Release OrderRecommended
0 / 11 watchedEvery theatrical film in release order. The 2006 film restarts the story, so expect a clean break there.
Sellers era
- 1 The Pink Panther Introduces Clouseau and the Phantom. Released December 18, 1963.
- 2 A Shot in the Dark First film built fully around Clouseau. Released June 23, 1964.
Standalone
- 3 Inspector Clouseau Alan Arkin plays Clouseau without Sellers or Edwards. Released May 28, 1968.
Sellers return
- 4 The Return of the Pink Panther Sellers returns after a decade gap. Released May 21, 1975.
- 5 The Pink Panther Strikes Again Dreyfus tries to have Clouseau killed. Released December 15, 1976.
- 6 Revenge of the Pink Panther Last Sellers performance as Clouseau. Released July 20, 1978.
Tribute films
- 7 Trail of the Pink Panther Built from cut footage and flashbacks after Sellers died in 1980. Released December 17, 1982.
- 8 Curse of the Pink Panther Follows Sgt. Clifton Sleigh with a Clouseau cameo by Roger Moore. Released August 12, 1983.
Later sequel
- 9 Son of the Pink Panther Roberto Benigni plays Clouseau's son Jacques Gambrelli. Released August 27, 1993.
Reboot
- 10 The Pink Panther Steve Martin plays Clouseau in a new continuity. Released February 10, 2006.
- 11 The Pink Panther 2 Martin returns with John Cleese as Dreyfus. Released February 6, 2009.
Essential Clouseau Path
0 / 6 watchedSix films that show Sellers at his peak plus the reboot start. Watch these first, then fill the gaps if you want the full run.
- 1 The Pink Panther Start here for the premise and the diamond.
- 2 A Shot in the Dark The best pure Clouseau showcase.
- 3 The Return of the Pink Panther Sellers comeback film.
- 4 The Pink Panther Strikes Again Dreyfus versus Clouseau at full stretch.
- 5 Revenge of the Pink Panther Final Sellers entry.
- 6 The Pink Panther Reboot entry point with Steve Martin.
About Pink Panther
The series began in 1963 with Peter Sellers as Inspector Jacques Clouseau hunting the Phantom for the Pink Panther diamond.
Blake Edwards directed most entries through 1993, then Steve Martin rebooted Clouseau in 2006 with a 2009 sequel.
Good to know
Trail (1982) and Curse (1983) reuse Sellers footage after his 1980 death and play as sendoffs. Eddie Murphy confirmed in July 2025 he will play Clouseau for Amazon MGM Studios, but he said in November 2025 he was still waiting on the script, so no date exists.
