{{Short description|Science fiction horror and action franchise}} {{about|the ''Alien'' film series|the original 1979 film|Alien (film){{!}}''Alien'' (film)|other uses|Alien (disambiguation){{!}}Alien}} {{Redirect|Alien films|films that feature aliens|List of films featuring extraterrestrials}} {{pp-pc}} {{Use mdy dates|date=June 2017}} {{Infobox media franchise | title = Alien | image = Alien (franchise) logo.png | image_size = 220px | caption = Official franchise logo | creator = Dan O'Bannon <br />Ronald Shusett | origin = ''Alien'' (1979) | owner = 20th Century Studios | years = 1979–present | video_games = List of video games | novels = List of novels | comics = List of comics | magazines = <!-- Not supported in article: ''Empire Classics - Alien: The Complete History of All 8 Films'' (2018) --> | films = {{Plainlist| * {{nowrap|''Alien'' (1979)}} * {{nowrap|''Aliens'' (1986)}} * {{nowrap|''Alien 3'' (1992)}} * {{nowrap|''Alien Resurrection'' (1997)}} * {{nowrap|''Prometheus'' (2012)}} * {{nowrap|''Alien: Covenant'' (2017)}} * {{nowrap|''Alien: Romulus'' (2024)}} * '''Crossover films:''' * {{nowrap|''Alien vs. Predator'' (2004)}} * {{nowrap|''Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem'' (2007)}}}} | shorts = {{Plainlist| * '''''Prometheus'' films:''' * {{nowrap|''TED 2023'' (2012)}} * {{nowrap|''Quiet Eye: Elizabeth Shaw'' (2012)}} * '''''Alien'' 40th anniversary films:''' * {{nowrap|''Alien: Containment'' (2019)}} * {{nowrap|''Alien: Specimen'' (2019)}} * {{nowrap|''Alien: Night Shift'' (2019)}} * {{nowrap|''Alien: Ore'' (2019)}} * {{nowrap|''Alien: Harvest'' (2019)}} * {{nowrap|''Alien: Alone'' (2019)}}}} | tv = {{nowrap|''Alien: Earth'' (2025–present)}} | wtv = {{nowrap|''Alien: Isolation – The Digital Series'' (2019)}} | plays = ''Alien: The Play'' (2019) | soundtracks = {{Plainlist| * ''Alien'' (1979) * ''Aliens'' (1987) * ''Alien 3'' (1992) * ''Alien Resurrection'' (1997) * ''Alien vs. Predator'' (2004) * ''Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem'' (2007) * ''Prometheus'' (2012) * ''Alien: Covenant'' (2017) * ''Alien: Romulus'' (2024)}} | music = | attractions = <!-- WP:INFOBOX avoid links within the same page, not a table of contents --> | otherlabel1 = Character(s) | otherdata1 = List of characters }}
'''''Alien''''' is an American science fiction horror and action media franchise created by screenwriters Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett, which began as the 1979 film ''Alien''. The series primarily follows deadly encounters between humans and the extraterrestrial Xenomorphs in the future.
Released as seven films distributed by 20th Century Studios (formerly 20th Century Fox) and produced by Brandywine Productions since 1979, the series has led to numerous novels, comics, and video games, and a 2025 television series created by Noah Hawley titled ''Alien: Earth''. Sigourney Weaver starred as warrant officer Ellen Ripley in the first four films, ''Alien (1979)'', ''Aliens'' (1986), ''Alien 3'' (1992), and ''Alien: Resurrection'' (1997). The other three films follow different characters, and include prequels ''Prometheus'' (2012) and ''Alien: Covenant'' (2017), and ''Alien: Romulus'' (2024), which is set between the first two films. The films were directed by Ridley Scott, James Cameron, David Fincher, Jean-Pierre Jeunet, and Fede Álvarez.
The film series has also inspired a number of spin-offs—most notably the ''Alien vs. Predator'' series, which combines the continuities of the ''Alien'' franchise with the ''Predator'' franchise and consists of two films as well as various series of comics, books, and video games.
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==Premise== thumb|right|Weyland-Yutani logo as it appears in ''Aliens'' (1986). The ''Alien'' franchise depicts a series of deadly encounters, predominantly spanning the 22nd and 24th centuries, between humanity and the Xenomorph; a hostile, endoparasitoid, extraterrestrial species.<ref name="Aliens">{{cite AV media |title=Aliens |type=Motion picture |publisher=A 20th Century Fox / Brandywine Production|oclc=901628690 }}</ref> Humanity is depicted as a space-faring species with an interstellar dominion; space journeys typically last months, even years, and require the use of cryosleep.<ref>{{cite book | last = Dean Foster | first = Alan | title = Alien: The Official Novelization | year = 1978 | isbn = 978-1783290154 | publisher = Titan Publishing Group | location = Bankside, London, United Kingdom | page = 11 }}</ref> Throughout the series, characters are repeatedly manipulated and endangered by the unscrupulous megacorporation Weyland-Yutani Corp, which seeks to profit from the Xenomorph.<ref name="Aliens"/><ref name="Alien3">{{cite AV media |date=May 22, 1992|title=Alien 3 |type=Motion picture |publisher=A 20th Century Fox / Brandywine Production|oclc=776089792 }}</ref>
The series fictionalizes the origin of the human race. A member of an ancient humanoid species called the Engineers sacrifices himself, allowing his DNA to spark the genesis of mankind. The Engineers' other experiments, designed to exterminate the human race through the means of a deadly mutagen, pave the way for the Xenomorphs to rise and populate through the traumatic implantation of larvae in hosts.<ref name="Prometheus">{{cite AV media |date=June 8, 2012 |title=Prometheus |type=Motion picture |publisher=20th Century Fox in association with Scott Free/Brandywine Productions|oclc=1001820935 }}</ref><ref name="Aliens"/> Incidents across several generations are chronicled throughout the franchise.
==Background== Writer Dan O'Bannon, wanting to write a science-fiction action film, collaborated with screenwriter Ronald Shusett on a script, initially titled ''Star Beast'', but eventually changed to ''Alien''. Brandywine Productions, a company which had a distribution deal with 20th Century Fox, bought the script. The writers expected it to be a low-budget film, but the success of ''Star Wars'' inclined Fox to invest millions.<ref name="star beast">"Star Beast: Developing the Story", ''The Beast Within: The Making of Alien''.</ref>
In the original script, the ship had an all-male crew, though it noted that all roles could be played by men or women without major changes to the film. The Ripley character was initially to be played by Tom Skerritt, but when Fox president Alan Ladd Jr. and the producers at Brandywine heard rumors of Fox working on other titles with strong female leads, it was decided to cast a female as Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and Skerritt became Captain Dallas. Ridley Scott came on as director.
