The Critters franchise is one of horror’s most underrated properties – somewhere above Ghoulies and below Gremlins. Nevertheless, it’s imperative that genre fans watch the Critters movies in order. After all, they do form an impressive narrative, especially when regarding the original film series. It was later revived with two stand-alone projects, the straight-to-video venture Critters Attack! and a streaming series titled Critters: A New Binge. For those eager to get into the franchise, however, look no further then the list below.
The original four installments in the Critters film series include Critters (1986), Critters 2: The Main Course (1988), Critters 3 (1991), and Critters 4 (1992). The films were all released by New Line Cinema and alongside the likes of A Nightmare on Elm Street, became one of the studio’s most popular successes. Unlike Freddy Krueger, however, the titular critters – the Krites – were left dormant until 2019’s Critters: A New Binge. The single-season TV series was soon followed by another project the same year, Critters Attack!. One might even consider these two projects separate from the main canon, though Critters Attack! does include some references to the original series.
For now, we’ll take a look at the original continuity, and then create an additional chronological list for fans eager to watch the Critters movies in order including Critters Attack!. The timeline does get a little messy when including the fifth installment – but it’s certainly manageable. It’s also less complicated than the Puppet Master universe. Though as a friendly reminder, when looking at Critters: A New Binge, fans should look at that as a completely stand-alone endeavor.
Critters Movies in Order (Release)
- Critters (1986)
- Critters 2: The Main Course (1988)
- Critters 3 (1991)
- Critters 4 (1992)
- Critters Attack! (2019)
Critters Movies in Order (Original Continuity)
- Critters (1986)
- Critters 2: The Main Course (1988)
- Critters 3 (1991)
- Critters 4 (1992)
After the original continuity, however, things get mighty interesting. There’s a time gap between Critters 3 and Critters 4 that seems to span more than 50 years. It’s during this period that Critters Attack! seems to take place. While there are some concepts that don’t fit in with the original franchise, there is one character from the original four films that makes a sneaky return. In particular, Dee Wallace Stone reprises her role as Helen Brown from the original Critters. Due to rights issues, she appears as Aunt Dee, and there isn’t any explanation for what happened to her character between films. The commentary does suggest that her family has been murdered by Krites since the events of Critters 2: The Main Course. Additionally, upon closer inspection, fans will see Aunt Dee’s house has a photo from the set of the original Critters featuring Dee Wallace as Helen Brown with the rest of her family. It seems as though it really is a midquel even if the narrative doesn’t explicitly line up.
Critters Movies in Order (New Continuity)
- Critters (1986)
- Critters 2: The Main Course (1988)
- Critters 3 (1991)
- Critters Attack! (2019)
- Critters 4 (1992)
These lists give fans multiple ways to enjoy the franchise while also watching the Critters movies in order. Whether or not you include the short-lived miniseries Critters: A New Binge is optional, though it would probably be best to fit it just prior to Critters Attack! on either list. Otherwise, the original four movies make the most sense as a continuity, and fans would certainly find the most enjoyment in viewing them in release order. While there aren’t any additional plans to continue the Critters franchise following the separate releases of Critters Attack! and Critters: A New Binge, the potential for new stories is there, especially with fans always hungry for more. In the meantime, fans can keep themselves busy as they watch the original Critters movies in order – with or without the newer projects.
