Key Takeaways
- Alien and Predator franchises converged within the Alien vs Predator movies, creating one cinematic universe.
- On-line theories and Easter eggs join Blade Runner to the Alien Universe, increasing the lore.
- New Alien and Predator movies, together with Alien: Romulus and Badlands, supply future content material for followers.
It is fairly cool that two of probably the most iconic film monsters share the identical cinematic universe.
Due to the Alien vs Predator movies, the Alien and Predator franchises converged to happen in the identical timeline. Now, there are 12 motion pictures in whole to look at – should you really feel like revisiting what’s often called the Alien Universe. The oldest is Ridley Scott’s 1979 traditional Alien, set in 2122. Nevertheless, the earliest movie chronologically is the most recent movie, Prey, set in 1719.
Easy methods to watch each Marvel film and TV present in chronological order
The Marvel Cinematic Universe started with Iron Man, nevertheless it’s not the primary movie you need to watch chronologically. Right here is the official MCU timeline.
To make issues extra difficult, the movies’ creators have planted easter eggs in different motion pictures. Coupled with on-line theories, this has resulted within the inclusion of Blade Runner into the Alien Universe. (It shares the identical director as Alien, Ridley Scott.) That will help you make sense of the Alien-Predator timeline, we put all of the movies in chronological order, with Blade Runner as a bonus. Additionally, remember Disney’s first Alien TV present has wrapped filming and is due out on FX in 2024. It will be the primary TV collection based mostly on the traditional movie collection.
There’s additionally a brand new Alien movie within the works from director Fede Alvarez known as Alien: Romulus. It is as a result of hit theaters on August 16, 2024 and is rumored to be set between the primary and second Alien movies. So far as a brand new Predator film, twentieth Century has put Dan Trachtenberg in control of these aliens after he directed 2022’s shock hit Prey. He’ll direct a brand new Predator movie set sooner or later known as Badlands, in addition to overseeing different Predator-based content material.
The Alien Universe in chronological order (with Predator and Blade Runner) defined
Observe our information under, and you’ll watch the occasions within the Alien Universe as they occurred. On the backside of this text, you will discover a spoiler-free, bulleted-list model, of this information plus extra watch orders with no spoilers.
There are spoilers under.
1 Prey
Comanche Warrior vs Predator
Prey (2022)
Prey follows a younger girl coaching to turn into a Comanche warrior who has to face off with a Predator.
- Director
- Dan Trachtenberg
- Writers
- Patrick Aison
- Starring
- Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Sarah Desjardins
- Run Time
- 114 minutes
Set in 1719 on the American Nice Plains, Prey stars Amber Midthunder as Naru, a younger girl coaching to turn into a Comanche hunter. Sadly, a predator decides to hunt her and the remainder of the hunters in her neighborhood. Prey launched on Hulu on 5 August 2022 within the US, and within the UK, it is obtainable on Disney+. It was written by Patrick Aison and directed by Dan Trachtenberg. It encompasses a forged nearly solely of First Nation’s expertise, together with Midthunder and Dakota Beavers.
2 Predator
The primary Predator movie
Predator (1987)
Predator follows a staff of elite commandos on a rescue mission in Central America.
- Director
- John McTiernan
- Writers
- Jim Thomas, John Thomas
- Starring
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Kevin Peter Corridor
- Run Time
- 107 minutes
Alan “Dutch” Schaefer (performed by Arnold Schwarzenegger) and his staff of elite troopers are despatched on a mission to rescue hostages from a Central American jungle. Quickly after touchdown, the staff encounters proof that the mission isn’t all that it appears. In truth, they’re those being hunted by a Predator alien.
Carl Weathers stars as Dutch’s pal, Dillon. And John McTiernan directed the movie. Shane Black performs Hawkins and would go on to direct one other entry within the collection.
3 Predator 2
The predator involves LA
Predator 2 (1990)
An LAPD detective should sq. off in opposition to a Predator who’s looking vicious gangmembers.
- Director
- Stephen Hopkins
- Writers
- Jim Thomas, John Thomas
- Starring
- Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Kevin Peter Corridor
- Run Time
- 108 minutes
This Predator sequel traded within the jungles for the skyscrapers of Los Angeles. Danny Glover stars as Michael R Harrigan, a lieutenant on the LAPD combating in opposition to warring drug cartels. The closely armed feud between the cartels and the police draw the eye of a Predator on the lookout for new prey. When Harrigan begins to suspect one thing out of this world is murdering gang members, he meets Particular Agent Peter Keyes (performed by Gary Busey), who leads a particular authorities job drive hoping to seize the Predator.
Stephen Hopkins directed Predator 2.
