All 11 Pink Panther Movies in Order: Your Complete Watch Guide

Pink Panther movies have been passed on from generation to generation like a legacy and have never failed to entertain the audience no matter the age group. The original Pink Panther movie was released in 1963 followed by eight more parts, with the last part released in 1993. The franchise paved the way for the slapstick comedy genre which was later followed by franchises like Scary Movies. 

The character of Pink Panther has made frequent comebacks in multiple forms like books, video games, and animated versions. It’s been 60 years of the most loved franchise and what better occasion to look back and reminisce the Pink Panther movies in order? 

Rotten Tomatoes Rating	89%
Release Date	1 January 1963
Directed By	Blake Edwards

The 1964 release is the first installation of the Pink Panther franchise. The audience was instantly impressed with the slapstick comedy and the character of Inspector Jacques Clouseau, played by Peter Sellers

Back in the 60s, the movie was so hyped that it managed to accumulate a gross amount of $10,878,107 at the ticket counters and was even considered for ASCAP film and television music awards. The movie is about a notorious jewel king, and he is back with another robbery leaving his signature white glove at the scene of the crime. 

Rotten Tomatoes Rating	94%
Release Date	23 June 1964
Directed By	Blake Edwards

With the mass success of The Pink Panther and the love for Inspector Clouseau’s character, the characters had to make a comeback. A Shot in the Dark 1964 starred Elke Sommer in the lead along with Peter Sellers. The movie boasts a Rotten Tomatoes Rating of 94%. 

Intricate connections, extra-marital affairs, and relationships abound in this comedy suspense movie with lots of hilarious and shocking scenes while there’s a killer with a gun on the loose. Well, what’s there to find out is who killed whom, why they killed them, and when. 

Rotten Tomatoes Rating	22%
Release Date	19 July 1968
Directed By	Bud Yorkin

Only a few know about the 1968 release Inspector Clauseau, as the movie was not initially included in the Pink Panther series. The movie performed poorly at the box office, mainly due to the titular character not being helmed by Peter Sellers as usual. 

A series of bone-tickling moments follow when even the character’s clueless nature somehow ends up on the right side of the investigation.

Also Read: How to Watch Marvel Movies and TV Shows in Order: Dive Into The MCU Marvel-ous Journey

Rotten Tomatoes Rating	85%
Release Date	21 May 1975
Directed By	Blake Edwards

The Return of the Pink Panther once again starred Peter Sellers as Inspector Clauseau. This time the true identity of the notorious jewel thief, The Phantom, must be revealed for Clauseau to maintain his image as the renowned detective. 

The movie succeeded commercially saving the seemingly sinking Pink Panther franchise. 

Rotten Tomatoes Rating	75%
Release Date	15 December 1976
Directed By	Blake Edwards

The story of The Pink Panther Strikes Again 1976 escalated as the criminal, Charles Dreyfus, is now free and is keen to murder Inspector Clauseau. Like all the previous parts, the movie maintained a touch of humor even at the most serious and deadly moments. 

Watch the inspector being on a very close call for his enemies. However, the Pink Panther character is not in the movie this time, and his character is shown in an animated form only in the end. 

Rotten Tomatoes Rating	84%
Release Date	20 July 1978
Directed By	Blake Edwards

Revenge of the Pink Panther holds a special place in the hearts of the audience as this is the last Pink Panther movie starring Peter Sellers when he was alive. The movie marked the most successful movie of the Pink Panther franchise. 

Pink Panther 1978 picks up from where the previous part left, that is, Dreyfus’s failed attempts at killing Clauseau. This action crime movie takes us to the highly complicated and unimaginably rough life of our very own Inspector Clouseau. After the failed assassination, he is on the lookout for the person who was behind the plan. 

Rotten Tomatoes Rating	23%
Release Date	17 December 1982
Directed By	Blake Edwards

Pink Panther 1982 was released after the unfortunate death of Peter Sellers. Instead of casting another actor for the role, the makers decided to use the previously recorded cuts of Peter Sellers and build the story around it. 

The idea didn’t seem to work as the movie failed to impress the audience and marked the worst-performing movie from the Pink Panther series. But even after all this, we can conclude that after Seller’s demise, the creators attempted to keep the movie franchise alive somehow. 

Rotten Tomatoes Rating	29%
Release Date	12 August 1983
Directed By	Blake Edwards

Pink Panther 1983 was the first Pink Panther film to be released after the death of Peter Sellers. The makers continued with the previous plot of the missing case of Inspector Clauseau. The movie tried to introduce a new character, Clifton Sleigh, who is assigned the duty of finding the missing Inspector Clauseau. 

When Inspector Charles Dreyfus comes to know about the investigation for missing Clauseau, he makes sure that the worst investigation officer is hired instead of the best one. Hence, Inspector Clifton is hired and a similar series of shenanigans follow his investigation as previously seen with Inspector Clauseau.

Rotten Tomatoes Rating	6%
Release Date	27 August 1993
Directed By	Blake Edwards

This Pink Panther 1993 release, Son of the Pink Panther, marked the last movie in the original Pink Panther series. The movie was not received well by the audience and was a box office failure. It looked like Peter Seller fans had a hard time imagining Pink Panther without their favorite Inspector Clauseau.

The movie saw a new character Jacques Gambrelli, the illegitimate son of Inspector Clauseau. He is sent on a mission to find the pink panther diamond which has been stolen again. On his mission, he learns more about his father and what kind of an officer he has been.

Rotten Tomatoes Rating	21%
Release Date	10 February 2006
Directed By	Shawn Lewy

After 13 years, the Pink Panther movie was set in motion once again. By this time, Steve Martin was already one of the most loved comical characters, and his appearance in The Pink Panther gave life to its dead franchise. 

The Pink Panther was a box office success and was welcomed with open hearts. The movie received ASCAP Award but also had to face some negative remarks. Being a loose remake of The Pink Panther 1963, the audience had high expectations from the movie.

The franchise decided to wrap up for good with The Pink Panther 2 2009. However, it couldn’t manage to make as much as the previous part, but it did manage to accumulate a gross of $76 million worldwide. 

The movie picked up from the prequel where the missing case of the pink panther diamond was solved. In Pink Panther 2, Clouseau is awarded one of France’s highest honors and is part of a prestigious group of detectives in France.

Chronological Order: The Pink Panther Films in Perfect Sequence (2024)

Here are the all pink panther movies in a chronological order list with the release year of every movie.

• The Pink Panther (1963)
• A Shot in the Dark (1964)
• The Return of the Pink Panther (1975)
• The Pink Panther Strikes Again (1976)
• Revenge of the Pink Panther (1978)

Conclusion

From 1963 to 2009 and beyond, all the Pink Panther movies have successfully entertained the audience with the perfect dose of mystery and goofiness. Hope you enjoyed the list of Pink Panther movies in order and got clarity on the sequence of the movies for a better experience.