How To Watch The Sniper Movies In Order

The best action movie franchises are packed with guns from beginning to end, but close-quarters combat tends to get all the glory. John Wick would have an easier time eliminating his enemies if he shot at them from hundreds of yards away, though audiences get more out of watching him fight up close and personal. While movies like "American Sniper" might find a careful balance between action and introspection, there aren't too many films that try to examine the solitary and violent lives of snipers.

To be fair, some truly epic sniper scenes have snuck their way into mainstream movies, but when it comes to pure sniper action, one franchise has been absolutely dominating the subgenre for more than 30 years. The "Sniper" series kicked off in the early '90s, and new movies in the franchise are still being released to this day. The earliest films featured Tom Berenger as the titular sniper, but over a decade after the franchise began, Chad Michael Collins stepped into the lead role, and he's been there ever since.

If watching action movies on basic cable in the mid-afternoon is one of your guilty pleasures, then "Sniper" could become your new favorite franchise. Of course, you need to know where to start first, and with more than 10 movies and 30 years of history, that can be a daunting task. We're here to help you get started and to dive headfirst into the world of "Sniper."

The first "Sniper" movie debuted in 1993, introducing the world to Master Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Beckett (Tom Berenger) and NSC Agent Richard Miller (Billy Zane). After losing a partner in battle, Sergeant Beckett is paired with Agent Miller, who has no field experience, and the two are sent on a mission to kill General Miguel Alvarez. Beckett isn't thrilled with the arrangement because he doesn't trust Miller to get the job done, and Miller has secretly been ordered to kill Beckett if there's any chance he'll blow the mission's secrecy. Over the course of their mission, Beckett and Miller learn to trust each other and become better snipers in the process.

"Sniper" didn't break any records at the box office, and it didn't win mass acclaim, either. The movie has a 38% approval rating with critics on Rotten Tomatoes, but like other awesome action movies that critics hated, the bad reviews haven't stopped "Sniper" from gaining a dedicated following. At the box office, the movie earned $18 million, which was just enough to leave the door open for a made-for-TV sequel. That small bit of financial success and the few fans that "Sniper" secured ended up being the foundation of this franchise's unbelievably long lifespan.

Almost a decade after "Sniper" failed to really wow audiences at the theaters, 2002's "Sniper 2" took the franchise to smaller screens as a TV movie. In the sequel, Tom Berenger returns as Thomas Beckett, who's now living life outside the military after losing his trigger finger during the events of the first film. Despite his new situation, the CIA wants Beckett to use his expertise to help them with a new mission. The agency asks Beckett to assassinate a Serbian general named Mile Valstoria (Peter Linka), and he agrees to go on the mission as long as he gets partnered with a spotter for assistance. The CIA introduces Beckett to Agent Jake Cole (Bokeem Woodbine), and the two are sent off to Serbia.

So what changed in the franchise's transition away from the theatrical release format? Not all that much. The original "Sniper" had a schlocky, low-budget feel, and "Sniper 2" keeps that energy going. Unsurprisingly, the sequel has a lower rating than the original from viewers on IMDb and Rotten Tomatoes, but some critics have said that it's a perfectly passable action flick. In other words, there are worse ways to spend 90 minutes.

Fans only had to wait two years for "Sniper 3" to continue the story of Sergeant Thomas Beckett. Tom Berenger reprised his role, and the movie picks up some years after the events of "Sniper 2." Beckett is back in the Marines, though his severed trigger finger is now causing nerve problems in his hand. He is navigating that health issue when he's once again approached by the CIA with a new mission, and this time it's personal. The CIA needs Beckett to kill a man named Paul Finnegan (John Doman). Years ago, Beckett and Finnegan were best friends, but Beckett thought Finnegan died in Vietnam. In reality, Finnegan went undercover as a drug dealer, but according to the CIA he's gone rogue and needs to be brought down.

2004's "Sniper 3" includes a few more twists and turns than the earlier movies in the series. The story is both more political and more personal than what came before it, but aside from that, this is still a "Sniper" movie through and through. It's 90 minutes of cheesy action that fans generally rate as being on par with "Sniper 2," but not quite as good as the original.

Here's where the proper viewing order for the "Sniper" series becomes a bigger question. 2011's "Sniper: Reloaded" took the series away from numbered titles at the same time as it introduced an entirely new hero. This is the first "Sniper" movie that doesn't feature Tom Berenger or his character Sergeant Thomas Beckett, because the story shifts to now focus on Beckett's son Brandon (Chad Michael Collins).

