10 Best Slasher Movie Franchises, Ranked

Slashers ruled Hollywood in the 80s predominantly as compared to other genres. However, towards the 90s, it started wearing off thin. But those classic American slasher movies have their place in the hearts of horror fans.

Slasher is a subgenre of horror films that involves killer on the murder spree hunting a group of people, usually attacking them with bladed tools.

It was mildly started establishing in the 60s with movies like Peeping Tom (1960) and Psycho ( 1960) as psychological horror.

Then there were masked killers, spilling blood, brutal decapitations and whatnot which made the experience horrified and gore, hence popular.

The year between 1978 to 1984 has been a peak year for the slasher genre, can be considered as the ‘golden age’ of slasher movies.

Maybe not everyone agrees on that but it was my favorite considering the consistency of all films in the franchise. On that note, here are 10 Best slasher movies that we loved.

10. Candyman

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It is arguable but Candyman was the best of 90s horror cinema and one of the best amongst slasher movie franchises as well.

You will love this movie, a tale of this spectral killer with a hook for a hand that appears at the spot to anyone who takes his name five times in a mirror. It was the horror urban legend with the great origin story.

It was horrifying, heartbreaking and offered a unique form of horror slasher when you compare to those classic ones.

9. The Texas Chainsaw Massacre

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Well, some critical horror fans might expect this franchise much down the list. I too consider this one of the masterpieces in horror filmmaking.

The original in the franchise was the poster boy for the low budget filmmaking doing so great. The comeback sequel from the director Tobe Hooper was also impressive with further reboots.

However, the quality slid down towards the increasing number of reboots and sequels with this franchise. It still is one of the most entertaining horror slasher franchises.

8. Wrong Turn

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Wrong Turn might not appear to be classical slasher movies as compared to others. But it surely has its own place amongst one of the most gore and violent movies.

You do feel some cheesy performances and dragged sequences. All those gruesome effects, blood, guts and carnage stuff covers for it.

So all in one it manages to remind as good slasher movie franchise, especially considering all movies in the series.

7. Final Destination

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These movies become quite a household in early 90s when the first Final Destination movie was released. People were blown away with the concept and how all the movies in the franchise carried out the plot very gracefully.

The deaths were scary, caught our mind to see details even in real life.  After the late sequel ‘ Final Destination 5’, fans were invested even more in the series and surely looking forward to more movies to come.

6. Child’s Play

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Just when you think, things can’t get more whacky in the slasher genre, a movie about possessed dolls comes in.

Those witty one-liners from Chucky and gruesome deaths were the highlight of the movies.

Chuck is a movie about a deranged killer getting his soul possessing a toy doll creating who wants to kill a young boy to get his body, so he can come back into life.

A lot of cinemagoers might not love Seed of Chucky much but we think it was entertaining and all madness, certainly a must-watch.

5. Saw

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This was an intelligent horror slasher movie ever, especially how all movies are connected to each other.

This was one of those movies where you want to see what’s happening in the movie but can’t really look.

Characters are screaming, crying and cutting own body parts and spilling blood to survive was terrifying to watch, and so cool at the same time.

There are tons of plot twists and stylistic choices for representation along with non-linear narratives in the franchise made it more than a slasher movie.

4. Scream

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The Scream movie franchise is a treat for all horror movie fans, especially how meta the movie can get.

Wes Craven is a genius for me creating such impeccable horror plots and characters which come cult in the slasher cinema.

The first in the series was terrifying and more in serious tone whereas the sequels kept moving on parody and meta effect on their theme. According to critics and cinemagoers, Scream does fall in the quality tunnel towards the trilogy.

It won’t be wrong to say that the Scream movie franchise was made by horror slasher fans for horror slasher fans. Scream sets up great mix-up of post-modernism, horror cliches and satires in one package.

3. Halloween

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Halloween was the critically-praised seminal slasher movie franchise which becomes one of the cult classics of Hollywood.

Halloween franchise stands tall amongst the other original slasher movies. We did noticed some degradation of quality in the narrative with increasing sequels, and that happens with most of the franchise.

Then, the only fans or audience can decide whether they are accepting it or not.

2. Friday The 13th

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You do not love slasher movies unless you love Friday The 13th. It is actually said to be the best American slasher movie franchise ever.

However, we are putting this franchise to the second position.You will know why is that in the next section.

Being a fan, you know when the trademark Jason appears with his iconic avatar that is in hockey mask not appear until Part 3.

The quality of movies never went too steep with this franchise. But for us, this one does get lost in-between movies. But undeniably, It is also the most successful slasher movie franchise of all time.

1. A Nightmare on Elm Street

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And, finally, the best slasher franchise as per our list is – A Nightmare on Elm Street. We know! This one, for some horror or slasher fans can be a difficult to digest!

Because you might be expecting Friday the 13th here or perhaps Halloween or even Saw for that matter, but not this over-the-top sometime cheesy slasher.

But you have to admit, the initial movies in this franchise scared kids or teens generations, making even sleeping horrifying. There was indeed some inconsistency in quality over the movies.

But overall, for us, there were just too much fun in this one. It is in fact what’s really great about slasher, all blood, cheesiness, crazy psychopathic villains and whatnot.

Freddy Krueger was the best about the franchise. This is certainly the show to be marathoned the whole franchise.

Well, except the reboot, every original movie in the Franchise was awesome in their own way. The credit needed to be given to the makers of the movie about how they break the monotony of repeating the same plot or pattern about Freddy killing a teenager in their nightmare and then they beating him.

Also, just like Scream, this franchise also went complete meta. Remember, Wes Craven’s New Nightmare, it was the most meta stuff you will ever see in movies. Freddy vs Jason was the cherry on the cake for all slasher movie fans.

The crossover between Nightmare on Elm Street and Friday The 13th featured the fight between two horror legends Freddy Krueger and Jason.

Some spice-up of goofiness, sarcasm and hilarious one-liners from Freddy made it so amazing to watch. And that line-  remember?  “Whatever You Do, Do Not Fall Asleep” That what scared the most at that time.

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