Child’s Play is among the most enduring horror movie franchises of all time. The original film introduced us to Chucky in 1988, with the iconic slasher appearing in eight feature films since and, most recently, a TV series in 2021 – which returned for season 2 this October.
The franchise has evolved over the last 34 years, integrating more camp and comedy into its psychological thriller roots, though through its many iterations, its chronology has remained largely straightforward. With series newcomers in mind, the brief plot synopses below will be largely spoiler-free beyond broad plot points and character introductions.
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How Many Child’s Play and Chucky Movies are There?
There are eight feature films in the Child’s Play franchise, as well as two short films, and a TV series. There are no Child’s Play movies officially announced, though the SyFy/USA Network series that has returned for its second season this October .
The Child’s Play Movies in Chronological Order
1. Child’s Play (1988)
Where to watch: AMC+ (Stream), Amazon (Rent/Buy)
In late 1988 serial killer Charles Ray Lee (Brad Dourif) avoids death by transferring his soul into a red-headed, overall-clad doll, giving birth to Chucky and kicking off the Child’s Play saga. Karen Barclay (Catherine Hicks) purchases the doll for her son, Andy (Alex Vincent), who struggles to convince people of the doll’s true nature.
Read our Child’s Play review.
2. Child’s Play 2 (1990)
Where to watch: Peacock (Stream), Amazon (Rent/Buy)
Child’s Play 2 takes us to October 1990, two years after the events of the first movie. Play Pals, the company behind the Good Guy dolls that Charles Lee Ray possesses, unknowingly revives Chucky, who continues his murder spree. Andy returns from the first film and is once again tasked with convincing adults that there is a toy doll out for blood.
3. Child’s Play 3 (1991)
Where to watch: Peacock (Stream), Amazon (Rent/Buy)
Child’s Play 3 introduces the series’ first time jump, taking us to the late ’90s. Chucky returns as Play Pals once again brings back its line of Good Guy dolls, which once again brings back Charles Lee Ray. Chucky once again pursues his original owner, Andy, who’s now a teenager attempting to straighten his life out at military school. The teenage Andy is played by Justin Whalin, though original actor Alex Vincent reprises the role later in later films.
4. Bride of Chucky (1998)
Where to watch: Peacock (Stream), Amazon (Rent/Buy)
The series’ fourth film ditches the Child’s Play title for a renewed focus on the main attraction, Chucky. Set shortly after Child’s Play 3, Bride of Chucky introduces Jennifer Tilly’s Tiffany, who resurrects Chucky before joining him in doll form. The duo aims to become human again, enlisting the help of unsuspecting teens Jade (Katherine Heigl) and Jesse (Nick Stabile).
5. Seed of Chucky (2004)
Where to watch: Peacock (Stream), Amazon (Rent/Buy)
The majority of Seed of Chucky takes place in 2004, several years after Bride of Chucky, before concluding with an epilogue set in 2009. “Seed” is a reference to a new doll named Glen (Billy Boyd), the child of Chucky and Tiffany. Glen revives his parents in hopes of learning more about them but instead sets in motion a new set of murders. Glen and Chucky share mutual dismay — Glen over his father’s wickedness, Chucky over his son’s lack of it.
Read our Seed of Chucky review.
5a. Chucky’s Vacation Slides (2005)
Where to watch: YouTube (Stream)
Included with the home release of Seed of Chucky, Vacation Slides is a fun, inconsequential short film in which Chucky, Tiffany, and Glen share photos from and reflect on their family vacation — during which Chucky was secretly indulging his bloodlust. The short is well worth the quick watch with a runtime of three-and-a-half minutes.
6. Curse of Chucky (2013)
Where to watch: Peacock (Stream), Amazon (Rent/Buy)
Curse of Chucky was released nine years after Seed, though the narrative picks up only four years after Seed’s epilogue (and 25 years after the first movie). Chucky finds himself in a new home, tormenting Nica Pierce and her family. Notably, Nica is played by Fiona Dourif, the daughter of Chucky actor Brad Dourif. Curse is the franchise’s first direct-to-video movie.
Be sure to stick around for the post-credits scene!
Read our Curse of Chucky review.
6a. Chucky Invades (2013)
Where to watch: YouTube (Stream)
Following Curse, Chucky starred in a fun series of shorts titled Chucky Invades. The shorts saw the killer doll invading key scenes in four other horror movies: Drag Me to Hell, Mama, Psycho, and The Purge. They bear no consequence on the ongoing Child’s Play narrative.
7. Cult of Chucky (2017)
Where to watch: Peacock (Stream), Amazon (Rent/Buy)
Another direct-to-video installment, Cult of Chucky takes us to 2017, four years after Curse. It’s a homecoming of sorts for the franchise, as Cult unites several of the major players from the series history, including Alex Vincent’s Andy, Nica, Tiffany, and multiple Chuckys.
Read our Cult of Chucky review.
8. Chucky TV Series (2021)
Where to watch: Peacock (Stream), Amazon (Rent/Buy)
Chucky creator Don Mancini told IGN the series is set “two to three weeks” after Cult, which would place it in late 2017. While I hesitate to challenge the show’s creator, I’m near certain the Chucky series actually takes place in 2021. The most convincing piece of evidence is seen on a gravestone in Episode 3. The gravestone is for a character who dies in the first episode, and that gravestone lists a death date of October 19, 2021. (Screenshot can be seen here for those who don’t mind the spoiler.)
Brad Dourif, as well as many other actors from the film series, reprised their roles for the series, which unleashes Chucky’s mayhem on a small, idyllic town. The show also intersperses flashbacks to explore the childhood of Charles Ray Lee.
Read our Chucky: Season 1 review.
9. Child’s Play Reboot (2019)*
Where to watch: Amazon (Rent/Buy)
*Child’s Play (2019) is a reimagining of the original film. It exists within its own timeline, disconnected from the other stories on this list.
The reboot reimagines Chucky as a “smart doll” and ages Andy up to 13 (he was six in the original). Aubrey Plaza plays Andy’s mother, while Mark Hamill takes over as the voice of Chucky. If you’re only interested in catching up on the stories relevant to Chucky: Season 2, this movie can be skipped. If you’ve got the time, however, it’s worth watching for the final act alone.
Read our Child’s Play Reboot review.
How to Watch The Child’s Play Movies By Release Date
- Child’s Play (1988)
- Child’s Play 2 (1990)
- Child’s Play 3 (1991)
- Bride of Chucky (1998)
- Seed of Chucky (2004)
- Chucky’s Vacation Slides (2005 – short film)
- Chucky Invades (2013 – series of shorts)
- Curse of Chucky (2013)
- Cult of Chucky (2017)
- Child’s Play Reboot (2019)
- Chucky TV Show (2021)
Looking to go on a different chronological binge journey?
