Prom Night Movies in Order & How Many Are There
Prom Night is a horror film franchise that has been popular among fans of the slasher genre for decades. Centered around events at the fictional Hamilton High School, the series is known for its iconic masked killer and supernatural themes. Over the years, Prom Night has become a cult classic with a devoted following, inspiring new generations of horror movie fans.
If you are new to the Prom Night series or simply need a refresher, it can be helpful to understand the order of the films and how many there are. From the original 1980 film to the 2008 reboot, the series has seen several entries, each with its unique storyline and memorable characters. So, whether you are a die-hard fan or simply curious about the series, keep reading to learn more about the Prom Night movies in order and how many there are.
How many Prom Night movies are there?
The Prom Night film franchise comprises five feature films, each with a distinct storyline and characters. Here are the five movies in the Prom Night series, listed in chronological order:
- Prom Night (1980)
- Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987)
- Prom Night III: The Last Kiss (1990)
- Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil (1992)
- Prom Night (2008)
From the original slasher film to the supernatural-themed sequels and the modern reboot, the Prom Night series has something to offer for horror movie fans of all tastes. Whether you are a longtime fan of the series or are just discovering it for the first time, each movie in the franchise is sure to deliver the thrills and chills that the Prom Night series is known for.
Prom Night movies in order
The best way to watch Prom Night movies is to follow them in order by the release date. Still, as they are not all connected, in this part, we will let you know what each movie is about, then do you need to watch them in order and will there be more Prom Night movies in the future.
Prom Night (1980)
In the first Prom Night film, a group of children unintentionally causes the death of a young girl named Robin during a game. The children vow to keep the incident a secret, and a sex offender is later blamed for Robin’s death. Six years later, Robin’s sister Kim and her twin brother Alex are preparing to attend their high school prom at Hamilton High School, which happens to fall on the anniversary of Robin’s death. The school principal, also Kim’s father, becomes fearful when the sex offender escapes from a psychiatric facility the day before the prom.
On the day of the prom, Wendy, Jude, Kelly, and Nick, involved in Robin’s death, receive obscene phone calls, and during the dance, Jude, Kelly, and Wendy are murdered in brutal ways by a killer wearing a ski mask. Meanwhile, Kim and Nick are crowned prom queen and king, but a bully named Lou takes Nick’s crown. The killer, mistaking Lou for Nick, beheads him on stage, causing chaos among the prom attendees. Nick and Kim then fight with the killer, and Nick manages to hit him with an axe. Kim follows the killer outside and unmasks him, revealing him to be Alex seeking revenge against those responsible for Robin’s death. Alex dies in Kim’s arms.
Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II (1987)
In the sequel to Prom Night, called Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II, the story centers around Vicki Carpenter, a teenager preparing for the senior prom at Hamilton High in 1987. While searching for a dress in the school’s costume room, Vicki discovers a trunk of items belonging to Mary Lou Maloney, who was killed in a prank gone wrong while being crowned prom queen in 1957. Vicki decides to wear Mary Lou’s dress, which leads to Mary Lou’s vengeful spirit possessing Vicki and killing several of Vicki’s friends.
Mary Lou continues to manipulate those around her, including seducing Vicki’s father and killing her mother. At the prom, Vicki attends with her boyfriend Craig, whose father was Mary Lou’s boyfriend and responsible for the prank that caused her death. When Vicki is crowned prom queen, Craig’s father shoots her, causing her body to transform into the burned corpse of Mary Lou. Mary Lou creates chaos at the prom, but calms down when Craig’s father places the crown on her head. Mary Lou kisses him and disappears, but the movie ends with Vicki and Craig realizing that Craig’s father is now possessed by Mary Lou.
Prom Night III: The Last Kiss (1990)
Mary Lou makes a return in Prom Night III: The Last Kiss, where she seduces Alex, an aspiring medical student and high school senior who is dating Sarah. Mary Lou initially helps Alex achieve success by boosting his grades and turning him into a football star. However, her influence on Alex creates a strain on his relationship with Sarah. Meanwhile, Mary Lou continues her killing spree, targeting anyone who gets in her way, including Alex’s friend Shane, who is brutally murdered.
Alex is falsely accused of Shane’s murder, but he makes a deal with Mary Lou to go to hell with her if she stops her killing spree. Mary Lou agrees, and they both descend to hell, with Sarah following. In hell, Sarah fights Mary Lou, and Alex appears to escape with her, but Mary Lou returns and kills Sarah. Alex is left stranded in a time warp in the 1950s, where he is invisible and inaudible to those around him.
Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil (1992)
Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil takes a departure from the Mary Lou Maloney storyline and instead focuses on a group of teenagers who decide to skip their prom and party at an abandoned seminary. The group includes Meagan and Mark, who are in attendance. However, their party is interrupted by Father Jonas, a Roman Catholic priest who killed two students during the 1957 Hamilton High prom and was later sequestered by the church due to his apparent possession by a demonic spirit.
Father Jonas goes on a killing spree and murders most of Meagan’s friends. Meagan and Mark try to fight him, but Jonas kills Mark with a crucifix. Meagan ultimately defeats Jonas, leaving him to burn to death in a shed. However, Jonas wakes up while being transported to the morgue, leaving the fate of the survivors in doubt.
Prom Night (2008)
In the 2008 reboot of Prom Night, the story centers around Donna Keppel, a high school student who becomes traumatized after Richard Fenton murders her family due to his obsession with her. During her high school prom, which is held at a luxurious hotel, Fenton arrives disguised as a stranger and begins stalking Donna, having escaped from his incarceration. Fenton goes on a killing spree, murdering several of Donna’s friends before cornering her upstairs in the hotel.
A tense chase ensues, but Donna is ultimately saved by Detective Winn, who shoots and kills Fenton. The film features an ensemble cast, including Brittany Snow as Donna, and Idris Elba as Detective Winn. The reboot pays homage to the original film while putting its own spin on the story, offering a fresh take on the classic horror movie trope of the high school prom gone wrong.
Do you need to watch Prom Night movies in order?
The Prom Night movie franchise consists of five films, and while it is not necessary to watch them in order, watching the original 1980 film, Prom Night, is recommended as it sets the foundation for the subsequent films. Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II is a standalone film with supernatural elements that connect loosely to the original film, so it is not as important to watch in order. Prom Night III: The Last Kiss and Prom Night IV: Deliver Us from Evil are standalone films with references to previous films but can be watched out of order without losing much context. The 2008 reboot of Prom Night follows a similar plot to the original film, but with a modern twist, making it a good starting point for newcomers to the franchise.
Will there be more Prom Night movies in the future?
There have been no official announcements regarding any upcoming Prom Night movies. However, it is always possible that a new movie in the franchise could be developed in the future.
