Looking for the correct The Riddick movies in order? Good news: this is one of the rare franchises where release order and chronological order are basically the same thing, with one small wrinkle involving an animated short. There’s no timeline-hopping or prequel confusion here — just a straight line from Vin Diesel’s breakout antihero role to his most recent big-screen outing.
The franchise, created from Jim and Ken Wheat’s original story and shaped almost entirely by writer-director David Twohy, turned a modest 2000 sci-fi sleeper hit into a cult favorite with its own video game tie-in and a devoted fanbase that’s kept the character alive for over two decades. Below, you’ll find the quick-answer table, then a full breakdown of every film, the Dark Fury short, and where the long-awaited fourth movie stands.
Also see: Pirates of The Caribbean Movies in Order
Quick Answer: The Riddick Movies in Order
| # | Film | Year | Director |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pitch Black | 2000 | David Twohy |
| 2 | The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury (short) | 2004 | Peter Chung |
| 3 | The Chronicles of Riddick | 2004 | David Twohy |
| 4 | Riddick | 2013 | David Twohy |
| 5 | Riddick: Furya | TBA | David Twohy |
Unlike most long-running franchises, The Riddick movies in order by release date and by story chronology line up almost perfectly — you just need to slot the animated short Dark Fury between films one and three to get the full picture.
The Riddick Movies in Order: The Complete Watch Guide
1. Pitch Black (2000)
This is where it all starts: a transport ship crash-lands survivors on a remote desert planet, only for them to discover the darkness hides something far worse than the sun. Among the stranded is Riddick, a shackled convict with surgically enhanced night vision. Made on a modest budget, the film became a sleeper hit largely on the strength of Vin Diesel’s performance, which turned a supporting antagonist into a franchise-carrying icon. It sets up Riddick’s signature goggles, his moral ambiguity, and the universe he’ll spend the next two films navigating.
2. The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury (2004)
A 35-minute animated short that quietly bridges the gap between the first two features, picking up right where Pitch Black left off as Riddick and the survivors try to stay off the radar of a bounty hunter crew. Directed by Peter Chung (of Æon Flux fame) and voiced by the original live-action cast, it’s a rare example of a franchise using animation to fill in connective tissue rather than tell a side story. Skipping it means missing a key plot beat that directly sets up The Chronicles of Riddick.
3. The Chronicles of Riddick (2004)
The franchise goes big here, trading Pitch Black’s survival-horror tone for full-blown space opera, as Riddick gets pulled into a war against the Necromongers, an empire hell-bent on conquering the galaxy. The budget ballooned significantly compared to the first film, and while it underperformed domestically, it built out the mythology of Furya, Riddick’s home planet, in ways that matter later. Its ending leaves Riddick in a position of unexpected power, setting up a very different status quo for the next chapter.
4. Riddick (2013)
After the mixed response to Chronicles, Twohy and Diesel deliberately returned to the stripped-down, R-rated survival vibe of the original, stranding Riddick on a hostile planet and forcing him to fight off both the wildlife and rival mercenary crews. It’s a course-correction that fans largely embraced, blending elements of both prior films. The movie ends with Riddick’s story clearly unfinished, planting the seeds — literally, given the planet in question — for a long-gestating fourth installment.
5. Riddick: Furya (TBA)
The next chapter finally sends Riddick to Furya, his home world, a place he barely remembers and fears may already be in ruins — where he encounters other Furyans who share more in common with him than he expected. David Twohy returns to write and direct, with Vin Diesel reprising the role, and production has reportedly filmed across European locations including Germany. As of now, no official release date has been confirmed, so treat any specific date you see online as speculation until Universal makes it official.
Do You Need to Watch Dark Fury Before The Chronicles of Riddick?
Yes, if you want the full story — Dark Fury isn’t just a bonus feature, it directly sets up plot points that carry into The Chronicles of Riddick. That said, the sequel does enough recapping that you won’t be totally lost if you skip it.
Minimum viable watch order (if you’re short on time):
- Pitch Black (2000) — essential, skip nothing here
- The Chronicles of Riddick (2004) — the core sequel
- Riddick (2013) — completes the original trilogy
- Dark Fury (2004) — worth circling back to if you want full continuity
How Many The Riddick Movies Are There?
There are three released feature films — Pitch Black, The Chronicles of Riddick, and Riddick — plus the animated short Dark Fury, with a fourth feature, Riddick: Furya, currently in the pipeline.
All The Riddick Movies in Order by Release Date
1. Pitch Black — February 18, 2000
2. The Chronicles of Riddick: Dark Fury — June 15, 2004
3. The Chronicles of Riddick — June 11, 2004
4. Riddick — September 6, 2013
5. Riddick: Furya — TBA
What’s Next for the Franchise?
Riddick: Furya is the big one fans are waiting on. David Twohy is back writing and directing, Vin Diesel is confirmed to return as Riddick, and reports indicate principal photography has taken place, with the project moving through post-production. No official release date has been locked in — estimates floating around range anywhere from late 2026 to as far out as 2028, so take any specific date you see with a grain of salt until a studio confirms it.
Beyond Furya, there’s no officially announced fifth film or spinoff series at this time, though Vin Diesel has publicly talked about wanting to keep the Riddick universe going as long as audiences show up for it.
FAQ
Is The Chronicles of Riddick before or after Pitch Black?
The Chronicles of Riddick comes after Pitch Black in both release order and the story timeline — it’s the direct sequel.
Do I need to watch the Dark Fury short to understand the movies?
Not strictly, but it fills in a plot gap between the first two films and is worth the 35 minutes if you want complete continuity.
What order should I watch the Riddick movies in?
Release order and story order match here: Pitch Black, then Dark Fury (optional), then The Chronicles of Riddick, then Riddick.
Is there a Riddick 4 coming out?
Yes — Riddick: Furya is in development with David Twohy directing and Vin Diesel returning, though no confirmed release date exists yet.
That’s The Riddick movies in order, from the desert planet that started it all to the long-awaited return to Furya. Bookmark this page — we’ll update it the moment Furya gets an official release date.
Related: Action, Sci-Fi, Adventure, Thriller, Space Opera
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