It Movies: Release Order
Based on Stephen King's 1986 novel, these two theatrical films adapt the story of the Losers Club - a group of outcast kids who band together to fight Pennywise the Dancing Clown, a malevolent entity that feeds on fear and emerges every 27 years to terrorize the town of Derry, Maine. The first film focuses on the group as children in the 1980s, while the sequel follows them as adults returning to Derry nearly three decades later to confront the creature once more.
This release order watch list contains the 2017 and 2019 theatrical films directed by Andy Muschietti, which became massive commercial successes. The story was previously adapted as an excellent 1990 TV miniseries starring Tim Curry as Pennywise, and the theatrical films' universe has since expanded with the HBO series Welcome to Derry, which explores earlier cycles of It's reign of terror.
Linear Timeline: Release Order = Story Order
It
In a small Maine town, seven outcast children must confront their fears and face off against a malevolent entity that appears as a terrifying clown named Pennywise.
It: Chapter Two
Twenty-seven years later, the adult members of the Losers' Club are forced to return to their hometown of Derry when the evil entity Pennywise resurfaces to terrorize the town once again.
Other Film Series
Bryan Edgar Wallace
A series of German crime thrillers produced by CCC Filmkunst in the 1960s-70s, marketed under the name of Edgar Wallace's son Bryan, featuring standalone mysteries with gothic atmosphere and masked killers.
Friday the 13th
The murderous legacy of Crystal Lake and its iconic killer Jason Voorhees in this enduring slasher series.
Phantasm
A surreal horror franchise following young Mike Pearson and ice cream vendor Reggie in their ongoing battle against the interdimensional Tall Man and his deadly silver spheres.
Silent Hill
Horror films based on the acclaimed video game franchise, exploring the nightmarish town of Silent Hill through interconnected and standalone stories.
Texas Chainsaw Massacre
A horror franchise following the cannibalistic Sawyer family and their chainsaw-wielding member Leatherface across multiple timelines, reboots, and alternate continuities.
The Purge
A dystopian horror franchise set in an America where all crime is legal for 12 hours once a year during an annual event called The Purge.