How to Watch the Alien Movies in Chronological Order: A Guide to the Iconic Sci-Fi Franchise

The Xenomorph has terrorized audiences since its first appearance in Alien (1979), a film that remains one of the most influential sci-fi horror movies of all time.

With the release of the latest installment, Alien: Romulus, on Aug. 16, 2024, the Alien franchise spans four decades.

Romulus follows a group of young space explorers — Rain (Cailee Spaeny), Tyler (Archie Renaux), Kay (Isabela Merced), Bjorn (Spike Fearn) and an android named Andy (David Jonsson) — who stumble upon the wreckage of a space station, where they inevitably encounter a Xenomorph. 

With its atmospheric tension and mesmerizing special effects, the Alien franchise, which is streaming on Hulu, has captivated audiences for over 40 years and includes seven main films, two Alien vs. Predator crossover movies and an upcoming FX series, Alien: Earth. 

However, the timeline of the franchise is not as straightforward as the release dates suggest, and requires some jumping around when looking to watch the narrative unfold chronologically. 

Here’s how to watch the Alien movies in chronological order and where the latest installment, Alien: Romulus, falls in the timeline.

How to Watch the Alien Movies in Release Order

Alien (1979)

Aliens (1986)

Alien 3 (1992)

Alien: Resurrection (1997)

Alien vs. Predator (2004)

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)

Prometheus (2012)

Alien: Covenant (2017)

Alien: Romulus (2024)

How to Watch the Alien Movies in Chronological Order

Alien vs. Predator (2004)

Alien vs. Predator is the first of the Alien movies set in the present day and not the distant future. It follows an expedition led by Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen) as the crew investigates a massive heat signal on an island off the coast of Antarctica. 

A fight ensues between long-dormant Xenomorphs and three Predator hunters, with the latter attempting to keep the monsters from reaching earth's surface and wreaking havoc.

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem starts right after the previous movie ends, in 2004. 

The story follows the immediate aftermath of the battle, as the Xenomorphs and a new “Predalien” hybrid incite mayhem in a small Colorado town. 

Prometheus (2012)

Prometheus is set in 2089 and follows archaeologists Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and Charlie Holloway (Logan Marshall-Green) as they discover an ancient star map on Earth, which they interpret as an invitation from humanity's creators. 

This leads them to a distant moon in 2093, where they encounter the “Engineers,” the creators of the Xenomorphs and David (Michael Fassbender), an android with his own agenda. While classic Xenomorphs don’t appear, the film explores the origins of the species.

Alien: Covenant (2017)

Alien: Covenant, takes place in 2104, 11 years after the events of Prometheus. Starring Fassbender as David 8 and Walter One, two synthetic androids, and Katherine Waterston as Daniels, the chief of terraforming and the wife of the late ship’s captain, Jacob Branson (James Franco).

The ship, Covenant, is en route to the planet Origae-6 but detours to a nearby planet and encounters David from Prometheus, who is still pursuing his mission to breed the alien species. 

The crew later discovers a horrifying truth about the origins of the Xenomorphs and their creators.

Alien (1979)

The original Alien, directed by Ridley Scott, is set in 2122. In the film, the crew of the Nostromo investigates a distress call from a derelict spaceship on moon LV-426 and encounters the deadly Xenomorph. 

The film introduces Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), who becomes the franchise’s central character. The movie's blend of sci-fi and horror set the tone for the series and introduced the infamous Xenomorph.

Alien: Romulus (2024)

Directed by Fede Álvarez, Romulus is set between the events of Alien and Aliens, following a group of young space explorers who stumble upon the wreckage of a space station.

It centers on Rain (Spaeny), a young contract worker from a harsh, sunless mining colony, alongside Andy (Jonsson), a glitchy android programmed by her father, whom she affectionately refers to as her brother.

Aliens (1986)

Aliens is set 57 years after the events of Alien, in 2179. Ripley, the sole survivor of the Nostromo, is rescued and debriefed by her employer, Weyland-Yutani. 

She joins a mission to LV-426, where they discover a Xenomorph hive. Directed by James Cameron, the film deploys an action-packed narrative.

Alien 3 (1992)

Alien 3, directed by David Fincher, begins shortly after Aliens, still in 2179. The ship carrying Ripley and her crew at the end of Aliens crash-lands on the prison planet Fiorina 161, with Ripley as the sole survivor. 

The film highlights Weyland-Yutani's ongoing pursuit of the Xenomorph, with Ripley as the central figure. It’s soon discovered that she is infected and has a chest-burster growing inside her. In a desperate bid to prevent the alien from falling into the wrong hands, Ripley chooses to end her life along with the creature. 

Alien: Resurrection (1997)

Alien: Resurrection takes a significant leap to 2381, 202 years after Ripley's death. Scientists clone Ripley, along with the Xenomorph Queen embryo inside her, to study the aliens. The film explores the consequences of the cloning experiment and introduces Winona Ryder as Annalee Call, the newest member of the crew aboard the Betty ship. 

Familiar with Ripley and the aliens, Call’s true nature is unveiled as the film progresses: she is a synthetic. Throughout the story, Call assists the remaining crew in communicating with the cloning scientists.