Nightmare on Elm Street is arguably one of the most iconic horror franchises in cinema history. I mean, who hasn’t been haunted at night by images of Freddy Krueger shifting in the shadows, the dim light of a flickering bulb glinting off his bladed fingers until – WHAM! He’s suddenly upon you!
It’s literally the stuff of nightmares, and for the residents of Elm Street, it’s all too real.
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Nightmare on Elm Street debuted in 1984, and its wild popularity spurred a plethora of sequels, spinoffs and even a remake. Some are good, some are great; some should have never made it to the theater.
Here’s the full list of Nightmare on Elm Street movies ranked from worst to best.
Freddy’s Dead: The Final Nightmare (1991)
Freddy Krueger returns yet again in the sixth installment of the Nightmare on Elm Street franchise. The monster has succeeded in killing all the children in his hometown, but now he wants to take his hunting elsewhere.
Krueger tries to escape Elm Street and recruits his daughter for help. But after discovering the demonic origin of her father’s powers, the two face in an epic showdown.
A Nightmare On Elm Street 5: The Dream Child (1989)
Alice survived the murderous rampage of Freddy Krueger only to have the deadly dreams start up once again. An in effort to be “born again” into the real world, Krueger haunts Alice through the mind of her unborn child. There’s only one way Alice can defeat Krueger: freeing the spirit of his dead mother. But the clock is ticking and time is quickly running out for both Alice and her unborn child.
A Nightmare On Elm Street (2010)
More than 15 years after the original, A Nightmare on Elm Street got rebooted. The finger-bladed demon hunts down and kills his victims in familiar fashion, seeking vengeance for his own death.
A Nightmare On Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
Freddy Krueger is at it again in the first sequel to the original A Nightmare on Elm Street. The Demon on Elm Street isn’t finished with his murdering yet, and seeks to possess a teenage boy to continue his blood-filled killing spree. The only way to vanquish the demon is to overcome the one emotion Krueger evokes the most: fear.
A Nightmare On Elm Street 4: The Dream Master (1988)
The Dream Warriors may have thought they defeated Freddy Krueger for good, but they quickly realize they are far from safe. After tracking down and killing the three surviving Elm Street children, Krueger continues his hunt, but is met by a powerful psychic with the ability to pull others into her dreams. What the psychic doesn’t know, however, is that Krueger is trying to use her power to pull a new group of children into his demonic domain.
Freddy Vs. Jason (2003)
Freddy Krueger and Jason Voorhees join forces and the body count quickly piles up. After resurrecting Voorhees, Krueger sets him loose to terrorize the townsfolk. With each kill, Krueger grows stronger. But when it becomes clear Voorhees isn’t going to step aside, the two killers end up fighting each other.
Wes Craven’s New Nightmare (1994)
The Demon of Elm Street finally succeeds in crossing over to the real world. Freddy Krueger sets his sights Heather Langenkamp, calling her on the phone and then murdering her husband. Langenkamp comes to the realization the only way to defeat Krueger for good is to become Nancy Thompson once again.
A Nightmare On Elm Street 3: Dream Warriors (1987)
Freddy Krueger loves taking over children’s dreams, but in this movie his victims learn how to fight back. Nancy Thompson is now an adult and works as a psychiatrist specializing in dream therapy when she meets a group of children combatting the same demon she once fought herself.
One of the children, Kristen, unlocks the power to draw other people into her dreams, giving them special abilities within the nightmare world. With their combined efforts, they face off against the terrifying demon in an effort to lay his spirit to rest for good.
A Nightmare On Elm Street (1984)
The original and by far the best, A Nightmare on Elm Street introduces a cruel and terrifying demon from another realm who kills his victims in their dreams. The children of Elm Street are tormented by the finger-bladed monster, who picks them off in their sleep one by one.
This classic horror film has stood the test of time and introduces incredibly memorable characters like Freddy Krueger and Nancy Thompson. But unlike most horror films where the victims flee from danger, these kids take the fight right to Krueger.
Which A Nightmare on Elm Street movie is your favorite?
