Aktualizované 06.09.2026
The Alien and Predator movies can be watched in several ways because they do not form one entirely seamless film series. There is a standalone Alien storyline, a separate Predator storyline, two Alien vs. Predator crossover films, and newer movies that expand the timeline both backward and forward. The easiest approach is to first decide whether you want to watch them in release order or according to when their stories take place.
For a first viewing, release order is best. Start with 1979's Alien, then continue with Aliens, the first Predator, the subsequent sequels, the Alien vs. Predator crossover films, and finally the newer prequels and installments such as Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, Prey, Alien: Romulus, and Predator: Badlands. This approach gives you the clearest sense of how the worlds, atmosphere, and connections between the films developed.
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The best viewing order for newcomers
If you have never seen the films, the most sensible option is to watch them in release order. This is not always the chronological order of events, but it is how audiences originally experienced them in theaters. It also works because the older films gradually establish the foundations that the later prequels, references, and modern sequels build upon.
Release order is also less confusing. If you started chronologically, you would begin with newer films that explain things originally intended to remain mysterious. The unknown is a major part of the Alien series' atmosphere, so it is better to experience the original film as intended.
- Alien (1979)
- Aliens (1986)
- Predator (1987)
- Predator 2 (1990)
- Alien 3 (1992)
- Alien: Resurrection (1997)
- Alien vs. Predator (2004)
- Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
- Predators (2010)
- Prometheus (2012)
- Alien: Covenant (2017)
- The Predator (2018)
- Prey (2022)
- Alien: Romulus (2024)
- Predator: Killer of Killers (2025)
- Predator: Badlands (2025)
This order is also ideal if you want to understand why some entries are regarded as classics while others are considered more divisive sequels. The first Alien is a slow-burning science-fiction horror film, Aliens is more action-oriented, and Predator is closer to survival action with a horror atmosphere. The newer films revisit and combine these styles in different ways, sometimes commenting on them directly.
Chronological story order
Chronological order is especially interesting for a second viewing. Instead of considering when each film was released, you watch them according to the approximate period in which the story takes place. This is easier with Predator because the films are often set in specific historical periods or the modern day. For Alien, the main considerations are the future, space travel, Weyland-Yutani, and the xenomorph's development.
Keep in mind, however, that the Alien vs. Predator crossover films are not a seamless part of the main Alien continuity. Many fans treat them as a separate branch because the prequels Prometheus and Alien: Covenant follow their own path. Include them if you want a complete marathon of every Alien and Predator film. If you prefer a cleaner Alien storyline, you can treat them as bonus entries.
- Predator: Killer of Killers (2025) – an anthology with segments set in the distant past, feudal Japan, and World War II
- Prey (2022) – a story set approximately 300 years before the original Predator
- Predator (1987)
- Predator 2 (1990)
- Alien vs. Predator (2004)
- Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
- Predators (2010)
- The Predator (2018)
- Prometheus (2012)
- Alien: Covenant (2017)
- Alien (1979)
- Alien: Romulus (2024)
- Aliens (1986)
- Alien 3 (1992)
- Alien: Resurrection (1997)
- Predator: Badlands (2025)
There is one point worth mentioning about Predator: Badlands. The film is officially set in the future on a distant planet, but its exact position within the combined timeline may not matter much to the average viewer. In practice, it makes the most sense to watch it after the newer Predator films because its connections are more thematic and focused on expanding the universe than on requiring knowledge of every detail from the earlier entries.
Alien movies in order without Predator
If you only want to watch the Alien series, you have two good options. Release order is best for a first viewing because the original 1979 film works particularly well when you still know very little about the xenomorph. Although Prometheus and Alien: Covenant take place before Alien, they explain many things retroactively.
Alien movies in release order
- Alien (1979)
- Aliens (1986)
- Alien 3 (1992)
- Alien: Resurrection (1997)
- Prometheus (2012)
- Alien: Covenant (2017)
- Alien: Romulus (2024)
This is the best choice if you want to experience the series as naturally as possible. The first film is a self-contained horror story about the crew of the Nostromo, while Aliens expands the scale into a more action-oriented fight for survival. The following installments explore the consequences of what happened to Ripley. Prometheus and Covenant then broaden the questions surrounding origins, creators, and the biological threat associated with the alien.
Alien movies in chronological story order
- Prometheus (2012)
- Alien: Covenant (2017)
- Alien (1979)
- Alien: Romulus (2024)
- Aliens (1986)
- Alien 3 (1992)
- Alien: Resurrection (1997)
This order is better suited to viewers who already know the series. Prometheus and Covenant take place before the original Alien and focus more heavily on where the threat came from. Alien: Romulus is set between Alien and Aliens, making it an effective bridge between the claustrophobic horror of the 1979 film and the larger-scale 1986 sequel.
Predator movies in order without Alien
Predator is more straightforward than Alien because its original series does not revolve around one character as heavily as Ellen Ripley's story does. Each film generally follows a different group of people or a different setting in which a hunter from the extraterrestrial Yautja civilization appears. The series can therefore be watched fairly loosely, although release order still works best.
Predator movies in release order
- Predator (1987)
- Predator 2 (1990)
- Predators (2010)
- The Predator (2018)
- Prey (2022)
- Predator: Killer of Killers (2025)
- Predator: Badlands (2025)
The first Predator is essential and should not be skipped. Predator 2 expands the mythology, places the hunter in an urban setting, and adds several details that fans still revisit today. Prey, by contrast, is an excellent fresh start for new viewers because it requires little explanation and shows that the Predator concept can work beyond modern military and action settings.
