When it comes to iconic sci-fi horror franchises, few can match the sheer terror and excitement of the Alien series. Since bursting onto the scene in 1979 with Ridley Scott’s groundbreaking original film, these movies have been thrilling audiences for over four decades with their perfect blend of suspense, action, and some of the most nightmarish extraterrestrial creatures ever put on screen.
But let’s be real – not all Alien movies are created equal. Like any long-running series, this franchise has had its fair share of ups and downs over the years. So today, we’re diving deep into the Alien universe to definitively rank every movie from worst to best. Strap yourself in and try not to get a facehugger stuck to your face as we count down to the ultimate Alien masterpiece!
8. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
Directed by The Brothers Strause. Starring Steven Pasquale, Reiko Aylesworth, John Ortiz
Oh boy, we’re starting off with a real stinker. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (or AVPR for short) is the kind of soulless cash-grab sequel that gives crossover events a bad name. Set immediately after the first AVP movie, the story follows a small town in Colorado that becomes a battleground between Aliens, Predators, and a new hybrid “Predalien.”
What should have been a fun, cheesy B-movie romp ends up being a dark, ugly, and borderline incomprehensible mess. The human characters are paper-thin, the action is murkily shot, and the whole thing feels like a cheap Syfy channel movie that somehow stumbled into theaters. AVPR deservedly sits at a 12% on Rotten Tomatoes, making it the worst-reviewed Alien movie by a wide margin. Let’s just pretend this one doesn’t exist and move on.
7. Alien vs. Predator (2004)
Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson. Starring Sanaa Lathan, Raoul Bova, Lance Henriksen
Look, the idea of the Alien and Predator franchises crossing over is admittedly a pretty cool one. These are two of the most badass movie monsters around, so seeing them face off should be a sci-fi fan’s dream come true. Unfortunately, Alien vs. Predator doesn’t quite stick the landing.
The setup is actually kind of awesome – an ancient underground pyramid in Antarctica serves as a hunting ground where Predators battle xenomorphs as a rite of passage, until a team of human explorers gets caught in the middle. But the execution leaves a lot to be desired, with director Paul W.S. Anderson (Mortal Kombat, Resident Evil) delivering a rather generic and watered-down PG-13 action flick instead of the hard-R monster mash fans were hoping for.
It’s not a complete disaster – Sanaa Lathan makes for a strong protagonist and there are some decent action beats. But AVP never fully capitalizes on its fun premise, and the clunky early-2000s CGI hasn’t aged well at all. It’s a missed opportunity.
6. Alien 3 (1992)
Directed by David Fincher. Starring Sigourney Weaver, Charles S. Dutton, Charles Dance
Oh, Alien 3. What could have been. On paper, the idea of a young David Fincher (who would go on to direct Se7en, Fight Club, and more) putting his dark, gritty spin on the Alien franchise sounds incredible. But studio meddling and endless screenplay rewrites turned the production into a total nightmare, and the resulting film is a bit of a mixed bag.
Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) crash-lands on a bleak prison planet, only to discover that an alien stowaway has followed her there and begins terrorizing the all-male population of violent inmates. It’s a cool concept, and Fincher brings a lot of style and mood to the dingy industrial setting. But the characters are thinly-drawn, the creature effects are dodgy, and the nihilistic tone is a bit much to take at times.
The most controversial aspect is the movie’s opening, which abruptly kills off beloved characters Newt and Hicks from Aliens and renders that film’s triumphant ending moot. Alien 3 has some strong elements and Weaver is great as always, but it’s ultimately a frustrating film that fails to live up to its potential. An interesting misfire.
5. Alien: Resurrection (1997)
Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. Starring Sigourney Weaver, Winona Ryder, Ron Perlman
After the downer ending of Alien 3, the franchise needed a shot in the arm. And while Alien: Resurrection is far from perfect, it does succeed in bringing some fresh ideas and a sense of fun to the series. Set 200 years after Ripley’s death, the film sees her resurrected as a human-alien hybrid clone by shady government scientists attempting to weaponize the xenomorphs.
Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet (Amelie) brings a lot of quirky visual flair to the proceedings, and the script has some interesting concepts to play with. Winona Ryder is great as the android Call, and the supporting cast of space pirates played by Ron Perlman, Michael Wincott and others are a lot of fun. Weaver clearly relishes the chance to play a darker, more unpredictable version of Ripley.
But the film is ultimately a bit too overblown and silly for its own good at times, lacking the grit and intensity of the earlier installments. The newborn alien at the end is laughably bad. Still, Resurrection is an entertaining slice of ’90s sci-fi action that doesn’t deserve its bad reputation. Flawed, but fun.
4. Alien: Covenant (2017)
Directed by Ridley Scott. Starring Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup
Over 30 years after he kicked off the franchise, Ridley Scott returned to the Alien universe with the divisive Prometheus in 2012. While that film had some interesting ideas, it barely featured the iconic xenomorph creature at all. Five years later, Scott course-corrected with Alien: Covenant, a film that attempts to merge Prometheus‘ heady themes with the classic alien-stalking-a-spaceship-crew formula.
The result is a flawed but fascinating entry that doesn’t quite reach the heights of Scott’s original film but still offers plenty to chew on. Michael Fassbender is fantastic in a dual role as the androids David and Walter, and his character’s god complex drives much of the story in intriguing ways. The set design and cinematography are stunning, and Scott proves he can still craft some intense, gory set-pieces when the xenomorphs do show up.
