For your first viewing, watch the Alien movies in release order: Alien, Aliens, Alien3, Alien: Resurrection, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, and Alien: Romulus.
Release order preserves the franchise’s major reveals and lets you experience its evolution from science-fiction horror to military action, experimental sequel, prequel mythology, and the later interquel. If you have already seen the films and want to follow the fictional timeline, use the chronological order later in this guide.
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The Alien movies in release order
This is the best order for most first-time viewers. It follows the sequence in which audiences encountered the films and preserves the intended development of the franchise’s mysteries, characters, technology, and mythology.
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Alien (1979) — Directed by Ridley Scott; released May 25, 1979; approximately 1 hour 55 minutes.
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The original film follows the crew of the commercial spacecraft Nostromo, who investigate a mysterious signal and bring an apparently dormant extraterrestrial life-form aboard. It establishes the franchise’s claustrophobic survival-horror formula and its central threat.
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Aliens (1986) — Directed by James Cameron; released July 18, 1986; approximately 2 hours 17 minutes.
The sequel shifts toward military science-fiction action. After being awakened from hypersleep, Ripley joins a team sent to investigate a human colony that has lost contact. It expands the scale of the first film while continuing Ripley’s story.
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Alien3 (1992) — Directed by David Fincher; released May 22, 1992; approximately 1 hour 54 minutes.
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Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.Ripley’s escape vessel crashes at an isolated ore refinery. An alien stowaway is discovered among the survivors, turning the facility into another deadly hunting ground. This is a direct continuation of Aliens, so it should not be watched before that film.
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Alien: Resurrection (1997) — Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet; released November 26, 1997; approximately 1 hour 48 minutes.
Set roughly 200 years after Alien3, the film follows military scientists who clone Ripley and extract an alien queen. The experiment leads to another outbreak aboard a laboratory ship and concludes the original series of Ripley-centered films.
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Prometheus (2012) — Directed by Ridley Scott; released June 8, 2012; approximately 2 hours 3 minutes.
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This prequel moves the franchise into questions about humanity’s origins, ancient civilizations, artificial intelligence, and the forces behind the alien threat. Watching the earlier four films first makes its expansion of the mythology more meaningful.
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Alien: Covenant (2017) — Directed by Ridley Scott; released May 19, 2017; approximately 2 hours 1 minute.
A colony ship discovers a seemingly habitable planet that conceals a major danger. The film follows directly from the prequel storyline begun in Prometheus, while moving closer to the creature and setting associated with the original Alien.
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Alien: Romulus (2024) — Directed by Fede Álvarez; released August 16, 2024; approximately 1 hour 59 minutes.
Special offer. See more information about Outbyte and uninstall instructions. Please review EULA and Privacy policy.This interquel is set between Alien and Aliens. It returns to the series’ horror roots as young colonists investigate a derelict space station. Because it occupies a gap in the original timeline, it works naturally after Alien: Covenant in release order and between the first two films in chronological order.
Physical-media option: If you want to watch most or all of the core films at home, compare the current contents of an Alien movie collection on Blu-ray before buying. Collection names and included films can vary by market and edition, so verify the listing rather than assuming every seven-film set contains the same discs.
The Alien movies in chronological story order
Chronological order begins with the earliest events in the fictional timeline rather than the oldest film. It is a good choice for a rewatch, especially if you want to track the development of the Engineers, artificial intelligence, corporate power, and the alien threat from their earliest known story points.
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Prometheus (approximately 2093)
Scientists and explorers search for the origins of human life and encounter a dangerous extraterrestrial threat.
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Alien: Covenant (2104)
The colony ship Covenant diverts to a seemingly habitable planet, continuing the prequel storyline.
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Alien: Earth (approximately 2120, television series)
This optional live-action television series is set two years before the events of the 1979 film Alien. It belongs between Alien: Covenant and Alien in a chronological watch.
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Alien (2122)
The crew of the Nostromo investigates a mysterious signal and encounters the life-form at the center of the franchise.
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Alien: Romulus (2142)
Young colonists explore a derelict space station in this story set between the first and second films.
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Aliens (2179)
Ripley is awakened from hypersleep and joins a military investigation of a colony that has gone silent.
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Alien3 (2179, following Aliens)
Ripley’s escape vessel crashes at an ore refinery, where an alien begins killing the inhabitants.
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Alien: Resurrection (roughly 2379–2380)
About 200 years after Alien3, military scientists clone Ripley and recreate an alien queen, triggering another outbreak.
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The year labels are useful guides rather than a complete, rigid chronology. The original films establish some placements through dialogue, continuity, and stated time jumps, while later timeline information supplies additional precision. The important narrative relationships are clear: Prometheus precedes Alien: Covenant; Alien: Romulus falls between Alien and Aliens; and Alien3 follows Aliens.
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If you follow this order, a current physical edition of Alien: Romulus 4K Blu-ray can be a convenient way to complete the newest film after Alien and before Aliens. Check the edition, region, and included discs before purchasing.
