accidentally reanimates Jason via a lightning strike, the killer transforms into an invincible, superhuman zombie warrior. Featuring a pulse-pounding soundtrack by Alice Cooper and creative kills, it is widely considered the most entertaining entry in the series.

Often described as 'Jason vs. Carrie', this installment pits Crystal Lake's resident killer against Tina Shepard, a traumatized teenager blessed with devastating telekinetic powers. The film marks the historic debut of stuntman Kane Hodder, whose intimidating chest heaves, heavy breathing, and menacing presence made him the definitive Jason actor. John Carl Buechler's decayed, spine-exposed Jason design remains an artistic triumph.

Jason hitches a deadly ride aboard the cruise ship SS Lazarus carrying graduating high school seniors toward the Big Apple. While much of the running time unfolds at sea, the third-act urban climax delivers iconic imagery, including Jason stalking through Times Square and terrorizing riders on the subway. The rooftop boxing match featuring a decapitating punch remains an enduring camp favorite.

Produced by New Line Cinema, this radical mythological reinvention begins with the FBI blowing Jason into a million pieces via an ambush. His demonic, black heart survives, jumping from host body to host body in a bid to be reborn through a blood relative. The film is legendary for its tantalizing final shot: Freddy Krueger's bladed glove dragging Jason's mask straight down into the underworld.

Transporting the iconic slasher into the year 2455, Jason is cryogenically frozen and thawed out centuries later aboard an interstellar research vessel. Upgraded by nanotechnology into the cybernetic, chrome-plated killing machine 'Über-Jason', he wreaks havoc across deep space. Embracing camp sci-fi parody, the film features one of the most famous kills in slasher history involving liquid nitrogen and a laboratory counter.

The long-awaited clash of eighties horror titans pitted Springwood's dream demon against Crystal Lake's masked juggernaut. When Freddy manipulates Jason to instill terror on Elm Street, Jason's unquenchable bloodlust sparks an epic turf war between the monsters in both the dream realm and reality. Directed by Ronny Yu, the blockbuster brawl grossed over $116 million worldwide.

Produced by Platinum Dunes and directed by Marcus Nispel, this gritty reboot blended elements from the first three original films into a sleek, relentless slasher. Derek Mears portrays a fast, cunning, and fiercely territorial Jason who uses underground mining tunnels and survivalist traps to butcher intruders. It stands as a visceral and respectful modern reimagining of the iconic lore.