Swiss painter and sculptor H. R. Giger designed the alien creature's adult form and the derelict ship, while French artist Mœbius created the look of the spacesuits and Ron Cobb provided most of the industrial design for the sets.<ref>Lina Badley, ''Film, and the Body Fantastic: Contributions to the Study of Popular Culture'', Greenwood Press 1995</ref><ref name="McIntee">{{cite book|last=McIntee|first=David A.|title=Beautiful Monsters: The Unofficial and Unauthorised Guide to the Alien and Predator Films|date=2005|publisher=Telos|pages=19–28|author-link=David A. McIntee}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url = http://www.insidepulse.com/article.php?contentid=48557| archive-url = https://archive.today/20071109032316/http://www.insidepulse.com/article.php?contentid=48557| url-status = dead| archive-date = November 9, 2007| title = R0BTRAIN's Bad Ass Cinema: Alien| first = Robert| last = Sutton| access-date = September 4, 2006}}</ref>
While ''Alien'' was a critical and financial success upon its 1979 release, Fox did not consider a sequel until 1983. That year, James Cameron expressed his interest to producer David Giler in continuing the ''Alien'' story. After Cameron's ''The Terminator'' became a box office hit in 1984, Cameron and partner Gale Anne Hurd were given approval to direct and produce the sequel to ''Alien'', scheduled for a 1986 release.<ref name=schickel>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,961839,00.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070902231101/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,961839,00.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 2, 2007 |title=Help! They're Back! |date=July 28, 1986 |magazine=Time |last=Schickel|first=Richard|access-date=July 16, 2007}}</ref> Cameron wrote the screenplay for ''Aliens'' from a story he developed with Giler and Walter Hill.
Following the second film, Weaver was not interested in returning to the series, so Giler and Hill commissioned a sequel without the Ripley character. Fox's president Joe Roth opposed Ripley's removal, and Weaver was offered a $5 million salary and a producer credit to make ''Alien 3''. Giler, Hill and Larry Ferguson wrote the screenplay, based on a story from an earlier script by Vincent Ward, intended to bring closure to the ''Alien'' franchise by killing off Ripley, the principal character. ''Alien 3'' faced a mired production, with extensive script difficulties, trouble securing a director, production beginning prior to the completion of a final script, as well as profuse studio interference.<ref>{{cite magazine|date=May 29, 1992|title=Sigourney Weaver talks about ''Alien3''|url=https://ew.com/article/1992/05/29/sigourney-weaver-talks-about-alien3/|url-status=live|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080106113959/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C310615%2C00.html|archive-date=January 6, 2008|access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=David Fincher|url=http://www.sensesofcinema.com/2003/great-directors/fincher/|url-status=live|magazine=Senses of Cinema|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071201001717/http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/directors/03/fincher.html|archive-date=December 1, 2007|access-date=December 14, 2007}}</ref>
While fans and critics initially did not receive ''Alien 3'' well, and director David Fincher disowned it,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Schager |first=Nick |date=2010-03-25 |title=Lessons of Darkness: Alien³ (1992): B+ |url=https://www.nickschager.com/nsfp/2010/03/alien%C2%B3-1992-b.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103215153/https://www.nickschager.com/nsfp/2010/03/alien%C2%B3-1992-b.html |archive-date=2021-11-03 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Lessons of Darkness}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Spry |first=Jeff |date=2022-05-22 |title=30 years ago, David Fincher made the darkest Alien movie ever |url=https://www.inverse.com/entertainment/alien-3-30-year-anniversary |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Inverse |language=en}}</ref> the film was a worldwide success and piqued Fox's interest in continuing the franchise. The Assembly Cut, which restored many of the scenes cut from the theatrical version, would later receive more positive reviews,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Lambie |first=Ryan |date=2017-05-10 |title=Alien 3: Comparing the Assembly Cut to the Theatrical Cut |url=https://www.denofgeek.com/movies/alien-3-comparing-the-assembly-cut-to-the-theatrical-cut/ |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Den of Geek |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Justice |first=Mike |date=2003-12-15 |title=Review - Alien3: Collector's Edition |url=https://dvdverdict.com/reviews/alien3ce.php |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090613053144/https://dvdverdict.com/reviews/alien3ce.php |archive-date=2009-06-13 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=DVD Verdict}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Suderman |first=Peter |date=2017-05-22 |title=Alien 3 is far from the worst Alien movie. In fact, it's pretty great. |url=https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/5/22/15660296/alien-3-david-fincher-defense |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210807130155/https://www.vox.com/culture/2017/5/22/15660296/alien-3-david-fincher-defense |archive-date=2021-08-07 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Vox |language=en-US}}</ref> with the film considered a cult classic in some quarters.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jangles |first=Jimmy |date=2023-04-03 |title=Fincher's Alien 3: The Troubled Production and Legacy of a Cult Classic |url=https://www.theastromech.com/2023/04/alien-3-troubled-production-and-legacy.html?m=1 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=The Astromech}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Gittell |first=Noah |date=2022-05-22 |title=Alien 3 at 30: David Fincher's divisive threequel remains a fascinating failure |url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2022/may/22/alien-3-movie-1992-david-fincher |access-date=2024-08-29 |work=The Guardian |language=en-GB |issn=0261-3077}}</ref>
