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Aliens (1986) backdrop
Franchise guide · by Priya Nair

Alien Movies: Every Film in the Franchise

The Alien movies are five main films plus two prequel spin-offs, running from Alien (1979), directed by Ridley Scott, to Alien: Romulus (2024), directed by Fede Álvarez. A sequel to Alien: Romulus is in development with no release date, and the television series Alien: Earth is set about two years before the first film.

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Image: TMDB

Every Alien Movie

How many Alien movies are there

What Are the Alien Movies About?

The Alien franchise is a science fiction horror series built around the Xenomorph, a creature that uses people as hosts, and around Ellen Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver in the first four films. It began with Alien (1979), directed by Ridley Scott, which follows the crew of the towing ship Nostromo after the ship's computer, Mother, wakes them early to investigate a signal from a nearby moon.

The main films are Alien (1979), Aliens (1986), directed by James Cameron, Alien 3 (1992), directed by David Fincher, Alien Resurrection (1997), directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, and Alien: Romulus (2024), directed by Fede Álvarez. Prometheus (2012) and Alien: Covenant (2017), both directed by Ridley Scott, are prequel spin-offs. Five directors have made the seven films, with Scott responsible for three of them. Each setting is different, which is part of why the series has lasted: a towing ship, a colony that Colonial Marines travel to after contact is lost, the foundry prison on Fiorina 161, the military ship Auriga, and a dark mining colony in Romulus.

The budgets and grosses vary widely. Alien (1979) cost $11 million and took in about $110 million worldwide, according to Box Office Mojo. Added together, the seven films have grossed about $1.6 billion on those same figures. Prometheus is the highest grossing at $403 million worldwide, with Alien: Romulus next at $351 million. The alien box office page breaks down the budget and gross of every film.

There are also two crossover films, AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004), directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, and Aliens vs Predator: Requiem (2007), directed by Colin and Greg Strause. The Xenomorph is the threat in both, so they count as Alien films as well as Predator films, and their pages live in the Predator franchise.

The franchise also has a television series. Alien: Earth, created by Noah Hawley, premiered on FX and Hulu on August 12, 2025, and ran for eight episodes in its first season. It is set in 2120, about two years before Alien (1979), and follows Wendy, a hybrid made by placing a child's mind in a synthetic adult body, and a group of similar hybrids known as the Lost Boys. Ridley Scott is an executive producer. FX renewed the series for a second season on November 11, 2025, and Peter Dinklage has since joined as a series regular. Season 2 production is moving from Thailand to London, with filming set to begin in 2026, and no premiere date has been confirmed.

It could be argued that the franchise is easiest to follow as three strands: the Ripley story from Alien (1979) to Alien Resurrection, the Weyland-Yutani and android story that Prometheus and Alien: Covenant begin, and the standalone stories of Alien: Romulus and Alien: Earth, which both sit close to the original film in story order. The how many alien movies are there overview lists each film, and the alien timeline places every one of them in story order.

Still from Alien (1979)
Alien (1979)

How Many Alien Movies Were Made, in Order?

Seven theatrical Alien films have been made, five main films and two prequels, plus two crossover films with the Predator. The full guide is on the alien movies in order page, and the two orders are previewed here.

Release order

  1. Alien (1979), directed by Ridley Scott
  2. Aliens (1986), directed by James Cameron
  3. Alien 3 (1992), directed by David Fincher
  4. Alien Resurrection (1997), directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet
  5. Prometheus (2012), directed by Ridley Scott
  6. Alien: Covenant (2017), directed by Ridley Scott
  7. Alien: Romulus (2024), directed by Fede Álvarez

AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs Predator: Requiem (2007) were released between Alien Resurrection and Prometheus. Alien: Earth (2025) arrived after Romulus.

Chronological order

  1. Prometheus (2012)
  2. Alien: Covenant (2017)
  3. Alien: Earth (television, set in 2120, about two years before Alien (1979))
  4. Alien (1979)
  5. Alien: Romulus (2024)
  6. Aliens (1986)
  7. Alien 3 (1992)
  8. Alien Resurrection (1997)
  9. AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs Predator: Requiem (2007), which sit after Alien Resurrection in the story

If you are new to the series, the release order is the safer choice, because Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection lean directly on what Alien (1979) establishes about Ripley and the company that employs her. The chronological order suits a second viewing, once you know where Prometheus and Alien: Covenant are heading.

