How to watch

Tremors Movie Watch Order in the correct order

How to watch the Tremors movies in order

Last updated: July 6 2026

Written by: ChronoChris

Tremors is a cult-classic creature feature franchise about giant subterranean worms terrorizing the American Southwest. Seven films, one TV series, and decades of fan love make this one of horror-comedy's most enduring franchises.

The original Tremors (1990) is one of the greatest creature features ever made—a witty, charming, and surprisingly tense film that launched a franchise far larger than anyone expected. Kevin Bacon's reluctant hero Val McKee and Fred Ward's gruff Earl Bassett set the tone for a series that would expand into prequels, sequels, and a short-lived TV show. The Graboids have evolved with each film, keeping the franchise fresh across 30+ years.

🕐 Release Order

The Tremors films were released across a wide span of years, primarily as direct-to-video sequels after the original theatrical run.

  1. Tremors (1990)
  2. Tremors 2: Aftershocks (1996)
  3. Tremors 3: Back to Perfection (2001)
  4. Tremors: The Series (2003) — TV show, 13 episodes
  5. Tremors 4: The Legend Begins (2004) — prequel set in 1889
  6. Tremors 5: Bloodlines (2015)
  7. Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell (2018)
  8. Tremors: Shrieker Island (2020)

Tremors 4 is technically a prequel set in the Old West, but it was made after Tremors 3 and works best after you've already met the characters and mythology of the series.

📖 Story Chronology

For strict story chronology, Tremors 4 (the Old West prequel) comes first, but for newcomers, this approach is not recommended—the charm of 4 depends on knowing the creatures from the earlier films.

  1. Tremors 4: The Legend Begins (2004) — set in 1889, story-first
  2. Tremors (1990) — the original
  3. Tremors 2: Aftershocks (1996)
  4. Tremors 3: Back to Perfection (2001)
  5. Tremors: The Series (2003)
  6. Tremors 5: Bloodlines (2015)
  7. Tremors: A Cold Day in Hell (2018)
  8. Tremors: Shrieker Island (2020)

Which Order Should You Choose?

For first-time viewers, watch in release order starting with the original 1990 film. It's a perfect, self-contained movie and arguably the only one you truly need to see. Tremors 2 and 3 are solid sequels that expand the creature mythology. Tremors 4 is a fun period piece that makes more sense once you know the franchise. Films 5–7 continue with Burt Gummer (Michael Gross) as the main character and are worth watching for dedicated fans.

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