In 1996, production on the fourth ''Alien'' film, ''Alien Resurrection'', began. Ripley was not in the script's first draft, and Weaver was not interested in reprising the role. She joined the project after being offered an $11 million salary and more creative control, including director approval. The script, set 200 years after ''Alien 3'', resurrected the Ripley character via human cloning.<ref>{{cite web|last=Hochman |first=David |url=https://ew.com/article/1997/12/05/sigourney-weaver-suits-fourth-alien/ |title=Sigourney Weaver suits up for a fourth ''Alien'' |date=December 5, 1997 |publisher=Entertainment Weekly |access-date=November 30, 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080106122006/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C290562%2C00.html |archive-date=January 6, 2008 |url-status=live}}</ref> The film, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, experienced an extended production, and screenwriter Joss Whedon later said that he thought it had done "everything wrong" with his script.<ref name="bullz-eye.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.bullz-eye.com/mguide/interviews/2005/joss_whedon.htm|title=Joss for a minute: A brief chat with Joss Whedon|date=December 16, 2005|access-date=December 14, 2007| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20071220194744/http://www.bullz-eye.com/mguide/interviews/2005/joss_whedon.htm| archive-date= December 20, 2007 | url-status= live}}</ref> The film was released in 1997 to mixed reviews and modest box office returns. It has since gained fans for its camp style and dark humor.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Gaughan |first=Liam |date=2022-11-25 |title='Alien: Resurrection' Is Camp That Ignores the Past, and That's Why It's Fun |url=https://collider.com/alien-resurrection-camp-ignores-franchise-past/ |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Collider |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Lussier |first=Germain |date=2024-08-07 |title=Alien Resurrection Is Better, and Weirder, Than Most People Think |url=https://gizmodo.com/alien-resurrection-retro-review-weaver-ryder-fox-2000482685 |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=Gizmodo |language=en-US}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Fordy |first=Tom |date=2022-10-29 |title=Jean-Pierre Jeunet on the 'sexy and weird' Alien Resurrection 25 years on |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/alien-resurrection-interview-joss-whedon-jean-pierre-jeunet-b2212720.html |access-date=2024-08-29 |website=The Independent |language=en}}</ref>
Development of a prequel story began in the early 2000s when both Ridley Scott and James Cameron started to develop ideas for a story that would explore the origins of the Alien. In 2002, the development of ''Alien vs. Predator'' had taken precedence and the prequel project remained dormant until 2009. Jon Spaihts wrote the first screenplay for the project, but Scott then opted for a different direction and hired Damon Lindelof in 2010, to rewrite the script into a story that focused on the creators of the Aliens, rather than the Aliens themselves. The film, titled ''Prometheus'', was released in 2012 to box office success grossing over $400 million worldwide,<ref>{{cite web|first=Padraig|last=Cotter|url=https://screenrant.com/alien-franchise-prometheus-highest-grossing-movie-covenant-sequel-op-ed/|title=The Alien Franchise's Highest-Grossing Movie Proves There Is Still One Xenomorph Story Left To Be Told|website=Screen Rant|date=December 20, 2024|access-date=December 20, 2024}}</ref> and received generally positive reviews.<ref>{{cite web|first=Kelly|last=Payton|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/general-news/prometheus-reviews-ridley-scott-334821/|title='Prometheus': What the Critics are Saying|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=June 7, 2012|access-date=June 7, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Jessica|last=Derschowitz|url=https://www.cbsnews.com/news/prometheus-what-critics-are-saying/|title="Prometheus:" What critics are saying|website=CBS News|date=June 8, 2012|access-date=June 8, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Brent|last=Lang|url=https://www.thewrap.com/prometheus-what-critics-think-ridley-scotts-return-world-alien-43286/|title='Prometheus': What the Critics Think of Ridley Scott's Return to the World of 'Alien'|website=TheWrap|date=June 8, 2012|access-date=June 8, 2012}}</ref>
By 2014, development on the second prequel was underway, with Scott returning as director.<ref>{{cite news |first= Sandy| last= Schaefer |url= https://screenrant.com/wolverine-3-taken-3-fantastic-four-2-release-date/|title='Wolverine 3′, 'Fantastic Four 2′, 'Taken 3′ and More Get Release Dates| publisher= Screen Rant|date=March 24, 2014 |access-date=January 8, 2019}}</ref> The film's screenplay was initially written by Jack Paglen in 2013, but was subsequently rewritten by Michael Green and Dante Harper, before Scott's collaborator from ''Gladiator'', John Logan, wrote the final version.<ref>{{cite magazine |last= Kroll| first= Justin |url= https://variety.com/2013/film/news/transcendence-scribe-to-pen-prometheus-sequel-1200478483/|title=''Prometheus 2'' Moving Forward At Fox| date=June 17, 2013 |magazine=Variety|access-date=January 8, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last= Sneider| first= Jeff |url= https://www.thewrap.com/prometheus-2-lands-green-lantern-writer-may-feature-multiple-michael-fassbenders-exclusive/|title=''Prometheus 2'' Lands ''Green Lantern'' Writer Michael Green| date=March 24, 2014 |website=TheWrap |access-date= January 8, 2019}}</ref> The film, titled ''Alien: Covenant'', commenced production in February 2016 and was released on May 19, 2017.<ref>{{cite web| title=Ridley Scott On 'The Martian' And Why 'Star Wars' And '2001' Sent Him To Space With 'Alien:' Toronto Q&A |url= https://deadline.com/2015/09/ridley-scott-the-martian-star-wars-2001-alien-blade-runner-prometheus-toronto-film-festival-1201522484/ |first= Mike Jr.| last= Fleming |website= Deadline.com| publisher= |quote=Fassbender will do this one with me, and it's meant to start production in February.|date= September 12, 2015 |access-date=September 14, 2015}}</ref><ref name=":2">{{Cite news |url= http://www.firstshowing.net/2017/run-pray-hide-three-new-tv-spots-for-ridley-scotts-alien-covenant/| title=Run, Pray, Hide: Three New TV Spots for Ridley Scott's 'Alien: Covenant' |publisher= |first= Alex| last= Billington | date= April 3, 2017 | website= FirstShowing.net |access-date= April 10, 2025}}</ref> ''Alien: Covenant'' was a box office disappointment, grossing $240 million worldwide against a production budget of $97–111 million,<ref>{{cite web|first=Sam|last=Fang|url=https://www.cbr.com/ridley-scott-alien-covenant-sequel-returning-to-streaming/|title=Ridley Scott's Darkest Sci-Fi Sequel Is This $240M Sleeper That's Returning to Streaming Next Month|website=CBR|date=July 26, 2025|access-date=July 26, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Adam|last=Blevins|url=https://collider.com/ridley-scott-alien-convenant-240-million-sci-fi-sleeper-hit-august-2025-hbo-max/|title=8 Years Later, Ridley Scott's $240 Million Sci-Fi Epic Is a Sleeper Hit in America|website=Collider|date=August 4, 2025|access-date=August 4, 2025}}</ref> while also receiving lukewarm critical reviews.