David Fincher's films stand alone, so watch them in release order, from Alien 3 (1992) and Se7en (1995) through Fight Club, Zodiac and The Social Network to Mank (2020) and The Killer (2023). Mindhunter (2017 to 2019) is his Netflix series about the FBI's first criminal profilers.
- Titles
- 13
- Films
- 12
- Series
- 1
- Watch time
- 44 hours
- Box office
- $2.14 billion
- Avg IMDb
- 7.7
David Fincher movies in release order
Here is every David Fincher title in the order it came out, 1992 to 2023: 12 films and 1 series.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Alien 3 | 1992 | Film | 1h 54m | 6.7 |
| 2 | Se7en | 1995 | Film | 2h 7m | 8.6 |
| 3 | The Game | 1997 | Film | 2h 9m | 7.7 |
| 4 | Fight Club | 1999 | Film | 2h 19m | 8.8 |
| 5 | Panic Room | 2002 | Film | 1h 51m | 6.8 |
| 6 | Zodiac | 2007 | Film | 2h 37m | 7.7 |
| 7 | The Curious Case of Benjamin Button | 2008 | Film | 2h 46m | 7.8 |
| 8 | The Social Network | 2010 | Film | 2h 1m | 7.8 |
| 9 | The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo | 2011 | Film | 2h 38m | 7.8 |
| 10 | Gone Girl | 2014 | Film | 2h 29m | 8.1 |
| 11 | Mindhunter | 2017 | Series | 17h 11m | 8.6 |
| 12 | Mank | 2020 | Film | 2h 12m | 6.8 |
| 13 | The Killer | 2023 | Film | 1h 58m | 6.7 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
For David Fincher, release order and story order are the same thing: every film picks up after the one before it. There is no prequel to slot in early and no flashback to reshuffle, so the list above is the only order you need.
Where to start
Start with Alien 3 and go in release order.
The whole thing is 44 hours. At two hours a night that is about 23 evenings.
The three highest rated: Fight Club (8.8), Se7en (8.6), and Mindhunter (8.6).
Every David Fincher movie, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 1992 · Film · 1h 54m
Alien 3
After escaping with Newt and Hicks from the alien planet, Ripley crash lands on Fiorina 161, a prison planet and host to a correctional facility. Unfortunately, although Newt and Hicks do not survive the crash, a more unwelcome visitor does. The prison does not allow weapons of any kind, and with aid being a long time away, the prisoners must simply survive in any way they can.
Why it matters: Ripley on a prison planet.
- Starring
- Sigourney Weaver, Charles S. Dutton, and Charles Dance
- Director
- David Fincher
- Box office
- $160 million on a $50 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.7
No. 02 · 1995 · Film · 2h 7m
Se7en
Two homicide detectives are on a desperate hunt for a serial killer whose crimes are based on the "seven deadly sins" in this dark and haunting film that takes viewers from the tortured remains of one victim to the next. The seasoned Det. Somerset researches each sin in an effort to get inside the killer's mind, while his novice partner, Mills, scoffs at his efforts to unravel the case.
Why it matters: Freeman and Pitt hunt a killer working through the seven deadly sins.
- Starring
- Morgan Freeman, Brad Pitt, and Gwyneth Paltrow
- Director
- David Fincher
- Box office
- $327 million on a $33 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 8.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 84%
No. 03 · 1997 · Film · 2h 9m
The Game
In honor of his birthday, San Francisco banker Nicholas Van Orton, a financial genius and a cold-hearted loner, receives an unusual present from his younger brother, Conrad: a gift certificate to play a unique kind of game. In nary a nanosecond, Nicholas finds himself consumed by a dangerous set of ever-changing rules, unable to distinguish where the charade ends and reality begins.
Why it matters: Michael Douglas gets a birthday present that turns his life upside down.
- Starring
- Michael Douglas, Sean Penn, and Deborah Kara Unger
- Director
- David Fincher
- Box office
- $109 million on a $50 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 77%
No. 04 · 1999 · Film · 2h 19m
Fight Club
A ticking-time-bomb insomniac and a slippery soap salesman channel primal male aggression into a shocking new form of therapy. Their concept catches on, with underground "fight clubs" forming in every town, until an eccentric gets in the way and ignites an out-of-control spiral toward oblivion.
Why it matters: Edward Norton and Brad Pitt, from Chuck Palahniuk's novel, with a famous late twist.
- Starring
- Edward Norton, Brad Pitt, and Helena Bonham Carter
- Director
- David Fincher
- Box office
- $101 million on a $63 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 8.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 81%
No. 05 · 2002 · Film · 1h 51m
Panic Room
Trapped in their New York brownstone's panic room, a hidden chamber built as a sanctuary in the event of break-ins, newly divorced Meg Altman and her young daughter Sarah play a deadly game of cat-and-mouse with three intruders - Burnham, Raoul and Junior - during a brutal home invasion. But the room itself is the focal point because what the intruders really want is inside it.
