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Watch order

Underworld movies in order

Use this page for underworld movies in order—Len Wiseman’s vampire–lycan war from Underworld (September 19, 2003) through Blood Wars, including the 2009 prequel Rise of the Lycans. Release keeps US theatrical ship order so Kate Beckinsale’s Selene still arrives first. Story starts in 1402 with Lucian’s revolt, then Underworld → Evolution → Awakening → Blood Wars. Endless War shorts stay FAQ-only. Vampire neighbors: Twilight; horror shelves: Halloween and Saw.

Updated September 2026

Pick your path:

Release order Story chronology Kate Beckinsale core Full release list

Where to start

Pick Kate Beckinsale core for Selene’s four films without the medieval prequel, Release order for every US theatrical including Rise of the Lycans in 2009, or Story chronology if you want 1402 before Selene. Essentials filters Release; Story still explains why Lucian’s revolt comes first.

  • Newcomers → Kate Beckinsale core (skip Rise until a rewatch)
  • Chronology-first → Story tab or the Story chronology essentials path
  • Completionist → Release order so you see how the prequel interrupted the modern sequels

Release order

When each Underworld film opened in US theaters—Underworld (September 19, 2003), Evolution (January 20, 2006), prequel Rise of the Lycans (January 23, 2009), Awakening (January 20, 2012), then Blood Wars (January 6, 2017 in the US). Best 2026 first path: Selene’s four live-action chapters, with the medieval prequel optional.

  • Selene first watch → Underworld → Evolution → Awakening → Blood Wars (skip Rise if you want)
  • Full Release shelf → all five US theatricals in premiere order (prequel is third)
  • Prequel curiosity → Rise of the Lycans after Evolution, or first on Story
  • Skip Endless War shorts—FAQ only; not required before Awakening
Story order tips

In-fiction order: Rise of the Lycans (1402, Lucian and Sonja) → Underworld (modern Selene vs Lucian’s war) → Evolution (immediate sequel) → Awakening (years later, humans join the hunt) → Blood Wars. Same five films; the 2009 movie moves to the front. Kate is absent from Rise—that is why Essentials offers a Selene-core path.

  • 1402 → Rise of the Lycans (Lucian, Sonja, Viktor)
  • Modern night → Underworld then Evolution (Selene and Michael)
  • Human war years → Awakening (Eve; cryo time jump)
  • Aftermath → Blood Wars (Selene, David, coven wars)

Timeline

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When each season premiered in the US. Expand a row for dates and where it fits in your watch order.

Release order

  1. Underworld

    Underworld

    TheatricalStreamingSeleneLive-action

    Len Wiseman’s 2003 gothic action hit stars Kate Beckinsale as Death Dealer Selene—leather, dual pistols, and a secret war between vampires and lycans that pulls Scott Speedman’s Michael Corvin into both bloodlines.

    Overview
    Early-2000s creature-action template: blue-black color grade, gun-fu vampires, and werewolf practical/CG hybrids. Selene’s betrayal of the coven and Viktor’s lies set the franchise’s “history is propaganda” theme.
    Related games
    Modern-era opener for Selene. Lucian (Michael Sheen) and Viktor (Bill Nighy) already have centuries of backstory that Rise of the Lycans later shows. Not connected to Twilight—different vampire rules, shared “forbidden romance” shelf only.
    Where it fits
    Start here on Release and for the Kate Beckinsale core path. Watch before Evolution. You can postpone Rise of the Lycans forever if you only want Selene’s modern arc. Required before any later Selene sequel.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release September 19, 2003 (Screen Gems / Lakeshore). Later home video and streaming. Platforms: Theatrical, Streaming.
  2. Underworld: Evolution

    Underworld: Evolution

    TheatricalStreamingSeleneLive-action

    Wiseman’s 2006 direct sequel keeps Beckinsale and Speedman on the run as Markus—the first vampire—hunts them, while a 1202 prologue expands William and Markus Corvinus into the franchise’s ancient origin myth.

