You'd think a franchise about a perfect organism would have a perfect timeline. It doesn't. Honestly, trying to watch every alien movies in order feels like trying to navigate the ventilation shafts of the Nostromo without a motion tracker. You know something is going to jump out and confuse you.
Most people just click "play" on the 1979 original and keep going until the credits roll on the fourth one. That’s fine. It’s the "Ripley Era," and it's iconic. But if you want the full, messy, corporate-conspiracy-filled story, you have to look at the prequels, the mid-sequels, and those weird crossovers that Ridley Scott basically pretends don't exist.
The Chronological Nightmare: How the Story Actually Flows
If you want to watch the story from the very beginning of the "Alien" universe's history to the distant, weird future, you aren't starting with Sigourney Weaver. You're starting with billionaires and robots.
The Prequel Era (The Weyland Years)
It starts with Prometheus (2012). Set in the year 2093, this is where we meet the Engineers. It’s less about "scary monsters in walls" and more about "why did our dads create us and then try to kill us?" Michael Fassbender plays David, an android who is basically the most dangerous person in the entire franchise.
Next is Alien: Covenant (2017). This one happens in 2104. It bridges the gap between the high-concept philosophy of the Engineers and the toothy, drooling Xenomorphs we actually paid to see.
Then comes the newcomer. Alien: Earth (2025), the TV series from Noah Hawley, is set roughly 30 years before the original movie. It’s a huge deal because it brings the threat to our backyard long before the Nostromo ever got that distress signal.
The Bridge: Romulus and the Original Classic
The 1979 masterpiece Alien takes place in 2122. This is the gold standard. It’s a haunted house movie in space.
But wait. There’s a gap.
Alien: Romulus (2024) actually sits right between the first and second movies. Specifically, it's set in 2142. It follows a group of young scavengers who find out the hard way that Weyland-Yutani never stops experimenting on things they shouldn't. It’s a great "interquel" that connects the gritty look of the 70s with the lore of the prequels.
The War and Beyond
Aliens (1986) jumps us forward to 2179. Ripley has been in stasis for 57 years. This is the "war" movie. If you like pulse rifles and "game over, man," this is your peak.
Alien 3 (1992) happens almost immediately after. It’s bleak. It’s polarizing. Some people love the "Assembly Cut," while others still haven't forgiven it for what it did to the survivors of the previous film.
Finally, we hit Alien: Resurrection (1997). We are now in the year 2381. This is over 200 years after Ripley died. It’s weird, it’s slimy, and it features a clone-Ripley with alien DNA. It’s definitely a vibe, even if it feels like a fever dream compared to the rest.
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Why Release Order is Actually Better for Newbies
Look, chronological order is cool for a rewatch, but it's a terrible way to experience the series for the first time. Why? Because the prequels assume you already know what a Xenomorph is. They play with your expectations.
If you watch Prometheus first, the mystery of the "Space Jockey" in the 1979 film is completely ruined. You lose that sense of "what on earth is that giant skeleton?" because you've already seen the dudes inside the suits.
Stick to the way the world saw them. Start with the 1979 original. Feel the slow burn. Then hit Aliens for the adrenaline rush. By the time you get to the prequels, you'll actually care about the origins because you've seen the destination.
What About the Predator Crossovers?
Basically, ignore them if you want a "clean" story. Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) are fun "popcorn" movies, but they don't fit the timeline.
In the Alien timeline, humans don't really know about the creatures until the 2100s. But the AvP movies show them running around modern-day Earth. Ridley Scott has been pretty vocal about these not being canon to his films. They’re like an alternate-universe fan fiction. Watch them on a Sunday afternoon when you just want to see monsters punch each other, but don't try to make the math work.
Breaking Down the "Best" Way to Watch
There is no one right way, but there is a "smart" way.
- The Completionist: 1979 through 1997, then the prequels, then Romulus and the Earth series.
- The "High Quality" Run: Alien, Aliens, and Alien: Romulus. You can honestly stop there and have a perfect trilogy of terror.
- The Lore Nerd: Start with Prometheus and follow the dates until you hit the year 2381.
The franchise has survived four decades because the core concept—something is in the dark and it wants you—never gets old. Even when the timeline gets messy or a movie misses the mark, the Xenomorph remains cinema's most terrifying design.
If you're planning a marathon, your next step is to grab the Alien: Quadrilogy set or check out the streaming options on Hulu/Disney+, as they currently house almost the entire saga. Start with the 1979 original in a dark room with the sound turned up. You'll quickly realize why, after 45 years, we’re still talking about what happens in the shadows of deep space.