Why it matters: A mother and daughter hide from burglars in a steel safe room, with Jodie Foster.
- Starring
- Jodie Foster, Kristen Stewart, and Forest Whitaker
- Director
- David Fincher
- Box office
- $197 million on a $48 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 76%
No. 06 · 2007 · Film · 2h 37m
Zodiac
Police conduct a manhunt for the Zodiac Killer, a serial killer who terrorized the San Francisco Bay Area during the late 1960s and early 1970s, taunting police with letters, bloodstained clothing, and ciphers mailed to newspapers.
Why it matters: The real hunt for the Zodiac Killer over two decades, told through obsessive investigators.
- Starring
- Jake Gyllenhaal, Mark Ruffalo, and Anthony Edwards
- Director
- David Fincher
- Box office
- $85 million on a $65 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 90%
No. 07 · 2008 · Film · 2h 46m
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button
Born under unusual circumstances, Benjamin Button springs into being as an elderly man in a New Orleans nursing home and ages in reverse. Twelve years after his birth, he meets Daisy, a child who flits in and out of his life as she grows up to be a dancer. Though he has all sorts of unusual adventures over the course of his life, it is his relationship with Daisy, and the hope that they will come together at the right time, that drives Benjamin forward.
Why it matters: Brad Pitt ages backwards across the 20th century in a New Orleans love story.
- Starring
- Brad Pitt, Cate Blanchett, and Taraji P. Henson
- Director
- David Fincher
- Box office
- $336 million on a $150 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 72%
No. 08 · 2010 · Film · 2h 1m
The Social Network
In 2003, Harvard undergrad and computer programmer Mark Zuckerberg begins work on a new concept that eventually turns into the global social network known as Facebook. Six years later, Mark is one of the youngest billionaires ever, but his unprecedented success leads to both personal and legal complications when he ends up on the receiving end of two lawsuits, one involving his former friend.
Why it matters: Aaron Sorkin's account of Facebook's founding and the lawsuits that followed.
- Starring
- Jesse Eisenberg, Andrew Garfield, and Armie Hammer
- Director
- David Fincher
- Box office
- $225 million on a $40 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 96%
No. 09 · 2011 · Film · 2h 38m
The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo
Disgraced journalist Mikael Blomkvist investigates the disappearance of a weary patriarch's niece from 40 years ago. He is aided by the pierced, tattooed, punk computer hacker named Lisbeth Salander. As they work together in the investigation, Blomkvist and Salander uncover immense corruption beyond anything they have ever imagined.
Why it matters: The American take on Stieg Larsson's novel, with Daniel Craig and Rooney Mara.
- Starring
- Daniel Craig, Rooney Mara, and Christopher Plummer
- Director
- David Fincher
- Box office
- $233 million on a $90 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 86%
No. 10 · 2014 · Film · 2h 29m
Gone Girl
With his wife's disappearance having become the focus of an intense media circus, a man sees the spotlight turned on him when it's suspected that he may not be innocent.
Why it matters: A wife vanishes and her husband becomes the suspect, from Gillian Flynn's novel.
- Starring
- Ben Affleck, Rosamund Pike, and Neil Patrick Harris
- Director
- David Fincher
- Box office
- $371 million on a $61 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 8.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 88%
No. 11 · 2017 · Series · 17h 11m
Mindhunter
An agent in the FBI's Elite Serial Crime Unit develops profiling techniques as he pursues notorious serial killers and rapists.
Why it matters: Netflix series, two seasons: FBI agents interview serial killers; ended unfinished.
- Starring
- Jonathan Groff, Holt McCallany, and Anna Torv
- Creator
- Joe Penhall
- Scores
- IMDb 8.6
- Episodes
- 19 across 2 seasons
No. 12 · 2020 · Film · 2h 12m
Mank
1930s Hollywood is reevaluated through the eyes of scathing social critic and alcoholic screenwriter Herman J. Mankiewicz as he races to finish the screenplay of Citizen Kane.
Why it matters: A black-and-white Netflix film about writing Citizen Kane, scripted by Fincher's father.
- Starring
- Gary Oldman, Amanda Seyfried, and Lily Collins
- Director
- David Fincher
- Box office
- $0 million on a $25 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 83%
No. 13 · 2023 · Film · 1h 58m
The Killer
After a fateful miss, an assassin battles his employers, and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn't personal.
Why it matters: Michael Fassbender as a precise hitman who misses once, a Netflix film.