    Overview
    Immediate continuation with a deeper Corvinus mythology and bigger creature set pieces. The medieval flashbacks tease the war’s start without replacing the later Rise of the Lycans feature.
    Related games
    Fiction: hours-to-days after Underworld. Story sits after Rise because the prequel’s 1402 revolt still happens centuries before Selene’s night. Next Selene theatrical is Awakening, with Rise interrupting on Release.
    Where it fits
    Second Selene film. Watch right after Underworld. Required before Awakening. Skip only if you bounced off the first movie’s tone. Not a soft reboot.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release January 20, 2006 (Screen Gems). Later home video and streaming. Platforms: Theatrical, Streaming.
  3. Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

    Underworld: Rise of the Lycans

    TheatricalStreamingPrequelLive-action

    Patrick Tatopoulos’s 2009 prequel drops Kate Beckinsale and follows Michael Sheen’s Lucian and Rhona Mitra’s Sonja in 1402—Viktor’s castle, a forbidden vampire–lycan romance, and the revolt that names the war.

    Overview
    Medieval creature epic instead of gun-fu. Lucian’s origin as the first lycan who can take human form reframes every modern insult Selene grew up believing about “animals.”
    Related games
    Earliest main-feature fiction (1402). Release-tab third film; Story-tab first. Selene appears only as a child in the closing bridge for some cuts/continuity—Beckinsale is not the lead. Optional on a Selene-core binge.
    Where it fits
    Watch after Evolution on Release if you want ship order, or first on Story. Skip freely for Kate Beckinsale core—you will still understand Underworld’s war. Not required before Awakening or Blood Wars.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release January 23, 2009 (Screen Gems). Later home video and streaming. Platforms: Theatrical, Streaming.
  4. Underworld: Awakening

    Underworld: Awakening

    TheatricalStreamingSeleneLive-action3D

    Måns Mårlind and Björn Stein’s 2012 sequel wakes Selene from years of cryosleep into a world where humans hunt vampires and lycans—India Eisley’s Eve, corporate Antigen, and 3D creature action.

    Overview
    Time jump plus “humans know” premise. Selene’s daughter Eve becomes the new hybrid MacGuffin, and the war is no longer a secret underworld—it is open season.
    Related games
    Years after Evolution (roughly a mid-2010s present on many timelines). Story after Evolution; Release after Rise. Michael’s fate drives the emotional stakes into Blood Wars.
    Where it fits
    Third Selene-core film. Watch after Evolution. Rise is not a prerequisite. Required before Blood Wars if you want Eve and the coven politics that follow.
    Premiere dates
    US theatrical release January 20, 2012 (Screen Gems), including 3D bookings. Later home video and streaming. Platforms: Theatrical, Streaming.
  5. Underworld: Blood Wars

    Underworld: Blood Wars

    TheatricalStreamingSeleneLive-action

    Anna Foerster’s 2017 fifth film (US date) finds Selene hunted by both species after Awakening—Theo James’s David, Nordic coven politics, and a lycan army under Tobias Menzies’s Marius.

    Overview
    Coven civil war plus Nordic myth texture. Selene’s outsider status becomes the plot engine; the film tries to close the modern arc without a sixth chapter (none has released as of this page).
    Related games
    Continues after Awakening. Release and Story agree it is last among the five features. International markets opened November 24, 2016; this tab uses the US wide date January 6, 2017.
    Where it fits
    Selene-core finale on this page. Watch after Awakening. Skip Rise still fine. Soft endpoint for Beckinsale’s Death Dealer run until a new film actually opens.
    Premiere dates
    International release began November 24, 2016; US theatrical January 6, 2017 (Screen Gems / Sony). This tab uses the US date. Later home video and streaming. Platforms: Theatrical, Streaming.

FAQ

Release vs chronology, skipping Rise of the Lycans, Selene’s core four, Blood Wars US date, and Endless War shorts.

Watch order

Prequel & Selene

Yes. Kate Beckinsale is not the lead; the film is Lucian and Sonja’s medieval revolt. Selene’s modern four still parse. Watch Rise later for Viktor/Lucian context, or first on the Story tab if chronology matters more than surprise.

What’s included

US wide theatrical was January 6, 2017. Several international markets started November 24, 2016. This timeline uses the US date on Release so American premiere order stays consistent with the other four films.

More timelines

Other release-order and story-order guides on this site.