How To Watch Insidious Movies In Order? (2024 Updated)

Written By Charles Eames
Last updated: November 24, 2022

Besides, Popular Horror franchises like Conjuring Universe, Friday the 13th, and A Nightmare on Elm Street, There is one more movie series that has been chilling down our spine for the last few years, and that’s “Insidious.”

The franchise’s first movie was released in 2010, followed by its sequel in 2013. The third and fourth installments were released in 2015 and 2018, respectively. All four movies are directed by James Wan, who is also the director of Conjuring Universe.

The first movie introduces us to the family of Josh Lambert, whose son Dalton gets possessed by a demon. To save their son, they take the help of paranormal investigator Elise Rainier.

The second movie is a prequel that tells the story of how Elise got into this business and what happened in her past that made her quit it.

The third movie is about a teenage girl named Quinn Brenner who goes to meet Elise to ask for help as a demon haunts her. The fourth movie is again a prequel that tells the story of Elise’s younger years and how she helped her brother when a demon possessed him.

The insidious Series is one of the best horror movie franchises in recent years. The movies are all connected to each other and tell one big story: the Lambert family, who fight with the Demons to save their son Dalton who is possessed by a spirit and has been trying to take over his body since he was a child.

List of Every Single Movie in The Franchise in Release Order

Insidious Movies In Order
  1. Insidious (I) (2010)
  2. Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)
  3. Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)
  4. Insidious: The Last Key (2018)

Insidious (I) (2010)

Insidious Movies In Order

Director: James Wan | Writers: Leigh Whannell | Stars: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, Lin Shaye | Country of origin: United States, Canada | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 1 hour and 43 minutes. | Release Date: April 01, 2011 | Language: The language is English. | Genres: The movie genres are horror, mystery, and thriller. | Filming Locations: Herald Examiner – 1111 S. Broadway, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA | Production Companies: Film District, Stage 6 Films, Alliance | Budget: The budget for the movie was $1.5 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $99 million.

The first movie was released in 2010 and told the Lambert family’s story. Josh, Renai, and their three young children live a happy life until Dalton, the eldest child, falls into a coma after an accident. As the family tries to cope with this tragedy, they begin to experience strange activities in their home.

After noticing that the activity seems to be centered around Dalton, they reach out to Elise Rainier for help. The movie was directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell. It starred Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Ty Simpkins, and Lin Shaye. The movie grossed $99 million on a $1.5 million budget and was well-received by critics.

The Lambert family shifts to a new house, and while Renai tries to arrange the place, she experiences some unusual activities but ignores them. One day, after Dalton falls from a ladder, he slips into a coma.

After multiple failed attempts to revive him, the family brings in some ghost hunters to check if their house is haunted. They find out that a demon has possessed Dalton, and they work to save him before it’s too late. 

After three months, Renai and Josh bring Dalton home from the hospital. That night, Dalton gets up from sleep and goes into the attic. Renai follows him and finds a door leading to an alternate world inhabited by malevolent beings. 

Upon learning that the house is cursed! They both decide to leave the house along with their three kids. But it’s too late, as the demon has already attached itself to Dalton and follows them wherever they go.

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Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)

Insidious Movies In Order

Director: James Wan | Writers: James Wan, Leigh Whannell | Stars: Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey, Lin Shaye | Country of origin: United States, Canada | Runtime: The runtime of the movie is 1 hour and 46 minutes. | Release Date: September 13, 2013 | Language: The language is English. | Genres: The movie genres are horror, mystery, and thriller. | Filming Locations: Linda Vista Hospital – 610 S. St. Louis Street, Los Angeles, California, USA | Production Companies: Film District, Stage 6 Films, Entertainment One | Budget: The budget for the movie was $5 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $161 million.

The second movie, released in 2013, is set before the first movie’s events. It focuses on Elise’s backstory and reveals how she got involved in the paranormal field. The movie also introduces us to Carl, Elise’s partner, and Specs and Tucker, her assistants.

The movie was again directed by James Wan and written by James Wan and Leigh Whannell. It starred Patrick Wilson, Rose Byrne, Barbara Hershey, and Lin Shaye. The movie grossed $161 million on a $5 million budget and was well-received by critics.

The movie starts with young Elise trying to help Lorraine protect Josh from a demon. She tells Josh that the demon is after him because he has a “gift.” In the present day, Renai is questioned by Detective Shaw about what happened in their house. 

Meanwhile, Quinn and Elise try to use astral projection to enter the Further in order to save Dalton from the demon. However, something goes wrong, and Elise gets stuck in The Further. Quinn manages to save Dalton but at the cost of her own life.

In the end, it is revealed that Josh is a demon and has been possessing people since he was a child. After killing Lorraine, he possesses Renai in order to kill Dalton. However, Elise uses astral projection to enter Josh’s body and exorcise the demon from him.

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Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)

Insidious Movies In Order

Director: Leigh Whannell | Writers: Leigh Whannell | Stars: Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, Angus Sampson, Leigh Whannell | Country of origin: United States, United Kingdom, Canada | Runtime: 1 hour and 37 minutes | Release Date: June 05, 2015, | Language: The language is English. | Genres: The movie genres are horror, mystery, and thriller. | Filming Locations: 929 South Broadway, Downtown, Los Angeles, California, USA | Production Companies: Gramercy Pictures (I), Entertainment One, Stage 6 Films | Budget: The budget for the movie was $10 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $112 million.

The third movie in the franchise was released in 2015. It follows a teenage girl named Quinn Brenner who goes to Elise for help after she starts being haunted by a demon. Elise is reluctant to take on the case, but she eventually agrees to help Quinn.

