The Alien franchise has perfectly managed to terrify, thrill, and fascinate millions of fans worldwide. From Ridley Scott’s original sci-fi horror masterpiece from 1979 to the action-packed sequels and prequels that have left a lasting mark on pop culture, it has been a wild ride for almost four decades.
With nine movies in total, the franchise has taken some bold swings, not all of which have landed. Whether you’re a die-hard Xenomorph fan or just curious about where to start, we’ve ranked all Alien movies from worst to best. So, let’s break down which entries soared into space – and which ones crashed and burned.
9. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
Coming in at the bottom of the list, Alien vs. Predator: Requiem is widely considered the weakest entry in the entire Alien franchise. While the idea of bringing two iconic creatures together (Xenomorphs and Predators) sounded amazing on paper, the final product ended up being a huge disappointment. The movie attempted to blend action, horror, and science fiction, but failed to do justice to any of them.
The storyline felt more like a low-budget teen drama than a gripping sci-fi thriller, and the characters are hard to care about. Even the much-hyped hybrid creature (a mix between Alien and Predator) failed to impress due to poor character development and lack of originality.
Even the visual elements of the movie are a huge letdown. Much of the action takes place in the dark, which in turn makes it quite difficult for fans to follow what’s actually happening on screen. The CGI looks cheap, and the special effects fail to hold up, especially when compared to earlier movies in the franchise.
While the movie does feature large-scale destruction, including a nuclear explosion, it feels more like noise than impact. So, overall, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem feels like a missed opportunity. And instead of delivering the epic clash fans were hoping for, it ended up being a forgettable tale. Also, it earned more than $130 million globally (via Box Office Mojo).
You can currently stream Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem in the USA on Hulu.
8. Alien: Resurrection (1997)
Alien: Resurrection comes in at the eighth position on our list of best Alien movies. While it has a few entertaining moments, it’s often remembered more for its odd choices than its strengths. Brought to life by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, famous for films like Amélie, Resurrection tries to inject a fresh style into the franchise.
Unfortunately, even with its fast-paced action and sleek look, it falls short in terms of storytelling and tone. Set 200 years after the events of Alien 3, this movie brings back Sigourney Weaver‘s Ellen Ripley – but with a twist. Here, she’s now a clone created by scientists who want to study the Xenomorphs for military purposes.
This version of Ripley is part human, part alien, which gives her enhanced abilities but also distances her emotionally from the character fans once deeply connected with. Alongside a group of mercenaries, she must survive once the aliens inevitably break loose on the spaceship.
There are a few memorable scenes – for example, the aliens swimming underwater or Ripley confronting a failed clone version of herself. But these aren’t enough to hold the movie together. The dialogue also feels forced, filled with one-liners that seem lifted from outdated action movies.
While the visuals are sleek and the camera work is good, the movie struggles to find the perfect balance between horror and sci-fi. So, while it’s a step up from Requiem, it still ranks low on the list of Alien movies. Moreover, it earned more than $161 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo).
You can currently stream Alien: Resurrection in the USA on Hulu.
7. Alien 3 (1992)
Landing in the seventh spot, Alien 3 can easily be one of the most divisive entries in the Alien franchise. Following the high-stakes action of Aliens, this chapter took a much darker and slower turn, and let’s just say not everyone was a huge fan. Directed by David Fincher in his feature debut, this movie drops Ripley on a bleak prison planet.
Here, she’s surrounded by violent inmates with shaved heads and grim attitudes. It’s a major shift from the tone of the earlier movies, and not all of it works. One of the most controversial choices is how the movie kills off beloved characters from Aliens, leaving Ripley completely alone. While this could have been used for a more emotional storyline, the movie struggled to deliver.
The pacing, as well as the plot, feels more like a slow march toward a bad ending rather than an intense survival story. Ripley’s emotional arc (discovering she’s carrying an alien queen and choosing to end her life) was meant to be powerful, but it lacked tension and payoff. Moreover, the tone of the movie was so grim that the “assembly cut” released later couldn’t do much to fix its flaws.
