A Nightmare on Elm Street Franchise Timeline
Nine nightmares. One street that never sleeps.
Freddy Krueger moves through a mostly straightforward series before the franchise steps outside its own reality for a meta sequel and later starts over with a remake.
The cleanest first watch is theatrical release order. The labels below make the crossover, meta chapter, and remake easy to place.
The quick answer
Release order
- A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge (1985)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child (1989)
- Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)
- Wes Craven's New Nightmare (1994)
- Freddy vs. Jason (2003)
- A Nightmare on Elm Street (2010)
First time watching? Release order is the safest default. Chronology is shown only when it materially changes the route.
The complete timeline
A Nightmare on Elm Street
Teenagers on Elm Street discover that the same scarred killer is hunting them in their dreams.
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A Nightmare on Elm Street Part 2: Freddy's Revenge
A new family moves into the Elm Street house, where Freddy searches for a way into the waking world.
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A Nightmare on Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors
Nancy returns to help institutionalized teens fight Freddy by mastering their dream abilities.
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A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master
A reluctant dreamer inherits the power to challenge Freddy as his reach expands.
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A Nightmare on Elm Street: The Dream Child
Freddy exploits an unborn child's dreams to return and target a new group of victims.
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Freddy's Dead: The Final Nightmare
Freddy's past is exposed as the original continuity races toward its apparent ending.
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Wes Craven's New Nightmare
The actors and filmmakers confront an ancient force wearing the shape of Freddy.
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Freddy vs. Jason
Freddy manipulates Jason Voorhees into restoring fear on Elm Street, then loses control of him.
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A Nightmare on Elm Street
A darker remake restarts Freddy and Elm Street in a separate continuity.
Read entryThree side paths to know
Wes Craven's New Nightmare is a self-aware story outside the main continuity. Freddy vs. Jason is a crossover chapter after Freddy's Dead. The 2010 film is a full remake and begins its own continuity.
A Nightmare on Elm Street Frequently Asked Questions
How many Nightmare on Elm Street movies are there?
There are nine films, from the original A Nightmare on Elm Street (1984) through the 2010 remake, including the crossover Freddy vs. Jason (2003). A tenth film is now in early development at Paramount, based on Wes Craven’s original screenplay.
Where does Freddy vs. Jason fit?
It follows the ending of Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991), not Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, picking up years later with Freddy essentially powerless because Springwood’s residents have collectively forgotten him. He manipulates Jason Voorhees into killing on Elm Street specifically to reignite fear of his name, which is what pulls him back into the story.
Is New Nightmare part of the original story?
No. Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994) is a self-aware meta sequel in which the cast and crew of the original films confront an ancient evil that has taken on Freddy’s form in the real world. It exists outside the numbered continuity and is not required viewing for any other film in the series.
Do I need to watch the 2010 remake?
No. The 2010 film restarts Freddy and Elm Street in a separate continuity with new actors and a reworked backstory. It does not continue or require any of the previous films, and none of the numbered sequels reference it.
Is a new Nightmare on Elm Street movie coming?
Yes. Paramount Pictures confirmed in July 2026 that it secured the U.S. rights to Wes Craven’s original screenplay and is developing a new film set in the world of the 1984 original. No title, cast, or release date has been announced.