The movie was once again directed by James Wan and written by Leigh Whannell. It starred Dermot Mulroney, Stefanie Scott, Angus Sampson, and Leigh Whannell. The movie grossed $113 million on a $10 million budget and was well-received by critics.

After her mother’s death, Quinn is very disturbed and feels like her mother’s soul is still with her. So, she turns to Elise for help, who is now retired from being a ghost hunter. 

Elise initially refuses to help Quinn but later changes her mind when she realizes that the demon is after Quinn and not Dalton this time.

With the help of Specs and Tucker, they manage to save Quinn from the demon. However, in the process, Elise gets possessed by the demon.

Soon after the session, Quinn starts to experience some paranormal activities in her house. It is then revealed that the demon has attached itself to Quinn, not Elise. 

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Insidious: The Last Key (2018)

Insidious Movies In Order

Director: Adam Robitel | Writers: Leigh Whannell | Stars: Lin Shaye, Angus Sampson, Leigh Whannell, Caitlin Gerard | Country of origin: United States, Canada | Runtime: 1 hour and 43 minutes | Release Date: January 05, 2018, | Language: The language is English. | Genres: The movie genres are horror, mystery, and thriller. | Filming Locations: Santa Clarita, California, USA | Production Companies: Blumhouse Productions, Entertainment One, LStar Capital | Budget: The budget for the movie was $10 million. | Box Office: The film grossed $167 million.

The fourth movie, which was released in 2018, is another prequel that focuses on Elise’s younger years. The movie tells the story of how Elise helped her brother when a demon possessed him.

The movie was again directed by Adam Robitel and written by Leigh Whannell. It starred Lin Shaye, Angus Sampson, Leigh Whannell, and Caitlin Gerard. The movie grossed $167 million on a $10 million budget and was well-received by critics.

The movie sets in 1953, when Elise is in her childhood living in five keys with her family. One night, she hears someone coming into her room through the window. When she investigates, she finds a man with long nails trying to open the door. 

She gets disturbed by this and starts seeing visions of the man with long nails in her house. This causes her family to believe that she is possessed, and they ask Elise’s mother, Edna, to perform an exorcism on her.

However, Elise’s father believes that she is not possessed and tries to protect her from her mother. In the process, he gets killed by Edna, who then locks up Elise in the basement.

Elise manages to escape from the basement and runs into the man with long nails, who tells her that his name is Key face. He also tells her he is not there to hurt her and gives her a key that opens the door to The Further.

In the present day, Elise is called by her nephew, who tells her about the paranormal activities happening in their home. She then realizes that Keyface has returned and is after her family.

With the help of Specs, Tucker, and her ghost-hunting team, she enters The Further to face Key face. In the end, she defeats him and saves her family.

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Insidious Movies in order by IMDB Rating

MoviesRating on IMDB
Insidious (I) 6.8/10
Insidious: Chapter 2 6.6/10
Insidious: Chapter 3 6.1/10
Insidious: The Last Key 5.7/10

Insidious Movies In Chronological Order

Insidious Chapter 3 and The Last Key are prequels to the first two movies, so they can be watched in any order. But if you want to watch the movies in chronological order, then you should watch them in the following order:

  1. Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)
  2. Insidious: The Last Key (2018)
  3. Insidious (2010)
  4. Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)

Other Popular Horror Franchises In Watch Order

If you’re a fan of horror movies, then you might also enjoy some of these other popular franchises:

  • The Conjuring Universe Movies
  • Annabelle
  • The Nun
  • The Saw Franchise
  • The Scream Franchise
  • The Final Destination Franchise
  • The Texas Chainsaw Massacre Franchise
  • The Friday the 13th Franchise

FAQs

Are All of The Insidious Movies Part of The Same Series?

Yes, all of the movies are part of the same series. They follow the story of a family who is haunted by a demon that follows them wherever they go.

Do You Need To Watch Insidious Movies In Order?

No, you don’t need to watch the movies in order. However, if you want to understand the story better, then it is recommended that you watch them in order.

What Happened To Josh In Insidious 2?

In Insidious 2, it is revealed that Josh is a demon and has been possessing people since he was a child. He was the one who killed his mother and tried to kill his wife and son. In the end, he is exorcised by Elise and dies.

Is Insidious: Chapter 3 A True Story?

No, Insidious: Chapter 3 is not a true story. It is a work of fiction. However, the movie is inspired by real-life events that took place during the filming of the first two movies.

Are the insidious movies connected to the conjuring?

No, the insidious movies are not connected to the conjuring. They are two separate franchises. However, both franchises are based on real-life paranormal events.

What Is The Best Insidious Movie?

The best Insidious movie is subjective and depends on personal preference. However, the first movie is considered the best in the series. It is also the most successful movie in terms of box office earnings.

Where can I watch Insidious?

Right now, you can watch Insidious on Netflix or HBO Max. You can stream Insidious by renting or purchasing on Google Play, Vudu, iTunes, and Amazon Instant Video. You are able to stream Insidious for free on Pluto.

Conclusion

If you are one of those who loves horror films and you haven’t watched the Insidious series yet, then you are missing out on some great movies.

The Insidious movies are some of the best horror films in recent years and are definitely worth watching. So, if you haven’t seen them yet, make sure to check them out and see for yourself what all the hype is about.

In this article, we have provided you with a list of every Insidious movie in release order. We have also included some additional information about the movies, such as what they are about if they are connected to other franchises, and where you can watch them. We hope this article was helpful and that you enjoy watching the Insidious movies.

Charles Eames

Hey, My name is Charles Eames, I am a designer, filmmaker, and lover of photographic arts. And I usually write about movies, Famous/Influential People. I am running this blog with my girlfriend Bernice.

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