David Gordon Green’s Halloween Kills is the 12th entry in the long-running horror franchise, but how does it compare to the other Halloween movies? Here’s a ranking of every film, from worst to best, including Halloween Kills. The Halloween series turned 40 in 2018 – which is pretty impressive, considering creator John Carpenter never wanted a sequel. The original Halloween wasn’t the first slasher movie but it set a blueprint that would define the genre. A slew of low-budget, increasingly gory slasher movies came in its wake, including Friday The 13th and A Nightmare On Elm Street, and many of the archetypes in these movies could be traced back to Halloween; the POV from the killer’s perspective, the virginal heroine and the idea that sex, drink or drugs led to instant death.

Halloween’s effect on the horror landscape can’t be underestimated, with the John Carpenter horror movie soon receiving a sequel greenlight. Carpenter (reluctantly) penned and produced Halloween II, which picks up literal seconds from the end of the original. Halloween II wasn’t nearly as acclaimed but made a healthy profit. With Michael seemingly dead for good by the sequel’s ending, Carpenter attempted to turn the series into an anthology with 1982’s Halloween III: Season Of The Witch, but the audience’s rejection of a Myers-free entry put paid to that idea.

Michael was brought back for the aptly titled Halloween IV: The Return Of Michael Myers and the series has branched off in unpredictable and downright odd avenues ever since. Subsequent sequels would introduce ever more convoluted aspects to the lore, only for producers to periodically hit the reset button to wipe the slate clean. Halloween has so many timelines it’s possible to rank it by favorite continuities, let alone individual entries. David Gordon Green’s Halloween 2018 hit the retcon switch again and his sequel Halloween Kills continues Michael Myers’ latest killing spree. Let’s take a look at the entire Halloween saga, and rank them from worst to best.

12. Halloween: Resurrection (2002)

Fans of the Halloween franchise are an opinioned crowd and will defend even the lesser installments. That said, few – if any – can find much merit in Halloween: Resurrection. The movie is, simply put, atrocious; the script and concept are terrible, the characters utterly uninteresting, the suspense non-existent and it undoes the fantastic ending of Halloween H20. Jamie Lee Curtis is brought back for a contractually bound cameo in the opening to retcon H20’s ending before jumping ahead to a reality show that takes place in the Myers house.

The only thing worse than the opening ten minutes of the found footage inspired Halloween: Resurrection is the final 80, which follows a bunch of charmless idiots being bumped off by Michael. Halloween: Resurrection pretends to be making some kind of commentary on the nature of reality TV and the internet age, but it’s just a cynical, creatively bankrupt cash grab. The whole enterprise can be best summed up with the visual of Busta Rhymes kung-fu fighting with Michael Myers and beating him – twice – which may as well be a metaphor for Dimension’s treatment of the character during this era.

11. Halloween 5: The Revenge Of Michael Myers (1989)

Halloween IV was a franchise rejuvenating hit, so a sequel was immediately greenlit. Sadly, the slasher movie era was winding down at this time; part five came out the same year as A Nightmare On Elm Street 5 and Friday The 13th: Part VIII, and all three were notable financial and critical disappointments. While it can’t be redeemed to some fans, Halloween 5 suffered because it was a rushed production, being written, shot and edited less than a year after the last movie. This results in a bizarre sequel with lots of tonal oddities. While Jamie Lloyd is the nominal protagonist, the story jumps to different characters for long stretches, making for a strained rhythm.

The infamous Man in Black makes his introduction in a subplot that feels almost disconnected from the rest of the movie. While Michael has had to suffer some bad masks throughout the series, the one he’s afflicted with in Revenge is arguably the worst. It’s not all bad news. Donald Pleasence returns as Loomis and is a hammy delight, the movie has some interesting stylistic flourishes and an extended chase involving Jamie trapped in a laundry chute is one of the most intense setpieces of the sequels.

10. Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers (1995)

There was a big gap between Revenge and the cleverly subtitled Halloween: The Curse Of Michael Myers, which was a famously troubled production. The previous entry set up several mysteries Curse had to address – namely the Man in Black and the tattoo symbol he shared with Michael – in addition to luring back audiences burned by the last movie. The Curse Of Michael Myers thus seeks to answer the question of what made The Shape evil – an answer that encompasses an ancient Celtic cult and a star constellation. The whole explanation is ludicrous and was roundly rejected by fans.

The movie also opens with the needlessly graphic death of Jamie Lloyd, which sets an unpleasant tone for the rest of the story. Paul Rudd made his movie debut as hero Tommy Doyle, while Pleasence returns for the final time as Dr. Loomis. Halloween 6 – which briefly had Quentin Tarantino involved – has some atmospheric imagery, a couple of effective stalking sequences and the occasionally inventive murder. The convoluted storyline and nasty tone work against it, however, and it never once feels scary. The movie has a well-published alternate version dubbed The Producer’s Cut, but while some viewers favor it, there’s not much difference in quality aside from a noticeably lamer finale.

9. Halloween Kills (2021)

While David Gordon Green’s Halloween 2018 was greeted with some mixed responses, there’s little denying it was a huge success. Halloween Kills takes a cue from 1981’s Halloween 2 by picking up mere moments from the end of the previous movie, with Michael Myers escaping the inferno of Laurie Strode’s home and starting a new rampage. While the sequel gathers together returning cast and characters and doesn’t skim on gore, Halloween Kills is, sadly, a mess. Even by the modest standards of the slasher genre or even 1978’s original Halloween, the Halloween Kills story is almost non-existent. The movie’s tone veers from goofy comedy to on the nose social commentary and overly harsh violence. Bloodshed is a genre staple, but some of the kills here feel needlessly sadistic.

Green and his screenwriters are seemingly making up for the lack of any real narrative drive with distractions like a larger than usual body count or lots of nostalgic callbacks, but it all feels hollow. What’s worse is that series icon Jamie Lee Curtis spends Halloween Kills largely sidelined from the action. The performances are mostly fine – with newcomers Anthony Michael Hall and Robert Longstreet making the biggest impression – but many of the actors are underserved by thinly developed roles. If nothing else, Halloween Kills still displays Michael Myers going after his targets like a relentless force of nature, but both the slasher and the cast surrounding him deserved better than this somewhat tiring outing.

8. Halloween (2007)

Series fans had been bitterly disappointed by Halloween: Resurrection before Rob Zombie’s remake, but since the filmmaker had recently directed the acclaimed The Devil’s Rejects, a fresh take on Michael seemed like it had potential. Zombie is a director very much inspired by the raw grittiness of ’70s cinema like The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, and his style is a total 180-degree turn from the measured pacing of Carpenter’s original. Zombie reimagines the backstory of Michael, who was raised in an abusive house and begins hurting animals as an outlet for his rage. His impulses soon turn to murder, and the film charts his gradual slip from Michael Myers into The Shape.

This first half is the strongest, but while the performances are mostly good and the violence effectively brutal, the crass, over-the-top dialogue and “edgy” tone are jarring. Several cameos from genre luminaries feel somewhat forced too. The second half is basically the original movie played on fast forward, replaying many of the key beats and iconic moments (with an appearance from original Jamie Lloyd actor, Danielle Harris). Zombie feels a little disconnected during these sequences but springs back to life when coloring outside the lines. Zombie’s Halloween has flashes of greatness but it feels like he would rather have made a Texas Chainsaw reboot than a Halloween movie.

7. Halloween II (2009)

Rob Zombie’s movies in the Halloween saga are probably the most divisive among the fanbase. Some will defend them to the death as brave reinventions of the Michael Myers mythology, where others find them abrasive and unpleasant. The truth probably falls somewhere in-between; Zombie brings a unique style and tone and while his ambition can’t be faulted, it’s the execution that’s problematic. Zombie’s first Halloween was met with polarized critical and audience responses, but while he once vowed Halloween would be a once-off for him, he returned for a sequel when promised greater creative freedom.