So, while Alien 3 did have some interesting ideas and plots, it still didn’t match the legacy of the first two movies. It earned more than $159 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo).
You can currently stream Alien 3 in the USA on Hulu.
6. Aliens vs. Predator (2004)
At number six, we have Alien vs. Predator, bringing together two of Sci-Fi’s iconic monsters for a big-screen battle fans had long been waiting for. Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, this movie didn’t try to be too deep and just wanted to give the audience a fast-paced, entertaining ride. And in many ways, it did succeed.
The story takes place in Antarctica, where a team of scientists and explorers discovers a mysterious ancient pyramid buried beneath the ice. Soon, they realize they’re caught in the middle of a deadly battle between the Xenomorphs and the Predators. This rather unique setting, combined with the pyramid’s shifting layout, adds a cool and unpredictable twist to the usual alien horror.
Moreover, the action sequences are clean and consistent, with a perfect mix of effects and CGI that mostly works. One of the movie’s biggest highlights is the appearance of the giant Alien Queen (which was huge, scary, and well-executed). Even though the characters aren’t deeply developed, Sanaa Lathan’s Alexa Woods stands out from the rest. She’s smart and determined, offering a fresh lead who earns her place in the franchise.
While Alien vs. Predator didn’t reach the emotional or horror-driven heights of the earlier Alien movie, it still gave enough thrills and monster fights to keep fans satisfied. Also, it earned more than $177 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo).
You can currently stream Aliens vs. Predator in the USA on Hulu.
5. Alien: Covenant (2017)
Alien: Covenant acts as both a sequel to Prometheus and a prequel to the original Alien. Brought to life by the legendary Ridley Scott, this movie looks stunning with grand visuals. It also has some eerie world-building that shows off its high production value. If we look at the storyline, it follows a group of colonists heading to a new planet when they receive a mysterious signal and decide to investigate.
What they find is a deadly world filled with secrets, creatures, and the synthetic android David, who’s been carrying out horrifying experiments. Actor Michael Fassbender returns in a dual role and plays both David and another synthetic named Walter. His performance is one of the movie’s strongest elements, especially when the focus shifts to David’s obsession with creation and destruction.
Covenant leans into its horror roots more than Prometheus, and features intense alien attacks, brutal deaths, and some shocking creature births that are more graphic and disturbing than ever. However, the movie’s plot gets tangled in its own ideas. The deep philosophical themes about life, gods, and creation slow the pace and sometimes confuse the story.
While it builds a good amount of intrigue, it fails to answer every question. Despite that, Alien: Covenant delivers on action and suspense, perfectly placing at number five on our list. Moreover, it earned more than $240 million globally (via Box Office Mojo).
You can currently stream Alien: Covenant in the USA on Hulu.
4. Prometheus (2012)
Prometheus marked Ridley Scott’s return to the Alien franchise, but it was a mixed bag. Visually, the movie was stunning. From the alien landscapes to the spaceship design, every frame looked beautiful and carefully crafted. Premise-wise as well, the movie tried to explore big questions about human origins and our creators, as a group of scientists traveled to a distant planet, LV-223, after discovering ancient clues on Earth.
One of the standout characters here was David (played by Michael Fassbender again). It was his calm yet eerie personality that often stole the spotlight from the human crew. In fact, he ended up being more interesting than the actual aliens the team came to find.
However, Prometheus struggled with weak character decisions, and more often than not, the crew members made odd and illogical choices that took away from the seriousness of the mission. The plot built up a lot of mystery but didn’t answer many of the questions it raised.
Still, there was one unforgettable moment, an intense scene involving an emergency surgery that stood out as one of the movie’s most memorable. While Prometheus didn’t fully deliver on its deep themes, it delivered a chilling atmosphere, breathtaking visuals, and, of course, Ridley Scott. It crossed an impressive $403 million worldwide (via Box Office Mojo).
You can currently stream Prometheus in the USA on Hulu.
3. Alien: Romulus (2024)
Alien: Romulus brings a familiar yet fresh take on the Alien franchise. Directed by Fede Álvarez, the movie follows a group of young colonists who stumble upon a seemingly abandoned space facility while on a mission to recover old equipment. But things quickly take a dark turn when they realize something deadly is waiting inside.
