The Alien franchise spans several movies, and there are multiple ways you can watch them. Pitched simply as “Jaws in space,” director Ridley Scott’s original Alien proved to be a massive success, spawning a bevy of sequels, prequels, and spinoffs that flesh out the property’s rich mythology. There are now seven installments in the series, which is showing no signs of slowing down. After the success of 2024’s Alien: Romulus, 20th Century Studios is developing a sequel with director Fede Álvarez returning. It’s also been reported Scott is working on a new Alien movie that could be one of many things.
With Alien set to receive more entries soon, even established fans might be wondering the best order to watch the films. Similar to other franchises, there’s more than one way to do it. Whether you’re a newcomer looking to dive into Alien history or a returning viewer who wants to marathon the whole series, here’s how you can watch all of the Alien movies.
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The Alien Movies in Release Order
Scott’s seminal Alien may not be first in terms of in-universe chronology, but it served as audiences’ introduction to the terrifying xenomorph. Released in 1979, the sci-fi/horror hybrid grossed $108.5 million worldwide, paving the way for a sequel. James Cameron, fresh off The Terminator, took over as director, utilizing a more action-heavy approach for Aliens, which was an even bigger hit. David Fincher’s Alien 3 and Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Alien: Resurrection followed in the ’90s. From there, the franchise was on ice until Scott returned in 2012 for Prometheus, following up with Alien: Covenant five years later. The Alien films went on another hiatus after that, until Álvarez’s Alien: Romulus.
- Alien (1979)
- Aliens (1986)
- Alien 3 (1992)
- Alien: Resurrection (1997)
- Prometheus (2012)
- Alien: Covenant (2017)
- Alien: Romulus (2024)
The Alien Movies in Chronological Order
Set in the year 2089 (33 years before the 1979 film), Prometheus is where it all began. Its direct sequel, Alien: Covenant, picks up the story 15 years later. The original Alien takes place in 2122. In between Ripley’s first two misadventures with the xenomorph, the events of Alien: Romulus happened in the year 2142. Aliens continues Ripley’s saga decades later in 2179, and there’s no time jump between it and Alien 3. Finally, Alien: Resurrection jumps ahead centuries, as it’s set in the year 2379.
- Prometheus (2012)
- Alien: Covenant (2017)
- Alien (1979)
- Alien: Romulus (2024)
- Aliens (1986)
- Alien 3 (1992)
- Alien: Resurrection (1997)
Where to Stream the Alien Movies
As of this writing, all of the Alien movies except Alien: Romulus are available to stream on Hulu. If you don’t have a subscription, you can rent or buy the films from the Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon digital stores. The price varies depending on the platform.
Alien Romulus is available to rent ($24.99) or buy ($29.99) from Apple, Microsoft, and Amazon. It has not yet been announced when it will be available on Hulu.