If the 2000s was the decade of teen movies, then the 2010s was the decade of YA book-to-film adaptations: with the success of film franchises like The Twilight Saga, The Hunger Games and Harry Potter, every major studio was on the lookout for a hit YA series of their own. When the first Maze Runner film was released in 2014, it was in good company, with other high-budget adaptations like The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 and Divergent. While the three films comprising the Maze Runner series received mixed reviews from critics, they were a massive financial success for 20th Century Fox, grossing a total of $949 million.
When The Maze Runner came out, it appeared a new cultural phenomenon was on our hands. Stars like Dylan O’Brien, Thomas Sangster, and Ki Hong Lee were looking to be a pivotal part of the new generation of leading men, and while Maze Runner didn’t quite have the cultural impact it deserved (in large part due to delayed production of the final film after O’Brien was seriously injured on set), the films still merit a watch.
All three Maze Runner movies hold up surprisingly well as stand-alone films and are considered some of the best book-to-film adaptations out there. If you haven’t seen them, there’s no better time than the present to indulge in a little YA dystopian fiction. Here’s how to make sure you watch the Maze Runner films in order.
The Maze Runner series watch order
Fortunately, the Maze Runner series’ watch order is rather intuitive; the movies are best watched in the order they were released. The movies are all set chronologically and correspond with the order of the books by author James Dashner. Start with 2014’s The Maze Runner, and watch lead character Thomas unravel the secret of the mysterious maze he and other young people are sent to escape from. Then, watch 2015’s Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials, and find out what happens when Thomas and crew escape the maze to only find out the real world is much more dangerous. Finally, finish the series with 2018’s The Maze Runner: The Death Cure, and find out the answers to the questions that have plagued Thomas and friends for years. Expect action, drama, and some complicated plotlines as you experience the trilogy for the first time.
To recap, here’s a convenient list of the watch order:
- The Maze Runner (2014)
- The Maze Runner: The Scorch Trials (2015)
- The Maze Runner: The Death Cure (2018)
You can watch the Maze Runner films on several streaming services, including Hulu and Disney Plus. If renting is more your style, all three films are available to rent on Amazon Prime Video.