Is There Another Alien Movie Coming?

A sequel to Alien: Romulus is in development at 20th Century Studios, but it has no release date, no cast and no confirmed director. The details are tracked on the alien romulus 2 page, and the alien romulus 2 trailer page will carry footage if the studio releases any.

TheWrap reported on September 5, 2025 that Fede Álvarez, who directed Alien: Romulus, will not direct the sequel. He co-wrote the script with Rodo Sayagues and, according to that report, will produce with Ridley Scott while the studio looks for a new director. No replacement has been named in the reporting available.

In August 2026 the picture became less clear. A report claimed the sequel had been shelved indefinitely over creative differences between Scott and Álvarez, reportedly about using the android David, played by Michael Fassbender in Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, in a film by another director. On August 3, 2026, 20th Century Studios president Steve Asbell replied "Nope" on X, according to Yahoo. That reply denies the shelving, but it is not a greenlight, and no start of filming has been set. The Fassbender detail is unconfirmed.

TheWrap also reported on October 23, 2026 that 20th Century Studios has a new Alien film in early development, with Ridley Scott producing and Aaron Guzikowski writing. No director or date is attached, and the project is reportedly tied to Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. That report does not mention a Romulus sequel, so whether this is the same project or a different one is not stated. Yahoo's August report named a different writer, Brian Duffield, for a separate Alien film, so the writer details are still unsettled.

In short, an Alien: Romulus sequel is listed as in development, with a release date to be confirmed, and all of the production claims above carry the status of reports.

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Alien: Romulus sequel

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Alien romulus 2: status, cast and rumors

Who Are the Main Alien Characters?

Alien characters

The main characters are Ellen Ripley, Ash, Bishop and David, and the Xenomorph itself. The alien characters page lists the full ensemble, and the alien cast page shows who played each role.

Ellen Ripley is the spine of the first four films, played by Sigourney Weaver in Alien (1979), Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection. In Aliens she is found drifting in hypersleep after 57 years in space, and in Alien Resurrection military scientists clone her two hundred years after her death, producing the clone known as Ripley 8.

The android characters Bishop and David carry much of the series' argument about the company and about what counts as a person. Ash, played by Ian Holm, is part of the Nostromo crew in Alien (1979). Bishop, played by Lance Henriksen, joins Ripley in Aliens and returns as Bishop II in Alien 3. David, played by Michael Fassbender, watches over the sleeping crew in Prometheus and plays both David and Walter in Alien: Covenant. The androids page follows them across the series.

Among the other survivors and crew, Newt is played by Carrie Henn and Hicks, a Colonial Marine, by Michael Biehn. Elizabeth Shaw, played by Noomi Rapace, finds the star map with Charlie Holloway in Prometheus, and Rain, played by Cailee Spaeny, is the young miner at the center of Alien: Romulus.

The creatures have their own pages. The Xenomorph is the species that hunts across every film, and the alien queen is the Xenomorph queen whose offspring the scientists grow aboard the Auriga in Alien Resurrection. The xenomorph life cycle page explains how the stages connect.

Alien Music: Composers and Songs

Alien soundtrack

  1. Symphony No. 2, Op. 30 "Romantic" (excerpt)

    Licensed song

    Howard Hanson · Alien

    An excerpt of this existing orchestral work plays over the end credits.

  2. I'm Popeye the Sailor Man

    Licensed song

    Sammy Lerner (writer) · Alien Resurrection

    The mechanic Vriess whistles the tune.

  3. Prelude in D-flat major, Op. 28, No. 15 (Raindrop)

    Licensed song

    Frédéric Chopin · Prometheus

    In one of the film's earliest sequences, the android David drifts around the ship doing his chores while the piano piece plays, and it returns over the end titles.

  4. Entrance of the Gods into Valhalla (from Das Rheingold)

    Licensed song

    Richard Wagner, Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, José Serebrier · Alien: Covenant

    In the opening sequence David plays a piano version at Peter Weyland's request, and the same piece returns on a Naxos recording in the final scene.