<ref>{{cite web|first=Michael|last=Nordine|url=https://www.indiewire.com/features/general/alien-covenant-critical-roundup-michael-fassbender-1201813409/|title='Alien: Covenant' Critical Roundup: Michael Fassbender Is Singled Out for Praise in Early Reviews of Ridley Scott's Latest|website=IndieWire|date=May 7, 2017|access-date=May 7, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|first=Nivea|last=Serrao|url=https://ew.com/movies/2017/05/07/alien-covenant-reviews-roundup/|title=Here's what the critics are saying about Alien: Covenant|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|date=May 7, 2017|access-date=May 7, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Marisa|last=Martinelli|url=https://slate.com/culture/2017/05/alien-covenant-critical-roundup-reviews-are-mixed-but-fassbender-is-great.html|title=Here's What Critics Have to Say About Alien: Covenant|website=Slate|date=May 8, 2017|access-date=May 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Abid|last=Rahman|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/alien-covenant-review-round-up-1001062/|title='Alien: Covenant': What the Critics Are Saying|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=May 8, 2017|access-date=May 8, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Ethan|last=Anderton|url=https://www.slashfilm.com/550818/alien-covenant-reviews/|title='Alien: Covenant' Review Round-Up: An Entertaining But Frustrating Balance Of 'Alien' And 'Prometheus'|website=/Film|date=May 8, 2017|access-date=May 8, 2017}}</ref>
In March 2022, ''The Hollywood Reporter'' reported that Hulu would release a new ''Alien'' film, initially reported as a standalone entry in the franchise, to be directed by Fede Álvarez and produced by Ridley Scott. Álvarez had pitched the idea to Scott years prior.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=March 4, 2022 |title=New {{'}}''Alien''{{'}} Movie in the Works With {{'}}''Don't Breathe''{{'}} Filmmaker Fede Alvarez (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/alien-movie-fede-alvarez-20th-century-studios-1235037155/ |access-date=March 4, 2022 |work=The Hollywood Reporter |publisher=MRC and Penske Media Corporation}}</ref> It was later clarified that the film was set between ''Alien'' and ''Aliens''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Davids |first=Brian |date=2024-03-20 |title='Alien: Romulus' Director Fede Álvarez Unveils First Teaser, Talks Ridley Scott and James Cameron-Approved Prequel |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/alien-romulus-trailer-ridley-scott-1235856321/ |access-date=2024-09-05 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US}}</ref> Cailee Spaeny was announced to be in talks for the lead role from November of that year.<ref>{{cite news |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=November 16, 2022 |title=New {{'}}''Alien''{{'}} Movie in the Works Cailee Spaeny in Talks to Star in 'Alien' Movie From Fede Álvarez, 20th Century Studios |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/cailee-spaeny-alien-movie-fede-alvarez-1235263450/ |access-date=November 17, 2022 |work=The Hollywood Reporter}}</ref> Production on the film ''Alien: Romulus'' began in March 2023.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Rebecca |first=Kaplan |date=March 4, 2023 |title=20th Century Studios' New Alien Film Beginning Production in Budapest on March 9 |url=https://movieweb.com/20th-century-studios-new-alien-film-beginning-production-in-budapest-on-march-9/ |access-date=March 12, 2023 |website=MovieWeb}}</ref> It was released in theaters on August 16, 2024.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Rubin |first1=Rebecca |date=June 13, 2023 |title=Disney Dates New ''Star Wars'' Movie, Shifts ''Deadpool 3'' and Entire Marvel Slate, Delays ''Avatar'' Sequels Through 2031 |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/disney-star-wars-delays-marvel-avatar-sequel-release-dates-1235642363/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230705205646/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/disney-star-wars-delays-marvel-avatar-sequel-release-dates-1235642363/ |archive-date=July 5, 2023 |magazine=Variety |publisher=Penske Media Corporation |access-date=July 11, 2023}}</ref> It received positive reviews from critics,<ref>{{cite web|first=Christopher|last=Campbell|url=https://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/alien-romulus-first-reviews-the-best-in-the-franchise-since-aliens/|title=Alien: Romulus First Reviews: The Best in the Franchise Since Aliens|website=Rotten Tomatoes|date=August 14, 2024|access-date=August 14, 2024}}</ref> and was a box office success having grossed $350 million on a production budget of $80 million.<ref>{{cite web|first=Ryan|last=Northrup|url=https://screenrant.com/alien-romulus-hulu-streaming-charts/|title=Alien Sequel Finds Streaming Success After $350 Million Box Office Haul|website=Screen Rant|date=December 2, 2024|access-date=December 2, 2024}}</ref>
In October 2024, 20th Century Studios president Steve Asbell said, "We're working on a sequel idea now. We haven't quite closed our deal with Fede [Álvarez], but we are going to, and he has an idea that we're working on."<ref name="Sequel_THR2">{{Cite web |last=Kit |first=Borys |date=October 24, 2024 |title=A Secret ''Predator'' Movie, An ''Alien'' Sequel and ''Speed 3'' on the Table: A Chat with 20th Century Studios Boss Steve Asbell |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/predator-movie-an-alien-sequel-speed-3-1236042464/ |access-date=October 24, 2024 |website=The Hollywood Reporter |language=en-US |archive-date=October 24, 2024 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20241024183312/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/predator-movie-an-alien-sequel-speed-3-1236042464/ |url-status=live }}</ref> By February 2025, Álvarez confirmed that he is currently writing the script for a sequel stating that it would be the next project on which he begins production, and principal photography tentatively scheduled for later that year.