The Alien franchise has been among the most enduring icons of the horror and sci-fi genre ever since the original Ridley Scott film premiered in 1979. While the reception to some of the sequels proved divisive, the Alien series has proved to have strong staying power, as evidenced by the release of the acclaimed Alien: Earth during this month.
Hence, it's worth looking back at the films that formed the foundation of this iconic franchise, which introduced us to the iconic xenomorphs. Read on to learn more about the alien film series, ranked by their worldwide box office gross as per The Numbers.
9. Alien vs Predator: Requiem
- Release date: December 25, 2007
- Director: The Brothers Strause
- Box Office Gross: $128.8 million
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 12%
- Streaming on: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
Alien vs Predator: Requiem was the second film in a crossover spin-off series that was released in 2007. It was panned by critics and had a lukewarm showing at the box office, making it the lowest-grossing Alien film released thus far. The film has no connection with the mainline Alien films and their myth arc, instead focusing on a conflict between the xenomorphs and the Predators that were originally introduced in the 1987 film starring Arnold Schwarzenegger.
7. Alien: Resurrection
- Release date: November 26, 1997
- Director: Jean-Pierre Jeunet
- Box Office Gross: $160.7 million
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 55%
- Streaming on: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
Alien: Resurrection is the last film to feature Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley. While the critical and audience reception improved compared to the highly controversial Alien 3, the film still didn't achieve the high points of the first two Alien films.
Alien: Resurrection takes place in the distant future of the setting, with Ellen Ripley being cloned, only to get caught up in a life-and-death situation after a project to artificially breed xenomorphs goes horribly wrong.
4. Alien
- Release date: May 25, 1979
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Box Office Gross: $188 million
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 93%
- Streaming on: Hulu, Amazon Prime Video
Alien is the film that started it all. Ridley Scott's foray into the survival horror genre has become an enduring icon of Hollywood history, establishing several iconic elements that remain cornerstones of the franchise to this day. While the film was divisive among critics upon release, it is now hailed as one of the greatest science fiction movies of all time.
Alien focuses on the crew of the spaceship Nostromo, who investigate a derelict spacecraft suspected of harboring alien life. They quickly realize they're in over their heads after a murderous xenomorph unleashes and picks off the crew one by one.
1. Prometheus
- Release date: June 8, 2012
- Director: Ridley Scott
- Box Office Gross: $402.4 million
- Rotten Tomatoes Score: 73%
- Streaming on: Amazon Prime Video, JioHotstar
Prometheus closes off the list as the highest-grossing film in the Alien franchise, not adjusted for inflation. The film served a pivotal role in the film series, being the first major release since Alien: Resurrection. The film received a positive critical reception, with particular praise going towards Michael Fassbender's performance as the android David. Prometheus followed the ambitious goal of moving beyond the horror of the xenomorphs and exploring their origins by introducing an ancient alien race known as the Engineers.