Though the cast looks way too polished to be believable as gritty space scavengers, the movie gets the tone as well as the style just right. Fede Álvarez, along with co-writer Rodo Sayagues, strikes a smart balance between the slow-burn tension of Ridley Scott’s 1979 original and the fast-paced action of James Cameron‘s Aliens from 1986.
The atmosphere, technology, and pacing feel like a nostalgic throwback without being stuck in the past. However, despite this, not everything works out perfectly. Yes, the movie tries to tie in details from the prequels while also honoring the original timeline, which makes the final act a bit messy.
Still, the director pulls off a tense and bloody sci-fi horror story that respects what came before. This movie also proves that there’s still room for new stories in the Alien universe. Moreover, it earned more than $350 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo).
You can currently stream Alien: Romulus in the USA on Hulu.
2. Aliens (1986)
James Cameron took Ridley Scott’s slow-burn horror from the first Alien movie and perfectly turned it into a high-energy action movie – and it worked brilliantly. That’s right – Aliens didn’t try to copy the original and instead brought forth more depth to the story, raised the stakes, and added a lot more firepower. Sigourney Weaver returned as Ellen Ripley, and this time she became an even stronger lead.
Her bond with a young girl named Newt brought out her emotional side, and it made her fight for survival even more personal. Cameron gave every character a distinct personality, from the brave android Bishop to the overconfident space marines. Moreover, the movie also tackled themes like trust, trauma, and leadership – all while delivering one thrilling scene after another.
While it wasn’t as eerie as the first movie, the action was intense and incredibly satisfying. The special effects were top-notch for the time, and James Horner’s powerful music score added even more punch.
Overall, Aliens is one of the best sequels ever made, honoring the original while boldly heading in a new direction – one that fans absolutely loved. This was evident from the fact that after its release, it earned more than $131 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo).
You can currently stream Aliens in the USA on Hulu.
1. Alien (1979)
Ridley Scott’s Alien wasn’t just another sci-fi or horror movie – it was a true game-changer. From the very first shot, the movie created an atmosphere that was dark, eerie, and incredibly tense. Every frame felt carefully curated, especially inside the ship Nostromo, where the gritty industrial design added to the feeling of being trapped and vulnerable.
What made the original truly stand out was its creature design. The Xenomorph, created by artist H.R. Giger, looked like nothing people had seen before. It was terrifying, biomechanical, and weirdly elegant (a monster that instantly became iconic). Giger’s work, along with the movie’s detailed visuals, brought horror a new kind of artistic depth, a quality that hadn’t been achieved before.
Here, Sigourney Weaver’s performance stood out, and though she wasn’t a typical action hero at first, she grew into one with courage that made fans root for her. So, because of this, Alien earned more than $109 million at the box office (via Box Office Mojo). Although Scott has said goodbye to making more Alien movies for good, he’s still somewhat connected to the franchise.
That’s right – he’s the executive producer for Alien: Earth, all set to premiere on 12th August on Hulu. This is the first show version in the Alien franchise, and given the recently released trailer, it’s easy to say that it’s going to be a perfect addition to the Xenomorphs and the alien world.
You can currently stream Alien in the USA on Hulu.
Final thoughts…
The Alien franchise has had its fair share of ups and downs throughout the years. From terrifying horror to even messy sequels, the movie series has explored many directions. While some felt unnecessary or poorly made, others, such as Aliens and Alien: Romulus, became genre-defining classics.
So, while everyone will have their own opinions about the above-mentioned list, one thing is clear: the Alien franchise is not ending anytime soon. What keeps the franchise alive is its ability to change with each movie. Some focus on action, others on fear or deeper ideas. However, the scary xenomorphs, strong visuals, and memorable characters, such as Ripley, always bring fans back.
With new projects like Alien: Earth on the way, there’s still more to look forward to. As long as the creators respect the past and try new things, Alien will continue to entertain and surprise us for years to come.
This post belongs to FandomWire and first appeared on FandomWire
