Since Insidious: The Red Door has just been released, viewers can really understand where the Insidious movies ranked stand. While he doesn't devote himself to the horror genre like he used to, in the decade director James Wan spent making a name for himself in Hollywood, he gifted audiences with three extremely popular horror franchises. The first was Saw in 2004, which is now nine movies in. The last was The Conjuring, which has used spinoffs to become a cinematic universe unto itself. And sandwiched between the two of them is the hugely successful Insidious series, which has grossed over $550 million since 2010.
While Saw is its own beast, Insidious and The Conjuring are almost of the same ilk, both dealing with demonic possessions, and both starring Patrick Wilson in a prominent role. Beyond the surface though, the Insidious movies have a more pronounced mean streak that helps set them apart from The Conjuring movies, as well as the captivating version of the afterlife known simply as The Further. With Insidious: The Red Door returning to the franchise's roots by featuring the Lambert family for the first time since Insidious: Chapter 2, how does that affect the Insidious movies ranked?
Insidious: Chapter 3 (2015)
Of the five movies in the series, 2015's Insidious: Chapter 3 is the lowest of the Insidious movies ranked, partially due to its main characters not being as interesting, and the overall story not being as arresting as the previous two releases. The threequel is a prequel that shifts the focus from the Lambert family and onto the supporting character, Elise Rainier (Lin Shaye). While Shaye is as engaging as ever in the role, the movie confuses the Insidious timeline and there's clearly a Lambert-shaped hole in the narrative.
Insidious: Chapter 3 also never feels up to the level of the other movies in the series simply because of how much it relies on jump scares, something that impressively hasn't been so heavy-handed in the other releases. The Insidious brand stands apart from other demonic possession movies due to The Further, but Insidious: Chapter 3 doesn't make the best use of it. However, Insidious: Chapter 3 still delivers the scares, doesn't outstay its welcome at a lean 97 minutes, and is a simple ghost story that would be way better received if it wasn't the follow-up to two instant-classic horror movies. The movie also features the Man Who Can't Breathe, the scariest Insidious villain.
Insidious: The Last Key (2018)
2018's Insidious: The Last Key doesn't do much to make the Insidious timeline less confusing, as it's another prequel to the first two movies, but set after Insidious: Chapter 3. Shaye's Elise really takes center stage in the 2018 movie, even more than in Insidious: Chapter 3. While Insidious: Chapter 3 saw her investigating supernatural disturbances in another household, the 2018 release finally delves into Elise's backstory. There are even flashbacks to further back in time when Elise has traumatizing childhood memories, which end up directly tying into the central story.
The focus on Elise's backstory helps elevate Insidious: The Last Key above Insidious 3, and offers Shaye an opportunity to show off her talents as the lead actor. However, there are still things lacking in the fourquel, as it was criticized for being to comfortable with the Insidious formula without doing anything new. Nevertheless, Insidious: The Last Key is the highest-grossing movie in the franchise to date, making $172 million worldwide (via The Numbers), which is even more impressive given that it was following the lowest-grossing and disappointing Insidious: Chapter 3.
Insidious: The Red Door (2023)
The fifth movie in the franchise, Insidious: The Red Door, is the first Insidious movie in five years, and while Insidious 5 has a bad Rotten Tomatoes score, it has become a huge audience pleaser. The movie has a "rotten" 47% score on the review aggregate, but audiences are enjoying it a lot more than critics. That's mostly thanks to the movie being something of a return to form by focusing on the Lambert family, which is the first time in 10 years since Insidious: Chapter 2. It's great to see franchise lead Patrick Wilson (who also directed the movie) return as Josh.
However, revisiting the Lambert family is a double-edged sword. While familiar faces are always welcome, Insidious: The Red Door essentially repeats the same narrative of the original movie. The 2023 release follows Dalton Lambert, now a teenager, once again being tormented by supernatural spirits, which is the same premise as 2010's Insidious. On top of that, Insidious: The Red Door simply isn't as scary as previous entries in the series. Nevertheless, it's fantastically shot, well-acted, and still entertaining, even if it isn't a totally satisfying end to the Lamberts' story.
Insidious: Chapter 2 (2013)
Insidious: Chapter 2 isn't as good as the original movie, but comes close, mostly thanks to the continuing presence of lead actors Patrick Wilson and Rose Byrne as Josh and Renai Lambert. The sequel picks up with the first release left off, as Josh is now possessed by a spirit after going into The Further at the end of Insidious. As Josh's body was possessed by The Bride in Black at the end of Insidious, most of the movie takes place inside The Further, which is what makes the film so terrifying without relying on jumpscares. The absolute darkness and silence of The Further are way scarier than any ghoul hiding behind a corner in Insidious: Chapter 3.
Wilson is great as the possessed Josh too, and there are way more layers to the character than in the original movie. Things between the Lambert family exist on a tense tightrope of deception too, taking the series to the next level when it comes to drama. Time travel even unexpectedly comes into play in an intriguing fashion, but it surprisingly works, making Insidious: Chapter 2 one of the few sequels that's actually almost as good as its predecessor.
Insidious (2010)
Insidious was a phenomenal success in 2010, as it was produced on a budget of less than $2 million and made $100 million worldwide. How far James Wan was able to stretch such a low budget is incredible too. Just as he did with the micro-budget Saw, Insidious looks like it cost way more than it actually did and the production value is more aligned with mid-budget horror movies than low-budget ones. Between in-demand actors Rose Byrne and Patrick Wilson in the lead roles, the incredible make-up and costume design of the demons, and the cinematography of The Further, it's no surprise that Insidious has become a horror classic.
James Wan's skill as a director, and some very cool concepts and special effects, lend Insidious the look and feel of a much bigger movie, and it's no wonder audiences embraced it as they did. The marketing really didn't reveal all that much, so when the story switches midway through from what looks like a haunted house movie into a journey to rescue Dalton Lambert's soul from The Further, it's an unexpected treat for first-time viewers. None of the four following movies in the series have managed to knock off the original film from the top of the Insidious movies ranked, though Insidious 6 might change that.