Brandon Beckett followed in his father's footsteps and became a Marine. When Beckett's men are killed in a mission gone wrong, he becomes fixated on a quest for revenge. Beckett needs to take out a mysterious sniper who killed his fellow soldiers, and he turns to none other than Richard Miller (Billy Zane) for help. Miller returns to the franchise to teach Beckett how to become a master sniper himself, and the two of them head out to find the mysterious sniper together. Critically, "Sniper: Reloaded" didn't fare any better than the other sequels in the franchise, but its story undeniably injected some new life into the series.

In 2014's "Sniper: Legacy," Chad Michael Collins reprises his role as Sergeant Brandon Beckett, but this time around Tom Berenger also returns to play Beckett's father. Like "Sniper 3," this movie goes for more personal stakes with its story, though, as always, the action scenes and the sniper shots are the real focus here. Brandon Beckett is on another quest for revenge in "Sniper: Legacy." Someone is assassinating political figures, but when he learns that his father has been killed, he decides to go on the hunt. The situation gets even more complicated when Brandon discovers that his father isn't dead, and the two snipers join forces while playing cat-and-mouse with the mystery assassin.

The developing relationship between the two Becketts is what really sets this movie apart from the rest of the franchise. Collins and Berenger are clearly still figuring out how their characters should respond to each other, especially since the movies kept them apart for years. Ultimately, this movie is all about laying the groundwork for future films. It sets up the father-son dynamic between the Becketts, and it also introduces Colonel Stone (Dennis Haysbert), who becomes a regular part of the "Sniper" universe going forward.

2016's "Ghost Shooter" kept the "Sniper" series charging forward. Despite setting up the relationship between Brandon Beckett and his father Thomas in the previous movie, "Ghost Shooter" doesn't bring back Tom Berenger to help explore that relationship further. Instead, Billy Zane returns as Richard Miller, and he's once again helping Chad Michael Collins' Sergeant Beckett hunt an enemy sniper. Beckett has been charged with protecting a gas pipeline in Georgia, but his mission is complicated by a sniper who seemingly always knows what his team's next move will be.

Mystery snipers, surprise double-crosses, and reemerging familiar faces were nothing new to the "Sniper" series by this stage, but "Ghost Shooter" might be the franchise's best take on combining all those elements. Midwest Film Journal ranked the movie as the best in the series, calling it "A legitimately well-crafted action-thriller that also delivers the DTV goods of explosive violence." Considering that you don't need to know the ins and outs of "Sniper" lore to follow the plot here, this is the sequel to choose if you're only going to watch one entry, though it should be the sixth film you watch if you're doing the whole franchise from start to finish.

If "Sniper: Ghost Shooter" is the ideal "Sniper" sequel for people who aren't experts when it comes to the lore of the franchise, then 2017's "Sniper: Ultimate Kill" is the opposite — this is the sequel that offers the most rewards for the diehard fans. For the first time, Brandon Beckett, Thomas Beckett, and Richard Miller are all together on screen, with Chad Michael Collins, Tom Berenger, and Billy Zane all reprising their roles to bring the characters together.

The story of "Ultimate Kill" is also marked by a bit of nostalgia. For the first time since the original "Sniper," our heroes are sent to Colombia to hunt down a drug lord. His name is Jesus Morales (Juan Sebastián Calero), and he has hired an elite sniper called El Diablo (Andrés Felipe Calero) to help keep him safe. Brandon Beckett is sent to retrieve him, and he'll need the help of his father, his old mentor, and a DEA agent named Kate Estrada (Danay García) to get the job done.

According to IMDb users, "Ultimate Kill" is one of the best movies in the franchise — the film has a 5.6 rating on the website. However, over on Rotten Tomatoes, the movie has an audience approval rating of just 37%, which isn't as high as some of the previous entries. That being said, if you've made it this far into the series, you know you'll enjoy another 90 minute adventure with this action crew.

2020's "Sniper: Assassin's End" is the "Captain America: The Winter Soldier" of the "Sniper" franchise for more reasons than one. Just a quick glance at the movie's poster or trailer will let you know that the new villain introduced by the movie — a Yakuza-trained super assassin called Yuki "Lady Death" Mifune (Sayaka Akimoto) — was clearly inspired by Bucky Rogers. The movie's plot also takes on a darker, more espionage-focused tone than previous installments did.

