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.
- Titles
- 9
- Films
- 9
- Watch time
- 14 hours
- Box office
- $490 million
- Avg IMDb
- 5.9
Nightmare on Elm Street movies in release order
Here is every Nightmare on Elm Street title in the order it came out, 1984 to 2010: 9 films. Optional entries are marked; you can skip them on a first watch.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Nightmare on Elm Street | 1984 | Film | 1h 31m | 7.4 |
| 2 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge | 1985 | Film | 1h 27m | 5.5 |
| 3 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors | 1987 | Film | 1h 36m | 6.7 |
| 4 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master | 1988 | Film | 1h 33m | 5.6 |
| 5 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child | 1989 | Film | 1h 29m | 5.6 |
| 6 | Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare | 1991 | Film | 1h 29m | 4.7 |
| 7 | Wes Craven's New Nightmare | 1994 | Film | 1h 52m | 6.4 |
| 8 | Freddy vs. Jason optional | 2003 | Film | 1h 37m | 5.8 |
| 9 | A Nightmare on Elm Street | 2010 | Film | 1h 35m | 5.2 |
Nightmare on Elm Street timeline: movies in chronological order
The same titles in story order, by when they take place, with the year or era each one is set in.
| # | Title | Set in | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | A Nightmare on Elm Street | Springwood, 1981 | 1984 |
| 2 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge | Five years later | 1985 |
| 3 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors | Westin Hills | 1987 |
| 4 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master | Springwood | 1988 |
| 5 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child | Springwood | 1989 |
| 6 | Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare | Ten years later | 1991 |
| 7 | Freddy vs. Jason | Springwood & Crystal Lake | 2003 |
| 8 | Wes Craven's New Nightmare | Los Angeles, 1994 | 1994 |
| 9 | A Nightmare on Elm Street | Springwood | 2010 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
Release order and story order disagree on 2 titles here. In release order you start with A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984); in story order you start with A Nightmare on Elm Street, set in Springwood, 1981.
First time through, watch in release order. That is how the twists, returning characters and callbacks were built to land, and later entries assume you have seen the earlier ones. On a rewatch, try story order. It turns A Nightmare on Elm Street into one continuous story and makes the prequels play as setup instead of backstory.
A Nightmare on Elm Street also runs 2 separate continuities: New Nightmare and The 2010 remake. Each has its own line on the timeline, so you can watch them on their own without breaking the main story.
Where to start
Start with A Nightmare on Elm Street and go in release order, skipping the 1 optional titles on the first pass.
The essentials are 8 titles and about 13 hours, 11% less than the full run.
The three highest rated: A Nightmare on Elm Street (7.4), A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (6.7), and Wes Craven's New Nightmare (6.4).
Every Nightmare on Elm Street 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 · 1984 · Film · 1h 31m
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Teenagers in a small town are dropping like flies, apparently in the grip of mass hysteria causing their suicides. A cop's daughter, Nancy Thompson, traces the cause to child molester Fred Krueger, who was burned alive by angry parents many years before. Krueger has now come back in the dreams of his killers' children, claiming their lives as his revenge. Nancy and her boyfriend, Glen, must devise a plan to lure the monster out of the realm of nightmares and into the real world...
Why it matters: Wes Craven's original; the place to start.
- Starring
- Heather Langenkamp, Johnny Depp, and Robert Englund
- Director
- Wes Craven
- Box office
- $57 million on a $2 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 93%
No. 02 · 1985 · Film · 1h 27m
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge
A teenage boy is haunted in his dreams by deceased child murderer Freddy Krueger, who is out to possess him in order to continue his reign of terror in the real world.
Why it matters: Freddy tries to possess a teenager.
- Starring
- Mark Patton, Kim Myers, and Robert Rusler
- Director
- Jack Sholder
- Box office
- $30 million on a $3 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.5 · Rotten Tomatoes 49%
No. 03 · 1987 · Film · 1h 36m
A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
A psychiatrist, familiar with the knife-wielding dream demon Freddy Krueger, helps teens at a mental hospital battle the killer who is invading their dreams.