Predator movies in chronological story order
- Predator: Killer of Killers (2025)
- Prey (2022)
- Predator (1987)
- Predator 2 (1990)
- Predators (2010)
- The Predator (2018)
- Predator: Badlands (2025)
The Predator timeline is particularly interesting because of Prey and the animated Predator: Killer of Killers. They show that Predators visited Earth and hunted formidable opponents long before the events of the original film. Badlands moves in the opposite direction, taking the series into the future and focusing more on the Predator as a character rather than simply an invisible threat in the jungle.
Where do the Alien vs. Predator films fit?
The Alien vs. Predator films are the main reason the viewing order is so confusing. They were created as crossovers between two famous monsters, but not everyone considers them equally important parts of the main Alien continuity. For a complete film marathon, watch them after Predator 2 and before Prometheus. If you only want the core Alien storyline, you can skip them without missing much.
2004's Alien vs. Predator works as a standalone science-fiction action horror film in which humans, xenomorphs, and Predators collide. Its sequel, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, continues directly from the first crossover's events but has a considerably darker and harsher tone. These films are interesting for fans of both creatures, but they are not essential to understanding Prometheus, Covenant, Romulus, or the original Alien.
It is best to treat them as a bonus branch. Watch them when you want to see the two icons fight directly and do not mind a less consistent continuity than the standalone films offer. They are worth including in a full marathon, but if you want a more focused, higher-quality experience, save them until after the main entries.
Which movies are the most important?
If you do not have time to watch everything, you can create a shorter viewing order that covers the essentials from both worlds. For Alien, the key films are Alien, Aliens, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, and Alien: Romulus. For Predator, the most important are Predator, Predator 2, Prey, and Predator: Badlands, with Killer of Killers serving as an excellent addition if you do not mind animation.
The shortest combined marathon could look like this: Alien, Aliens, Predator, Predator 2, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, Prey, Alien: Romulus, and Predator: Badlands. This selection covers the origins of both series, their best-known sequels, and the newer movies that show how the franchises have evolved. You can then watch Alien vs. Predator separately.
If quality and atmosphere are your priorities, do not skip the original Alien or the first Predator. Both films defined much of science-fiction horror and the survival-action genre. You can understand the plots of the newer films without them, but you will miss the context for how the xenomorph and Predator became such famous cinematic icons.
Is Prey a good place to start?
Prey is a very good entry point to the Predator series, especially if you do not want to begin with an older film from 1987. The story takes place long before the original Predator and stands on its own, so you do not need to know the previous movies. However, you will appreciate some references more if you have already seen at least Predator and Predator 2.
Prey therefore works as your first Predator film, but in a major marathon of both series, it is still better saved until after the older movies. The reason is simple: the original Predator first establishes the rules of the hunt, the technology, and the atmosphere. Prey then shows that the same concept can work in a completely different historical and cultural setting.
Is Prometheus a good place to start?
Prometheus takes place before the original Alien, but it is not the best first film for a complete newcomer. It is more philosophical and spends more time exploring the origins of humanity, its creators, and the biological threat, but it does not serve as a straightforward introduction to the xenomorph. Starting with Prometheus allows you to follow the timeline from the beginning, but it also takes away some of the mystery of the original Alien.
It is better to watch 1979's Alien first and then return to Prometheus. This makes the contrast between the unknown threat in the original film and the later attempt to explain the wider universe much more striking. Prometheus and Covenant are most interesting when you already know where the overall story is heading.
Trailers to get you ready for the marathon
Alien: Romulus – official trailer
Alien: Romulus is a modern return to the claustrophobic atmosphere of the original Alien, and its story fills the gap between the first film and Aliens.
Prey – official trailer
Prey takes the Predator into the past and is one of the most accessible recent films in the entire series.
Predator: Killer of Killers – official trailer
The animated film Predator: Killer of Killers expands the Predator mythology across several historical periods and works as a standalone anthology.
Predator: Badlands – official trailer
Predator: Badlands takes the series into the future and gives the Predator itself a larger role as the story's central character.
Final recommendation
For a simple answer, watch everything in release order. It is the clearest and least confusing option, and it lets you see how standalone horror and action films gradually became interconnected science-fiction worlds. Save chronological order for a second viewing or a marathon where you already have a general idea of what to expect from each film.
The best all-purpose order is therefore: Alien, Aliens, Predator, Predator 2, Alien 3, Alien: Resurrection, Alien vs. Predator, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, Predators, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant, The Predator, Prey, Alien: Romulus, Predator: Killer of Killers, and Predator: Badlands. This gives you the complete picture of both cinematic icons without needlessly complicating the continuity from the outset.
Sources
- 20th Century Studios – Alien
https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/alien - 20th Century Studios – Aliens
https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/aliens - 20th Century Studios – Prometheus
https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/prometheus - 20th Century Studios – Alien: Covenant
https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/alien-covenant - 20th Century Studios – Alien: Romulus
https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/alien-romulus - 20th Century Studios – Predator: Killer of Killers
https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/predator-killer-of-killers - 20th Century Studios – Predator: Badlands
https://www.20thcenturystudios.com/movies/predator-badlands - Space.com – Predator movies in order: chronological and release
https://www.space.com/predator-movies-in-order
Jana
I like turning curiosity into words, and writing articles is my way of capturing ideas before they slip away — and sharing them with anyone who feels like reading.
