Summary

• Death Race movies have two distinct continuities, the 1975 original and the 2008 reboot, making for a unique viewing experience.
• Each film in the Death Race franchise can stand alone, but watching in chronological order adds depth to the Frankenstein character.
• Despite some lackluster entries, the Death Race movies deliver pulse-pounding car action and a unique sci-fi tone.

Watching the Death Race movies in order is no easy task, as the beloved exploitation franchise has been split into two different continuities over the years. Starting with the release of Roger Corman's sci-fi carsploitation classic Death Race 2000 in 1975, the dystopian franchise has seen plenty of twisted metal and high-octane thrills even as it was split into distinct continuities that have totally diverged. Noted for its bleak outlook on the future, and exciting car stunts, the Death Race movies deliver on pulse-pounding car action no matter which filmmaker is behind the wheel.

While none of them have been particularly well-received by critics, the original 1975 hit was yet another gem from Roger Corman's New World Pictures which gave fledgling actor/director Paul Bartel his first big break. Unflinching with its over-the-top cheese, the charm of the Death Race movies continued even into the remakes, and they were given a grittier facelift to match the tone of the 2000s. Certainly one of the best deadly game movies in cinema history, Death Race shines because of its unique sci-fi tone that inspired other dystopian action films that followed like the ever-popular Mad Max franchise.

Death Race Movies In Order By Release Date

The Franchise Has Almost 50 Years Of Movies

The Death Race franchise technically began almost 50 years ago with the 1975 release of Death Race 2000. However, this original movie mainly just provided the conceptual template for the modern iteration (with the notable exception of Death Race 2050). 2008's Death Race, the movie starring Jason Statham which the majority of viewers associate with the title, is a fresh beginning rather than a sequel.

There are currently six movies in the Death Race franchise, with the most recent being 2018's Death Race: Beyond Anarchy. After Death Race, the rest of the franchise consists of direct-to-DVD releases. There is currently no new Death Race movie in the works, though this could change should a studio choose to pick it up once again for another entry.

Death Race 2000

1975

When watching the Death Race movies in order, director Paul Bartel's Death Race 2000 is where the entire dystopian franchise began. The 1975 original served as the conceptual foundation for every Death Race movie that followed (as well as several videogames, such as Twisted Metal), but is itself based on a 1956 short story by author Ib Melchior titled The Racer.

In Death Race 2000, the year 2000 is a dystopian nightmare where the annual bloody Transcontinental Road Race is the most popular form of entertainment and sees drivers like the masked man Frankenstein (David Carradine) compete in the deadly marathon across the country. Despite its obvious shoestring budget, director Paul Bartel squeezed every ounce of excitement and satire he could out of the story and delivered a genuinely gripping story. Death Race 2000 posed more questions than answers and was a great example of sci-fi that left the viewer wanting to know more.

Death Race

2008

Decades after the release of 1975's Death Race 2000, 2008's Death Race arrived to reboot the 1970s classic with a thoroughly modern upgrade. Accomplished racer Jensen Ames (Jason Statham) is framed for murder but given the opportunity to compete in the annual Death Race as the mysterious Frankenstein to earn his freedom. Death Race was set in 2020, though the events that lead to this point, such as the creation of the Death Race itself, started in 2012.

While it wasn't a phenomenal success, Death Race gained something of a cult following due to its unique premise and intriguing portrayal of a dystopian future in which a crashed economy leads to the creation of deadly sports. Death Race certainly upped the ante but left much to be desired in the way of satire or thoughtful screenwriting. Director Paul W.S. Anderson's movie delivered his usual action fare, and 2008's Death Race reset the series' continuity which allowed for a handful of sequels.

Death Race 2

2010

Coming hot on the heels of 2008's Death Race, the next entry in the franchise was 2010's Death Race 2. The second entry in the rebooted Death Race franchise serves as a prequel to Jason Statham's movie, and explores the origins of the legendary Frankenstein character whose name Statham's Jensen took — Carl Lucas. Jason Statham didn't return for the cast of Death Race 2, and the first Frankenstein was played by Luke Goss.

Death Race 2 was a surprisingly flat film that didn't build upon the 2008 entry.

