While there have been some fantastic trilogies in movie history, it’s hard to pick out the best. A lot of them have two great entries and one that somewhat misses the mark, bringing down their overall score. Others might be a case where one of the installments just doesn’t line up too well with what came before or after it. That’s especially true in the horror genre, where so many franchises last longer than you’d expect and quality tends to dip after a while.
When looking for the best trilogies among horror series, you have to consider smaller trilogies that lie within long-running franchises. Maybe it’s the three best films out of 10 entries, maybe it’s three that were directed by the same person and share a clear vision, or maybe it’s something else entirely. From modern franchises to legitimate classics, the horror genre has an intriguing blend of quality trilogies. Some focus on the supernatural, others are slashers, and a few blend subgenres well.
These horror trilogies feature unseen entities, serial killers, zombies, aliens, mad men, witches, and more. Some are terrifying from start to finish, while others can make you laugh just as much as they scare you.
10
Paranormal Activity 1-3 (2007-2011)
Since its popularity has waned over the years, it seems like people forget just how big the Paranormal Activity franchise was at one point. The first installment grossed nearly $200 million on a budget of under $500,000 and became a cultural phenomenon. It told a simple yet frightening found footage story of a supernatural presence that haunts a couple in their home.
It felt oddly realistic and scared audiences all over the world. The sequel, which expanded the lore, was another commercial hit, though it was a mixed bag with critics. Paranormal Activity 3 was seen as a step up in quality, though it felt a bit different as it was a prequel. Later installments were far below the first three, though.
9
David Gordon Green’s Halloween (2018-2022)
The Halloween franchise has a confusing and convoluted timeline. Over its history, some films connect with others while others don’t cross over at all. David Gordon Green took over as director as the series got a reboot in 2018, though he opted to make his film a sequel to the original from 1978.
2018’s Halloween is one of the best slasher movies ever made, picking up 40 years later and doing some intriguing things with the iconic characters. Critics weren’t too pleased with the follow-up, Halloween Kills, though it features Michael Myers at his most imposing. What holds this back from ranking higher is Halloween Ends, which opted to go a different route that disappointed fans around the world.
8
Saw I-III (2004-2006)
In a lot of ways, 2004’s Saw works best as a great standalone film. Since it made a ton of money though, it spawned an entire franchise that kind of dominated the Halloween season every year. It started with Saw, which saw the Jigsaw Killer trap two men in a room and test their will to live. Having an incredible twist ending only makes it better.
The sequel, Saw II, is seen by many as the best in the franchise, thanks to creative traps, another great twist, and more of Tobin Bell as Jigsaw. Alas, Saw III does start to bring in major issues in terms of plot holes and such, yet it still manages to complete a solid trilogy. Later films, sans Saw X, never really lived up to these.
7
The Conjuring 1-3 (2013-2021)
The Conjuring, which is based on the lives of paranormal investigators Ed and Lorraine Warren, got off to a better start as a trilogy than most franchises. The first installment is as chilling as it gets, going down as one of the best modern horror movies.
The Conjuring 2 continued that trend, delivering some of the scariest scenes of its era and receiving widespread acclaim from critics and moviegoers alike. They’re good enough that even a bad third film would allow it to make this list. While The Conjuring: The Devil Made Me Do It isn’t exactly bad, it isn’t nearly as good as the first two. The same goes for the eventual fourth entry.
6
Fear Street Trilogy (2021)
It’s rare to get an entire trilogy in the course of one year, yet the Fear Street movies on Netflix were designed with that in mind. Loosely based on R.L. Stine’s book series of the same name, it’s also a unique film series because it blends genres and pays homage to classic horror projects.
Part one takes place in 1994 and centers on a killer terrorizing a town. Part two goes back to 1978 to tell an earlier tale of a killing spree that takes place at a summer camp. Then part three takes it all the way to 1666 to give us the tale of witchcraft that set up these murders. It’s inventive, creative, and great.
5
Scream 1-3 (1996-2000)
The Scream franchise revitalized the slasher genre in the ’90s. The opening scene of the original is one of the best sequences in horror history, while the rest of the film is also fantastic. It delivered a legitimately great horror movie while also playing on the tropes of the genre.
Scream 2 and Scream 3 continued that trend, though with less success. Scream 2 is quite good, yet it’s just hard to live up to what the first one did and also isn’t quite as campy. Scream 3 goes even more meta and has goofy elements that fans love, though the story lacks a bit. Together, it’s all a great ride.
4
A Quiet Place Trilogy (2018-2024)
It’s interesting to see how many people known for their comedic chops have transitioned into horror so well. Jordan Peele might be the most notable example, yet John Krasinski is right up there with him. The Office star directed A Quiet Place, which takes place in a world overrun by aliens who are blind, yet have an acute sense of hearing.
Though he also stars in the first film, the movie hinges on the performance of Emily Blunt, while A Quiet Place Part II is Millicent Simmonds’ time to shine. Both movies are fantastic, while the prequel, A Quiet Place: Day One (not directed by Krasinski) is also tremendous.
3
X Trilogy (2022-2025)
From seemingly out of nowhere, Ti West came out with a pretty incredible horror trilogy over the span of a few years. X started things, focusing on a group that goes to a Texas property to shoot an adult film, only to find out that the elderly owners are homicidal. Boosted by strong performances from Mia Goth (in dual roles) and Jenna Ortega, X was a hit.
Later that same year, we got Pearl, which tells the origin story of the elderly killer woman, featuring an Oscar-worthy performance by Mia Goth. In the eyes of many, it’s the best installment. Maxxxine wraps things up, focusing on Goth’s younger character. It’s not as good as the first two, yet still caps a great trilogy.
2
George A. Romero’s Dead Trilogy (1968-1985)
When it comes to zombies, no name is more prominent than George A. Romero. His trilogy began with Night of the Living Dead, which is as iconic as it gets, and popularized zombies in pop culture. It was also incredibly well received by critics and holds up well over 50 years later.
Romero followed the movie up a decade later with Dawn of the Dead, which also has a Rotten Tomatoes score over 90%. Not many horror movies can match that combination. The third entry, Day of the Dead, was another solid film and while it’s not as good as the first two, is still pretty good.
1
Evil Dead Trilogy (1981-1992)
The Evil Dead trilogy is an interesting one. The first installment, from 1981, is revolutionary for the way it maximized its minuscule budget and used practical effects masterfully. It has gone down as one of the best horror films in history. Evil Dead II hits a lot of the same beats as the first, yet that works.
Evil Dead II is beloved, helped make Bruce Campbell’s Ash into a horror icon, and added doses of comedy. Army of Darkness mostly ditches the horror in favor of laughs, yet it’s another brilliant movie. These projects are Sam Raimi at his best and the franchise still runs today, mostly back in the realm of horror over laughs.