Look, if you’re trying to figure out the underworld movie series order, you’ve probably realized it's a bit of a mess. It’s not like John Wick where things just go one, two, three. Instead, we have a prequel tucked in the middle, a massive time jump, and a protagonist who disappears for an entire film only to come back like nothing happened. Honestly, it’s a lot.
But there is a specific kind of joy in these movies. It’s that early 2000s "Matrix-core" aesthetic—blue filters, floor-length latex coats, and those weirdly chunky double-barreled pistols. Selene, played by Kate Beckinsale, basically carried this franchise on her back for fifteen years. Whether you want to see the story unfold as the directors intended or you want to see the literal history of the Lycan-Vampire war from the beginning, there are two ways to do this.
The Release Date Order (The Way Most People Watch)
Most fans will tell you to just watch them as they came out. Why? Because the "twists" in the earlier movies rely on you not knowing the backstory revealed in the later prequels. If you see the origin story first, the mystery of the first movie is kinda ruined.
Underworld (2003)
This is where it starts. We meet Selene, a Death Dealer who spends her nights hunting Lycans (werewolves) in a nameless, rain-soaked European city. She discovers that the wolves are trailing a human named Michael Corvin. It turns out the war isn't as black-and-white as she thought. Director Len Wiseman really leaned into the goth-industrial vibe here. It’s arguably the best in the series because it actually cares about world-building.
Underworld: Evolution (2006)
This picks up literally seconds after the first movie ends. It’s much gorier and faster. We get to see the first Vampire, Marcus, wake up. He’s got giant bat wings and a serious attitude problem. It explains more about the Corvinus strain—the "God source" of both species.
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Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (2009)
Here is where the underworld movie series order gets tricky. This is a prequel. Kate Beckinsale isn’t the lead here; instead, we follow Lucian (Michael Sheen) and Viktor’s daughter, Sonja. It’s a tragic Shakespearean romance, but with more throat-ripping. It explains why the Lycans were slaves to the Vampires and what sparked the massive revolution.
Underworld: Awakening (2012)
Humans finally noticed the monsters. The "Purge" happens, and the supernatural world is decimated. Selene wakes up in a lab after being frozen for twelve years. She finds out she has a daughter. It’s very "action-heavy" and feels almost like a video game.
Underworld: Blood Wars (2016)
The final chapter (so far). Selene is a fugitive. The Lycans have a new leader named Marius, and the Vampire Covens are as backstabbing as ever. It goes full fantasy by the end, involving Nordic vampires who can turn into clouds of mist.
Watching the Underworld movie series order Chronologically
If you've already seen them and want a different experience, or if you just hate flashbacks, you can watch them in the order the events actually happened. It changes the vibe completely.
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- Underworld: Rise of the Lycans (Set in the 1200s)
- Underworld (Set in modern day, roughly 2003)
- Underworld: Evolution (Immediately follows the first film)
- Underworld: Awakening (Set about 15 years after Evolution)
- Underworld: Blood Wars (The direct sequel to Awakening)
Watching Rise of the Lycans first makes Viktor (Bill Nighy) look like a much more complex villain. You see his betrayal in real-time rather than hearing about it in a grainy flashback. Bill Nighy is incredible in these. He brings a level of Shakespearean gravitas to a movie about giant dogs that most actors wouldn't bother with.
Why the Underworld movie series order matters for the Lore
The lore of Underworld is actually pretty deep if you pay attention. It’s not magic. That’s the big thing. It’s viral. Alexander Corvinus was a warlord in the 5th century who survived a plague, and his body mutated. One son was bitten by a bat (vampires), one by a wolf (werewolves), and one stayed human, carrying the dormant strain.
This "pseudo-science" approach is what separated Underworld from Blade or Twilight. It felt more "sci-fi horror" than "urban fantasy" initially.
The Kate Beckinsale Factor
You can't talk about the underworld movie series order without talking about the fact that she skipped Rise of the Lycans (mostly). She only appears in a brief flash-forward/narrative bridge. When she returned for Awakening, the budget went up, but the soul of the series felt a bit different. The first two movies were shot on film and had a heavy, tactile feel. The later ones used digital cameras and a lot more CGI, which some fans think made the Lycans look a bit "rubbery."
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The Missing Piece: Endless War
If you are a completionist, there is also an animated three-part series called Underworld: Endless War. It covers three different time periods: 1890, 1967, and 2012. It’s worth a watch if you want to see Selene hunting in different eras of fashion, but it’s not strictly necessary to understand the main plot.
Navigating the Character Arcs
If you watch the underworld movie series order straight through, the most jarring thing is the disappearance of Michael Corvin (Scott Speedman). Because of contract issues and creative shifts, Michael—the literal main guy of the first two movies—gets sidelined in a really weird way. By Blood Wars, his storyline is resolved in a way that left a lot of fans feeling salty. Honestly, it’s one of the biggest "what ifs" of the franchise. What if Speedman had stayed?
Then there's David, played by Theo James. He shows up in Awakening and basically becomes the new co-lead. Seeing his progression from a scared "safe-house" vampire to a badass leader in Blood Wars is one of the more rewarding parts of the later films.
Practical Steps for Your Binge Watch
If you're ready to dive into this dark, blue-tinted world, here is how you should actually handle it:
- Start with the 2003 Original: Don't skip it. It sets the tone and the rules of the world.
- Keep the Blue Filter On: These movies are dark. Literally. If you’re watching in a bright room, you won't see half the action. Turn off the lights.
- Pay attention to the eyes: The color of the vampires' eyes tells you their age and lineage. It’s a small detail Wiseman added that actually stays consistent through most of the films.
- Expect a Tone Shift: The jump between Evolution and Awakening is huge. The world goes from "secret war in the shadows" to "post-apocalyptic monster hunt."
Ultimately, the Underworld series is a relic of a very specific time in cinema history. It’s unapologetically edgy, stylish, and committed to its own weird history. Whether you follow the release dates or the timeline, just make sure you’re ready for a lot of slow-motion jumping and leather squeaking. It's a wild ride.
To get the most out of the experience, focus on the first two films for the best story, and treat the later ones as high-octane action supplements. If you find yourself lost in the timeline, remember that Rise of the Lycans is the only major outlier—everything else follows a relatively straight line in Selene's life.