The Shadow Collection backdrop
The Shadow Collection poster
Official Collection
Series Freshness: May 08, 2026

The Shadow Collection

The Shadow is a super hero. Who like many super heroes fights crime in New York City. Behind the mask of The Shadow is a young wealthy man known as Lamont Cranston, also known as Kent Allard.

8Movies
★ 7.3 Avg Rating

The Shadow Collection Movies: Timeline & Franchise Overview

The The Shadow Collection franchise spans roughly 57 years, featuring 8 interconnected films that build a shared narrative universe.

From its earliest installment to the most recent release, the series has expanded its world-building while introducing new characters and story arcs. Notable entries such as The Shadow demonstrate the franchise’s ability to maintain audience interest over time.

Franchise Quality Benchmark

Across all entries, the series holds an average audience rating of 5.6. While many long-running franchises experience declining reception, this series continues to deliver memorable cinematic moments.

Viewing Order Strategy

Most viewers prefer watching the films in release order, which reflects how audiences originally experienced the evolving story.

However, a chronological viewing order can provide deeper insight into the timeline of events within the The Shadow Collection universe.

Timeline & Watch Order

We recommend watching the The Shadow Collection franchise in the following order to fully experience the narrative expansion.

1
The Shadow Strikes

The Shadow Strikes

1937★ 4.6AVERAGE

Lamont Cranston assumes his secret identity as "The Shadow", to break up an attempted robbery at an attorney's office. When the police search the scene, Cransto...

2
International Crime

International Crime

1938★ 5.4AVERAGE

The second and final Grand National Pictures film to feature The Shadow, played again by Rod La Rocque. In this version, Lamont Cranston is an amateur detective...

3
The Shadow

The Shadow

1940★ 7.3HIT

The Shadow battles a villain known as The Black Tiger, who has the power to make himself invisible and is trying to take over the world with his death ray....

4
The Shadow Returns

The Shadow Returns

1946★ 5.7ABOVE AVERAGE

The Shadow (Kane Richmond) cracks a case of missing jewels, murder and plastics....

5
Behind the Mask

Behind the Mask

1946★ 5.5ABOVE AVERAGE

Falsely accused of murdering a crooked newspaper reporter, suave detective Lamont Cranston -- aka the Shadow -- vows to track down the real killer....

6
The Missing Lady

The Missing Lady

1946★ 4.8AVERAGE

While investigating the theft of a valuable jade statue known as "The Missing Lady" -- and the subsequent murder of an art dealer -- imperceptible sleuth Lamont...

7
The Invisible Avenger

The Invisible Avenger

1958★ 5.4AVERAGE

Lamont Cranston, aka The Shadow, investigates the murder of a New Orleans bandleader....

8
The Shadow

The Shadow

1994★ 6.1ABOVE AVERAGE

Based on the 1930s comic strip, The Shadow is put up against his archenemy Shiwan Khan, who plans to take over the world by holding a city to ransom using an at...

Common Questions about The Shadow Collection

How many movies are in the The Shadow Collection?

There are currently 8 movies in the The Shadow Collection, starting from The Shadow to the latest release, The Shadow.

What is the best order to watch the The Shadow Collection?

The best way to watch the The Shadow Collection is usually in release order: starting with The Shadow and ending with The Shadow. Check our timeline for the full chronological breakdown.

Which is the highest-rated movie in the The Shadow Collection?

According to movieMx ratings, the fans have a strong preference for The Shadow in this franchise.