Alien Movie Guide: Plot, Timeline & Where To Watch

Is the cinematic legacy of the Xenomorph, that acid-bleeding, face-hugging terror, truly as vast and complex as it seems? The "Alien" franchise, a cornerstone of science fiction horror, stretches across decades, timelines, and even the occasional crossover, offering a rich tapestry for fans and newcomers alike.

From Ridley Scott's 1979 masterpiece, a film that redefined suspense and creature design, to the eagerly awaited "Alien: Romulus" slated for 2024, the series has consistently delivered a potent blend of terror, action, and philosophical inquiry. This guide delves into the intricacies of the franchise, exploring its plots, critical reception, and the various ways to experience the saga. The world, in its infinite capacity to birth stories, provides fertile ground for these narratives, drawing inspiration from classic sci-fi themes while pushing the boundaries of visual storytelling. These movies, which have become synonymous with a sense of dread, have marked people a lot through the first installment.

Let's start with a quick view of the film series and TV series to see them in chronological order and find a way to approach them if you want to delve into the depths of the saga, because it is an unmissable journey for any self-respecting film lover. The alien films span centuries and light-years, so if you're planning on watching them all, here's your handy guide.

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Film	Release Date	Director	Plot Summary (Concise)	Rating (Average)	Critics' Consensus (Example)
Alien	1979	Ridley Scott	The crew of the Nostromo, a commercial spacecraft, is awakened from hypersleep to investigate a distress signal. They encounter a deadly extraterrestrial lifeform.	8.5/10	A sci-fi masterpiece, "Alien" blends horror and suspense with iconic visuals and a terrifying creature.
Aliens	1986	James Cameron	Ripley, the sole survivor of the Nostromo, joins a team of marines to investigate the loss of contact with a colony on the planet where the original alien was discovered.	8.3/10	"Aliens" is a thrilling, action-packed sequel that surpasses the original in scale and intensity.
Alien 3	1992	David Fincher	Ripley crash lands on a prison planet, where she must once again confront the Xenomorph.	6.2/10	"Alien 3" provides a darker, more introspective take on the franchise, with mixed results.
Alien Resurrection	1997	Jean-Pierre Jeunet	200 years after her death, Ripley is resurrected as a clone and must battle a new generation of Xenomorphs.	6.0/10	"Alien Resurrection" offers visually inventive direction, but its convoluted plot and uneven tone leave the film feeling confused.
Alien vs. Predator	2004	Paul W. S. Anderson	A team of scientists becomes caught in a battle between Aliens and Predators in an ancient pyramid.	5.6/10	"Alien vs. Predator" delivers what it promises: a collision of two iconic sci-fi monsters, but is ultimately a shallow, fan-service film.
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem	2007	Colin Strause and Greg Strause	The Predalien, a hybrid of the Alien and Predator, wreaks havoc in a small town in Colorado.	4.7/10	"Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem" is a dark and uninspired sequel that fails to capitalize on the potential of its premise.
Prometheus	2012	Ridley Scott	A team of explorers follows clues to the origins of humanity, leading them to a distant planet and a deadly encounter with the Engineers and the Xenomorph's precursors.	7.0/10	"Prometheus" is a visually stunning and thought-provoking film that raises intriguing questions about the origins of life.
Alien: Covenant	2017	Ridley Scott	The crew of the colony ship Covenant discovers a seemingly idyllic planet, only to find it inhabited by the Engineers and a new form of Xenomorph.	6.9/10	"Alien: Covenant" offers a return to the horror of the original, but its narrative choices and character development are divisive.
Alien: Romulus	2024	Fede Alvarez	Set between the events of "Alien" and "Aliens," a group of space colonizers encounter the Xenomorph.	TBD	TBD

These films, along with various other works across different media, have constructed an elaborate and frequently debated narrative. "Alien" is one of the best of its kind, a sci-fi masterpiece.

The "Alien" franchise isn't just a series of films; it's a sprawling universe that has expanded through comics, novels, video games, and other media. These additions offer further insights into the lore, exploring the origins of the Xenomorph, the society of the Engineers (the beings who created the Xenomorph), and the wider implications of the conflict between humans, aliens, and Predators. Some of these stories are considered canonical, while others exist in the expanded universe. It is pretty cool that two of the most iconic movie monsters share the same cinematic universe.

The first is that its temporal frame would be between 'Alien: The Eighth Passenger' and 'Aliens:'. This way, the film takes us to the year 2142; 20 years after the original and 37 years before the sequel, letting us see a certain familiar face. The Nostromo, carrying a crew of seven: Kane, Dallas, Lambert, Ripley, Ash, Parker, and Brett, departs from Thedus on a course to Earth. Ash is added to the crew at the last minute. Unfortunately, Scar is fatally wounded, and when he is returned to his ship, he finds a little surprise on board.

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The events in the Alien and Predator films sometimes merge into a single continuity, as demonstrated by the release of the Aliens vs. Predator comic series (1989) and the films Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007). Alien vs. Predator movies, but not yet in the main alien movie timeline.

The storylines of the alien, predator and alien vs. Predator science fiction film franchises have been at times merged into a single continuity by the release of the aliens vs. Predator comics series (1989) and the films alien vs. Predator (2004) and aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) and the upcoming tv series.

Due to the presence of the Alien vs. Predator films, the Alien and Predator franchises converged and now take place in the same timeline.

While the main "Alien" timeline primarily concerns itself with the encounters between humans and the Xenomorph, the "Alien vs. Predator" films introduce another terrifying player: the Yautja, or Predators. These extraterrestrial hunters, known for their advanced technology and brutal combat, see the Xenomorph as the ultimate prey. The Predator really canon to the alien movies timeline, though? It's uncertain, but fans can debate. The Predator series also has its own chronology, creating additional layers of complexity. The Alien vs. Predator franchise contains 14 movies and an upcoming tv series.

The evolution of the Alien franchise is not static, and the future holds exciting possibilities. "Alien: Romulus," set to arrive in 2024, promises to be another thrilling installment. With Noah Hawley's "Alien" show on the horizon, we thought this was the perfect time to help make sense of a complicated timeline. All together, the alien franchise contains 9 movies and an upcoming tv series. The movies include the 4 original alien movies, the 2 alien vs. Predator movies, and Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, and Alien: Romulus, which is getting a sequel. The alien movies include the 4 original alien movies, the 2 alien vs. Predator movies, and Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, and Alien: Romulus, which is getting a sequel. The list includes films, television episodes, novels, comic books, short stories, video games, and other promotional material from the alien, predator and alien vs. Predator (flashback).

Here are all the alien movies in timeline order: Alien (1979), Aliens (1986), Alien 3 (1992), Alien Resurrection (1997), Prometheus (2012), Alien: Covenant (2017) and Alien: Romulus (2024).

This page is a work in progress. Thanks to the alien vs predator films, the alien and predator franchises converged to take place in the same timeline. Ufo sightings have been reported throughout history from various parts of the world, raising questions about life on other planets and whether extraterrestrials have visited earth.