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July 26, 2026Sources cited
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The Purge

The Purge is an American dystopian horror-thriller film franchise created by James DeMonaco.

By Ethan Anderson| Reviewed by Olivia Bennett, Standards & Fact-Checking Lead| Updated July 26, 2026|2 min read| Fact-checked

The Purge is an American dystopian horror-thriller film franchise created by James DeMonaco. It began with the 2013 film *The Purge* and expanded into multiple sequels and a television series set in the same universe. The franchise has Canadian relevance through Canadian theatrical and home-video distribution, and Quebec releases used the French title *La purge*.

Premise

The franchise is set in a dystopian future United States where a government-sanctioned annual event allows all criminal activity for 12 hours. The first film follows a family trying to survive the night.

Film series

The franchise began with *The Purge* in 2013 and continued with *Anarchy* (2014), *Election Year* (2016), *The First Purge* (2018), and *The Forever Purge* (2021).

Television adaptation

The franchise was expanded into a television series called *The Purge*, which aired from 2018 to 2019 and is set in the same fictional universe.

Reception and impact

The original film became a commercially successful launch point for the franchise and helped establish *The Purge* as a recognizable horror property.

Key facts

  • The franchise centers on an annual 12-hour period during which all crime is legal.
  • The concept was introduced in the 2013 film *The Purge*.
  • James DeMonaco wrote and directed the first film and is identified as the creator of the series.
  • The film series includes five theatrical films released between 2013 and 2021.
  • A television series titled *The Purge* aired from 2018 to 2019.
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Canadian context

The franchise has Canadian relevance through Canadian theatrical and home-video distribution, and Quebec releases used the French title *La purge*.

Frequently asked questions

What is *The Purge*?
It is an American dystopian horror-thriller franchise about a yearly 12-hour period when all crime is legal.
Who created *The Purge*?
The franchise was created by James DeMonaco, who wrote and directed the first film.
How many *Purge* films are there?
There are five theatrical films in the series.
What is the first *Purge* film?
*The Purge* was released in 2013.
Is there a *Purge* TV series?
Yes. A television series titled *The Purge* aired from 2018 to 2019.

References

  1. Italian Wikipedia — https://it.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_notte_del_giudizio_(serie_di_film)
    Supports: Identifies the franchise, creator, genre, and the five films plus TV series
  2. IMDb — https://www.imdb.com/fr-ca/title/tt2184339/
    Supports: Provides the original title, release year, runtime, and plot premise for the 2013 film
  3. Netflix Canada — https://www.netflix.com/ca-fr/title/70265234
    Supports: Gives the Canadian French title and premise for the 2013 film
  4. Gouvernement du Québec, Répertoire des films — https://repertoire.cinema.mcc.gouv.qc.ca/film/la-purge-374060/
    Supports: Provides the Quebec title, year, synopsis, runtime, and Canadian French release information
  5. French Wikipedia — https://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Nightmare_(s%C3%A9rie_de_films)
    Supports: Confirms the franchise structure and the annual Purge premise