In "Assassin's End," Sergeant Brandon Beckett returns, but now he's found himself on the wrong side of the law. Beckett has been framed for an assassination, and the CIA is hunting him down. While on the run and trying to clear his name, Beckett also runs afoul of the Russian mob and the aforementioned Yakuza assassin who wears a black-and-silver armband that looks quite a bit like a certain robotic arm from another franchise.

The movie packs its spy plot into the franchise-mandated ninety-odd minute runtime, which sadly doesn't leave much time for actually exploring the backstory of the interesting new villain. Even for a "Sniper" film, "Assassin's End" is over the top, but that's all part of the fun. It was about as well-received as the other films in the series, but if you're already a fan, this one is well worth a watch. The characters Lady Death and DHS agent Zeke "Zero" Rosenberg (Ryan Robbins) return in future movies, making this a must-see if you intend on doing a "Sniper" marathon.

2022's "Sniper: Rogue Mission" picks up more-or-less where "Sniper: Assassin's End" left off. In a move straight out of the "Fast and Furious" villain playbook, Lady Death from "Assassin's End" is now a regular part of the team. She and Agent Zero have both returned to work alongside Sergeant Beckett on a brand new mission. 

"Rogue Mission," as the title implies, is another conspiracy-themed "Sniper" film where federal agents secretly abuse their authority. In the movie, Sergeant Beckett, his allies, and Colonel Stone discover that some members of the United States government and federal agencies are involved in a human trafficking operation. As always, it's up to them to stop the bad guys, but first they need to piece together the secrets of the trafficking ring itself.

There's all the action you'd expect from a "Sniper" film here, but "Rogue Mission" lingers on the mystery more than any other movie in the franchise. It was a change of pace that apparently didn't go over too well with fans: With a 25% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, "Rogue Mission" has the lowest audience score of any "Sniper" movie. If there's a film in the series that you're going to skip, it might as well be this one, but if you're planning on watching them all, then there's some character development that you won't want to miss.

Sergeant Brandon Beckett finds himself in a new position at the beginning of 2023's "Sniper: G.R.I.T. Global Response & Intelligence Team." Beckett has joined the newly-formed titular team, though considering that this group operates under the command of the one and only Colonel Stone, the sniper ace probably feels right at home. In addition to Beckett and the Colonel, this movie sees the return of Agent Zero and Lady Death, though this time around Luna Fujimoto is the actor portraying the Yakuza's best killer.

G.R.I.T. may be a new team, but its members already have their work cut out for them. Lady Death has been taken prisoner by a fanatical terrorist cult that has plans for world domination. Beckett and his friends need to travel the world, track down the cult, and defeat them to get their team member back. If in the process they happen to save the world, that's just icing on the cake. After the intrigue-heavy plot of "Rogue Mission," "G.R.I.T." gets the "Sniper" franchise back in shooting shape and takes audiences on yet another roughly 90-minute thrill ride.

Plenty of movie franchises that consistently put out great sequels still don't manage to have the long term success of the "Sniper" films. After an incredible run spanning more than 30 years, the "Sniper" franchise just won't quit. By this point, fans absolutely know what to expect when they sit down to watch a "Sniper" movie, and at the same time, the people making the films know exactly what it is their fans want. It's a great relationship that continues to pay dividends for this low-budget, guilty pleasure franchise. As you might expect from direct-to-digital movies, new "Sniper" films tend to drop with little fanfare, and "Sniper: The Last Stand" is no exception. Sony Pictures Entertainment quietly released the trailer for "Sniper: The Last Stand" on January 7, 2025, just two weeks ahead of its planned release date.

What's the latest installment in the "Sniper" franchise all about? Well, good 'ol Sergeant Brandon Beckett is back for another classic adventure. An evil arms dealer played by Arnold Vosloo has created a super weapon that could threaten all of humanity. Beckett and his trusty partner Agent Zero are called back in to hunt the weapon down and save the planet. Obviously, the movie's title implies that this will be the final "Sniper" outing, but it's hard to imagine that the franchise won't find a way to reinvent itself and keep chugging along for another few decades at this rate. If there's one thing the previous films have taught us it's that you can never keep Brandon Beckett down.