Alien Movies in Order of Story
- Prometheus
- Alien Covenant
- Alien
- Aliens
- Alien 3
- Alien Resurrection
Alien Movies Ranked
- Aliens (1986)
- Alien (1979)
- Alien Covenant (2017)
- Prometheus (2012)
- Alien Resurrection (1997)
- Alien 3 (1992)
Alien Movies in Order of Release
- Alien (1979)
- Aliens (1986)
- Alien 3 (1992)
- Alien Resurrection (1997)
- Prometheus (2012)
- Alien Covenant (2017)
Alien 1979
Alien is a 1979 science fiction horror film directed by Ridley Scott and starring Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, Ian Holm, and Yaphet Kotto. The film’s title refers to its primary antagonist: a highly intelligent, predatory extraterrestrial creature that stalks and kills the crew of a spaceship.
Dan O’Bannon wrote the screenplay from a story he co-wrote with Ronald Shusett, drawing influence from works of science fiction and horror. The film was produced through Brandywine Productions and distributed by 20th Century Fox, with executive producer Gordon Carroll, producer David Giler, and associate producer Walter Hill credited as co-producers. Giler and Hill revised and expanded the script. Shusett was the executive producer.
Alien launched the Alien franchise and is chronologically the first of the main series, with the prequel series set in an earlier timeframe. It has remained highly praised in subsequent decades, being considered one of the greatest films of all time. In 2002, the Film Editors Guild listed Alien as the 87th greatest edited film of all time. In 2008, it was ranked as the seventh-best film in the science fiction genre by the American Film Institute, and as the 33rd greatest movie of all time by Empire magazine.
Aliens (1986)
Aliens is a 1986 American science fiction action horror film directed by James Cameron and starring Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Carrie Henn, Bill Paxton, and Bill Duke. It is the sequel to the 1979 film Alien, and the second installment in the Alien franchise.
The plot follows Weyland-Yutani employee Ellen Ripley (Weaver) as she returns to the moon where her crew encountered the hostile Alien creature, this time accompanied by a unit of space marines. Cameron wrote the script with input from director Ridley Scott, who directed the first film. Principal photography commenced in England in September 1985 and ended in January 1986. The film was shot in anamorphic format to provide a more immersive experience.
Aliens grossed $86 million in the United States and Canada, and $131 million in other markets, for a total of $217 million worldwide. It was the highest-grossing film of 1986 in the US. The film won the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects and was nominated for seven other Oscars, including Best Actress for Weaver and Best Original Screenplay for Cameron. In 2004, Aliens was deemed “culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant” by the Library of Congress and was selected for preservation in the National Film Registry.
Alien 3 1992
The production of Alien 3 was fraught with complications. There were multiple directors, and filming began without a finished script. Young director David Fincher was brought on after Vincent Ward canceled his earlier version. He had only a short amount of time to prepare for the project. Creative interference from studio executives also plagued the film. The end result was a film that was far from a classic. However, it still carries a compelling story and is well worth seeing.
While the first two movies were instant classics, there were numerous problems associated with the film. After all, Ripley’s role was a pivotal one. She is forced to confront sexism, religious persecution, and her inescapable mortality. But how does she deal with all these problems? In Alien3, Ripley has to face sexism, mortality, and inescapable death.
Alien Resurrection 1997
The director of Alien Resurrection 1997 has a lot to do with the plot of this sequel to the original film. In the original film, the giant alien’s stomach bursts open, spilling its guts and shattering into tiny pieces. In Alien Resurrection, this same scene is depicted with the same graphic detail. This time, however, the giant alien’s stomach rips open and spills its guts, allowing the crew of the ship to escape.
A few things are worth noting, however. The plot itself is fairly predictable. Ripley, who has survived the initial attack, is resurrected on the USM Auriga after having a traumatic experience aboard the craft. After receiving blood samples from the alien queen, Ripley becomes a clone and is resurrected on the ship. The result is that Ripley’s DNA gets mixed with the Queen’s, giving her enhanced reflexes and strength. This makes her a prime candidate for a confrontation with the aliens. However, this is not all: smugglers bring aliens onto the Auriga and hijack the transport to escape.
Alien Resurrection 1997 features the arrival of the Weyland Corporation’s new colony ship. The ship suffers shockwave damage. The crew survives, but a few of them become victims. The Weyland Corporation sends two astronauts, Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway, to the planet LV-223, but their mission ends in disaster. The Weyland Corporation is represented by Guy Pearce, the son of the famous Charles Bishop Weyland in Alien vs. Predator.
Prometheus 2012
The film starts with the arrival of an advanced humanoid alien race on a primordial planet. They arrive there, eat a dark liquid, and disintegrate. As the body of the alien race is broken down, its DNA is recreated, seeding the planet with the building blocks of life. Afterward, the Prometheus team must find out where the Engineers came from and why they chose this planet.
The film’s visuals and design were highly praised by critics, who credited Fassbender’s stellar performance as the android David. However, some critics felt that the film had been too aimed at the expectations of its audience and failed to live up to its promise. As a result, the film’s production team made some tweaks to ensure the film is as close to perfect as possible.
Alien Covenant 2017
The movie starts with a tragic incident onboard the Covenant. The crew wakes up when their stasis pod malfunctions. Afterward, the Covenant picks up a radio transmission from a planet near the Earth-like world. The team is able to trace the transmission to a crashed alien ship. In the meantime, the crew is faced with the dilemma of whether or not to return to Earth or to pursue the aliens.
The film follows the fate of David and Shaw ten years after they are sent to the planet by the Engineer ship. In the process, the cargo accidentally released a weaponized black liquid over the city, wiping out all the fauna and infecting the entire planet. The Juggernaut ship subsequently crashes, killing both David and Shaw. In the aftermath, the crew members are left alone in the midst of a tumultuous battle between David and his former teammate.
Where to Watch Alien Movies
All Alien movies can be watched on Disney+ because of the Fox and Disney merger.