4 Alien vs Predator
A heavyweight combat between traditional film monsters
Alien vs Predator (2004)
When historic ruins are found beneath the artic, it places humanity on a collision course with Predators and Aliens.
- Director
- Paul W.S. Anderson
- Writers
- Paul W.S. Anderson
- Starring
- Sanaa Lathan, Lance Henriksen, Raoul Bova
- Run Time
- 101 minutes
When a satellite tv for pc discovers a warmth signature beneath the ice of Antarctica, the proprietor of the Weyland Company, Charles Bishop Weyland (performed by Lance Henriksen), assembles a staff to research. It is headed by a information named Alexa Woods (performed by Sanaa Lathan). As soon as there, the staff discovers a pyramid underneath the ice constructed by an unknown alien civilization.
Paul WS Anderson directed Alien vs Predator.
5 Alien vs Predator Requiem
Introducing the Predalien, an alien-predator hybrid
Alien Vs Predator: Requiem (2007)
The traditional battle between Aliens and Predators breaks out in a small city.
- Director
- Colin Strause, Greg Strause
- Writers
- Shane Salerno
- Starring
- Steven Pasquale, Reiko Aylesworth, John Ortiz
- Run Time
- 94 minutes
This Alien vs Predator sequel picks up immediately after the occasions of the 2004 movie: we see a Predator spaceship carrying an Alien-Predator hybrid crash in Colorado proper as Dallas Howard (performed by Steven Pasquale) is returning to reunite together with his youthful brother Ricky (Johnny Lewis). The ship releases the Predalien onto the city, together with facehugger aliens, which create extra Xenomorph (Aliens). If that wasn’t sufficient, the final surviving Predator calls in reinforcements.
Greg and Colin Strause directed this installment.
6 The Predator
The U.S. authorities captures a Predator
The Predator (2018)
A U.S. Military sniper helps seize a Predator monster, however that simply results in extra issues for him.
- Director
- Shane Black
- Writers
- Fred Dekker, Shane Black
- Starring
- Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Olivia Munn
- Run Time
- 107 minutes
A Predator ship crash-lands, and a surviving Predator assaults a US Military staff in the course of a rescue mission. Military Sniper Quinn McKenna (performed by Boyd Holbrook) incapacitates the extraterrestrial monster, however quickly, each he and the Predator are taken into custody by the US authorities and Particular Agent Will Traeger (performed by Sterling Ok Brown).
Shane Black, who starred within the unique Predator as Hawkins, directed this movie.
7 Predators
The hunt is on
Predators (2010)
A bunch of seemingly random folks awaken on an odd world stalked by Predators.
- Director
- Nimród Antal
- Writers
- Alex Litvak, Michael Finch
- Starring
- Adrien Brody, Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace
- Run Time
- 107 minutes
A bunch of individuals together with a Spetnaz soldier, Israeli Protection Forces sniper, a number of drug cartel enforcers, and a demise row inmate are led by a mysterious soldier named Royce (performed by Adrien Brody) by way of a jungle, which they parachuted into whereas unconscious. Quickly, the group finds themselves being hunted by two completely different teams of Predators.
Nimrod Antal directed Predators.
8 Prometheus
An origin story for Aliens
Prometheus (2012)
A lately translated historic language leads a bunch of scientists to journey throughout house to a distant planet.
- Director
- Ridley Scott
- Writers
- Jon Spaihts, Damon Lindelof
- Starring
- Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron
- Run Time
- 124 minutes
The opening scene of Ridley Scott’s Prometheus exhibits the Alien race (often called Engineers) seeding life on Earth earlier than leaping to the yr 2089. There, a discovery by archeologists Elizabeth Shaw (performed by Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (performed by Logan Marshall-Inexperienced) leads the Weyland Company to dispatch the duo on an investigation of the planet LV-223. Man Pearce performs Peter Weyland on this movie. He is the son of Charles Bishop Weyland in Alien vs Predator.
Lis Anna-Langston directed Prometheus
9 Alien Covenant
Who made the Aliens?
Alien: Covenant (2017)
A colony ship’s crew investigates a seemingly idyllic planet, however they discover the disturbed android David there.
- Director
- Ridley Scott
- Writers
- John Logan, Dante Harper
- Starring
- Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup
- Run Time
- 122 minutes
Set 11 years after Prometheus in 2104, The Covenant is a colonization ship headed towards Origae-6 when it suffers injury from a shockwave, forcing the ship’s android Walter (performed by Michael Fassbender) to awaken the human crew members. Whereas repairing the ship, the crew discovers the transmission of a human voice from a close-by liveable planet. Fassbender performs not solely Walter but in addition Peter Weyland’s android, David, from Prometheus.