Facts

  • Still from Alien (1979)
    Alien (1979)
  • Still from Aliens (1986)
    Aliens (1986)
  • Still from Alien³ (1992)
    Alien³ (1992)
  • Still from Alien Resurrection (1997)
    Alien Resurrection (1997)
  • Still from Prometheus (2012)
    Prometheus (2012)
  • Still from Alien: Covenant (2017)
    Alien: Covenant (2017)
  • Still from Alien: Romulus (2024)
    Alien: Romulus (2024)

Where to Watch the Alien Movies

In the UK and Australia the Alien films are mostly on Disney Plus, while US availability is split across several services. The where to watch alien page holds the full table by film and country, checked on November 3, 2026 using JustWatch data through TMDB.

In the US, Alien (1979) and Aliens stream on Netflix, and Alien: Romulus streams on Hulu. Prometheus and Alien: Covenant are on HBO Max through an Amazon Channel, and Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection are on YouTube TV and FXNow. Every film is also available to rent or buy on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. Alien: Earth airs on FX and streams on Hulu in the US.

In the UK, Disney Plus carries Alien (1979), Aliens, Alien 3, Alien Resurrection, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant and Alien: Romulus, and Alien: Covenant is also on Amazon Prime Video. In Australia, Disney Plus carries all seven, with the rest available to buy. Disney Plus also carries Alien: Earth in most international territories.

Streaming rights move often, so check the service before you subscribe. For a plan on what to watch first, start with the alien movies in order guide.

Still from Alien: Romulus (2024)
Alien: Romulus (2024)

Streaming availability data from JustWatch. Where to watch Alien by country.

Explore Alien

FAQs

How many Alien movies were made in order?

Seven theatrical Alien films have been made: Alien (1979), Aliens (1986), Alien 3 (1992), Alien Resurrection (1997), Prometheus (2012), Alien: Covenant (2017) and Alien: Romulus (2024). Prometheus and Alien: Covenant are prequel spin-offs. AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs Predator: Requiem (2007) are crossover films with the Predator.

Is there another Alien movie coming?

Yes, a sequel to Alien: Romulus is in development at 20th Century Studios, but it has no release date. TheWrap reported in September 2025 that Fede Álvarez will not direct it, and no replacement has been named. TheWrap also reported on October 23, 2026 that a new Alien film is in early development with Ridley Scott producing and Aaron Guzikowski writing, and that report does not say whether it is the Romulus sequel.

What are some good Alien themed movies?

Within the franchise, the two crossover films, AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs Predator: Requiem (2007), put the Xenomorph against the Predator, and the prequels Prometheus and Alien: Covenant explore where the creatures came from. Which ones are good is a matter of taste, and the alien movies ranked page gives our ordering of the main films.

Which Alien movie is the goriest?

Gore is a matter of opinion, and the certifications are the only firm data. The first four films are rated R in the US and 18 in the UK, while Prometheus, Alien: Covenant and Alien: Romulus are rated R in the US and 15 in the UK. In Australia, Alien Resurrection, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant and Alien: Romulus carry MA 15+, and the first three films carry M.

Which Alien movie made the most money?

Prometheus (2012) has the highest worldwide gross of the seven films, at $403 million on a $130 million budget, according to Box Office Mojo. Alien: Romulus (2024) is second at $351 million on an $80 million budget.

Is Alien: Earth part of the Alien movies?

Alien: Earth is a television series rather than a film, but it is part of the same story. Created by Noah Hawley, it is set in 2120, about two years before Alien (1979), and Ridley Scott is an executive producer. Season 1 had eight episodes and premiered on August 12, 2025, and FX has renewed it for a second season.

Where does Alien: Romulus fit in the Alien timeline?

Alien: Romulus (2024) takes place between Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986) in the chronological order. It follows Rain, a young miner on a company-run colony world, and her android brother Andy as they try to reach a derelict station. The alien timeline page places it alongside the other films.

Do I need to watch the Alien movies in order?

You do not strictly need to, but the release order is the clearest start. Aliens, Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection continue Ripley's story directly from Alien (1979). Prometheus and Alien: Covenant are prequels that can be watched before or after the original.