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1Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errors2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problemsWatch the released The Purge movies in this chronological order: The First Purge (2018), The Purge (2013), The Purge: Anarchy (2014), The Purge: Election Year (2016), and The Forever Purge (2021).
This order begins with the experiment that creates the Purge and then follows the institution as it becomes a nationwide tradition, develops into a political weapon, and eventually continues beyond its official twelve-hour limit.
The Purge movies in chronological order
- The First Purge (2018)
- The Purge (2013)
- The Purge: Anarchy (2014)
- The Purge: Election Year (2016)
- The Forever Purge (2021)
In one line: The First Purge → The Purge → The Purge: Anarchy → The Purge: Election Year → The Forever Purge.
The franchise is not built around one continuous protagonist. It uses an anthology-like structure: the central characters and locations change, while the Purge itself, its political consequences, and a few recurring figures connect the films.
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1. The First Purge (2018)
Chronological position: first.
The First Purge shows how the annual event begins. Rather than depicting an already-established national holiday, it focuses on an experimental trial on Staten Island. The New Founding Fathers of America test the theory that temporarily removing legal restrictions on crime will reduce crime over the long term.
The experiment is intended to be contained within one isolated community for twelve hours. As the night develops, however, the violence and manipulation surrounding the test reveal how far the architects of the Purge are willing to go. Universal’s synopsis identifies this experiment as the beginning of the tradition shown in the other films.
This is why the prequel goes first in chronological order, even though it was released fourth.
2. The Purge (2013)
Chronological position: after the Staten Island experiment, once the Purge has become a national institution.
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Most of the story takes place inside one suburban home, where a family tries to survive the night after admitting an injured stranger. The contained setting makes this the franchise’s most direct home-invasion thriller, but it also establishes the social rules and normalised public rituals that define the larger world.
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Unlike The First Purge, this film does not ask how the system began. It shows what life looks like after the system has been accepted, institutionalised, and defended as a tool for reducing crime.
3. The Purge: Anarchy (2014)
Chronological position: after The Purge.
The Purge: Anarchy expands the action from a single fortified house to the streets of Los Angeles. Several people become trapped outside during Purge Night and must navigate a city where private attackers, organised groups, profiteers, and politically motivated forces all use the lawless period differently.
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It also introduces Leo Barnes, a character whose story continues into the next film.
4. The Purge: Election Year (2016)
Chronological position: two years after The Purge: Anarchy.
In The Purge: Election Year, Leo Barnes is serving as security for presidential candidate Charlie Roan. Roan campaigns on ending the Purge, making her a target during the annual event.
Rank #3
The film connects the survival-thriller framework to an explicitly national political conflict. The Purge is no longer merely a night that characters endure; it has become central to the struggle over who controls the country and whether the institution can survive a democratic challenge.
Universal’s official synopsis supplies the direct continuity link: Barnes is now protecting Roan two years after the events of Anarchy. That makes Election Year the natural fourth film in the in-universe sequence.
5. The Forever Purge (2021)
Chronological position: latest among the five released films.
The Forever Purge pushes the premise past its original boundary. The official twelve-hour Purge ends, but violence continues afterward as groups refuse to stop. The story follows characters confronting the consequences of a system that has escaped its supposed limits.
That escalation makes the film the endpoint of the released movie chronology. It is not simply another Purge Night contained between midnight and morning; it explores what happens when the distinction between the sanctioned event and ordinary life collapses.
Chronological order versus release order
For comparison, the films were released in this order:
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- The Purge (2013)
- The Purge: Anarchy (2014)
- The Purge: Election Year (2016)
- The First Purge (2018)
- The Forever Purge (2021)
Release order remains a good option for a first-time viewer who wants to experience the franchise as audiences originally did. It begins with the simple home-invasion premise, widens the world in Anarchy, brings the political conflict to the foreground in Election Year, and only then explains the institution’s origin in The First Purge.
Chronological order is better if the priority is understanding the development of the fictional system from experiment to national tradition. Release order is better if the priority is following the franchise’s changing ideas and scale as they were introduced.
| Viewing order | Sequence | Best for |
|---|---|---|
| Chronological | The First Purge → The Purge → Anarchy → Election Year → The Forever Purge | Viewers who want the in-universe history first |
| Release | The Purge → Anarchy → Election Year → The First Purge → The Forever Purge | First-time viewers who want the original rollout of the premise |
Where does The Purge television series fit?
The two-season television series, also titled The Purge, is an optional expansion of the movie universe. USA Network describes its premise as a twelve-hour period during which all crime, including murder, is legal. The second season also spends time examining life outside Purge Night.
The series follows separate characters and stories rather than functioning as a required chapter between two particular films. Because it has an anthology structure and chronology guides do not agree on one essential interleaving point, it is more useful to keep it separate from the five-film list.
Recommended approach: watch the five movies in the order above, then treat the two television seasons as optional world-building. The show expands the premise; it does not change the chronological order of the released films.
How to watch all five movies as a marathon
- Start with The First Purge to see the controlled experiment and the origins of the institution.
- Continue with The Purge to see the system after it has become part of ordinary national life.
- Watch The Purge: Anarchy for the move from one home to the wider city.
- Watch The Purge: Election Year for the direct continuation of Leo Barnes’s story and the political fight over the Purge.
- Finish with The Forever Purge, where the event’s twelve-hour limit no longer contains the violence.
Universal Pictures At Home lists a The Purge: 5-Movie Collection containing all five released films. The collection is listed in digital, 4K Ultra HD plus Blu-ray plus digital, Blu-ray plus digital, and DVD editions. Availability and pricing can vary by region and date, so check the edition details before buying.
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Is a sixth Purge movie coming?
A sixth film has been reported as being in development, with James DeMonaco associated with writing and franchise figures discussing a possible return. At the time covered by the available research, there was no confirmed final title, completed production, release date, or official chronological placement.
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It should therefore not be added to the watch-order list. The five-film sequence above covers the released movies only. A future installment may be a sequel, prequel, or another standalone story, but its position cannot be established until official details are released.
Does the chronology have to be followed exactly?
No. The films are connected by their shared world and political developments, but they do not form a single uninterrupted story with one lead character. You can begin with either The First Purge or The Purge without losing the basic premise.
For the clearest fictional history, choose chronological order. For the strongest sense of how the concept grew—from a contained home-invasion film into a wider dystopian and political franchise—choose release order.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the correct chronological order of The Purge movies?
The chronological order is The First Purge (2018), The Purge (2013), The Purge: Anarchy (2014), The Purge: Election Year (2016), and The Forever Purge (2021).
Should I watch The Purge movies in chronological or release order?
Chronological order is best for following the fictional development of the Purge from experiment to national institution. Release order is also a strong first-watch option because it preserves how the franchise originally expanded its premise.
Is The First Purge the first movie to watch?
It is the first movie chronologically, because it depicts the Staten Island experiment that begins the Purge tradition. It was released fourth, so viewers following release order should watch it after The Purge: Election Year.
Where does The Purge TV series fit?
The two-season television series is optional and is best treated as a separate expansion of the universe rather than inserted into the five-film order. Its anthology structure makes one universally necessary placement less useful.
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There are five released Purge movies in the collection covered here. A sixth has been reported as being in development, but its title, release date, production status, and place in the chronology were not confirmed by the available research.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: For chronological viewing, watch The First Purge, The Purge, The Purge: Anarchy, The Purge: Election Year, and The Forever Purge. Keep the television series optional, and do not add a possible sixth film until its release and continuity details are officially confirmed.
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