Ridley Scott returned to the Alien collection to direct Covenant.
10 Alien
The movie that began the universe
Alien (1979)
A mining crew on their method house solutions a misery beacon on a desolate planet.
- Director
- Ridley Scott
- Writers
- Dan O’Bannon, Ronald Shusett
- Starring
- Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Damage
- Run Time
- 117 minutes
That is really the oldest movie on this whole checklist (and probably one of the best), nevertheless it’s set father alongside within the Alien Universe timeline. In 2122, the crew of the Nostromo is on their method again to Earth once they obtain a transmission from a close-by moon often called LV-426. Once they reply to the beacon, govt officer Kane (performed by John Damage) is attacked by an Alien that emerges from an egg-like cocoon. This movie introduces Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley. Alien is directed by Ridley Scott.
11 Aliens
Again to LV-426
Aliens (1986)
Ripley is requested to return to the planet the place they discovered the Alien after the Weyland company misplaced contact with a colony there.
- Director
- James Cameron
- Writers
- James Cameron
- Starring
- Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Invoice Paxton
- Run Time
- 137 minutes
Ripley is awoken from stasis after 57 years of floating by way of house. The Weyland-Yutani Company dismisses her claims about discovering the ship stuffed with Xenomorph eggs on LV-426 as a result of the planet is now the positioning of a profitable colony often called Hadley’s Hope. That’s till they immediately lose all communication with the colony – at which level they ask Ripley to return as a guide to a bunch of marines. The movie additionally stars Michael Biehn as Corporal Dwayne Hicks and Invoice Paxton as Personal Hudson.
Aliens is directed by James Cameron.
12 Alien 3
Ripley and an Alien land on a jail planet with no hopes of escape
Alien 3 (1992)
Ripley is once more awoken from cryosleep, and naturally, there’s an Alien facehugger who’s been ready for her to get up.
- Director
- David Fincher
- Writers
- David Giler, Walter Hill, Larry Ferguson
- Starring
- Sigourney Weaver, Charles S. Dutton, Charles Dance
- Run Time
- 114 minutes
Set instantly after Aliens, the ship carrying the survivors of Hadley’s Hope catches fireplace. A survival pod is ejected and crash lands on Fiorina 161, a jail planet populated by violent male inmates. The one survivor is Ripley and a facehugger, which quickly attaches onto an inmate’s canine. As soon as full-grown, the Xenomorph begins working its method by way of the prisoners.
This movie marks the debut of director David Fincher.
Alien Resurrection
Alien Resurrection (1997)
A ressurected Ripley helps a crew of mercenaries escape an Alien outbreak aboard a Weyland-Yutani ship.
- Director
- Jean-Pierre Jeunet
- Writers
- Joss Whedon
- Starring
- Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder, Ron Perlman
- Run Time
- 109 minutes
Alien Resurrection sees a 200-year leap ahead within the timeline to 2379. Scientists aboard the USM Auriga have cloned Ripley to reap the embryo of a Queen Xenomorph. In fact, the full-grown Alien queen escapes with the assistance of another lab-grown Xenomorphs, and it’s as much as Ripley and a bunch of mercenaries together with Wynona Ryder as Annalee Name and Ron Pearlman as Ron Johner.
Jean-Pierre Jeunet directed this installment.
Bonus: Extra motion pictures within the Alien Universe
Listed below are a couple of motion pictures loosely related to the Alien vs Predator chronology.
13 Blade Runner
A sci-fi neo-noir story set in a futuristic Los Angeles
Blade Runner (1982)
A Blade Runner is tasked with monitoring down a harmful group of lab-engineered superior people often called replicants.
- Director
- Ridley Scott
- Writers
- Hampton Fancher, David Webb Peoples
- Starring
- Harrison Ford, Rutger Hauer, Sean Younger
- Run Time
- 117 minutes
Rick Deckard (performed by Harrison Ford) is a former police officer who’s taken up the occupation of a Blade Runner. His job is to trace down rogue artificial people often called replicants. His newest case is to fund and retire 4 Nexus-6 replicants led by Roy Batty (Rutger Hauer).
The movie is about in 2019, so about 100 years earlier than the occasions of 1979’s Alien, however Ridley Scott, the director of each movies, sees the movies as intrinsically linked, saying as soon as in a Blade Runner director’s commentary: “This world may simply be the town that helps the crew that exit in Alien. So, in different phrases, when the crew of Alien come again in, they may go into this place and go right into a bar off the road close to the place Deckard lives. That’s how I thought of it.”
