Explore the Alien film franchise in order, from Ridley Scott’s original Alien (1979) through Aliens, Alien 3, Alien Resurrection, the Alien vs. Predator crossover films, the prequels Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, up to the latest chapter Alien: Romulus (2024), with plots, box office highlights and awards history.
- Alien film franchise in order
- Alien movies timeline explained
- Xenomorph science fiction horror series
- Alien vs. Predator crossover films
- Prometheus and Alien: Covenant prequels
- Alien: Romulus box office and awards
The Alien franchise is one of the most influential science fiction horror series in cinema history, spanning core series entries, prequels and crossovers over nearly five decades.
Across nine main films, it has mixed slow-burn horror, action and philosophical sci-fi, while introducing the iconic Xenomorph and Ellen Ripley as one of genre cinema’s defining heroes. The series has also been a major box office presence, with individual films like Prometheus and Alien: Romulus crossing the 300–400 million worldwide mark.
This post is based on an episode from my YouTube channel Cinema Awards Archive, where I break down the Alien franchise film by film, focusing on release history, box office and awards recognition.
Here are the main Alien franchise films in release order:
- Alien (1979)
- Aliens (1986)
- Alien 3 (1992)
- Alien Resurrection (1997)
- Alien vs. Predator (2004)
- Alien vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
- Prometheus (2012)
- Alien: Covenant (2017)
- Alien: Romulus (2024)
Below, you’ll find a detailed section on each film, with punctuation cleaned and presentation optimized for readability and SEO.
Alien (1979) is a science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Dan O'Bannon, based on a story by O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett.
It follows a spaceship crew who investigate a derelict spaceship and are hunted by a deadly extraterrestrial creature, with the alien creatures and environments designed by Swiss artist H. R. Giger, while concept artists Ron Cobb and Chris Foss designed the other sets.
Alien premiered on May 25th 1979, the opening night of the fourth Seattle International Film Festival, received a wide release on June 22nd and opened on September 6th in the United Kingdom.
It initially received mixed reviews but won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, three Saturn Awards (Best Science Fiction Film, Best Direction for Scott and Best Supporting Actress for Veronica Cartwright) and a Hugo Award for Best Dramatic Presentation.
The film grossed about $78.9 million in the United States and £7.8 million in the United Kingdom during its first theatrical run, with worldwide estimates ranging between $104 million and $203 million.
In subsequent years, Alien was critically reassessed and is now considered one of the greatest and most influential science fiction and horror films of all time.
In 2002, it was deemed “culturally, historically or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry, and in 2008 the American Film Institute ranked it among the top science fiction films.
Aliens (1986) is a science fiction action film written and directed by James Cameron, serving as the sequel to Alien and the second film in the franchise.
Set in the far future, it stars Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley, the sole survivor of the original alien attack, who returns with a unit of Colonial Marines when communications are lost with a human colony on the same moon where the creatures were first encountered.
Released on July 18th 1986, the film received critical acclaim, with reviewers praising its action and tension even as some criticized the intensity of certain scenes.
It received several awards and nominations, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for Weaver at a time when the science-fiction genre was often overlooked in major categories.
During its theatrical run, Aliens earned roughly $130–180 million worldwide, making it one of the highest‑grossing films of 1986.
Alien 3 (1992) is an American science fiction horror film directed by David Fincher and written by David Giler, Walter Hill and Larry Ferguson from a story by Vincent Ward.
The third installment in the franchise is set immediately after Aliens, with Ripley and an alien organism as the only survivors after an escape pod crashes on a penal colony planet populated by violent male inmates.
The film had a troubled production, including shooting without a finished script and the attachment and departure of multiple writers and directors before Fincher was brought in for his feature directorial debut.
Released on May 22nd 1992, it underperformed at the American box office but earned over $100 million outside North America, and received mixed reviews, generally seen as inferior to its predecessors.
Fincher later disowned the film as unfaithful to his vision due to studio interference, although an extended “Assembly Cut” released in 2003 without his involvement received a warmer reception.
Alien 3 was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, seven Saturn Awards, a Hugo Award and an MTV Movie Award for Best Action Sequence.
Alien Resurrection (1997) is an American science fiction horror film directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, written by Joss Whedon and starring Sigourney Weaver and Winona Ryder.
The fourth installment in the Alien franchise is set 200 years after Alien 3, with Ellen Ripley cloned and an alien queen surgically removed from her body by the United Systems Military aboard the spaceship USM Auriga.
The USM hopes to breed Xenomorphs for study using human hosts supplied by mercenaries, but the creatures escape and Ripley and the mercenaries must destroy the Auriga before it reaches Earth.
The film premiered in Paris on November 6th 1997 and was released widely on November 12th, grossing about $47.8 million in the United States and Canada and $161 million worldwide, making it the least successful Alien film domestically but stronger overseas.
