The Human Centipede Franchise Timeline
Three sequences. Three realities. One idea escalating through fiction.
The Human Centipede trilogy is connected through metafiction rather than one continuous set of characters: each sequel treats the previous film or films as movies inside its own world.
Release order is the natural route because each new antagonist reacts to what has already appeared on screen, even though every film tells a standalone story.
The quick answer
First time watching? Release order is the safest default. Chronology is shown only when it materially changes the route.
The complete timeline
The Human Centipede (First Sequence)
A surgeon’s experiment becomes the fiction that inspires both later films.
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The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence)
A viewer obsessed with First Sequence tries to reproduce its fictional experiment.
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The Human Centipede 3 (Final Sequence)
A prison administrator treats both earlier films as a blueprint for escalation.
Read entryEach sequel watches the previous film
Full Sequence takes place in a world where First Sequence is a movie. Final Sequence then treats both earlier films as movies, creating three separate realities linked by imitation rather than a conventional continuing plot.
The Human Centipede Frequently Asked Questions
How many movies are in the Human Centipede franchise?
There are three films: The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009), The Human Centipede 2 (Full Sequence) (2011), and The Human Centipede 3 (Final Sequence) (2015). All three were written and directed by Tom Six.
What order should I watch the Human Centipede movies in?
Release order. The trilogy is not serialized in a traditional sense, each film works as a standalone story, so watching them as they came out is the simplest and most common approach.
Are the Human Centipede movies actually connected to each other?
Yes, but not the way most sequels connect. Each sequel treats the previous film or films as a movie that exists within its own story, and its villain becomes obsessed with recreating what they saw on screen. Full Sequence's antagonist is inspired by watching First Sequence as a movie, and Final Sequence references the first two as films within its world.
Do I need to watch First Sequence before Full Sequence?
Not strictly. Full Sequence's plot works even without having seen the original, since its antagonist's obsession with the first film is explained within the story itself. Watching First Sequence first adds context for what he is replicating, but it is not required to follow the plot.
Does each sequel really have more people in the centipede than the last?
Yes. The number of people surgically connected increases with each film, three in First Sequence, twelve in Full Sequence, and around 500 in Final Sequence, an escalation the franchise treats as one of its defining features.
Is there a fourth Human Centipede movie planned?
Not currently. Writer-director Tom Six has said a fourth installment is unlikely, though he has left the door open to revisiting the concept at some point. Nothing has been announced.