The Alien franchise is a monumental series in science fiction and horror cinema, spanning decades with its gripping tale of extraterrestrial terror. What started as a 1979 space horror has evolved into a successful franchise with its latest spinoff Alien: Romulus arriving in cinemas this year. Watching the series in both chronological and release order provides different experiences.
Here’s a guide to enjoying the Alien franchise along with options on where to stream all the Alien movies online right now!
How to watch the Alien movies in chronological order
Watching the Alien movies in chronological order means experiencing the story as it unfolds in the universe's timeline. This order starts with the prequels that set up the origins of the Xenomorphs and progresses through the original series.
1. Prometheus (2012)
2. Alien: Covenant (2017)
3. Alien (1979)
4. Alien: Romulus (2024)
5. Aliens (1986)
6. Alien 3 (1992)
7. Alien: Resurrection (1997)
In the Alien timeline, the earliest chapter is Prometheus which is set in the year 2093. This prequel finds a team of scientists exploring an alien planet, discovering the origins of humanity and encountering the Engineers, the creators of the extraterrestrial monsters called Xenomorphs. Prometheus introduces the Engineers and the initial steps towards the creation of the Xenomorphs.
Then comes Alien: Covenant. In 2104, the crew of the colony ship Covenant discovers a dark and dangerous world, leading to the evolution of the Xenomorphs. A direct sequel to Prometheus, it further explores the origins of the Xenomorphs and David’s experiments.
Then comes Ridley Scott’s Alien that introduces the Xenomorphs and the franchise’s overarching protagonist Ripley. In Alien, the crew of the spaceship Nostromo encounters the deadly Xenomorph on a derelict spaceship.
Alien: Romulus is an interesting middle chapter, serving as an interquel between Alien and Aliens. The story finds a group of young space colonists who encounter the dangerous life forms that we saw earlier in the first film.
In Aliens, Ripley returns with a team of marines to LV-426, encountering a colony overrun by Xenomorphs. This action-heavy sequel by James Cameron expands the universe and introduces the Queen Xenomorph.
Alien 3 has Ripley crashing on a prison planet, bringing the Xenomorph threat with her. This film by David Fincher concludes Ripley’s battle with the Xenomorphs on the barren planet-sized world Fury 161.
The last Alien film to feature Ripley is Alien: Resurrection (1997). Set 200 years after Alien 3, Ripley is cloned and brought back to life, along with the Xenomorphs who have evolved during these centuries.
How to watch the Alien movies in release order
Watching the Alien series in release order allows you to experience the evolution of filmmaking and storytelling in the franchise.
1. Alien (1979)
2. Aliens (1986)
3. Alien 3 (1992)
4. Alien: Resurrection (1997)
5. Prometheus (2012)
6. Alien: Covenant (2017)
7. Alien: Romulus (2024)
Both chronological and release orders offer unique ways to experience the Alien franchise. Chronological order helps to understand the evolution of the Xenomorphs and the overarching narrative, while release order showcases the development of the series over time. With Alien: Romulus, fans have even more to look forward to in this iconic saga.
Where to watch all Alien movies online
The list below shows you how and where to stream all of these sci-fi horrors in India! We also provide you with offers to buy or rent these movies, along with options to watch them for free when available.
