All 6 ‘Underworld’ Movies in Order (Including Animated Movie)

You can’t mention 2000s vampire flicks without mentioning ‘Underworld.’ The franchise, created by Len Wiseman, Kevin Grevioux, and Danny McBride, revolves around the eternal war between vampires and werewolves (Lycans). The main character, Selene, portrayed by Kate Beckinsale, is a vampire warrior who becomes entangled in the conflict.

So far, the famous franchise includes five live-action movies and a single animated short film, and we’re here to tell you have to watch them in order.

Editor’s Note: This watch order was updated in October 2023 and contains the most up-to-date look on the franchise.

‘Underworld’ movies in release date order

The ‘Underworld’ franchise started in 2003, and it was mega-successful. The series is known for its dark and Gothic aesthetic, intense action sequences, and the exploration of the supernatural lore surrounding vampires and Lycans. Due to its initial success, that first movie spawned three additional sequels and two “prequels.’

1. ‘Underworld’ (2003)
2. ‘Underworld: Evolution’ (2006)
3. ‘Underworld: Rise of the Lycans’ (2009)
4. ‘Underworld: Endless War’ (2011)
5. ‘Underworld: Awakening’ (2012)
6. ‘Underworld: Blood Wars’ (2016)

Are all ‘Underworld’ movies connected? What’s the best way to watch them?

All ‘Underworld’ movies are connected, set in the same continuity, and revolve around more or less the same characters. Before the release of ‘Blood Wars’ in 2016, there were plans for the franchise to be rebooted, but the movie ended up being one more installment in the series. The short animated film ‘Endless War’ is also part of the single narrative. The best way to watch ‘Underworld’ movies is in chronological order.

‘Underworld’ movies in chronological order

The central storyline of conflict between vampires and lycans was always presented; however, some entries in the franchise can be considered prequels because they detail the origin stories of some characters as well as the events that led to a great war, here’s how to watch ‘Underworld’ in chronological order.

1. ‘Underworld: Rise of the Lycans’ (2009)
2. ‘Underworld’ (2003)
3. ‘Underworld: Evolution’ (2006)
4. ‘Underworld: Endless War’ (2011)
5. ‘Underworld: Awakening’ (2012)
6. ‘Underworld: Blood Wars’ (20016)

The first movie on the timeline is definitely ‘Rise of the Lycans’ released in 2009. In the film, the original werewolves were uncontrollable, unable to transform back into humans after being bitten. However, a unique werewolf, Lucian, was born to a werewolf who could alternate between human and werewolf forms due to a mutation. The vampires used lycans as slaves, but when Lucian and Viktor’s daughter, Sonja, fell in love and became pregnant, it sparked a rebellion led by Lucian after Viktor killed Sonja to prevent the intermingling of the species.

The second movie in the timeline is ‘Underworld’ followed by ‘Evolution’ with not much time passed between the installments. ‘Endless War’ takes place in 1980 and leads up to the events of ‘Awakening.’ ‘Blood Wars’ continues directly from the events of ‘Awakening’ and shows vampire covens being on the verge of extinction looking for Selene.

Where to watch the movies?

All ‘Underworld’ movies can either be streamed on AMC+ or rented on the Apple TV store. ‘Underworld: Blood Wars’ is also available for streaming on Starz. ‘Endless War’ can only be found on YouTube as it’s not available for streaming on any of the major streaming services.

Will there be more ‘Underworld’ movies?

Over the years several ‘Underworld’ projects have been cancelled including ‘Resident Evil’ and ‘Blade’ crossovers. There was a sixth movie in the development but nothing ever came out of it. A show that takes place in the same universe was announced back in 2016. The ‘Underworld’ series officially began development in September 2017, with Len Wiseman returning as an executive producer.

Wiseman noted that the TV series would significantly differ from the films in terms of tone and character. As of 2023, there is no news regarding the production and the eventual status of the show.

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