After a seven-year hiatus, the Alien franchise is returning to the big screen with Alien: Romulus. Before delving into the next installment, viewers may wish to catch up with the prior films in the horror sci-fi franchise. This guide will explain how to watch the Alien movies in order and where you can stream all the movies online!
The Alien franchise began in 1979 with the release of Alien from director Ridley Scott. It follows the crew of the spacecraft Nostromo, including warrant officer Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), Captain Dallas (Tom Skerritt), and executive officer Kane (John Hurt), who are on their way home from a mission in deep space. However, they soon find themselves fighting for survival when an alien species (later identified as Xenomorphs) infiltrates their ship.
Although Alien received mixed reviews upon release, it was reassessed and is now considered one of the greatest sci-fi horror movies ever. The blend of horror and sci-fi, the strong female lead in Sigourney Weaver, and the chilling and dreadful premise were groundbreaking. Additionally, the scene where the alien emerges through Kane’s chest is considered one of cinematic history's most iconic scenes.
Sigourney Weaver returned for the 1986 sequel, Aliens, with James Cameron signing on to direct. The film sees Ripley return to the original site of the attack on Nostromo after another ship goes dark while in the area. Aliens did what few sequels accomplish and came to be considered equal to or greater than Alien in quality, thrilling viewers with its exploration of a Queen Xenomorph and further character development of Ripley.
Weaver returned for Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection, but the franchise started losing momentum. Alien 3 was criticized for undoing the Aliens' ending, while Alien Resurrection had a convoluted script. Hence, the next Alien film would diverge from the original movies and start a new crossover franchise with Predator.
Original Alien director Ridley Scott was vehemently against the crossover and eventually received the green light to revive the franchise with two prequel films, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. The prequel introduced archeologists Elizabeth (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie (Logan Marshall-Green) and android David (Michael Fassbender), who run into a deadly alien species while attempting to track the origin of humanity.
While the prequels didn’t entirely eclipse the original movie and its sequel, they received relatively positive reviews. They revitalized the franchise, raising excitement for Alien: Romulus, which will take viewers back to the time of the original films.
How to watch the Alien movies in order
Viewers can either watch the Alien movies in chronological or release date order. Chronological order is fairly simple, as it is the Predator vs. Alien movies, followed by the prequels and original series. The new film, Alien: Romulus, is set to take place between Alien and Aliens. The chronological order is:
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Prometheus
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Alien: Covenant
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Alien
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Alien: Romulus
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Aliens
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Alien 3
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Alien Resurrection
Where to watch the Alien movies online
See below for the release date order, as well as where to watch the Alien movies online in the United States!