Watch after Predators (2010)
14 Soldier
A thrown-out soldier faces off with the younger staff that changed him
Soldier (1998)
A soldier who’s been skilled since delivery to combat is thrown out when a more recent mannequin soldier is unveiled.
- Director
- Paul W.S. Anderson
- Writers
- David Webb Peoples
- Starring
- Kurt Russell, Jason Scott Lee, Connie Nielsen
- Run Time
- 99 minutes
Soldier might be probably the most shocking film on this checklist. It follows the story of a bunch of orphans, born in 1996 and raised to be the proper troopers. A gap montage exhibits the group by way of their early coaching and thru 40 years of combating underneath the management of Sgt. Todd 3465 (performed by Kurt Russell). In the event you look carefully, you’ll discover a few of the wars the troopers combat in are the identical ones the replicant Roy Batty was a veteran of in Blade Runner. When a brand new group of genetically enhanced troopers change Todd’s group, he finds himself dumped on a trash planet experiencing life for the primary time.
Soldier was written by David Peoples, who co-wrote Blade Runner and has mentioned he views the movies as occurring in the identical universe, so if we’re counting Blade Runner, we’ve got to depend this film, too.
Watch after Blade Runner (1982)
15 Blade Runner 2049
A sequel a long-time within the making
Blade Runner 2049 (2017)
A replicant Blade Runner stumbles upon a thriller that leads him to the door of Deckard, the Blade Runner from the unique movie.
- Director
- Denis Villeneuve
- Writers
- Hampton Fancher, Michael Inexperienced
- Starring
- Ryan Gosling, Harrison Ford, Ana de Armas
- Run Time
- 164 minutes
Ok (performed by Ryan Gosling), is a replicant Blade Runner. Whereas out on an task, he discovers a field that has the stays of a replicant that died throughout a cesarean part, which is uncommon as a result of replicants aren’t supposed to breed. The following investigation reveals that the physique of the replicant is Rachael (performed by Sean Younger), a particular replicant designed by Eldon Tyrell, who ran off with Rick Deckard (performed by Harrison Ford) within the unique Blade Runner. The movie was directed by Denis Villeneuve. So far as easter eggs go, hold your eyes peeled for the replicants in jars that Ok sees whereas he is escorted by way of the Wallace Company. They’ve a sneaky resemblance to the Engineers.
Watch after Soldier (1998)
16 Non-obligatory: Firefly and Serenity
A sci-fi collection earlier than its time
Firefly (2002) and Serenity (2005)
The TV collection Firefly and it is companion film Serenity are each set within the Alien universe.
- Run Time
- 119 minutes
- Director
- Joss Whedon
- Starring
- Nathan Fillion, Gina Torres, Alan Tudyk
- Writers
- Joss Whedon
This Joss Whedon TV collection and its function movie are additionally theorized to be a part of the Alien Universe, though we wouldn’t precisely name it canon. The collection is about within the yr 2517, which might be 138 years after Alien Resurrection and one other 200 years after the remainder of the occasions within the universe. There’s no must look additional than the primary episode for the connection to the Alien Universe. Throughout an area dogfight, you get a view of the hud of one of many weapons aboard the spaceship Serenity, the place you possibly can see the Weyland-Yutani company emblem from Alien.
Watch after Alien Resurrection (1997)
Upcoming Marvel motion pictures: Each new MCU movie and TV present within the works
This is every little thing it is advisable find out about what’s subsequent for the MCU, together with each film and TV present, their anticipated launch date, forged data, and extra.
Spoiler-free model: The Alien Universe in chronological order
It is a model of the information above, full with bonus/non-obligatory Alien Universe timeline motion pictures, however freed from spoilers. We have additionally included the 2 latest movies and TV collection the place they’re reportedly set. Alien: Romulus will happen between the primary two Alien movies, whereas the brand new TV collection is reported to happen 3 a long time earlier than the unique Alien movie. Badlands, the most recent predator movie, will happen someday sooner or later.
The Alien Universe in theatrical launch date order
Once more, it is a model of the information above, however freed from spoilers and likewise within the order through which they premiered in theatres or on TV.
Alien Films in chronological order
The subsequent Alien movie, Alien: Romulus, is about to hit theaters on August 16, 2024. Fede Álvarez will write and direct the brand new movie that is reportedly set between the occasions of Alien and Aliens. This is all of the Alien movies in chronological order.
Predator Films in chronological order
The subsequent entry within the Predator franchise is about to be launched in 2025. It is titled Badlands and Dan Trachtenberg will return to direct. The movie can be set sooner or later, making it the primary Predator movie not set previously or current. This is all of the Predator movies in chronological order.