Darkman Collection
Darkman is a 1990 American superhero film directed and co-written by Sam Raimi. It is based on a short story Raimi wrote that paid homage to Universal's horror films of the 1930s. The film stars Liam Neeson as Peyton Westlake, a scientist who is brutally attacked, disfigured and left for dead by a ruthless mobster, Robert Durant (Larry Drake), after his girlfriend, an attorney (Frances McDormand), runs afoul of a corrupt developer (Colin Friels). After a failed treatment to cure him of his burn injuries, Westlake develops super-human abilities, which also have the unintended side-effect of rendering him mentally unstable and borderline psychotic. Consumed with vengeance, he decides to hunt down the men responsible for his disfigurement. The film's financial success spawned two direct-to-video sequels, Darkman II: The Return of Durant (1995) and Darkman III: Die Darkman Die (1996), as well as comic books, video games, and action figures.
Franchise Evolution & Timeline Analysis
The Darkman Collection has evolved significantly over a span of 6 years, growing from a singular narrative into a complex cinematic universe. With 3 interconnected entries, tracking the consistency of the franchise reveals fascinating trends in audience sentiment.
The "Series" Benchmark: 5.7/10
The franchise maintains a steady average rating of 5.7. While most series experience "Sequel Fatigue," Darkman Collection has managed to keep its narrative quality relatively stable, with Darkman standing out as the peak cinematic achievement.
Continuity vs. Commercial Appeal
Our data indicates that while the "Release Order" is preferred for first-time viewers, the "Chronological Order" provides a much deeper understanding of the world-building within the Darkman Collection. The timeline highlights a consistent narrative drive across all chapters.
Timeline & Watch Order
We recommend watching the Darkman Collection franchise in the following order to fully experience the narrative expansion.
Darkman
Dr. Peyton Westlake is on the verge of realizing a major breakthrough in synthetic skin when his laboratory is destroyed by gangsters. Having been burned beyond...
Darkman II: The Return of Durant
Darkman and Durant return and they hate each other as much as ever. This time, Durant has plans to take over the city's drug trade using high-tech weaponry. Dar...
Darkman III: Die Darkman Die
Darkman, needing money to continue his experiments on synthetic skin, steals a crate of cash from drug lord Peter Rooker......
Common Questions about Darkman Collection
How many movies are in the Darkman Collection?
There are currently 3 movies in the Darkman Collection, starting from Darkman to the latest release, Darkman III: Die Darkman Die.
What is the best order to watch the Darkman Collection?
The best way to watch the Darkman Collection is usually in release order: starting with Darkman and ending with Darkman III: Die Darkman Die. Check our timeline for the full chronological breakdown.
Which is the highest-rated movie in the Darkman Collection?
According to movieMx ratings, the fans have a strong preference for Darkman in this franchise.