Let’s be real for a second. In 2004, if you told a die-hard sci-fi fan that the Xenomorph and the Yautja were finally going to throw down on the big screen, they probably would’ve lost their mind. We’d seen the hints. That skull in the back of the ship in Predator 2 was basically the ultimate "trust me, it’s coming" moment. But when alien vs predator movies actually landed, the reaction was… well, complicated.
Some people loved the mindless spectacle. Others felt like their favorite space-horror icons had been dragged through the mud for a PG-13 paycheck. It's now 2026, and with Fede Álvarez and Dan Trachtenberg basically breathing new life into these franchises with Alien: Romulus and Predator: Badlands, everyone is looking back at those mid-2000s crossovers with a weird mix of nostalgia and "what if?"
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Honestly, the alien vs predator movies are way more important to film history than they get credit for. They weren't just cash grabs; they were the bridge that kept these monsters alive when the studios didn't know what else to do with them.
The Long Road to Antarctica: How Paul W.S. Anderson Won
It took forever to get the first movie made. Seriously, the concept spent over a decade in "development hell." While Dark Horse Comics was killing it with the crossover issues in the 90s, the film side was a mess. Writers like Peter Briggs had scripts floating around as early as 1991, but nothing stuck until Paul W.S. Anderson pitched his "pyramid under the ice" idea.
Anderson, fresh off Resident Evil, basically walked into a room and told 20th Century Fox he could do it. He didn't want to make Alien 5 or Predator 3. He wanted a monster mashup inspired by the comics but set in our world.
The plot was simple. Lex Woods (Sanaathan Lathan) leads a team of experts—including a very recognizable Lance Henriksen—to a mysterious heat signature under Antarctica. They find a pyramid. They find a Queen. Then they find three teenage Predators who are just there to pass their "coming of age" hunting test.
"I've heard 250 pitches on AVP... but this is the best idea I've ever heard!"
— John Davis, Producer (Total Film, 2004)
It’s easy to forget that this movie actually did well. Like, $177 million worldwide well. But the PG-13 rating was a massive sticking point. Fans wanted the gore of the originals. Instead, they got a movie where a human and a Predator basically team up to run away from an explosion. It felt a bit sanitized, even if the practical effects by ADI (Amalgamated Dynamics, Inc.) were actually pretty stunning.
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The Dark Mess of Requiem
Then came 2007. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem.
If the first movie was too clean, this one was too… dark. Literally. You can’t see anything. The Brothers Strause took over the directing duties and decided to go for a hard R-rating. They brought the fight to small-town Colorado. We got the Predalien, a creature that has lived in fan theories for years, finally brought to life on screen.
But man, was it grim. It was less of a "versus" movie and more of a "look how many ways we can kill people in a hospital" movie. Critics hated it. Fans were split. It grossed about $130 million, which wasn't a disaster given the $40 million budget, but the creative soul of the crossover felt spent.
What Most People Get Wrong About the Canon
Here’s the thing: Ridley Scott basically hates these movies. When he came back for Prometheus in 2012, he didn't care about the Weyland history established in AVP. In the alien vs predator movies, Peter Weyland is a billionaire who dies in 2004. In Prometheus, Peter Weyland is a billionaire played by Guy Pearce who is very much alive much later.
So, are they canon?
It depends on who you ask. The Predator franchise seems much more chill about it. They’ve kept the Xenomorph-tail spear in the lore. But the Alien side? They treat AVP like a weird dream everyone had in the early 2000s.
Why the Crossover Almost Killed the Solo Films
There’s a legendary story that James Cameron and Ridley Scott were actually talking about doing an Alien 5 together in the early 2000s. But when Fox told Cameron they were moving forward with Alien vs. Predator, he reportedly got upset and walked away. He felt the crossover would "kill the validity" of the franchise.
He eventually admitted the first AVP was "actually pretty good" after seeing it, but the damage was done. We lost out on a Scott/Cameron collaboration because of the studio's rush to get the monsters together.
The 2026 Perspective: Is AVP 3 Finally Happening?
We are currently in a weirdly great spot for these monsters. Predator: Badlands is pushing the Yautja into the future, and Alien: Earth is bringing the Xenomorph to TV. But the rumors of a third alien vs predator movie haven't gone away.
Steve Asbell, the president of 20th Century Studios, recently dropped hints that another crossover is "probably" happening. But don't expect AVP 3. He suggested it would be something "organically created" from the current films. Imagine Fede Álvarez and Dan Trachtenberg co-directing a project. That’s the dream, right?
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The lesson from the 2004 and 2007 films is that you can't just smash toys together and expect a masterpiece. You need characters people actually care about. You need lighting where you can actually see the suit work.
Actionable Next Steps for Fans
If you're looking to dive back into this rivalry, don't just stick to the movies.
- Check out the 1990 Dark Horse Comic: This is where the "Antarctica/Pyramid" vibes started. It’s arguably a better story than the 2004 film.
- Watch the Unrated Editions: If you only saw the theatrical cuts, the unrated versions of both films add back a lot of the missing "oomph" (and blood).
- Play the 2010 AVP Game: Honestly, it captures the three-way war (Marines vs. Aliens vs. Predators) better than any of the movies ever did.
- Keep an eye on the "Badlands" fallout: With Badlands releasing, look for Easter eggs. The directors are fans; they’re definitely hiding something in there for us.
The alien vs predator movies might be the "black sheep" of their respective families, but they kept the lights on. They proved that no matter how many times you reboot, people will always want to see who wins the ultimate hunt. We just hope that next time, they remember to bring a flashlight.
Key Production Data Reference
| Film | Director | Budget | Global Box Office |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alien vs. Predator (2004) | Paul W.S. Anderson | $60 Million | $177.4 Million |
| AVP: Requiem (2007) | The Brothers Strause | $40 Million | $130.2 Million |
The financial success of these films, despite the critical panning, is why the studio keeps returning to the well. They are "safe" bets in an industry that's increasingly scared of original ideas.
Watch the credits of the next Alien or Predator film closely. The DNA of these crossovers is still there, tucked away in the shadows of the production companies and the prop houses. The hunt isn't over; it's just evolving.