<ref name="Sequel_Collier">{{cite web|last1=DeVore|first1=Britta|last2=Weintraub|first2=Steven|url=https://collider.com/alien-romulus-sequel-fede-alvarez-filming-update/|work=Collider|title='Alien: Romulus' Sequel Could Be Shooting This Year Says Director Fede Alvarez [Exclusive]|date=February 15, 2025|accessdate=February 15, 2025|archive-date=February 15, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250215211357/https://collider.com/alien-romulus-sequel-fede-alvarez-filming-update/|url-status=live}}</ref> In June, Álvarez stated that pre-production for the sequel was underway, with filming slated to begin in October.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Scott |first=Ryan |date=June 5, 2025 |title=Rejoice! The ALIEN: ROMULUS Sequel Begins Filming This Year |url=https://www.fangoria.com/alien-romulus-sequel-filming-date/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250605235607/https://www.fangoria.com/alien-romulus-sequel-filming-date/ |archive-date=June 5, 2025 |access-date=June 6, 2025 |website=Fangoria}}</ref> In September, Álvarez confirmed he and co-writer Rodo Sayagues have completed a script but will not be returning as director for the sequel, opting instead to be a producer alongside Ridley Scott.<ref>{{cite web|first=Aaron|last=Couch|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/alien-romulus-sequel-fede-alvarez-1236362496/|title=Fede Alvarez Will Not Direct 'Alien: Romulus' Sequel|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=September 5, 2025|access-date=September 5, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|first=Jordan|last=Moreau|url=https://variety.com/2025/film/news/alien-romulus-sequel-fede-alvarez-not-returning-1236509609/|title='Alien: Romulus' Director Fede Álvarez Not Returning for Sequel: 'I'm Gonna Pass the Torch on This One'|website=Variety|date=September 5, 2025|access-date=September 5, 2025}}</ref>
==Films== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center; width:100%;" |- ! scope="col" | Film ! scope="col" | U.S. release date ! scope="col" | Director ! scope="col" | Screenwriter(s) ! scope="col" | Story by ! scope="col" | Producer(s) |- ! colspan="6" style="width:12px; background-color:#ccccff;" |Main films |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''Alien'' | style="text-align:left;" | {{start date|1979|05|25|}} | Ridley Scott | Dan O'Bannon | Dan O'Bannon & Ronald Shusett | Gordon Carroll, David Giler & Walter Hill |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''Aliens'' | style="text-align:left;" | {{start date|1986|07|18|}} | colspan="2" | James Cameron | James Cameron, David Giler & Walter Hill | Gale Anne Hurd |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''Alien 3'' | style="text-align:left;" | {{start date|1992|05|22|}} | David Fincher | David Giler, Walter Hill & Larry Ferguson | Vincent Ward | Gordon Carroll, David Giler & Walter Hill |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''Alien Resurrection'' | style="text-align:left;" | {{start date|1997|11|26|}} | Jean-Pierre Jeunet | colspan="2" | Joss Whedon | Gordon Carroll, David Giler, Walter Hill & Bill Badalato |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''Prometheus'' | style="text-align:left;" | {{start date|2012|06|08|}} | rowspan="2" | Ridley Scott | colspan="2" | Jon Spaihts & Damon Lindelof | David Giler, Walter Hill & Ridley Scott |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''Alien: Covenant'' | style="text-align:left;" | {{start date|2017|05|19|}} | John Logan & Dante Harper | Jack Paglen & Michael Green | David Giler, Walter Hill, Ridley Scott, Mark Huffam & Michael Schaefer |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''Alien: Romulus'' | style="text-align:left;" | {{start date|2024|08|16|}} | Fede Álvarez | colspan="2" | Fede Álvarez & Rodo Sayagues | Ridley Scott, Michael Pruss & Walter Hill |- ! colspan="6" style="width:12px; background-color:#ccccff;" | Crossover films |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''Alien vs. Predator'' | style="text-align:left;" | {{start date|2004|08|13|}} | colspan="2" | Paul W. S. Anderson | Paul W. S. Anderson, Dan O'Bannon & Ronald Shusett | John Davis, Gordon Carroll, David Giler & Walter Hill |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left;" | ''Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem'' | style="text-align:left;" | {{start date|2007|12|25|}} | Greg & Colin Strause | colspan="2" | Shane Salerno | John Davis, David Giler & Walter Hill |} {{anchor|Storyline continuity}} {| class="wikitable mw-collapsible floatright" ! scope="colgroup" colspan="4" style= | ''Alien'' story chronology |- | scope="rowgroup" colspan="4" | {{Unbulleted list center | 2023 — ''TED 2023'' (2012) | 2079 — ''Happy Birthday, David'' (2012) | 2089 — ''Quiet Eye, Elizabeth Shaw'' (2012) | 2091 — ''Project Prometheus: Mission'' (2012) | 2092 — ''Weyland Industries Testimonial'' (2012) | 2092 — ''Prometheus Transmission'' (2012) | 2093 — ''Prometheus'' (2012) | N/A — ''Alien: Covenant — Meet Walter'' (2017) | 2094 — ''Alien: Covenant — Prologue: The Crossing'' (2017) | 2104 — ''Alien: Covenant — Origins'' (2017) | 2104 — ''Alien: Covenant — Phobos'' (2017) | 2104 — ''Alien: Covenant — Prologue: Last Supper'' (2017) | 2104 — ''Alien: Covenant — Crew Messages'' (2017) | 2104 — ''Alien: Covenant — She Won't Go Quietly'' (2017) | 2104 — ''Alien: Covenant'' (2017) | 2104 — ''Alien: Covenant — Advent'' (2017) | 2117 — ''Alien: Covenant — David's Lab: Last Signs of Life'' (2019) | 2119 — ''Alien: Harvest'' (2019) | 2122 — ''Alien'' (1979) | 2122 — ''Alien: Ore'' (2019) | 2125 — ''Alien: Containment'' (2019) | 2125 — ''Alien: Specimen'' (2019) | 2125 — ''Alien: Alone'' (2019) | 2137 — ''Alien: Isolation'' (2014) | 2142 — ''Alien: Romulus'' (2024) | 2159 — ''Alien: Out of the Shadows'' (2014) | 2179 — ''Aliens'' (1986) | 2179 — ''Alien: Night Shift'' (2019) | 2179 — ''Aliens: Colonial Marines'' (2013) | 2179 — ''Alien 3'' (1992) | 2198 — ''Aliens: Dark Descent'' (2023) | 2202 — ''Aliens: Fireteam Elite'' (2021) | 2381 — ''Alien Resurrection'' (1997) | 2381 — ''Alien: Uncivil War'' (2024)}} |}
===''Alien'' (1979)=== {{Main|Alien (film)}} On its way back to Earth, the commercial towing vehicle ''Nostromo'' is diverted to a desolate planetoid by a cryptic signal from a derelict alien spacecraft. Inside the alien ship, the crew discovers thousands of egg-like objects. A creature, released from one of the eggs, attaches itself to a crewman's face, rendering him unconscious. The others break quarantine to return him to the ''Nostromo''. The parasite dies and the crewman wakes up, seemingly unaffected. Soon afterwards, an alien organism bursts from his chest and grows rapidly into a large lethal creature, which the surviving crew attempt to kill. The ''Nostromo'' is destroyed in an unsuccessful attempt to kill the creature, leaving Ellen Ripley as the only survivor in the ship's lifeboat.
