The Scary Movie franchise brought a horrifyingly hilarious twist to the parody movie genre. What started as a cult classic has since spawned five iconic movies with a sixth on the way.
Whether you’re looking to revisit these parody classics or dive in for the first time, here’s your complete guide to how to watch the Scary Movie franchise in order. Plus, see how audiences stack up each of the movies from best to worst!
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What Makes ‘Scary Movie’ Special?
Scary Movie helped revive the parody genre in the early 2000s by taking aim at the biggest horror movies and pop culture moments of the era. Slapstick comedy, raunchy humor and countless pop culture references have defined these films, helping to carve out a niche in cinema history.
The ‘Scary Movie’ Films in Order
Wondering how to watch the full Scary Movie franchise? Here’s your guide.
‘Scary Movie’ (2000)
Rating: R
Runtime: 1 hour 28 minutes
Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans
Starring: Ana Faris, Regina Hall, Marlon Wayans, Shawn Wayans, Carmen Electra
IMDb Rating: 6.3/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 51%
The film that started it all. The story follows a group of teenagers who are stalked by a hilariously incompetent masked killer after they accidentally kill someone and attempt to cover it up. Scary Movie takes its plot cues from ’90s horror hits Scream and I Know What You Did Last Summer.
A blend of horror, slapstick comedy, slasher and mystery genres, the Wayans also sneak in hilarious nods to Halloween, The Shining, Friday the 13th, The Usual Suspects, The Sixth Sense, The Blair Witch Project, The Matrix and Buffy the Vampire Slayer.
‘Scary Movie 2’ (2001)
Rating: R
Runtime: 1 hour 23 minutes
Director: Keenen Ivory Wayans
Starring: Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Shawn Wayans, Marlon Wayans, Tim Curry
IMDb Rating: 5.4/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 13%
The film picks up with the same characters from the original film, who, trying to put the crazy last year behind them, are tricked by a perverted professor into spending the night in a haunted mansion. Then, of course, things get scary.
Scary Movie 2 takes on a supernatural element, but once again incorporates parodies of classic horror films like The Haunting, Stigmata, The Exorcist, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, The Amityville Horror, Poltergeist, The Legend of Hell House, House on Haunted Hill, The Changeling, What Lies Beneath and Bloodbath at the House of Death.
‘Scary Movie 3’ (2003)
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 1 hour 24 minutes
Director: David Zucker
Starring: Anna Faris, Anthony Anderson, Kevin Hart, Leslie Nielsen, Regina Hall, Charlie Sheen
IMDb Rating: 5.6/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 35%
Now a local reporter, Cindy Campbell investigates mysterious crop circles, a cursed video tape and an underground rap battle, all while helping the President prevent an alien invasion.
Scary Movie 3 brought in parody legend David Zucker who directed Airplane! and The Naked Gun franchise to film the third movie in the series. It dialed back the raunchiness but still found plenty of room to parody Signs, The Ring, The Matrix Reloaded and 8 Mile.
‘Scary Movie 4’ (2006)
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 1 hour 23 minutes
Director: David Zucker
Starring: Anna Faris, Regina Hall, Anthony Anderson, Carmen Electra, Shaquille O’Neal, Kevin Hart, Bill Pullman, Chris Elliott
IMDb Rating: 5.1/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 34%
Scary Movie 4 finds Cindy Campbell in over her head once again when she finds a little boy haunting her new house. In order to free him of this curse, she goes on a quest to solve his mysterious murder.
Scary Movie 4 features classic moments from pop culture such as Tom Cruise freaking out on the Oprah Winfrey Show and parodies War of the Worlds, The Grudge, Brokeback Mountain, Million Dollar Baby, The Village and the Saw series.
‘Scary Movie 5’ (2013)
Rating: PG-13
Runtime: 1 hour 26 minutes
Director: David Zucker
Starring: Ashley Tisdale, Simon Rex, Erica Ash, Terry Crews, Heather Locklear, Jerry O’Connell, Snoop Dogg, Molly Shannon
IMDb Rating: 3.6/10 | Rotten Tomatoes: 4%
After a seven-year gap, the franchise returned with its fifth installment. Scary Movie 5 took direct aim at the Paranormal Activity films that popped in popularity.
Scary Movie 5 parodies Mama, Paranormal Activity, Sinister, Evil Dead, Inception, Black Swan and Rise of the Planet of the Apes.
‘Scary Movie’ Movies Ranked
The Scary Movie franchise has never been about critical acclaim – but when it comes to laughs, parodies and pure nostalgia, fans definitely have their favorites. Using Rotten Tomatoes audience scores as our guide (since critics have never exactly been kind to these spoofs), here’s how the five films stack up from best to worst:
- Scary Movie 3 – 54%
- Scary Movie 2 – 52%
- Scary Movie 4 – 51%
- Scary Movie – 43%
- Scary Movie 5 – 38%
While the numbers are close, it’s clear that the middle entries struck the best balance between satire and chaos – at least in audiences’ minds.
What’s Next for the Scary Movie franchise?
Scary Movie 6 is scheduled for release in 2026. Even better news? The Wayans brothers are returning to helm the project, and original cast members are expected to reprise their roles.
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Frequently Asked Questions
Is there going to be a new 'Scary Movie'?
'Scary Movie 6' is expected to release sometime in 2026.
How many 'Scary Movie' movies are there?
As of 2025, there are 5 Scary Movie films.
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