How to watch the American Pie movies in order: Chronological and release date

Created by writer and producer Adam Herz, the films are all anchored by students from East Great Falls High, which was also the original title for the screenplay.

Hertz based the script on his own school experiences, so it’s safe to say that he probably has his own saucy stories to tell himself.

Such was the success of the frat house franchise that has profited over one billion dollars over the years, it's spanned over two decades.

And with so many films to get through, we’ll guide you through each and give a brief summary of what to expect - as there are two story arcs present in the series that feature different characters. Read on!

American Pie movies in order of release

Starting in 1999 with the original American Pie, there have been nine films in the series, concluding with 2020's American Pie Presents: Girls’ Rules, and below we have them all in order of their release date.

1. American Pie (1999)
2. American Pie 2 (2001)
3. American Wedding (2003)
4. American Pie Presents: Band Camp (2005)
5. American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile (2006)
6. American Pie Presents: Beta House (2007)
7. American Pie Presents: The Book of Love (2009)
8. American Reunion (2012)
9. American Pie Presents: Girls’ Rules (2020)

A lot of pies to get through, then. Let’s dive into how to watch them in chronological order.

American Pie movies in chronological order

There are two separate storylines in the American Pie anthology – the four films with the original cast members and then the American Pie Presents series, which act as spin-offs and introduce new and old characters in equally outrageous settings.

American Pie (1999)

The first film that took the world by storm and ushered in a new era of teen comedies. American Pie introduces us to the quintet of Jim (Jason Biggs), Kevin (Thomas Ian Nicholas), Oz (Chris Klein), Finch (Eddie Kaye Thomas) and Stifler (Seann William Scott), as well as Jim’s father, Noah (Eugene Levy), and Stifler’s mum (Jennifer Coolidge).

The premise is that the gang of five make a pact among themselves to all lose their virginity before the school years end and they graduate. All but Stifler, that is, who asserts that he already lost his virginity before they ever met.

In their often awkward and cringe-inducing quest, they all stumble over themselves trying to have a girlfriend in time for prom – a prerequisite for honouring the pact.

American Pie is available to rent or buy from Prime Video or on DVD or Blu-Ray from Amazon or as part of American Pie 1-8 on DVD from Amazon.

American Pie 2 (2001)

Featuring the same bumbling and very hormone-driven gang, American Pie 2 takes place during the summer break a year after the events of the first film.

Having been away from each other for so long, the crew rent a beach house on the shores of Lake Michigan to throw the best party ever - but, predictably, things don’t go exactly to plan.

A highlight of the film is Jim mistaking superglue for something supposed to be slippery rather than sticky…

American Pie 2 is available to rent or buy from Prime Video or on DVD or Blu-Ray from Amazon or as part of American Pie 1-8 on DVD from Amazon.

American Wedding (2003)

Oz is absent from American Wedding, but the rest of the main cast all make their return for the third instalment - which revolves around Jim and Michelle’s upcoming wedding.

However, Stifler is the man of the hour as he takes it upon himself to plan the most bombastic bachelor party for Jim, coloured by his usual flair for all things scandalous.

Against the backdrop of the usual juvenile antics, American Pie 3 does touch on more adult themes about marriage, growing up and being left behind by those who do.

American Wedding is available to rent or buy from Prime Video or as part of American Pie 1-8 on DVD from Amazon.

American Reunion (2012)

The final film featuring the original gang, American Reunion is set 13 years after their graduation - and as the title suggests, they’re back together after the long years apart.

In spite of time and distance, the friendships are quickly rekindled and it’s almost as if no time at all has passed - and it isn’t long until the antics come back, too.

Along with the antics, however, come the repercussions, with cracks beginning to form between many of the relationships between the characters.

At the end of the movie, Kevin suggests forming a new pact – one in which they promise to reunite the following year, but unfortunately for fans, this hasn’t come to pass.

American Reunion is available to rent or buy from Prime Video or on DVD or Blu-Ray from Amazon or as part of American Pie 1-8 on DVD from Amazon.

American Pie Presents movies in chronological order

Next up, we have the American Pie Presents films, all of which were direct-to-DVD and on-demand films, as opposed to the mainline entries which saw theatrical releases in cinemas worldwide.

American Pie Presents: Band Camp (2005)

Stifler’s younger brother Matt has inherited his penchant for debauchery, and his actions see him getting sent to band camp for the summer break to straighten him out.

Matt is determined to keep the family tradition alive, however, and plans to make a raunchy "Bandeez Gone Wild" video - and as a result, runs foul of the camp's strict rules.

At camp, though, he’s reunited with his childhood sweetheart, and begins to discover his true passions beyond his reputation.

American Pie Presents: Band Camp is available to rent or buy from Prime Video or on DVD from Amazon or as part of American Pie 1-8 on DVD from Amazon.

American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile (2006)

Stifler’s cousin, Erik, takes centre stage for The Naked Mile, as he battles with his family’s reputation - as he hasn’t lost his virginity in the run-up to graduation.

Setting the scene, the film opens with Erik skipping school by pretending to be ill and gets busy in solitude – or so he thinks, as his parents and grandmother interrupt him at his finale, shall we say, and the ensuing crossfire results in his grandmother having a heart attack and dying.

Erik does have a girlfriend, Tracy, but initially isn’t ready to take it all the way, and when they finally try to - in American Pie tradition - they are predictably interrupted by impeccable parental timing.

All this causes him to seek virginal redemption by running the Naked Mile, a legendary college tradition that sees contestants running naked in a race, but grapples with his loyalties to Tracy back home.

American Pie Presents: The Naked Mile is available to rent or buy from Prime Video or as part of American Pie 1-8 on DVD from Amazon.

American Pie Presents: Beta House (2007)

Erik Stifler returns, and this time at college - where he’s pledged allegiance to the Beta fraternity, who task him and his friends to challenge rival fraternity the Geeks to increasingly outrageous challenges.

These challenges range from having their behinds signed by strippers, sleeping with a professor, marrying another Beta pledgee and bringing a live ostrich into the Geek house.

Amid the chaos of pranks and parties, Erik faces relationship issues and undergoes personal growth, all while striving to prove himself within the fraternity while staying true to his core values.

American Pie Presents: Beta House is available to rent or buy from Prime Video or as part of American Pie 1-8 on DVD from Amazon.

American Pie Presents: The Book of Love (2009)

Featuring a new virginal trio, Rob, Lube and Nathan, The Book of Love follows the group after they discover 'The Bible', a sex manual that has become a school relic after 40 years of it being worked on by generations of students.

Determined to lose their virginity, they embark on a quest using the book's tips and try to find the original creator – a familiar face to fans of the series.

American Pie Presents: The Book of Love is available to rent or buy from YouTube or as part of American Pie 1-8 on DVD from Amazon.

American Pie Presents: Girls’ Rules (2020)

In a series first, Girls’ Rule features – as the name suggests – a group of five girls who make a pact to take control of their romantic lives, rather than be at the whim of boys and their antics.

Predictably, however, the girls soon find themselves in the centre of their own antics as they struggle against adversity to get their own way and battle the traditional status quo set by the teenage boys.

American Pie Presents: The Book of Love is available to rent or buy from Prime Video.

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