===''Aliens'' (1986)=== {{Main|Aliens (film)}} After 57 years in hypersleep, Ripley awakens aboard a medical space station orbiting Earth. She recounts the events of the ''Nostromo'' but is disbelieved by her superiors in the Weyland-Yutani Corporation, which has now begun to terraform and colonise LV-426, the planetoid from the first film. When contact with the colony is lost, Ripley is persuaded to accompany a squad of marines to investigate. They discover the colonists have been wiped out after being directed by the company to secure the derelict ship reported by Ripley. There is only one survivor, a girl named Newt. The aliens vastly outnumber and quickly overwhelm the marines, who fight for survival. Only a handful, including Ripley and Newt, escape.
===''Alien 3'' (1992)=== {{Main|Alien 3}} Immediately following the events of ''Aliens'', the military ship USS ''Sulaco'', carrying the survivors, catches fire. The occupants are ejected in an escape pod, which crash-lands on the refinery/prison planet Fiorina "Fury" 161. All on board except Ripley are killed. An alien facehugger is also aboard, and impregnates an animal with an alien, which soon begins killing inmates and wardens. Ripley discovers an alien queen is growing inside her, and is determined to kill both herself and the creature before Weyland-Yutani can exploit them.
===''Alien Resurrection'' (1997)=== {{Main|Alien Resurrection}} Two hundred years after the events of ''Alien 3'', several clones of Ripley, including the Alien queen she was carrying, are grown by the military aboard the USM ''Auriga''. The military intends to exploit the Aliens, and uses humans kidnapped and delivered to them by a group of mercenaries as hosts for the queen's eggs. The Aliens escape, and Ripley 8 (a clone mixed with Alien DNA) and the mercenaries attempt to escape and destroy the ''Auriga'' before it reaches Earth.
===''Prometheus'' (2012)=== {{Main|Prometheus (2012 film)}} In 2084, some 30 years before the events of ''Alien'', scientists Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway discover a star map among the remnants of several ancient Earth cultures. Accompanied by android David 8 and hoping to discover the origins of humanity, they journey aboard the spaceship USCSS ''Prometheus'' and arrive in 2093 on the distant planet LV-223 in the Zeta<sup>2</sup> Reticuli system, the same region of space in which the planetoid LV-426 from ''Alien'' is found. There they discover the ancient remains of an advanced civilization, called the Engineers (apparently the same race as the dead pilot from the derelict ship in ''Alien''), who were developing biological weapons in the form of a pathogenic mutagen which could have driven the human race extinct. The horrors they encounter result in the loss of the crew except for David and Shaw.
===''Alien: Covenant'' (2017)=== {{Main|Alien: Covenant}} Eleven years after the events of ''Prometheus'', the colony ship USCSS ''Covenant'', carrying thousands of colonists and hundreds of human embryos in cryo-stasis, makes its way towards the planet Origae-6. The crew is awakened by a neutrino blast and intercepts a transmission sent from Shaw, which they decide to trace to an apparently habitable Engineer home world (referred to as Planet 4), devoid of all non-floral life. When several crew members are infected by the same mutagen encountered by the ''Prometheus'' crew and give birth to a new breed of Alien, the Neomorphs, the android David 8 rescues them. It is revealed that he brought Shaw to the planet, where he killed all non-floral life and began experimenting on Shaw's corpse to engineer his own breeds of Aliens. His motive to replace human life with Aliens is made apparent, and with the birth of yet another new breed of Alien, a terraforming expert named Daniels and the remaining crew are forced to flee from the world. After disposing of the Aliens chasing them, the crew members return to the ''Covenant'' and are put back into cryosleep by someone they believe to be their shipboard synthetic, Walter. Only when Daniels is put in her cryopod does she realize that Walter has been replaced by the identical David. With the crew, colonists, and embryos at his mercy, David contacts Weyland-Yutani back on Earth, stating that while the majority of the crew was killed in the neutrino blast, they would continue to Origae-6.<ref name= "AlienCovenant">{{cite AV media |people=Ridley Scott (Director)|date=May 12, 2017|title=Alien: Covenant|medium=Motion picture|location=Los Angeles |publisher= 20th Century Fox}}</ref>
===''Alien: Romulus'' (2024)=== {{Main|Alien: Romulus}} Five downtrodden young space colonists and a synthetic encounter hostile Alien creatures while scavenging a derelict Weyland-Yutani space station in which they plan to scavenge cryopods that enables them to survive a journey to another more liveable planet.