- Starring
- Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, and Charles Parnell
- Director
- David Fincher
- Box office
- $0 million on a $175 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 85%
David Fincher box office and budgets
The 12 David Fincher films with reported numbers have grossed $2.14 billion worldwide on about $850 million in combined budgets, roughly 2.5 times what they cost. The biggest is Gone Girl at $371 million, 17% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by The Curious Case of Benjamin Button ($336 million) and Se7en ($327 million).
Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to Se7en, which made 9.9 times its $33 million budget. The weakest was The Killer at 0% of its $175 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.
The best and worst rated David Fincher movies
Across 13 rated titles, David Fincher averages 7.7 on IMDb. The top of the list is Fight Club at 8.8, then Se7en (8.6) and Mindhunter (8.6). At the bottom: The Killer (6.7) and Alien 3 (6.7). Money and quality don't line up perfectly: the highest grosser, Gone Girl, is only the 4th best rated.
- Fight Club8.8 · RT 81%
- Se7en8.6 · RT 84%
- Mindhunter8.6
- Gone Girl8.1 · RT 88%
- The Curious Case of Benjamin Button7.8 · RT 72%
- The Social Network7.8 · RT 96%
- The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo7.8 · RT 86%
- The Game7.7 · RT 77%
- Zodiac7.7 · RT 90%
- Panic Room6.8 · RT 76%
Who appears in the most David Fincher movies
Holt McCallany leads with 3 appearances as Junior and The Mechanic, ahead of Brad Pitt (3) and Andrew Kevin Walker (2). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Holt McCallany | Junior / The Mechanic | 3 | Alien 3 (1992) to Mindhunter (2017) |
| Brad Pitt | Mills / Tyler Durden | 3 | Se7en (1995) to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) |
| Andrew Kevin Walker | Dead Man at 1st Crime Scene / Sleepy Neighbor | 2 | Se7en (1995) to Panic Room (2002) |
| Endre Hules | Cab Driver / The Target | 2 | Se7en (1995) to The Killer (2023) |
| Jared Leto | Angel Face / Junior | 2 | Fight Club (1999) to Panic Room (2002) |
| Zach Grenier | Richard Chesler / Mel Nicolai | 2 | Fight Club (1999) to Zodiac (2007) |
| Elias Koteas | Jack Mulanax / Monsieur Gateau | 2 | Zodiac (2007) to The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) |
| Tilda Swinton | Elizabeth Abbott / The Expert | 2 | The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) to The Killer (2023) |
| Rooney Mara | Erica Albright / Lisbeth Salander | 2 | The Social Network (2010) to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011) |
| Arliss Howard | Louis B. Mayer / The Client - Claybourne | 2 | Mank (2020) to The Killer (2023) |
David Fincher directors and creators
2 filmmakers have directed or created David Fincher; David Fincher has the most, with 12.
- David FincherAlien 3 (1992), Se7en (1995), The Game (1997), Fight Club (1999), Panic Room (2002), Zodiac (2007), The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008), The Social Network (2010), The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo (2011), Gone Girl (2014), Mank (2020), and The Killer (2023)
- Joe PenhallMindhunter (2017)
How long it takes to watch every David Fincher movie
All 13 titles add up to 44 hours: 27 hours of film and 17 hours of series, counting every episode. That is about 23 two-hour evenings, or 5 days of ten-hour binges. The longest film is The Curious Case of Benjamin Button at 2h 46m.
The 4 best rated films: Fight Club, Se7en, Gone Girl, and The Curious Case of Benjamin Button.
Everything takes about 7 weeks.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Common questions
What order should I watch the David Fincher movies in?
David Fincher's films stand alone, so watch them in release order, from Alien 3 (1992) and Se7en (1995) through Fight Club, Zodiac and The Social Network to Mank (2020) and The Killer (2023). Mindhunter (2017 to 2019) is his Netflix series about the FBI's first criminal profilers.
How many David Fincher movies and shows are there?
There are 13 titles in the David Fincher franchise: 12 films and 1 series, released from 1992 to 2023.
How long does it take to watch all the David Fincher movies?
About 44 hours for all 13 titles, counting every episode.
What is the first David Fincher title in chronological order?
Alien 3, set in Fiorina 161. In release order the first is Alien 3 (1992).
What is the best David Fincher movie?
By IMDb score, Fight Club (1999) at 8.8, followed by Se7en at 8.6.
What is the highest-grossing David Fincher movie?
Gone Girl (2014), with $371 million worldwide. David Fincher films have made $2.14 billion in total.
Who has appeared in the most David Fincher movies?
Holt McCallany, in 3 of them as Junior.
What is the longest David Fincher movie?
The Curious Case of Benjamin Button, at 2h 46m.
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