In 1979, cinema was introduced to a tagline that would chill audiences for decades: “In space, no one can hear you scream.” Ridley Scott’s Alien followed the commercial towing vessel Nostromo as it intercepted a mysterious beacon on the planet LV-426 — and unwittingly unleashed one of the most terrifying creatures ever put to screen. The “slasher in space” concept birthed the Xenomorph, a biomechanical nightmare that has haunted science fiction and horror fans for more than 40 years. Since then, the Alien franchise has expanded through sequels, prequels, spin-offs, and crossovers — including the Alien vs. Predator films — though this ranking focuses solely on the six mainline entries.
Not every instalment lived up to the original’s mastery, but each left its own mark. Here’s how they stack up.
6: Alien Resurrection (1997)
Two hundred years after Ripley’s sacrifice on Fury 161, the United Systems Military clones her to extract the Alien Queen growing inside her. Predictably, the creatures escape and unleash chaos aboard a research vessel.
Released five years after Alien 3, Resurrection baffled fans who felt Ripley’s story had already reached a natural end. Scripted by Joss Whedon, the film tried to blend horror, action, and dark comedy, but the tone shift undermined the tension. Sigourney Weaver and Ron Perlman shone in their roles, but the humour felt out of place.
The most infamous choice was the creation of the “Newborn” — a human–Alien hybrid that was more awkward than terrifying.
Legacy: Its lukewarm reception stalled the franchise for over a decade, setting the stage for a drastic creative reset.
5: Prometheus (2012)
Ridley Scott returned with an origin story of sorts. In the late 21st century, a team of scientists follows a star map to a distant world, seeking humanity’s creators — the Engineers. What they find instead is a bioweapon capable of wiping out humankind.
Visually, Prometheus is stunning. The practical and digital effects combined for breathtaking imagery, and the cast, led by Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender, delivered compelling performances.
The downfall? Illogical decision-making from supposedly brilliant characters and an ending creature reveal — the “Deacon” — that underwhelmed audiences expecting a classic Xenomorph.
Legacy: Divisive among fans, but reignited interest in the franchise’s deeper mythology.
4: Alien: Covenant (2017)
Set 11 years after Prometheus, a colony ship’s crew diverts to a seemingly habitable planet after receiving a strange signal. There they encounter the remains of the Engineers — and something far worse.
Like Prometheus, the visuals are gorgeous, with striking location work in Australia and New Zealand. Michael Fassbender delivered standout dual performances as androids David and Walter, giving each a distinct personality.
What elevates Covenant above Prometheus is its return to franchise staples — facehuggers, chestbursters, and the iconic Xenomorph. Fans finally got the classic creature in action.
Legacy: Reintroduced traditional Alien horror while deepening Scott’s themes of creation and artificial intelligence.
3: Alien 3 (1992)
After Aliens, an emergency landing strands Ripley on Fury 161, a prison planet populated by violent male inmates. When she learns a Xenomorph is on the loose, she teams up with the prisoners to stop it.
Production was a nightmare: multiple abandoned scripts, a still-unfinished screenplay during filming, and heavy studio interference. The theatrical cut suffered, but the later “Assembly Cut” — with restored scenes, better pacing, and clearer character arcs — offers a much stronger experience.
The “dog alien” (born from a canine host) provided a fresh design, brought to life with effects endorsed by Stan Winston.
Legacy: Initially panned, but later re-evaluated thanks to the Assembly Cut, now seen as a flawed but ambitious chapter in the Alien franchise.
2: Aliens (1986)
Fifty-seven years after the Nostromo incident, Ripley awakens to find LV-426 now home to a human colony — one that’s gone silent. She joins Colonial Marines to investigate and faces an entire hive of Xenomorphs.
James Cameron shifted the tone from slow-burn horror to action-horror hybrid without losing suspense. Bill Paxton and Michael Biehn delivered standout supporting performances, while Sigourney Weaver gave the role of Ripley enough emotional depth to earn an Oscar nomination.
Stan Winston’s effects team brought the Alien Queen to life, creating one of the most iconic monsters in sci-fi cinema.
Legacy: Redefined action-horror and influenced countless genre hybrids in the decades that followed.
1: Alien (1979)
The original remains untouchable. Ridley Scott’s blend of claustrophobic horror, industrial sci-fi, and unforgettable creature design set a new standard.
Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley broke ground as a capable, self-reliant female lead in a genre dominated by male heroes. Writers Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett fused horror and science fiction into something entirely new, while H.R. Giger’s biomechanical Xenomorph design became instantly iconic.
Legacy: A genre-defining masterpiece whose influence can be seen in everything from Event Horizon to The Expanse.
Honourable Mentions
- Alien vs. Predator (2004) – PG-13 action-horror crossover with Predator. Critically panned but has a cult following for its creature battles.
- Alien vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) – R-rated sequel with a darker tone, though criticised for poor lighting and murky visuals.
- Alien: Romulus (2024) – Upcoming Fede Álvarez-directed entry said to return to the horror roots of the franchise.
- Alien: Isolation (2014, Video Game) – While not a film, it’s widely regarded as the best Alien-related media since Aliens, capturing the original’s tension and atmosphere.
Final Verdict
Over more than four decades, the Alien franchise has evolved from pure horror to action spectacle to philosophical sci-fi. While Alien and Aliens remain the crown jewels, later entries show both the risks and rewards of reinventing a classic formula. Whether it’s the bone-chilling terror of the original or the pulse-pounding firefights of the sequel, the series proves that in space, fear never dies.