This results in him gleefully ripping up the rulebook; Michael is seen unmasked and even speaks, Dr. Loomis (Malcolm McDowell) has turned into an amoral jerk and it ends on a staggeringly bleak note. Rob Zombie’s brutal Halloween 2 is plagued with issues, from unlikeable characters, an odd structure and tonal experiments that don’t quite work. That said it also has some beautiful imagery, great performances – especially from Brad Dourif’s put-upon Sheriff Brackett – a fantastic opening chase in a deserted hospital and it’s completely unpredictable. The movie is ultimately an ambitious mess, but regardless of how it panned out, it remains one of the most unique Halloween outings.

6. Halloween H20: 20 Years Later (1998)

Jamie Lee Curtis was the instigator of Halloween H20; once she realized the 20th anniversary of Halloween was coming up, she got in touch with Carpenter and Debra Hill in hopes of reuniting on a new sequel to explore what happened to Laurie Strode after the original, but eventually, she was the only returnee. H20 was developed following the smash success of Scream, so the script was infused with much of the same meta self-awareness. Director Steve Miner’s Halloween H20: 20 Years Later picks up with Laurie having faked her death and gone into hiding. She works as the headmistress at a private school and is an overprotective mother to John (Josh Hartnett).

The sequel is at its best when exploring Laurie’s psyche, where she’s struggling to hide her alcoholism and overcome the sneaking fear her brother will return. When he inevitably does, it leads to a great final act where she grabs an ax and decides to end her nightmare once and for all. Needless to say, Curtis is great and bolstered by an impressive young cast that includes a young Michelle Willaims and Joseph Gordon-Levitt. Unfortunately, everything surrounding Laurie’s story is generic teen stalk and slash fare, and suffers from some badly dated meta-humor. Still, Halloween H20 – which has surprise Scream 3 connections – is a lean tale with enough positives to recommend it. The final scene would have been a perfect ending to the original series – had greedy producers not decided to go back on it later with Resurrection.

5. Halloween (2018)

Anticipation and anxiety greeted the announcement of David Gordon Green’s Halloween. Having Green direct, Blumhouse producing and bringing back both Curtis and Carpenter ticked many boxes for devotees, but other elements were cause for alarm. Some were upset the project would retcon the other sequels out of existence, and descriptions made it seem like a slavish fan movie than a fresh take, with the storyline bearing resemblance to Curtis’ previous comeback H20. Thankfully, Halloween 2018 largely proved an entertaining sequel. Green and Danny McBride’s script balances suspense, drama and humor wonderfully, and the cast – especially Curtis’ haunted Laurie – do great work.

While Halloween 2018 and its retcons are clearly the work of fanboys, including there’s an extended one-take prowl through Haddonfield littered with Halloween II easter eggs, it largely plays like its own movie. Green’s sequel is welcoming to fans and newcomers alike, and the decision to drop the convoluted mythology and focus on Laurie and her family dealing with the literal monster in their closet is a welcome, back-to-basics approach. It also did the impossible by making Michael scary again, a feat that once seemed impossible.

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

Halloween IV was made in the run-up to the 10th anniversary of the original. With rival slashers like Jason and Freddy were still floating in box-office revenue, bringing Michael back was a no-brainer, but Carpenter and Debra Hill departed, feeling there was nothing fresh to say. Curtis had retired her Scream Queen crown following Halloween II, so Halloween IV – which nearly made Michael a ghost – jumps ahead a decade to reveal Laurie Strode passed away in a car crash and that she has a young daughter named Jamie. Just like David Gordon Green’s 2018 movie, Halloween IV: The Return Of Michael Myers was an attempt to go back to basics. The story opens with the reveal both Michael and Dr. Loomis somehow survived the inferno at the end of part two, but upon learning he has a niece the comatose Michael springs back to life.

