In 1960, Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho hit cinema screens. The film, about a young woman and her unfortunate visit to the Bates Motel was a huge hit with audiences and critics alike and led to a series of movies.

But how many Psycho movies are there?

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Psycho films in order

Image: ©Universal Pictures

To date, there are five Psycho movies. The Psycho films – which were produced between 1960 and 1998 – include:

  • Psycho (1960)
  • Psycho II (1983)
  • Psycho III (1986)
  • Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990)
  • Psycho (1998)
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Are all of the Psycho movies part of the same series?

The first four entries in the Psycho series are told in chronological order. Characters and themes that are introduced in the first entry are continued across the series.

The fifth entry in the series – Psycho ’98 – is a shot-for-shot, colour remake of the original Psycho.

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Who are the cast of the Psycho films?

Image: ©Universal Pictures

The cast of the Psycho film series largely change from movie to movie. Notable actors in the series include Anthony Perkins, Janet Leigh, Vera Miles, John Gavin, Martin Balsam, Robert Loggia, Dennis Franz, Jeff Fahey, Henry Thomas, Olivia Hussey, CCH Pounder, Vince Vaughn, Anne Heche, Julianne Moore, Viggo Mortensen, William H. Macy and Robert Forster.

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Is the Psycho series the work of the same director?

The Psycho film series is the work of multiple directors, with a new director for each picture. Alfred Hitchcock directed Psycho, while Richard Franklin directed Psycho II, Anthony Perkins directed Psycho III, Mick Garris took on Psycho IV: The Beginning, and Gus Van Sant was responsible for Psycho ’98.

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What is the best Psycho film?

Image: ©Universal Pictures

Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is considered the best entry in the series and is also regarded as one of the seminal horror movies of all-time. Psycho II also has a strong, cult following amongst fans of the series.

The fifth entry – Psycho ’98 – is considered the worst entry in the series as it remakes the original movie without adding anything new to the story.

According to IMDb, the Psycho films are ranked as follows:

  • Psycho (1960) – 8.5/10
  • Psycho II (1983) – 6.5/10
  • Psycho IV: The Beginning (1990) – 5.5/10
  • Psycho III (1986) – 5.4/10
  • Psycho (1998) – 4.6/10

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For those who have never watched Psycho (let alone the sequels), you might like to know that Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho is available on Blu-ray.

The Psycho Blu-ray is Region Free (so you can watch it on pretty much any Blu-ray players) and includes a bunch of special features, in addition to the movie. The Blu-ray is available from all good entertainment retailers, but I find Amazon UK to be pretty competitive.

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I hope this information about the Psycho movie series has proved useful. Should you wish to know more about other long-running movie series, please check out one of the recommended reads below.

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Disclaimer: I earn a commission for products purchased through some links in this article.

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