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The Alien franchise has been among the most enduring icons of the horror and sci-fi genre ever since the original Ridley Scott film premiered in 1979. While the reception to some of the sequels proved divisive, the Alien series has proved to have strong staying power, as evidenced by the release of the acclaimed Alien: Earth during this month.
Hence, it’s worth looking back at the films that formed the foundation of this iconic franchise, which introduced us to the iconic xenomorphs. Read on to learn more about the alien film series, ranked by their worldwide box office gross as per The Numbers.
9. Alien vs Predator: Requiem
- Release date: December 25, 2007
- Director: The Brothers Strause
- Box Office Gross: $128.8 million
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 12%
- Streaming on: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
Alien vs Predator: Requiem was the second film in a crossover spin-off series that was released in 2007. It was panned by critics and had a lukewarm showing at the box office, making it the lowest-grossing Alien film released thus far. The film has no connection with the mainline Alien films and their myth arc, instead focusing on a conflict between the xenomorphs and the Predators that were originally introduced in the 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
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8. Alien 3
- Release date: May 22, 1992
- Director: David Fincher
- Box Office Gross: $158.5 million
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 44%
- Streaming on: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
Alien 3 is one of the most controversial installments in the franchise. Many fans and critics consider it a low point for the film series, and Roger Ebert and Gene Siskel both gave it a thumbs down. The film sees Ellen Ripley, the original lead character of the films, stranded in a penal colony in outer space after she’s forced to flee the Colonial Marine spaceship Sulaco thanks to a xenomorph egg hatching and her fleeing in an escape pod that ends up crash-landing on Fury 161. It’s notable for being David Fincher’s directorial debut, though Fincher himself does not look back fondly on his experiences.
7. Alien: Resurrection
- Release date: November 26, 1997
- Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
- Box Office Gross: $160.7 million
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 55%
- Streaming on: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
Alien: Resurrection is the last film to feature Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley. While the critical and audience reception improved compared to the highly controversial Alien 3, the film still didn’t achieve the high points of the first two Alien films.
Alien: Resurrection takes place in the distant future of the setting, with Ellen Ripley being cloned, only to get caught up in a life-and-death situation after a project to artificially breed xenomorphs goes horribly wrong.
6. Alien vs Predator
- Release date: August 12, 2004
- Director: Paul W.S. Anderson
- Box Office Gross: $127 million
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 21%
- Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video, JioHotstar
Alien vs. Predator was the first Alien film released since the series’ hiatus after Resurrection. The film was a crossover event with the Predator franchise, which began with the 1986 film. It has no bearing on the mainline canon of the Alien films, focusing on an expedition searching for a hidden pyramid in the Antarctic. The film had a lukewarm reception from critics, although some, such as Film Threat, did consider it a “surprisingly good time”.
5. Aliens
- Release date: July 18, 1986
- Director: James Cameron
- Box Office Gross: $183 million
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 94%
- Streaming on: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
Aliens is the second film of the franchise, and remains one of the most iconic and beloved films of the series. Directed by James Cameron, the series diverged from the survival horror roots of the original film in favor of a more action-oriented affair. The film has been lauded by critics, praising its unrelenting intensity.
The film picks up where the original left off. Ellen Ripley informs the Weyland-Yutani corporation of the dangerous xenomorph her original crew encountered and died to. A squad of colonial marines is sent with her to do another investigation of the colony, and Weyland-Yutani has its own ulterior motives for greenlighting the mission.
4. Alien
- Release date: May 25, 1979
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Box Office Gross: $188 million
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
- Streaming on: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
Alien is the film that started it all. Ridley Scott’s foray into the survival horror genre has become an enduring icon of Hollywood history, establishing several iconic elements that remain cornerstones of the franchise to this day. While the film was divisive among critics upon release, it is now hailed as one of the greatest science fiction movies of all time.
Alien focuses on the crew of the spaceship Nostromo, who investigate a derelict spacecraft suspected of harboring alien life. They quickly realize they’re in over their heads after a murderous xenomorph unleashes and picks off the crew one by one.
3. Alien: Covenant
- Release date: May 29, 2017
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Box Office Gross: $238.5 million
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 65%
- Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video, JioHotstar
Alien: Covenant was a prequel film released to revitalize the franchise following an extended hiatus since Alien: Resurrection. Covenant received a mixed response upon release, considering the film was competently made but suffered an identity crisis. Covenant follows the events of 2012’s Prometheus, specifically the androids David 8 and Walter, played by Michael Fassbender. David’s twisted morality results in him plotting humanity’s extinction to create a “superior” species, while Walter stands against him.
2. Alien: Romulus
- Release date: August 16, 2024
- Director: Fede Alvarez
- Box Office Gross: $350.7 million
- Rotten Tomatoes: 80%
- Streaming on: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
Alien: Romulus is the latest film in the Alien franchise, and the first to be produced under Disney’s supervision. It’s also the most critically acclaimed film in the franchise since James Cameron’s Aliens. Romulus focuses on an all-new cast of characters and serves as an interquel between the original 1979 Alien and 1986’s Aliens. The plot follows an orphaned colonist trapped in indentured servitude under Weyland-Yutani, who bands together with a young band of rebels to plot an escape from the planet, only to face the horror of the xenomorphs.
1. Prometheus
- Release date: June 8, 2012
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Box Office Gross: $402.4 million
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 73%
- Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video, JioHotstar
Prometheus closes off the list as the highest-grossing film in the Alien franchise, not adjusted for inflation. The film served a pivotal role in the film series, being the first major release since Alien: Resurrection. The film received a positive critical reception, with particular praise going towards Michael Fassbender’s performance as the android David. Prometheus followed the ambitious goal of moving beyond the horror of the xenomorphs and exploring their origins by introducing an ancient alien race known as the Engineers.
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