While Halloween IV has sprinkles of gore, it does a nice job building suspense and getting to know the characters first, and some of the setpieces – like a chase through an empty school and on a rooftop – are effectively staged. Jamie makes for a sympathetic heroine and Harris really commits to the role. Halloween IV’s long production delay ultimately just resulted in a xerox of the original, but thanks to game performances and well-staged action, it makes for an entertaining sequel. The opening credits are an atmospheric delight, and it closes on one of the most shocking notes of the entire saga.

3. Halloween II (1981)

The success of the slasher movie boom that greeted Halloween led producers to think that was still gold to be mined from the concept, so a sequel was requested. Carpenter felt there was no more story following the original, but accepted a deal to write and oversee the production. By his own admission, it was a painful script to write, and the somewhat controversial reveal Laurie Strode is the sister of Michael Myers was an attempt to inject something unexpected. Halloween II picks up where the original left off, with Laurie being wheeled to a hospital and Dr. Loomis (Donald Pleasence) continuing his hunt for Michael.

New director Rick Rosenthal brought back much of the same crew in an attempt to make a seamless transition between the two and watched back to back the effect is impressive. While the movie isn’t nearly as sleek as its predecessor, Halloween II features some creepy sequences, another great soundtrack and a committed turn by Pleasence. Unfortunately, Curtis spends most of her screentime confined to a bed and drugged up, but the final half-hour is an effective cat and mouse chase between her and Michael through the eerily quiet hospital. The sibling twist is effectively handled, though providing Michael with a motive does undermine his aura somewhat.

2. Halloween III: Season Of The Witch (1982)

After Carpenter rejected his original idea for Halloween II, the sequel proved not to be a fun project for the filmmaker, who had to take over editing and reshoots when it wasn’t proving scary enough. The movie ended with Michael burned to a crisp so no more could be made, but the studio requested a sequel regardless. Carpenter and Hill used this as a chance to experiment, planning to turn the series into an annual anthology centered around the holiday. This resulted in Halloween III: Season Of The Witch, where a doctor uncovers a conspiracy in a small town by a local toymaker. There’s no denying Halloween III is a strange movie; the storyline doesn’t make much sense, it’s a mix of slasher, corporate satire and folk horror, while the hero is a sleazy, alcoholic doctor who skips out on spending time with his children to hit on the daughter of his murdered patient.

Despite this, Halloween 3 still developed a cult following for being an eerie treat, featuring several disturbing setpieces, a fantastic score by Carpenter and incorporating the history of the celebration itself into the story. Halloween III also features the maddeningly catchy Silver Shamrock theme, which becomes a literal signal of madness by the time the credits roll. Season Of The Witch was a dud financially, with fans and critics baffled by the lack of Michael (hence his return in Halloween IV). Despite once being considered the black sheep of the series, it’s now considered a great standalone horror tale.

1. Halloween (1978)

Halloween started life as The Babysitter Murders, a low-budget cheapie about a killer stalking babysitters. Carpenter was hired to write and direct, with the producer later having the brainwave to set it on Halloween. Looking back on the production it appears a lot of its most acclaimed elements were happy accidents; the William Shatner mask that became Michael Myers’ face was brought for cheap in a store, Jamie Lee Curtis auditioned for the lead and just happened to be the daughter of Janet Leigh, star of Psycho, and so on.

Looking at Halloween that way is to underestimate the talent of the crew, however. Working on a tiny budget and a tight schedule, they were able to craft a perfect suspense machine. From the shocking opening to the measured pace, haunting music and prowling camera work, Halloween sets viewers on edge throughout. Viewed through modern eyes the movie can seem cliched and predictable, but it’s important to remember Halloween created the formula others slavishly followed. Halloween wasn’t an instant success, but word of mouth propelled it to become one of the highest-grossing independent movies of all time. It launched Carpenter’s career, turned Jamie Lee Curtis into a horror movie Scream Queen and made Michael Myers a cinematic icon; sadly, Halloween Kills failed to recapture what made it work so perfectly.

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