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A Nightmare on Elm Street watch order

Nightmare on Elm Street movies in order, release and chronological. Updated October 20, 2026.

Watch A Nightmare on Elm Street in release order from A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984); Dream Warriors (1987) follows directly from the first film and is the fan favourite. Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994) is a standalone meta story, Freddy vs. Jason (2003) crosses over with Friday the 13th, and the 2010 remake stands alone.

How to watch the Nightmare on Elm Street movies in order: the full guide

All 9 films and series in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise, in release order and in chronological (story) order. The first in release order is A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984); the first in chronological order is A Nightmare on Elm Street (set in Springwood, 1981).

Release order

  1. A Nightmare on Elm Street (Movie, 1984): Wes Craven's original; the place to start.
  2. A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (Movie, 1985): Freddy tries to possess a teenager.
  3. A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (Movie, 1987): Nancy returns to help the last Elm Street kids; a fan favourite.
  4. A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (Movie, 1988): Alice inherits the dream powers.
  5. A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (Movie, 1989): Freddy reaches Alice's unborn child.
  6. Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (Movie, 1991): Freddy's backstory and his supposed end.
  7. Wes Craven's New Nightmare (Movie, 1994): A meta story in which Freddy haunts the cast and crew.
  8. Freddy vs. Jason (Movie, 2003): The crossover with Friday the 13th.
  9. A Nightmare on Elm Street (Movie, 2010): A remake in its own continuity.

Chronological order

  1. A Nightmare on Elm Street (set in Springwood, 1981): Wes Craven's original; the place to start.
  2. A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (set in Five years later): Freddy tries to possess a teenager.
  3. A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (set in Westin Hills): Nancy returns to help the last Elm Street kids; a fan favourite.
  4. A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (set in Springwood): Alice inherits the dream powers.
  5. A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (set in Springwood): Freddy reaches Alice's unborn child.
  6. Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (set in Ten years later): Freddy's backstory and his supposed end.
  7. Freddy vs. Jason (set in Springwood & Crystal Lake): The crossover with Friday the 13th.
  8. Wes Craven's New Nightmare (set in Los Angeles, 1994): A meta story in which Freddy haunts the cast and crew.
  9. A Nightmare on Elm Street (set in Springwood): A remake in its own continuity.

Common questions

What order should I watch the Nightmare on Elm Street movies in?

Watch A Nightmare on Elm Street in release order from A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984); Dream Warriors (1987) follows directly from the first film and is the fan favourite. Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994) is a standalone meta story, Freddy vs. Jason (2003) crosses over with Friday the 13th, and the 2010 remake stands alone.

How many Nightmare on Elm Street movies and shows are there?

There are 9 titles in the A Nightmare on Elm Street franchise: 9 films and 0 series, released from 1984 to 2010.

How long does it take to watch all the Nightmare on Elm Street movies?

About 14 hours for all 9 titles, counting every episode. The essentials only (8 titles) take about 13 hours.

What is the first Nightmare on Elm Street title in chronological order?

A Nightmare on Elm Street, set in Springwood, 1981. In release order the first is A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984).

Which Nightmare on Elm Street titles can I skip?

Freddy vs. Jason. They are spin-offs, side stories or non-canon entries; the main story holds without them.