Which order should you choose?
| Viewer | Best order | Why |
|---|---|---|
| First-time viewer | Release order | Preserves the original reveals and the intended evolution of the franchise. |
| Returning viewer | Chronological order | Creates a timeline from the prequels through the original films and later sequels. |
| Ripley-focused viewer | Release order | Follows the character’s story as audiences originally experienced it. |
| Mythology-focused viewer | Chronological order | Starts with the earliest exploration of humanity, artificial intelligence, and the alien threat. |
| Viewer who wants the classic experience | Alien, then Aliens | These two films provide the clearest introduction to the franchise’s horror-to-action progression. |
Where does Alien: Earth fit?
Alien: Earth is a television series, not one of the seven feature films. FX and Disney describe it as the first live-action Alien television series. Its story takes place approximately two years before Alien, around 2120, placing it after Alien: Covenant and before the original movie.
For a strictly chronological marathon, use:
Prometheus → Alien: Covenant → Alien: Earth → Alien → Alien: Romulus → Aliens → Alien3 → Alien: Resurrection
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For release-order completionists, place the series after Alien: Romulus, since all seven films were released before the television series. Streaming availability can change by country and date; the official FX material identifies Alien: Earth as available through Hulu in the United States, but that does not establish where every film is currently available.
Do Alien vs. Predator movies belong in the main order?
No. Alien vs. Predator and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem are optional crossover films, not required chapters in the central Alien sequence.
- Alien vs. Predator (2004) — Humans and Predators become involved in an underground conflict with Aliens beneath Antarctica.
- Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) — A direct crossover follow-up that brings the conflict to a small-town setting.
The crossovers use characters and creatures from both franchises, but their premise and continuity differ from the main seven-film storyline. Inserting them into the core chronological list can make the timeline appear more unified than it is.
If you want to watch every feature film with Alien in its title, use the crossover branch in release order:
Alien → Aliens → Alien3 → Alien: Resurrection → Alien vs. Predator → Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem → Prometheus → Alien: Covenant → Alien: Romulus
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This keeps the two crossover films together after Alien: Resurrection and before the later prequels, without presenting them as essential to Ripley’s main story.
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.How to plan your marathon
For a first-time seven-film watch
- Start with Alien and Aliens on separate nights if you want time to appreciate the change in tone.
- Continue with Alien3 and Alien: Resurrection to complete the original Ripley arc.
- Watch Prometheus and Alien: Covenant as a connected prequel pair.
- Finish with Alien: Romulus, the newest core film and a story set between the first two movies.
For a chronological rewatch
- Watch the two prequels first: Prometheus, then Alien: Covenant.
- Add Alien: Earth if you want the television chapter; otherwise go directly to Alien.
- Place Alien: Romulus between Alien and Aliens.
- Finish Ripley’s later story with Aliens, Alien3, and Alien: Resurrection.
Buying the films for home viewing
A physical collection is useful if you want to avoid changing streaming services during a marathon or keep access to films whose availability may move between platforms. Before buying, check:
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- the exact films included;
- whether the set contains Blu-ray, 4K UHD, or both;
- your player’s format compatibility;
- the region code, if buying from another market;
- subtitle and audio options;
- whether the listing is new, used, or sold by a third party.
Do not assume that a product described as an “Alien collection” contains all seven core movies. Some sets cover only the original four Ripley films, while others may include a different combination of prequels or later releases. Prices, stock, packaging, and edition names are volatile and should be checked immediately before publication or purchase.
Should you buy Alien: Romulus separately?
If you already own the earlier films, an individual Alien: Romulus 4K UHD or Blu-ray edition is the most direct physical-media purchase for completing the core sequence. It is particularly relevant to chronological viewers because the film bridges Alien and Aliens. Confirm whether the listing includes the disc format you need and whether your equipment supports 4K UHD playback.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best order to watch the Alien movies for the first time?
Watch them in release order: Alien, Aliens, Alien3, Alien: Resurrection, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, and Alien: Romulus.
What is the chronological order of the Alien movies?
The story order is Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, Alien, Alien: Romulus, Aliens, Alien3, and Alien: Resurrection. Add the television series Alien: Earth between Alien: Covenant and Alien.
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Alien: Romulus is an interquel: its story is set after Alien and before Aliens. It is the seventh released feature in the core film sequence.
Do I need to watch Alien vs. Predator?
No. Alien vs. Predator and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem are optional crossover films and are not necessary for understanding the main seven-film Alien storyline.
Where should I watch Alien: Earth?
Chronologically, watch Alien: Earth after Alien: Covenant and before Alien. For a first viewing, watch Alien first so the series’ world-building and connections have more context. Its availability is geography- and date-dependent.
The Bottom Line
Bottom line: First-time viewers should choose release order: Alien, Aliens, Alien3, Alien: Resurrection, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, and Alien: Romulus. For a story-timeline rewatch, use Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, Alien: Earth, Alien, Alien: Romulus, Aliens, Alien3, and Alien: Resurrection. Keep the two Alien vs. Predator films as optional crossover viewing.
Quick Recap
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