Alien movies in order: Alien: How to watch every movie from the space horror franchise in order? Explained

The Alien films are a sci-fi action horror media franchise that, in the last few decades, have evolved into many spin-offs, sequels, video games, series, and even comic books.

The franchise was first introduced to the world with its first installment, Alien, released in 1979. Set between the 22nd and 24th centuries, the films introduced audiences to the conflicts between humans and an aggressive endoparasitoid extraterrestrial species called 'Xenomorph'.

The plot of the films is centered around the themes of space exploration, with humans going on space journeys and trying to survive in dangerous situations involving extraterrestrial species. Audiences throughout the series are also shown the greed of a megacorporation called Weyland-Yutani Corp.

The corporation is notoriously known for participating in harmful bioengineering between humans and extraterrestrial species for their profit. In addition to manipulating the human species, their pursuit of weaponizing Xenomorphs causes the cooperation to put many of the film’s characters in hostile situations.

Created by Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett, the franchise is known for its landmark female protagonist, Ellen Ripley, a warrant officer. If this plot interests you, here is a list of how you can watch every film in the franchise, both in order of chronology and order of release date. The films are available to watch on Hulu.

Disclaimer: This article may contain spoilers. Reader's discretion is advised.

How to watch the Alien films chronologically?

Alien vs. Predator (2004)

A crossover between the Alien and Predator franchise, Alien vs. Predator, shows the opposition between the extraterrestrial and Predator species. The film’s plot takes place in Antarctica, where predators aim to lure humans into their training grounds.

A group of humans, including archaeologists and the founder of Weyland-Yutani Corp., unknowingly awaken a hibernating Alien queen. With the predators hunting the xenomorphs, humans get caught in the crossfire and try to escape the fight between the two hostile species.

Alien vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)

The film shows the aftermath of the events of Alien vs. Predator. The plot once again shows how humans are caught in the middle of a fight between predators and Xenomorphs. The fight unravels after a Predator scout ship crashes into a small town in Colorado.

A Predalien aboard the ship sends a distress signal to a veteran Predator in their homeland, who then descends on Earth to rid it of the Xenomorph. In an attempt to survive, the Xenomorphs escape the town and endanger the lives of the human residents of the town.

Prometheus (2012)

Set 3 decades before the events of the first film Alien. Prometheus serves as the prequel to the first film. In Prometheus, scientists Charlie Holloway and Elizabeth Shaw set out on a journey to find the origins of the human race.

On their journey, they encounter the remains of a historic species called ‘Engineers’ that they believe may be connected to the origin of humans. After further exploration, the scientists find the bioweapons being developed by the species to try to kill the human race.

Alien: Covenant (2017)

The story takes place more than a decade after Prometheus. The crew of a colony ship, Covenant, travel through space with numerous human embryos and colonists. The ship originally on its way to planet Origae-6, lands on planet 4 after receiving a mysterious signal.

The travelers on the ship discover the planet they have landed on is the house of android David, who is experimenting on Xenomorphs. Audiences are also introduced to a new species, Neomorphs.

Alien (1979)

The franchise shows the conflict between humans and Xenomorphs | Image Source: 20th Century Studios

The first installment in the Alien franchise, the film sees the discovery of an alien spaceship with many alien eggs by the crew of a spacecraft called Nostromo. Upon investigation, one of the eggs cracks, and the creature that comes out of it attaches to the face of one of the crew members.

The creature exhibits its parasite behavior by becoming a face-hugger, which develops into a chest-burster, which further forms into a dangerous Xenomorph. The members of the crew that discovered the egg are all killed while trying to fight the Xenomorph. The only remaining survivor is Ellen Ripley.

Alien: Romulus (2024)

In the latest installment of the Alien film franchise, audiences are taken on a journey where humans discover a new breed of dangerous Xenomorphs. Weyland-Yutani Corp looks into the remains of the Nostromo, two decades after its destruction.

The megacorporation discovers the cocoon of a Xenomorph. The story further unravels as the greedy corporation further endangers the lives of others for its profit.

Aliens (1986)

57 years post the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is called upon to help colonial Marines on Moon LV-426 to contact a terraforming mining alien colony. She comes face-to-face with Xenomorphs and has to once again battle them, taking her own life into her hands.

Alien 3 (1992)

After escaping LV-426, Ellen Ripley crash lands in Fiorona 161, a maximum security prison planet for hardened male criminals. Neither Ellen nor the inmates have any idea about a Xenomorph, a predatory alien, which hides in the planet's duct system.

As the Xenomorph draws blood, panic sets in, forcing a group of inmates to form a band to fight the predator with primitive tools. Led by Ellen Ripley without any kind of modern technology or weapons, these men will fight the predator to save their own lives.

Alien Resurrection (1997)

Two centuries after the events of Alien 3, where Ellen Ripley gave her life for the sake of humanity, the military resurrected her, extracting her Alien DNA. During the process, her DNA gets fused with a Xenomorph mother as the extraterrestrials escape.

Ripley 8 is created with fragmented memories of her former self and a Xenomorph mother growing inside her. Now she must face the Xenomorphs again as she searches for her identity.