In Death Race 2, Carl Lucas is sent to prison for killing a police officer, but is given the chance to win his way out by entering the Death Race competition. Lucas was seen dying at the beginning of Death Race, and the story of the sequel was an interesting look at how Frankenstein came to be. Despite notable names like Sean Bean, Lauren Cohan, Ving Rhames, and Danny Trejo, Death Race 2 was a surprisingly flat film that didn't build upon the 2008 entry.

Death Race 3: Inferno

2013

2008's Death Race was a remake of the 1975 cult-classic, with Death Race 2 serving as its prequel. The next entry in the franchise, 2013's Death Race 3: Inferno didn't extend the timeline beyond Death Race but instead took place between Death Race 2 and the introduction of Jason Statham's character in the 2008 remake. With only one Death Race victory between him and his freedom, Frankenstein (Goss) faces his deadliest challenge yet as he competes in the desert of South Africa.

Death Race 3: Inferno's streamlined approach to the story was a massive improvement, and it bore a striking resemblance to the Mad Max movies with its desert setting and almost constant action. While the third Death Race movie was anything but perfect, it finally realized the potential of the Carl Lucas character. Like Death Race 2, Death Race 3: Inferno was released direct to DVD, though did see the return of several prominent names in the cast including Danny Trejo and Ving Rhames.

Death Race 2050

2017

2017's Death Race 2050 caused some confusion when it released, as it isn't related to the franchise started with the 2008 movie starring Jason Statham, but instead is a direct sequel to the 1975 cult-classic that inspired it. While the Death Race remake series was still ongoing, Roger Corman (who produced 1975's Death Race 2000) returned to the roots of the franchise and delivered a long-awaited sequel to Death Race 2000 in the form of Death Race 2050.

Set decades after the first movie, Frankenstein (Manu Bennett) competes in the annual Death Race but doesn't know that his co-pilot is a rebel spy who plans to bring the whole thing down. By adding the satire back into the equation, Death Race 2050 took cues from the original and was not influenced by the remakes. While it was still noticeably cheap, Death Race 2050 took elements of the best car movies and supercharged them with plenty of campy fun.

Death Race: Beyond Anarchy

2018

Not to be deterred by the return of the original continuity, 2018's Death Race: Beyond Anarchy finally continued the story of the remake series after the events of the 2008's Death Race, and was the first entry in the rebooted franchise to be a sequel rather than a prequel. In Death Race: Beyond Anarchy the new warden of The Sprawl prison complex declares Death Race illegal and sends in Connor Gibson (Zach McGowan) to take down the legendary champion known as Frankenstein (Velislav Pavlov).

Beyond Anarchy scored points for trying something new, and it shifted the focus away from Frankenstein which was an interesting twist.

Beyond Anarchy scored points for trying something new, and it shifted the focus away from Frankenstein which was an interesting twist. Ultimately though, the final film in the Death Race remake continuity didn't feel big enough to be the ending of the dystopian franchise. The cast once again saw the return of Danny Trejo, with Danny Glover also joining the cast as Baltimore Bob. Interestingly, while Velislav Pavlov provided the on-screen presence for Frankenstein, acclaimed voice-actor Nolan North provided the dialogue.

Death Race Movies In Chronological Order

There Are Currently Two Death Race Timelines

The Death Race movies have a relatively confusing timeline, and watching them in chronological order doesn't follow the order of release in the slightest. There are technically two continuities that share the name and core premise of Death Race, with the first being the Mad Max meets Wacky Races style movies that started with 1975's Death Race 2000:

The second Death Race continuity is the remake timeline. This is the series that started with 2008's Death Race starring Jason Statham. However, the chronological order of these movies doesn't follow the order of release:

Unlike many film franchises which jump through time, watching the Death Race movies in order is actually improved upon when ignoring the release timeline and following the story continuity. Obviously, the original Roger Corman duology is rather straightforward and only moves linearly, but the Death Race remake series jumps back and forth through time on several occasions. The Death Race experience is heightened when watching the movies in chronological order because the story truly illustrates the rise and fall of the original Frankenstein, which informs the later movies.

However, if one were to watch the Death Race movies in order based on the release dates, the films are scripted in such a way that little is lost when not having seen them in the story order. Like many post-apocalyptic stories, each Death Race film is a self-contained adventure, and they can each makes for a great stand-alone action film on their own. Considering how lackluster a few of the entries are, a release order viewing would be preferable for those looking to avoid some of the weaker entries in the franchise.