A Guide to watching the Alien films chronologically

The Alien saga began with a single mysterious egg over four decades ago and continues to expand its reach. Spanning films, video games, an upcoming TV show, and more, the franchise remains as intriguing today as when it first burst onto the scene in 1979. This summer, fans will be transported once more into the terrifying world of the Alien universe with the arrival of Alien: 

To fully understand where the franchise is headed with its latest installment, it's important to reflect on the roots of the saga. So, here’s a guide to all nine films in the Alien franchise, listed in their order of release: you can embark on a complete marathon! 

It's time to launch forth into an exploration spanning decades, lightyears of vast empty space, and ever more terrifying Xenomorph encounters. Buckle up for a voyage through the past, present, and future of this truly nightmarish science fiction world.

1979: Alien

It was here that this iconic science fiction saga first began. Aboard the commercial space tug Nostromo, the crew detected an unknown transmission originating from a moon near their location. Sending down a team to investigate, they discovered a derelict and long-empty alien spacecraft harboring a nest of strange eggs. What followed was a calamity, as one of the organisms attached itself to an unwitting crew member, launching the remainder into a desperate struggle to survive. 

1986: Aliens

James Cameron's Aliens picks up the story several decades later, with Ellen Ripley awakened from hyper-sleep aboard a space station orbiting Earth. The sole survivor of the Nostromo ordeal, Ripley tries to resume a normal life until discovering the deadly aliens she narrowly defeated have proliferated and grown ever more formidable in her absence. Rallying a squad of colonial marines, Ripley resolves to return to the Xenomorphs' planet of origin and finally put an end to the sinister species.

1992: Alien 3 

Against all odds, Ripley lives to fight another day. Having narrowly escaped the horrific ordeals on the Nostromo and LV-426, she crash-lands her escape pod on the seemingly remote prison planet of Fiorina 161. Little does she know, her nemeses have followed yet again. Posing as the sole inmate at the run-down penal colony, Ripley believes she has finally found solace - only to discover the aliens have already infiltrated this new hellish locale. 

1997: Alien: Resurrection

Just when it seems the alien menace has been vanquished for good, they emerge stronger than ever. Taking place two centuries after Ripley's selfless act detonated an onboard bomb to finally end the alien queen, Alien: Resurrection finds the resourceful military attempting to clone the iconic heroine. However, in replicating her genes, they inadvertently splice them with Xenomorph DNA. The disastrous experiment births a new breed of hybrid alien and unleashes further chaos. 

2004: Alien vs. Predator

In what was an unprecedented crossover of sci-fi titans, Alien vs. Predator saw the xenomorphic monsters collide with another legendary cinematic franchise. When wealthy industrialist Charles Bishop Weyland funds an expedition to Antarctica to investigate an anomalous heat signature detected beneath the frigid landscape, little does the crew imagine what nightmares await their discovery. Under the ice, they unearth an intricate ancient pyramid - and all too predictably, it proves to be a hive for the monstrous aliens.

2007: Alien vs. Predator: Requiem

For a second clash of the iconic sci-fi titans, Alien vs Predator: Requiem relocated their turf war to more terrestrial grounds. When the two alien races' conflict spills over to spill blood on Earth, the rural Colorado town of Gunnison becomes their unsuspecting battleground. While largely panned by critics and featuring heavier action over intrigue compared to its predecessor, 

2012: Prometheus

Ridley Scott's Prometheus sought to shed light on humanity's deepest mysteries by launching a crew on an expedition back to our primordial point of origin. Tracking clues from ancient artifacts around the globe, the scientists and researchers journey to a remote world on the edges of known space. 

2017: Alien: Covenant

Taking the prequel saga further, Alien: Covenant saw yet another human colonization mission encountering more than they bargained for on distant shores. Tasked with establishing a new outpost for mankind, the crew inbound to their target planet were met firstly by its verdant, idyllic vistas - a vision of pure serenity after long months traversing the void. B

2024: Alien: Romulus

Fans anticipating the next chapter in the harrowing Alien saga will at last be rewarded this summer, as Ridley Scott returns to his seminal sci-fi creation's roots. Taking place in the interim between Nostromo's fateful encounter and Ripley's vengeful reprisal, Alien: Romulus transports viewers back to where it all began with a new crew stumbling upon an unsettling discovery.