However, the human characters are pretty forgettable and the plot gets bogged down in clumsy mythology-building at times. Covenant is trying to be a lot of things at once – a Prometheus sequel, an Alien prequel, a rumination on creation and hubris – and doesn’t quite pull it all together satisfyingly. But it’s never boring, and features some of the franchise’s most memorable moments. A worthy, if messy, effort from Scott.
3. Prometheus (2012)
Directed by Ridley Scott. Starring Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron
After a long break from science fiction, Ridley Scott’s grand return to the genre with Prometheus was met with a polarized reaction from fans and critics. Rather than a straightforward Alien prequel, the film aimed to be a more cerebral, ambiguous exploration of the series’ mythology and origins that asked bold questions about creation, faith, and humanity’s place in the universe.
While not all of its big ideas land gracefully, there’s still a lot to admire about Prometheus‘ ambition and scope. Scott’s direction is as impeccable as ever, bringing a sense of majestic dread to the stunning environments. The cast is excellent, with Noomi Rapace’s determined scientist Shaw, Charlize Theron’s icy corporate suit Vickers, and especially Michael Fassbender’s chilling android David making strong impressions.
Some of the film’s set-pieces, like Shaw’s automated surgery or the Engineer’s brutal attack, rank among the franchise’s most memorable. And the H.R. Giger-inspired production design is breathtaking, expanding the series’ universe in intriguing ways.
Yes, the script has some clunky dialogue and plot holes you could pilot a spaceship through. Not all the characters’ decisions make sense. But Prometheus aims to be a thought-provoking, unsettling sci-fi epic, and even if it doesn’t fully stick the landing, it’s a worthy addition to the franchise that rewards repeat viewings and interpretation. It dares to be something different, and that’s admirable.
2. Aliens (1986)
Directed by James Cameron. Starring Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn
How do you follow up one of the greatest sci-fi horror films ever made? If you’re James Cameron, you say “screw it” and turn the sequel into a badass action movie instead. And boy does it work. Aliens is a masterclass in blockbuster filmmaking, ratcheting up the intensity while still staying true to the spirit of the original.
Sigourney Weaver returns as Ripley, traumatized by her experiences on the Nostromo but forced to confront her demons when she joins a squad of space marines investigating a xenomorph outbreak on a human colony. Cameron expands the scope and gives us iconic new characters like the plucky Newt (Carrie Henn), twitchy Hudson (Bill Paxton), and mysterious Bishop (Lance Henriksen), while still keeping Ripley front and center as one of the most compelling action heroes in cinema history.
From the nerve-shredding alien attack on the colony to the climactic power loader battle, Aliens is a relentless thrill ride that never lets up. But it’s also a surprisingly emotional story about trauma, found family, and the lengths we’ll go to protect the ones we love. Weaver’s complex, vulnerable performance grounds all the spectacle in real human stakes.
Aliens set the gold standard for action sequels, showing how to go bigger and bolder while still respecting and building on what came before. It’s one of the best films of the ’80s, in any genre, and an absolute classic.
1. Alien (1979)
Directed by Ridley Scott. Starring Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt
Was there ever any doubt? Ridley Scott’s original 1979 masterpiece remains the pinnacle of the Alien franchise and one of the most influential and terrifying sci-fi films ever made. From the iconic opening moments of the Nostromo crew awakening from hypersleep to the final horrifying images of the xenomorph lurking on the escape shuttle, Alien is essentially a perfect movie.
What makes it work so well is how brilliantly it blends sci-fi and horror together, using the claustrophobic setting of the ship to create an almost unbearable sense of tension and dread. H.R. Giger’s disturbing creature designs, the ominous sound design, the shadowy cinematography, the slow-burn pacing – it all comes together to create a uniquely unsettling atmosphere that gets under your skin and stays there.
And of course, there’s the unforgettable cast of doomed space truckers, led by Sigourney Weaver in her star-making turn as Ripley. Weaver’s steely resolve and vulnerability make her instantly iconic, the perfect foil to the seemingly unstoppable alien menace. The rest of the ensemble, including Tom Skerritt, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm and Yaphet Kotto, all bring memorable personality to their roles.
From the shocking chestburster scene to the nerve-shredding ventilation shaft sequence, Alien has countless indelible moments of pure, primal terror. But it’s also a remarkably intelligent and thematically rich film, touching on everything from corporate greed to sexual violation to the fear of the unknown. It’s a true cinematic landmark that spawned a franchise and inspired countless imitators, but has never been surpassed.
In space, no one can hear you scream. But they can sure as hell hear you scream while watching Alien for the first time. It’s a stone-cold classic and the very best this series has to offer.
So there you have it – a ranking of every Alien movie from worst to best. Whether you’re a die-hard fan or a curious newcomer, this franchise is always worth revisiting and debating. Even the lesser entries have something to offer, while the best of the series represent the pinnacle of sci-fi horror cinema.
At their best, the Alien movies are intense, scary, thought-provoking, and endlessly entertaining. They’ve inspired countless filmmakers, launched a massively successful multimedia franchise, and embedded themselves in the pop culture consciousness for over 40 years now. And with Ridley Scott still teasing more prequel films and Noah Hawley’s intriguing-sounding TV series on the horizon, it seems the xenomorphs aren’t done with us yet.
Long live the Alien queen. Just don’t get too close to her egg sac.
