It's time to get into the festive holiday spirit. But this time we're not decking the halls with boughs of holly, we're decorating with blood-drenched axes. For over four decades, the Silent Night, Deadly Night franchise has delighted horror fans by turning Christmas cheer into slasher terror. Since the original debuted in 1984, the series has spawned a few sequels, some odd detours, and a 2012 reimagining.
With a brand new film set to hit screens on Dec. 12, 2025, now is the perfect time to revisit the franchise that refuses to rest quietly under the tree. If you're gearing up for a horror marathon or just want to sip hot cocoa while watching Santas carve up more than cookies, this list explains how to watch all Silent Night, Deadly Night movies in order on platforms like Netflix, HBO Max, and Hulu.
Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984)
Silent Night, Deadly Night begins when a little boy named Billy Chapman witnesses his parents' brutal Christmas Eve murder at the hands of a man in a Santa suit. The trauma sticks, and as an adult, Billy dons the same red coat to hand out his own twisted Christmas justice. The film was super controversial and was pulled from theaters a week after its release for daring to depict Santa as a killer.
It remains the most effective entry because it refuses to toy with tone. There's no levity, just fear, guilt, and vengeance under a cold, unblinking Christmas moon. However, the movie is still careful not to romanticize violence. Instead, it lays bare how childhood horror can warp someone's psyche. It's perfect for horror fans who crave gritty reality rather than stylized gore.
Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 (1987)
Three years later, the franchise doubled down on its murdery Santa premise by reviving the nightmare through Billy's brother. Ricky, who has been arrested for going on a killing spree of his own, breaks free to continue the holiday mayhem. There's a bizarre quality to Silent Night, Deadly Night Part 2 because so much footage from the original is recycled. But it's re-framed through a second character's psyche.
In a way, it's a commentary on how trauma can echo across generations. The reused scenes can feel repetitive. The pacing is also uneven and feels like three different movies awkwardly stitched together. However, die-hard psychological-horror fans who like their slasher wrapped in guilt and mental unraveling will love Part 2 for its strange, uncomfortable tone.
Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! (1989)
Silent Night, Deadly Night 3: Better Watch Out! dives into weird territory. The story begins six years after Part 2, with a comatose Ricky on life support, waiting for a second lease on homicidal hell. When he wakes, he sets his sights on a blind girl with psychic powers and her brother, turning the siblings' holiday road trip into a nightmare.
In terms of tone, this is where the series starts to shed its original skin. The gritty psychological horror is abandoned in favor of late-80s slasher tropes and psychedelic stylistic flourishes. But there's something perversely entertaining about the story because it doesn't feel like a retread. It's perfect for horror aficionados who enjoy the horror vibes that only direct-to-video B-movies can offer.
Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation (1990)
If you thought Part 3 was bizarre, Silent Night, Deadly Night 4: Initiation takes things to the next level by dropping the Billy Chapman and Ricky Caldwell characters entirely. Instead, the story follows Kim Levitt (Neith Hunter), a reporter who decides to investigate how a woman outside her office spontaneously burst into flames. She soon finds herself mixed up with a coven of Lilith-worshipping witches.
The horror unfolds through occult rituals, bug-infested nightmares, and surreal visuals that drag the series miles away from its Christmas-slasher roots. The holiday setting exists only by virtue of timing (Christmas Eve rituals), but the spirit of yuletide gore is pretty much gone. Viewers who enjoy cult horror with a weird tone will feel that they found a hidden gem in this movie.
Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker (1991)
Silent Night, Deadly Night 5: The Toy Maker is the final film in the original franchise run. This time, the story follows a deranged toy maker and his son who produce deadly playthings that turn innocent children's gifts into instruments of death. The movie is filled with nightmare fuel, creepy robotics, and a finale that toes the line between horror and weird sci-fi.
Yet, for all its flaws, The Toy Maker is wildly entertaining. It leans into horror-toy hysteria with almost gleeful abandon. If you ignore the weak script and often erratic tone, you're left with a grotesque, hallucinatory holiday nightmare. The movie is a must for anyone who enjoys horror that veers off the rails—creepy dolls, story logic be damned.
Silent Night (2012)
The franchise received the reboot treatment in 2012 with Silent Night, reimagining the killer-Santa mythology for a new generation. The story follows Deputy Aubrey Bradimore (Jamie King) as she investigates a fresh wave of Santa-themed murders in a remote Midwestern town. While it doesn't directly follow the original storyline, it resurrects the core concepts of trauma and rage.
Silent Night has a more polished production value compared to the original and its VHS-era sequels. The gore effects are updated, and there's a slightly more modern pacing that acknowledges the overall horror movie evolution. But the downside is that it somehow feels less edgy. It's still a fun watch for horror lovers and a must for franchise fans, even if its murdery axe has been filed down slightly.
Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025)
The remake, Silent Night, Deadly Night (2025), takes the franchise back to the original's core trauma-to-ravage premise. The story follows a child named Billy Chapman (Rohan Campbell), who witnesses his parents' murder by a man in a Santa suit. Years later, an adult Billy dons a Santa costume and goes on a violent quest for retribution against those responsible for his traumatic childhood.
The movie is also rumored to feature a romantic arc as Billy meets a woman who challenges his dark side. But the question on everyone's mind is whether the film will honor the bleak intense tone of the original or soften it for modern sensibilities. If the hype is correct, Silent Night, Deadly Night might be the reboot that horror fans have been waiting for.
