The Purge has been delighting viewers for over a decade with its unique horror premise. The dystopian horror series examines what would happen if, every year, the United States held a “Purge,” in which all crime, including murder, is legal for 12 hours. Director James DeMonaco is developing a sixth installment in the film series, although it is currently untitled and without a release date. Newcomers to the franchise can use our guide to find out where and how to watch The Purge movies in order before the sixth movie premieres.
The franchise started in 2013 with the premiere of The Purge. In the film, a political party called the New Founding Fathers of America (NFFA) rises to power, establishing a totalitarian government and passing a law calling for an annual Purge, claiming it decreases crime for the rest of the year. In the film, wealthy couple James (Ethan Hawke) and Mary Sandin (Lena Headey) prepare to hunker down with their children to wait out the Purge in their home with a state-of-the-art security system. However, Purgers disrupt the Sandins’ plans when they descend on their home.
Given its violence, unique premise, and political undertones, The Purge was a huge box-office hit and quickly spawned a sequel, The Purge: Anarchy. One year after the first film's events, things heat up as another Purge begins, but faces opposition from a group of resistance fighters. The film also introduces fan-favorite Leo Barnes (Frank Grillo), whose initial revenge mission takes a turn when he saves two women and begins learning the truth about the Purge and resistance.
By the second sequel, The Purge: Election Year, the political commentary becomes more overt as the NFFA changes the rules of the Purge to take out Senator Charlene Roan (Elizabeth Mitchell), who is running for President and threatens the Purge’s existence. Roan struggles to survive during the Purge with the help of Barnes, who is now her head of security. With The Purge: Election Year, the franchise morphed into a violent, thoughtful political thriller that maintained its success streak at the box office.
The franchise delved into new territory after the third movie, bringing viewers back in time with the prequel movie The First Purge, which follows the NFFA’s first experimental Purge. Additionally, the franchise’s first TV series, The Purge, premiered in 2018. However, the franchise soon returned to the present with The Forever Purge, which takes place eight years after The Purge: Election Year. The movie sees the migrant couple Adela (Ana de la Reguera), and Juan (Tenoch Huerta) struggle for survival after a group of Forever Purgers carry on their massacre after the Purge ends.
Although The Forever Purge was intended to be the final film in the series, director DeMonaco agreed to continue the story with a sixth installment. It will see Grillo’s return as Barnes, and rumors suggest it will explore a worldwide Purge.
How to watch The Purge franchise in order
The Purge movies and TV shows always openly establish their timeline. In the Purge universe, the first Purge takes place in 2014, and the franchise has tracked its history up to 2048. Viewers wanting to track the Purge’s 34-year-old history from the beginning can follow the chronological order below:
- The First Purge
- The Purge
- The Purge: Anarchy
- The Purge Seasons 1 - 2
- The Purge: Election Year
- The Forever Purge
Where to watch The Purge movies online
See our list below for the release date order of the franchise and where to stream The Purge movies and TV shows in the U.S.!
