Longest Running Horror Film Series

[JasonzSon]

Hey guys, I thought I'd do a series of these threads over time.  This is always a great resource to have on hand; it also leads to fun and informative discussions and is sometimes a good chance for the quiet guy in the back of the room to be heard.

Let's start by bringing up the longest horror film series we can find.  Let's not count chains like what the old Universal franchises have become- I'm gonna say only count a remake if it's the most recent film in the franchise and another one hasn't been announced yet.  For the sake of this specific discussion, the only one I'm aware would count are Friday the 13th and A Nightmare on Elm Street.

As for the longest-running film series I can think of, barring remake chains, we have:

   
• Godzilla Showa series - 15 films
• Witchcraft - 13 films
• Friday the 13th - 12 films**
• Puppet Master - 11 films*

Runner-ups (franchises with 8 or 9 entries)

   
• Hammer Productions Dracula - 9 films
• Hellraiser - 9 films
• A Nightmare on Elm Street - 9 films***
• Halloween - 8 films
• Children of the Corn - 9 films*
• The Amityville Horror - 8 films
• Gamera Showa Series - 8 films
• The Howling - 8 films

* Count includes singular remake
* Count includes un-numbered "versus" film
* Count includes questionable sequel

[MadMatt2185]

I don't think you missed anything with the Giant monsters. Only Godzilla and Gamera ever had long standing movies. And I normally count Ultraman films as long multipart episodes.
However you did miss out on the Puppet Master series which is about to hit it's 10th film if I'm not mistaken.

[JasonzSon]

Looks like 11, actually.  Added it to the list.

[MadMatt2185]

Oh ya, with "VS Demonic Toys" which isn't numbered, but ya there sort of is 11 of them.

[Dorkus]

Give it a few years and Paranormal Activity will be up there.

[DeraiLer]

So we going by 8 films or more only? Nothing under that? So films like SAW won't count?

[Chucky]

Friday the 13th is listed as 12 but either that's wrong or I'm having trouble remembering a 12th movie in the series which isn't a remake...

1) Friday the 13th
2) Friday the 13th Part 2
3) Friday the 13th Part 3
4) Friday the 13th Part 4
5) Friday the 13th Part 5
6) Friday the 13th Part 6
7) Friday the 13th Part 7
8) Friday the 13th Part 8
9) Jason Goes To Hell
10) Jason X
11) Freddy vs Jason

[JasonzSon]

So we going by 8 films or more only? Nothing under that? So films like SAW won't count?

I figure series with 6 and 7 are common enough that they'll merit their own lists after this one.

Friday the 13th is listed as 12 but either that's wrong or I'm having trouble remembering a 12th movie in the series which isn't a remake...

Basically what I'm going for is that if there's just one remake, with no more planned, that's fine, I'm counting it as one series.  If the remake has sequels, however, it's essentially spawning a new film series and I'm counting it separately.

[DeraiLer]

But we are discussing Franchises so all Jason voorhees movies, including remakes and their sequels, would count. If we were discussing films by whether or not they were connected as a series, it would be different. The Friday the 13th Franchise is made up of any use of it's property, including the TV show.

[JasonzSon]

Perhaps I should rename the thread then, as that's not what I intended.  Otherwise something like Dracula or Godzilla would be the clear winners, despite having drastically different series within them.

[Akasha]

So I guess Saw isn't included?

[JasonzSon]

Saw isn't that long, actually; only seven films I think.  I'll be making a thread for those soon.

[Crash Dummie]

That's about 6 movies too long.

[JasonzSon]

Says a Jason fan.

[DeraiLer]

Back to Back zingers!