Critics gave mixed reviews, often criticizing the screenplay while praising Weaver’s performance and Jeunet’s direction, and it received six Saturn Award nominations.
Planned sequels were abandoned as the franchise shifted to crossovers with Alien vs. Predator and later prequels, while Resurrection’s storyline continued in tie‑in comics and novels.
Alien vs. Predator (2004) is a science fiction action horror film written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, adapting the crossover concept that first appeared in a 1989 comic book.
It is the first film in the Alien vs. Predator franchise, the fifth film in the Alien series and the third in the Predator series, bringing together the eponymous creatures in a battle beneath an Antarctic pyramid.
Released theatrically on August 13th 2004, the film received generally negative reviews but grossed about $172–177 million worldwide against a $60–70 million budget, making it a financial success.
Over time it has developed a cult following, particularly for its creature effects and action sequences, and it led to a direct sequel, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007).
Alien vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) is an American science fiction horror action film, the directorial debut of the Brothers Strause and a direct sequel to Alien vs. Predator.
It is the second installment in the AVP series, the sixth Alien film and the fourth Predator film, continuing immediately after the first crossover with a Predator ship crash near a Colorado town as a Predalien hybrid escapes and a veteran Predator arrives to contain the outbreak.
The film premiered on November 4th 2007 in Los Angeles and was released theatrically on December 25th in the United States.
Critics gave generally negative reviews, particularly criticizing the dark lighting, editing and lack of originality, though it grossed about $130 million worldwide against a $40 million budget.
Plans for another AVP sequel were dropped as the Alien and Predator series moved forward again with separate projects.
Prometheus (2012) is a science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and written by Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelöf, serving as the fifth Alien film and a prequel exploring the origins of the Xenomorph mythology.
Set in the late 21st century, it follows the crew of the spaceship Prometheus as they track a star map found in ancient Earth cultures to a distant world, where they discover a threat that could wipe out humanity.
The film was released on June 1st 2012 in the United Kingdom and June 8th 2012 in North America, earning generally positive reviews for its production design, visual effects and performances.
Prometheus grossed over $403 million worldwide, making it the highest‑grossing film in the Alien franchise.
A sequel, Alien: Covenant, followed in May 2017.
Alien: Covenant (2017) is a science fiction horror film directed and produced by Ridley Scott and written by John Logan and Dante Harper from a story by Michael Green and Jack Paglen.
A direct sequel to Prometheus, it follows the crew of the colony ship Covenant as they land on an uncharted planet and make a terrifying discovery tied to the Engineers and the evolution of the Xenomorph.
Scott has said his first cut ran about 2 hours and 23 minutes before more than twenty minutes were removed for the theatrical version.
The film premiered in London on May 4th 2017 and was released by 20th Century Fox on May 12th in the United Kingdom and May 19th in the United States.
Alien: Covenant received broadly positive critical notices for its horror elements and visuals, and grossed about $239 million worldwide against a production budget around $97–111 million.
Alien: Romulus (2024) is a science fiction horror film directed by Fede Álvarez, who co‑wrote the script with Rodo Sayagues, set between the events of Alien and Aliens.
It follows six downtrodden young space colonists – played by Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike Fearn and Aileen Wu – who encounter hostile creatures while scavenging a derelict space station they hope to use to reach another planet.
The film premiered in Los Angeles on August 12th 2024 and was theatrically released in the United States by 20th Century Studios on August 16th.
Alien: Romulus earned over $315 million worldwide during its run, becoming the second‑highest‑grossing film in the franchise after Prometheus, with some reports placing its final tally above $340–350 million.
It received positive reviews and several technical‑category nominations, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Visual Effects.
A sequel is already in development.
Here’s a quick look at worldwide box office for selected Alien films (approximate figures):
| Film | Worldwide box office (approx.) | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Prometheus (2012) | $403 million | Highest‑grossing film in the series. |
| Alien: Romulus (2024) | $315–350+ million | Second‑highest, strong modern run. |
| Alien: Covenant (2017) | $238–240 million | Prequel follow‑up to Prometheus. |
| Alien vs. Predator (2004) | ≈$172–177 million | Successful crossover entry. |
| Alien Resurrection (1997) | ≈$160–161 million | Mixed reception but solid overseas. |
Across the series, Alien films have collectively earned Oscars, BAFTAs, Saturn Awards and Hugo Awards, especially in visual effects, sound and genre‑specific categories.
Alien and Aliens are frequently cited among the greatest science fiction and horror films ever made, while later entries like Prometheus and Alien: Romulus have kept the franchise alive with new mythology and modern production values.
From awards recognition to box office success and enduring fan debates, the Alien film franchise remains one of cinema’s most important sci‑fi horror sagas.
Share your ranking in the comments and watch my full Predator franchise breakdown on YouTube at Cinema Awards Archive, where I cover timelines, box office performance and awards‑season stories in more depth.
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