The Child's Play franchise, also known as the Chucky franchise, is an American slasher media franchise created by Don Mancini revolving around the titular killer Good Guy doll, Chucky, possessed by serial killer, Charles Lee Ray, who transferred his soul via a voodoo spell to escape death. The original film, Child's Play, was released on November 9, 1988, and went on to spawn a plethora of sequels, a reboot, comics, and a sequel television series.
While initially starting out as a straight horror film, featuring aspects of psychological horror, the franchise has consistently incorporated elements of horror-comedy and camp, primarily following the fourth major film instalment, Bride of Chucky. In later years, the franchise returned to it's horror roots with the direct-to-video instalment, Curse of Chucky, before blending the two themes together in Cult of Chucky. In 2019, the franchise was rebooted with 2019's Child's Play, however, the original continuity was still maintained with 2021's Chucky television series.
Contents
- 1 Films
- 1.1 Original continuity
- 1.1.1 Child's Play (1988)
- 1.1.2 Child's Play 2 (1990)
- 1.1.3 Child's Play 3 (1991)
- 1.1.4 Bride of Chucky (1998)
- 1.1.5 Seed of Chucky (2004)
- 1.1.6 Curse of Chucky (2013)
- 1.1.7 Cult of Chucky (2017)
- 1.2 Reboot continuity
- 1.2.1 Child's Play (2019)
- 1.1 Original continuity
- 2 Television Series
- 2.1 Chucky
- 2.1.1 Season 1 (2021)
- 2.1.2 Season 2 (2022)
- 2.1.3 Season 3 (2023)
- 2.1 Chucky
- 3 References
Films[]
Original continuity[]
Child's Play (1988)[]
Main article: Child's Play
Gunned down by Detective Mike Norris, dying murderer Charles Lee Ray uses black magic to put his soul inside a doll named Chucky -- which Karen Barclay then buys for her young son, Andy. When Chucky kills Andy's baby sitter, the boy realizes the doll is alive and tries to warn people, but he's institutionalized. Now Karen must convince the detective of the murderous doll's intentions, before Andy becomes Chucky's next victim.
Child's Play 2 (1990)[]
Main article: Child's Play 2
Two years after serial killer Charles Lee Ray inserted his soul into a Chucky doll, a toy company attempts to re-create the doll, bringing Ray back in the process. The possessed doll, intent on claiming a human body, kills his way toward former owner Andy, who now lives in a foster home. Andy's foster sister, Kyle, tries to protect him, but his foster parents believe Andy is just a troubled kid -- and Chucky's murderous path continues.
Child's Play 3 (1991)[]
Main article: Child's Play 3
It's been years since Chucky, the doll with the soul and the voice of a psychopathic killer, was apparently destroyed in a fire at a doll factory. Now Chucky's manufacturer is remaking the same line of toys with the old, still haunted materials. This resurrects Chucky, who goes after Andy, his former owner, who now attends military school. Chucky slashes his way through a string of grotesque murders as Andy tries to stop the homicidal doll and the spirit within it.
Bride of Chucky (1998)[]
Main article: Bride of Chucky
After being cut apart by the police, killer doll Chucky is resurrected by Tiffany, an ex-girlfriend of the serial murderer whose soul is inside the toy. Following an argument, Chucky kills Tiffany and transfers her soul into a bride doll. To find the magical amulet that can restore them both to human form, Chucky and Tiffany arrange to be driven to New Jersey by Jesse and Jade, who are unaware that their cargo is alive.
Seed of Chucky (2004)[]
Main article: Seed of Chucky
Gentle Glen is a ventriloquist's dummy, the offspring of evil doll Chucky and his doll bride, both of whom are now deceased. When the orphaned Glen hears that a film is being made about his parents, he goes to Hollywood and resurrects them in an attempt to get to know them better. He is horrified when Chucky and his lover embark on a new killing spree, and Chucky is equally horrified that his son has no taste for evil.
Curse of Chucky (2013)[]
Main article: Curse of Chucky
Looking for revenge, Chucky the killer doll infiltrates and terrorises the family of a woman, her sister, and her young niece.
Cult of Chucky (2017)[]
Main article: Cult of Chucky
Chucky returns to terrorize his human victim, Nica, who is confined to an asylum for the criminally insane. Meanwhile, the killer doll has some scores to settle with his old enemies, with the help of his former wife.
Reboot continuity[]
Child's Play (2019)[]
Main article: Child's Play (2019)
After moving to a new city, young Andy Barclay receives a special present from his mother -- a seemingly innocent Buddi doll that becomes his best friend. When the doll suddenly takes on a life of its own, Andy unites with other neighborhood children to stop the sinister toy from wreaking bloody havoc.
Television Series[]
Chucky[]
Main article: Chucky (series)
Set a few years after Cult of Chucky in the city of Hackensack, New Jersey, 14-year-old Jake Wheeler buys a Good Guy doll at a yard sale to use it in his contemporary art project during the Halloween season. He later discovers that the doll is possessed by the soul of serial killer Charles Lee Ray, known as Chucky, who has been causing a crime rate of murders to spike in the city over the last few months. Jake soon becomes a suspect in a series of strange events involving the doll, who unleashes a wave of shocking murders around the town. Some of the boy's classmates will also see themselves linked to these events. In addition, a series of flashbacks explore Charles's past as a seemingly normal kid who somehow became one of Hackensack's most notorious killers.
Season 1 (2021)[]
Main article: Season 1
A vintage Good Guy doll is found at a yard sale, and the inevitable murdering that ensues terrorizes an idyllic American town while exposing its hypocrisies and secrets. Several characters from Chucky's past, friends and foes alike, show up to expose the truth of the killings, as well as the demon doll's untold origins as a seemingly ordinary child who somehow became this notorious monster.
Season 2 (2022)[]
Main article: Season 2
Chucky crosses paths with archenemies, old allies and new prey, as he seeks to inspire fear and mayhem wherever he goes. After his diabolical plan to invade America's children's hospitals was foiled in season one, Chucky now seeks revenge on those he holds responsible: surviving teens Jake, Devon and Lexy, along with his ex Tiffany, now his sworn enemy.
Season 3 (2023)[]
Main article: Season 3
In Chucky’s unending thirst for power, season 3 now sees Chucky ensconced with the most powerful family in the world — America's First Family, inside the infamous walls of the White House. How did Chucky wind up here? What in God’s name does he want? And how can Jake, Devon, and Lexy possibly get to Chucky inside the world’s most secure house, all while balancing the pressures of romantic relationships and growing up? Meanwhile, Tiffany faces a looming crisis of her own as the police close in on her for “Jennifer Tilly’s” murderous rampage last season.