Why it matters: Nancy returns to help the last Elm Street kids; a fan favourite.
- Starring
- Heather Langenkamp, Craig Wasson, and Patricia Arquette
- Director
- Chuck Russell
- Box office
- $45 million on a $4 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 69%
No. 04 · 1988 · Film · 1h 33m
A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
Freddy Krueger returns once again to terrorize the dreams of the remaining Dream Warriors, as well as those of a young woman who may be able to defeat him for good.
Why it matters: Alice inherits the dream powers.
- Starring
- Robert Englund, Rodney Eastman, and Danny Hassel
- Director
- Renny Harlin
- Box office
- $49 million on a $7 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 56%
No. 05 · 1989 · Film · 1h 29m
A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child
The pregnant Alice finds Freddy Krueger striking through the sleeping mind of her unborn child, hoping to be reborn into the real world.
Why it matters: Freddy reaches Alice's unborn child.
- Starring
- Lisa Wilcox, Robert Englund, and Erika Anderson
- Director
- Stephen Hopkins
- Box office
- $22 million on a $8 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 32%
No. 06 · 1991 · Film · 1h 29m
Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Just when you thought it was safe to sleep, Freddy Krueger returns in this sixth installment of the Nightmare on Elm Street films, as psychologist Maggie Burroughs, tormented by recurring nightmares, meets a patient with the same horrific dreams. Their quest for answers leads to a certain house on Elm Street -- where the nightmares become reality.
Why it matters: Freddy's backstory and his supposed end.
- Starring
- Lisa Zane, Robert Englund, and Shon Greenblatt
- Director
- Rachel Talalay
- Box office
- $35 million on a $10 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 4.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 23%
No. 07 · 1994 · Film · 1h 52m · 8th in story order
Wes Craven's New Nightmare
A demonic force has chosen Freddy Krueger as its portal to the real world. Can Heather Langenkamp play the part of Nancy one last time and trap the evil trying to enter our world?
Why it matters: A meta story in which Freddy haunts the cast and crew.
- Starring
- Heather Langenkamp, Robert Englund, and Miko Hughes
- Director
- Wes Craven
- Box office
- $20 million on a $8 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 76%
No. 08 · 2003 · Film · 1h 37m · 7th in story order · optional
Freddy vs. Jason
Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees return to terrorize the teenagers of Elm Street. Only this time, they're out to get each other, too.
Why it matters: The crossover with Friday the 13th.
- Starring
- Robert Englund, Ken Kirzinger, and Monica Keena
- Director
- Ronny Yu
- Box office
- $117 million on a $30 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 42%
No. 09 · 2010 · Film · 1h 35m
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Teenagers Nancy, Quentin, Kris, Jesse and Dean are all neighborhood friends who begin having the same dream of a horribly disfigured man who wears a tattered sweater and a glove made of knives. The man terrorizes them in their dreams, and the only escape is to wake up. But when, one by one, they start dying violently, the friends realize that what happens in the dream world is real, and the only way to stay alive is to stay awake.
Why it matters: A remake in its own continuity.
- Starring
- Rooney Mara, Kyle Gallner, and Jackie Earle Haley
- Director
- Samuel Bayer
- Box office
- $116 million on a $35 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 14%
Nightmare on Elm Street box office and budgets
The 9 Nightmare on Elm Street films with reported numbers have grossed $490 million worldwide on about $107 million in combined budgets, roughly 4.6 times what they cost. The biggest is Freddy vs. Jason at $117 million, 24% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by A Nightmare on Elm Street ($116 million) and A Nightmare on Elm Street ($57 million).
Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to A Nightmare on Elm Street, which made 32 times its $2 million budget. The weakest was Wes Craven's New Nightmare at 2.5 times its $8 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 Nightmare on Elm Street movies
Across 9 rated titles, A Nightmare on Elm Street averages 5.9 on IMDb. The top of the list is A Nightmare on Elm Street at 7.4, then A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (6.7) and Wes Craven's New Nightmare (6.4). At the bottom: Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (4.7) and A Nightmare on Elm Street (5.2). Money and quality don't line up perfectly: the highest grosser, Freddy vs. Jason, is only the 4th best rated.
- A Nightmare on Elm Street7.4 · RT 93%
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors6.7 · RT 69%
- Wes Craven's New Nightmare6.4 · RT 76%
- Freddy vs. Jason5.8 · RT 42%
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master5.6 · RT 56%
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child5.6 · RT 32%
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge5.5 · RT 49%
- A Nightmare on Elm Street5.2 · RT 14%
- Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare4.7 · RT 23%
Who appears in the most Nightmare on Elm Street movies
Robert Englund leads with 8 appearances as Fred Krueger and Freddy Krueger, ahead of Heather Langenkamp (3) and John Saxon (3). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Robert Englund | Fred Krueger / Freddy Krueger | 8 | A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) to Freddy vs. Jason (2003) |
| Heather Langenkamp | Nancy Thompson / Heather Langenkamp | 3 | A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) to Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994) |
| John Saxon | Lt. Thompson / Thompson | 3 | A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) to Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994) |
| Johnny Depp | Glen Lantz / Teen on TV | 2 | A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) to Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991) |
| Ken Sagoes | Kincaid | 2 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) to A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) |
| Rodney Eastman | Joey | 2 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987) to A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) |
| Danny Hassel | Dan / Dan Jordan | 2 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) to A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989) |
| Lisa Wilcox | Alice / Alice Johnson | 2 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) to A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989) |
| Nicholas Mele | Johnson / Dennis Johnson | 2 | A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988) to A Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989) |
Nightmare on Elm Street directors and creators
8 filmmakers have directed or created A Nightmare on Elm Street; Wes Craven has the most, with 2.
- Wes CravenA Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) and Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)
- Jack SholderA Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
- Chuck RussellA Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
- Renny HarlinA Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
- Stephen HopkinsA Nightmare on Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)
- Rachel TalalayFreddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)
- Ronny YuFreddy vs. Jason (2003)
- Samuel BayerA Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
How long it takes to watch every Nightmare on Elm Street movie
All 9 titles add up to 14 hours. That is about 8 two-hour evenings, or 2 days of ten-hour binges. The essentials cut it to 13 hours. The longest film is Wes Craven's New Nightmare at 1h 52m.
The 4 best rated films: A Nightmare on Elm Street, A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors, Wes Craven's New Nightmare, and Freddy vs. Jason.
Everything takes about 3 weeks; the essentials about 2 weeks.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Which Nightmare on Elm Street movies can you skip?
1 title can go without losing the main story. They are side stories, spin-offs or entries the later films ignore. Dropping them saves 2 hours.
- Freddy vs. Jason2003 · Film · 1h 37m · optionalThe crossover with Friday the 13th.
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.
What is the best Nightmare on Elm Street movie?
By IMDb score, A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) at 7.4, followed by A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors at 6.7.
What is the highest-grossing Nightmare on Elm Street movie?
Freddy vs. Jason (2003), with $117 million worldwide. A Nightmare on Elm Street films have made $490 million in total.
Who has appeared in the most Nightmare on Elm Street movies?
Robert Englund, in 8 of them as Fred Krueger.
What is the longest Nightmare on Elm Street movie?
Wes Craven's New Nightmare, at 1h 52m.
Keep reading
RecapNightmare on Elm Street recap: the story so far9 titles recapped
Skip guideWhat can you skip in Game of Thrones?2 titles you can skip
RecapChainsaw Man recap: the story so far2 titles recapped
Watch order guideHow to watch the One Piece movies in order8 titles · 498 hours
Skip guideWhich Star Wars movies can you skip?5 titles you can skip
Watch order guideHow to watch the Star Trek movies in order26 titles · 735 hours