===Crossover series=== {{Main|Alien vs. Predator}} Inspired by the Dark Horse Comics series, the filmmakers of ''Predator 2'' (1990) incorporated an Easter egg in which an Alien skull was seen in a Predator trophy case. Expansions upon this shared universe between the ''Alien'' and ''Predator'' franchises followed through comics and video games, leading up to the launch of a film franchise with the release of ''Alien vs. Predator'' in 2004, followed by ''Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem'' in 2007. The franchise has spawned various comics, novels, video games, and other merchandise based upon or inspired by the films. A third film has been variously rumored since the production of ''Requiem''.<ref name="Holtreman">Holtreman, Vic (March 10, 2008). [https://screenrant.com/oh-god-aliens-vs-predator-3-is-coming-vic-1405/ "Oh, God. Aliens vs. Predator 3 Is Coming"]. ''ScreenRant.com''. Retrieved April 22, 2016.</ref><ref name="Fox Brewing Alien vs. Predator 3?">Giles, Jeff (March 11, 2008). [http://editorial.rottentomatoes.com/article/fox-brewing-alien-vs-predator-3/ "Fox Brewing Alien vs. Predator 3?"] ''RottenTomatoes.com''. Flixster, Inc. Retrieved April 23, 2016.</ref><ref name="slashfilm.com">Stephenson, Hunter (March 10, 2008). [https://www.slashfilm.com/sequel-to-aliens-vs-predator-requiem-going-ahead/ "Sequel to Aliens Vs. Predator Requiem Going Ahead?"] ''SlashFilm.com''. /Film. Retrieved April 23, 2016.</ref> In mid-2018, Shane Black, the director of ''The Predator'', expressed his belief that a third ''Alien vs. Predator'' could still happen, indicating the studio's interest in both franchises.<ref name="avp">{{Cite web|url=http://www.predator4-movie.com/news/shane-black-thinks-theres-hope-another-alien-vs-predator|title=Shane Black thinks there's hope for another Alien vs. Predator - The Predator Movie News|website=The Predator Movie|access-date=May 19, 2020|date=May 19, 2020}}</ref>
In August 2024, Fede Álvarez, the director of ''Alien: Romulus'', also said he was open to directing a third ''Alien vs. Predator'' film, proposing to Melanie Brooks and Anthony D'Alessandro of ''Deadline Hollywood'' that he would enjoy directing it along with Dan Trachtenberg, the director of the ''Predator'' films ''Prey'' (2022) and ''Predator: Badlands'' (2025): "Maybe it's something I have to co-direct with my buddy Dan. Maybe we should do like [[Quentin Tarantino|[Quentin] Tarantino]] and Robert Rodriguez did with [[From Dusk till Dawn|[''From''] ''Dusk till Dawn'']]. I'll direct a half, and he'll direct another half."<ref name="Sequel_Deadline">{{cite web |first1=Melanie |last1=Brooks |first2=Anthony |last2=D'Alessandro |title='Alien: Romulus' Filmmaker Fede Alvarez Teases His Vision For 'Alien Vs. Predator' |url=https://deadline.com/2024/08/alien-romulus-fede-alvarez-alien-vs-predator-movie-1236042592/ |website=Deadline |access-date=August 27, 2024 |date=August 16, 2024 |archive-date=August 22, 2024 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240822033625/https://deadline.com/2024/08/alien-romulus-fede-alvarez-alien-vs-predator-movie-1236042592/ |url-status=live }}</ref> In October of the same year, Steve Abell (President of Fox Studios) stated that the studio has plans to eventually develop an ''Alien'' and ''Predator'' crossover film.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/predator-movie-an-alien-sequel-speed-3-1236042464/|title= A Secret 'Predator' Movie, An 'Alien' Sequel and 'Speed 3' on the Table: A Chat with 20th Century Studios Boss Steve Asbell|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date= October 24, 2024|access-date=June 21, 2025}}</ref> The Weyland-Yutani Corporation featured in the ''Alien'' franchise along with their particular android model featured in ''Alien: Romulus'' appears in the upcoming ''Predator: Badlands'' film as a stepping stone towards a third ''Alien vs. Predator'' film.<ref>{{cite web |first1=Wesley |last1=Yin-Poole |title=Predator: Badlands Trailer Easter Eggs Leave Fans Thinking It's Setting Up Alien vs. Predator 3 |url=https://nordic.ign.com/alien-the-series/93532/news/predator-badlands-trailer-easter-eggs-leave-fans-thinking-its-setting-up-alien-vs-predator-3 |website=IGN Nordic |access-date=June 21, 2025 |date=April 24, 2025}}</ref>
====''Alien vs. Predator'' (2004)==== {{Main|Alien vs. Predator (film)}} In 2004, a Predator mothership arrives in Earth orbit to draw humans to an ancient Predator training ground on Bouvetøya, an island about one thousand miles north of Antarctica. A buried pyramid giving off a "heat bloom" attracts a group of explorers led by billionaire and self-taught engineer Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen), the original founder and CEO of Weyland Industries, who unknowingly activates an Alien egg production line as a hibernating Alien queen is awakened within the pyramid. Three Predators descend to the planet and enter the structure, killing all humans in their way with the intention of hunting the newly formed Aliens, while the scattered explorers are captured alive by Aliens and implanted with embryos. Two Predators die in the ensuing battle with an Alien, while the third allies itself with the lone surviving human, Alexa "Lex" Woods (Sanaa Lathan), while making their way out of the pyramid as it is destroyed by the Predator's wrist bomb and eventually does battle with the escaped Alien Queen on the surface. The Queen is defeated by being dragged down by a water tower into the dark depths of the frozen sea, but not before she fatally wounds the last Predator. The orbiting Predator mothership uncloaks and the crew retrieves the fallen Predator. A Predator elder gives Lex a spear as a sign of respect, and then departs. Once in orbit it is revealed that an Alien Chestburster was present within the corpse, thus a Predalien hybrid is born.
====''Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem'' (2007)==== {{Main|Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem}} Set immediately after the events of the previous film, the Predalien hybrid aboard the Predator scout ship, having just separated from the mothership shown in the previous film, has grown to full adult size and sets about killing the Predators aboard the ship, causing it to crash in the small town of Gunnison, Colorado. The last surviving Predator activates a distress beacon containing a video recording of the Predalien, which is received by a veteran Predator on the Predator homeworld, who sets off towards Earth to "clean up" the infestation. When it arrives, the Predator tracks the Aliens into a section of the sewer below the town. He removes evidence of their presence as he moves along using a corrosive blue liquid and uses a laser net to try to contain the creatures, but the Aliens still manage to escape into the town above. The Predator fashions a plasma pistol from its remaining plasma caster and hunts Aliens all across town, accidentally cutting the power to the town in the process. During a confrontation with human survivors, the Predator loses its plasma pistol. The Predator then fights the Predalien singlehandedly, and the two mortally wound one another just as the US air force drops a tactical nuclear bomb on the town, incinerating both combatants along with the Predalien's warriors and hive, as well as the few remaining humans in the town. The salvaged plasma pistol is then taken to Ms. Cullen Yutani of the Yutani Corporation, foreshadowing an advancement in technology leading to the future events of the ''Alien'' films.
