Phantasm is one of horror’s most surreal and complex franchises – albeit not so much as something like Puppet Master – though it still makes it all the more important to know how to watch the Phantasm movies in order. Don Coscarelli directed the original four installments of the series, beginning with 1979’s masterpiece Phantasm, while David Hartman brought things to a close with 2016’s Phantasm: Ravager.
The journey between Phantasm and Phantasm: Ravager was a wild one, with numerous projects falling apart before they had the opportunity to get off the ground. Still, though, Coscarelli and his team persevered and still managed to gift horror fans with a total of five out-of-this-world installments that beautifully blend horror, sci-fi, and comedy with a surprising amount of drama.
The key element that makes Phantasm work so well is that they feature a recurring group of characters beginning with Mike Pearson, his older brother Jody, and their friend Reggie. Now fans can view the timeline below to see how to watch the Phantasm movies in order:
Phantasm Movies in Order (Release)
- Phantasm (1979)
- Phantasm II (1988)
- Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead (1994)
- Phantasm IV: Oblivion (1998)
- Phantasm: Ravager (2016)
Fortunately, the release order is also the chronological order for this series. Newcomers watching the Phantasm movies in order will already have quite the surreal viewing ahead of them – so that does make things easier. It is worth noting that Phantasm IV: Oblivion does have some prequel elements, as fans will get to see the mysterious origins of Angus Scrimm’s antagonist character The Tall Man. There were also quite a few years between most installments in the series. This can create some jarring narrative choices, but given the surreal nature of the films, the time gaps don’t conflict too much with the overall story. They do a good job at keeping everything tied together unlike Sleepaway Camp and other long-running horror franchises.
Fans should know, however, that A. Michael Baldwin did not return for Phantasm II. The film jumps forward in time and replaces Baldwin with James LeGros. While fans could accept that LeGros is simply how Mike looks as an adult, Phantasm III: Lord of the Dead brought back A. Michael Baldwin who proceeded to play the role in all of its sequels. Other cast members, including Reggie Bannister as Reggie and Bill Thornbury as Jody, continue to reprise their roles throughout the series.
One downside is that Coscarelli rarely had the opportunity to create the sequels he wanted to give to fans. For example, there were plans for a much bigger fourth film, but Phantasm IV: Oblivion had to be made instead due to a lack of funds. Coscarelli hoped that it would be enough to get a bigger fifth film greenlit instead, but that never happened either, and fans suspected a fifth film would never get off the ground at all. Fortunately, digital technology advanced and made new Phantasm stories possible, so Coscarelli paired up with David Hartman to do a Phantasm web series. Ultimately they decided to cut the footage into a feature film instead, and thus Phantasm: Ravager was created.
Sadly, the death of Angus Scrimm just prior to the release of Phantasm: Ravager seems to have made any future films unlikely if not impossible altogether. Coscarelli has made efforts to keep the franchise alive with a new literary addition instead. His book PHICTION: Tales from the World of Phantasm provides a series of short stories set all throughout the franchise’s chronology. With literary prequels, midquels, and sequels revolving around the franchise’s biggest characters and even those that were only on screen in minor parts, the collection has become a crown jewel for Phantasm fans. If watching the Phantasm movies in order isn’t enough, then PHICTION: Tales from the World of Phantasm will definitely be the perfect follow-up to any marathon. If you enjoyed this guide, check out our viewing order for The Howling and its sequels.
