Scanners Movies: Release Order

1981 - 19955 Films8h 7m2.8 Average

The Scanners franchise began with David Cronenberg's 1981 sci-fi horror film about individuals with powerful telepathic and telekinetic abilities. The series explores themes of mind control, corporate manipulation, and the dark side of psychic power through visceral body horror and psychological tension.

This complete watch order includes all five films in the franchise, from Cronenberg's original masterpiece through the lower-budget sequels of the 1990s. While the later films don't match the artistic achievement of the original, they expand the Scanners universe across two distinct storylines: the main trilogy and the Scanner Cop spin-off films.

There are 2 other watch orders available – see the links up above.

Linear Timeline: Release Order = Story Order

1
Scanners poster

Scanners

19811h 43m3.8
Director: David Cronenberg
Cast: Jennifer O'Neill, Stephen Lack, Patrick McGoohan, Lawrence Dane, Michael Ironside

A man with dangerous telepathic abilities discovers he's part of a group called "scanners" who possess similar psychic powers. When a rogue faction of scanners plots world domination, he must join the fight to stop them.

Science FictionHorror
2
Scanners II: The New Order poster

Scanners II: The New Order

19911h 40m2.5
Director: Christian Duguay
Cast: David Hewlett, Deborah Raffin, Yvan Ponton, Isabelle Mejias, Tom Butler

A corrupt police commander recruits telepathic humans known as scanners to help him seize control of the city in this sci-fi thriller sequel.

HorrorScience FictionAction
3
Scanners III: The Takeover poster

Scanners III: The Takeover

19921h 35m1.9
Director: Christian Duguay
Cast: Liliana Głąbczyńska, Valérie Valois, Steve Parrish, Colin Fox, Daniel Pilon

A young woman with telepathic scanner abilities becomes dangerously unstable after experimenting with her father's mind-altering drugs.

HorrorScience FictionAction
4
Scanner Cop poster

Scanner Cop

19941h 34m3
Director: Pierre David
Cast: Daniel Quinn, Darlanne Fluegel, Richard Grove, Mark Rolston, Richard Lynch

A rookie police officer with telepathic scanning abilities must use his unique powers to stop a mad scientist who is using mind control to murder fellow cops.

Science FictionHorrorAction
5
Scanner Cop II poster

Scanner Cop II

19951h 35m2.7
Director: Steve Barnett
Cast: Daniel Quinn, Patrick Kilpatrick, Khrystyne Haje, Stephen Mendel, Robert Forster

A Scanner cop must come out of retirement to stop a ruthless psychic villain who is draining the life force from other Scanners to increase his own power.

Science FictionHorrorAction