THE PURGE 6: RETRIBUTION (2024) Frank Grillo, Brittany Mirabile

The Purge is a gripping American dystopian horror franchise that revolves around a chilling concept: once a year, for 12 hours, all crimes—including murder—are fully legalized. Created by James DeMonaco and distributed by Universal Pictures, the films depict a near-future America where this annual “Purge” is framed as a societal cleansing event to reduce crime and maintain order. However, beneath the surface, it reveals a brutal, lawless night that exposes humanity’s darkest impulses. ProduceAd by Blumhouse Productions and Platinum Dunes, the franchise has expanded beyond films to include a TV series, all exploring themes of survival, morality, and the fragile nature of societal structure. Inspired by an episode from Star Trek: The Original Series, the films offer a mix of tense action and horror while questioning the ethics of a system built on violence.
The Purge franchise launched in 2013 with James DeMonaco’s debut film The Purge, which introduced audiences to the horrifying concept of a 12-hour lawless night. DeMonaco not only directed two sequels but also penned the screenplays for all films in the series, shaping the dark and provocative universe. By the time the fifth installment, The Forever Purge, hit theaters on July 2, 2021, the franchise had become a cultural phenomenon. Expanding beyond films, a television series spanning 20 episodes premiered on September 4, 2018, and concluded on December 17, 2019, with DeMonaco writing the pilot.
While the franchise has received mixed reviews—critiqued for some formulaic storytelling and clichés—its thought-provoking concept, strong performances, and thrilling action sequences garnered praise. With a total box office gross of over $450 million against a modest combined production budget of $53 million, the Purge franchise has proven itself a commercial success and a lasting force in the action-horror genre.

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