For decades, the ALIEN movies have been some of the most powerful sci-fi / horror films in theaters. The series constantly reinvents itself, veering from one end of the sci-fi spectrum to the other. With seven core ALIEN movies and two associated ALIENS VS PREDATOR films, some of which are prequels to the very first movie, it's a delightfully tangled storyline.
With ALIEN: ROMULUS coming to theaters, you might be ready to revisit all the gooey xenomorph chapters from beginning to end. Here's the best way to watch the ALIEN movie series in order.
Watch the Alien Movies in Release Order
We always say that release order is the most obvious way to watch any franchise. Even if some chapters fill in backstory left blank by other movies, you're going to see the story unfold just as audiences originally did.
- Alien (1979)
- Aliens (1986)
- Alien 3 (1992)
- Alien: Resurrection (1997)
- Alien vs. Predator (2004)
- Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
- Prometheus (2012)
- Alien: Covenant (2017)
- Alien: Romulus (2024)
Watch the Alien Movies in Chronological Story Order
There's some merit to watching the ALIEN movies in chronological order. Doing so offers a new perspective on the origins of the xenomorphs and the impact the alien creators had on humanity. Here's the chronological viewing order, with a breakdown of each film's place in the timeline:
1. Prometheus (2012)
Set in 2093, this prequel explores humanity's search for its creators. The crew of the Prometheus discovers the origins of a deadly bioweapon that will eventually evolve into the biomechanical alien - aka the xenomorph. This film sets the stage for the entire franchise, introducing the gigantic alien Engineers, and setting up their connection to human history.
2. Alien: Covenant (2017)
Taking place in 2104, ten years after Prometheus, this film continues the prequel storyline. It bridges the gap between the ancient Engineer technology and the more familiar Alien creatures. The movie delves deeper into the creation of the xenomorphs and sets up the groundwork for the original ALIEN.
3. Alien (1979)
Jump forward to 2122. The first release in the series observes as the crew of the Nostromo encounters the first fully-formed xenomorph, bringing the horror to a claustrophobic spaceship setting. This groundbreaking film introduces heroine Ellen Ripley and establishes the iconic xenomorph design and life cycle.
4. Alien: Romulus (2024)
It's too soon to know exactly how the new ALIEN: ROMULUS fits into the overall storyline developed by the other movies in the series. We do know that this latest chapter takes place between ALIEN and ALIENS, so its position in the chronological viewing order is easy to establish, at least.
5. Aliens (1986)
Set in 2179, 57 years after the events of ALIEN, this sequel ramps up the action. Ripley returns to the planet LV-426, where she first encountered the alien, only to find that it has been colonized for decades. Accompanied by a team of space marines, Ripley faces off against an entire hive of xenomorphs. The film expands the universe and mythology while maintaining the horror elements.
6. Alien 3 (1992)
Continuing directly from ALIENS, this entry follows Ripley as she crash-lands on a prison planet in the year 2179. The isolated setting calls back the atmosphere of the original movie, but is the darkest and most bleak movie in the series. It digs back to the horror roots of Ridley Scott's movie as it explores a faith-tinged and painfully personal story for Ripley.
7. Alien: Resurrection (1997)
Set in 2379, two centuries after ALIEN 3, this film brings a cloned Ripley back to battle xenomorphs on a military spaceship. The movie is divisive, but it shows the ALIEN universe and Ripley's character in ways we don't see in any other movie, and it features some exquisite moments of xenomorph action.
8. Alien vs. Predator (2004)
This crossover film is set in 2004, technically making it the earliest in the timeline. But as the story explores the idea of Predators using xenomorphs for hunting rituals on Earth, any connection to the main ALIEN storyline is tenuous at best. We look at it more like a separate appendix than a proper part of the story.
9. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
This direct sequel to AvP brings the xenomorph/Predator conflict to a small American town. Also set in 2004 and also largely disconnected from the main Alien storyline, this is part two of the appendix that offers insight into how the xenomorph threat might play out on modern-day Earth.
By watching in this order, viewers can trace the evolution of the xenomorphs from their earliest origins to their encounters with humanity across different time periods. The prequels provide context for movies set later in the timeline, even though much of that context was created long after the original movies were written.
Still, the chronological approach highlights the intricate world-building and thematic developments across the franchise. Most specifically, the role of artificial people becomes central to the saga's thematic development — which is fitting as three of the movies in question come from director Ridley Scott, who also explored similar themes in BLADE RUNNER.
ALIEN: ROMULUS opens on August 16.
All images courtesy of 20th Century Studios.