===Future=== In the mid-1990s, screenwriter Stuart Hazeldine wrote a treatment, ''Alien: Earthbound''. Fox executives were impressed by the script, having read it after ''Alien Resurrection'' had entered post-production.<ref>{{Cite web |url= http://www.vosoft.nl/alien/corona2.html|title=Earthbound | website= vosoft.nl |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20110216020552/http://www.vosoft.nl/alien/corona2.html|archive-date=2011-02-16|url-status= live |access-date= 2011-02-16}}</ref> According to Sigourney Weaver, Joss Whedon had written an Earth-set script for ''Alien 5'', but Weaver was not interested and wanted it to be set on the original planetoid. She has remained open to a role on the condition that she likes the story.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/02/20/will-ripley-rise-again-sigourney-weaver-on-alien-saga-i-just-dont-feel-that-its-quite-finished/|title=Will Ripley Rise Again? |last=Carroll| first=Larry| date=February 20, 2009 |work= moviesblog.mtv.com| publisher= MTV |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090225204425/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/02/20/will-ripley-rise-again-sigourney-weaver-on-alien-saga-i-just-dont-feel-that-its-quite-finished/ |archive-date=February 25, 2009|url-status=dead|access-date=February 28, 2009}}</ref> Before 20th Century Fox greenlit ''Alien vs. Predator'', James Cameron had been collaborating on the plot for a fifth ''Alien'' film with another writer, but ceased work on learning of the crossover. Cameron stated that the crossover would "kill the validity of the franchise", and that "it was ''Frankenstein Meets Werewolf''" – like "Universal just taking their assets and starting to play them off against each other." Although he liked the final product, he ruled out any future involvement with the series.<ref>{{cite web| url= https://aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=22405|title=Holy Crap! Quint interviews James Cameron!!!|last=Vespe|first=Eric "Quint"|date=February 7, 2006| work= Ain't It Cool News| archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20060219012748/http://aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=22405|archive-date=February 19, 2006}}</ref> In late 2008, Weaver hinted in an interview with MTV that she and Scott were working on an ''Alien'' spin-off film, which would focus on the chronicles of Ellen Ripley rather than on the Aliens, but the continuation of Ripley's story has not materialized.<ref>{{cite web| url= http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/12/05/sigourney-weaver-and-ridley-scott-to-team-up-for-alien-less-alien-sequel/|title=Sigourney Weaver And Ridley Scott To Team Up For Alien-Less 'Alien' Sequel? |date=December 5, 2008| work= moviesblog.mtv.com | publisher= MTV |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20090216052742/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/12/05/sigourney-weaver-and-ridley-scott-to-team-up-for-alien-less-alien-sequel/ |archive-date= February 16, 2009|url-status=dead|access-date=March 2, 2009|df=mdy-all}}</ref>
In 2015, Sigourney Weaver expressed her interest in returning to the role of Ripley with Neill Blomkamp's story (purportedly titled ''Alien: Awakening'') which would tie into the first two ''Alien'' films by taking place after ''Aliens'' and foregoing involvement with the other two sequels.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://variety.com/2016/film/features/sigourney-weaver-avatar-alien-1201930389/|title=Sigourney Weaver: Next 'Avatar' Scripts Are 'Many Times More Amazing' Than First One|last=Cox|first=Gordon|date=December 1, 2016|work=Variety}}</ref><ref>{{cite web| url= https://www.comingsoon.net/movies/news/408665-exclusive-might-we-see-the-return-of-ripley-in-a-neill-blomkamp-aliens-movie|title=Exclusive: Might We See the Return of Ripley in a Neill Blomkamp Aliens Movie?|last=Douglas|first=Edward|date=February 10, 2015|work=ComingSoon.net|access-date=August 3, 2016}}</ref> This was canceled in favor of Scott's own untitled third prequel (also purportedly titled ''Alien: Awakening'').<ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/alien-5-covenant-sir-ridley-scott-sigourney-weaver-neill-blomkamp-sequel-prometheus-prequel-a7712676.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170502155714/http://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/news/alien-5-covenant-sir-ridley-scott-sigourney-weaver-neill-blomkamp-sequel-prometheus-prequel-a7712676.html|archive-date=2017-05-02|url-access=limited|url-status= live| title= Alien 5 is doomed as the crew of the Nostromo|last=Stolworthy|first=Jacob|date=May 2, 2017|work=Independent|access-date=June 4, 2017}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url= https://www.ign.com/articles/2017/05/09/alien-covenant-sequel-will-begin-shooting-within-14-months-says-ridley-scott|title=Alien: Covenant Sequel Will Begin Shooting "Within 14 Months", Says Ridley Scott|last=Skrebels|first=Joe|website=IGN|date=May 9, 2017|access-date=March 6, 2019}}</ref> In February 2019, James Cameron stated that he was working on reviving Blomkamp's project.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.yahoo.com/entertainment/james-cameron-reveals-title-terminator-192724556.html|title=James Cameron reveals new Terminator title, hints at Aliens sequel|date=February 11, 2019| last= Roffman |first=Michael|access-date=February 27, 2019|publisher=Yahoo!}}</ref> In June 2020, Brandywine Productions revealed that a screenplay for a new installment in the original series called ''Alien V'', centered around Ripley, had been written by Walter Hill and David Giler.<ref>{{cite news| last= Fiduccia |first=Christopher|url=https://screenrant.com/alien-5-script-march-2020-update-david-hill|title=''Alien 5'' Script Draft Was Worked On In March 2020| publisher=Screen Rant|date=June 17, 2020|access-date=June 18, 2020}}</ref> In an interview with ''The Hollywood Reporter'' published in September 2022, Hill confirmed that the proposed alternative sequel involving Weaver would not be moving forward.<ref>{{Cite web| last= Roxborough |first= Scott| url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/walter-hill-the-warriors-48-hours-venice-2022-1235207158/|title=Walter Hill on 'The Warriors,' 'Aliens' Sequels With Sigourney Weaver and What All Those '48 Hours' Buddy Comedy Ripoffs Get Wrong| website= The Hollywood Reporter|date=September 1, 2022|access-date=September 4, 2022}}</ref> Blomkamp reused some of his proposed concepts for ''Alien V'' in his short film ''Rakka'', also starring Sigourney Weaver.<ref>{{Cite web| last= Watters| first= Bill |url= https://bleedingcool.com/movies/watch-neill-blomkamp-short-rakka/|title=Watch Neill Blomkamp Alien Invasion Short Film 'Rakka', Starring Sigourney Weaver |publisher= Bleeding Cool|date=June 19, 2017| access-date=September 9, 2017}}</ref>
After the acquisition of 21st Century Fox by The Walt Disney Company, it was officially confirmed at the 2019 CinemaCon that future ''Alien'' films are in development.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/new-avengers-endgame-scene-shows-captain-marvel-joining-team-1199385|title=New 'Avengers: Endgame' Footage Hits CinemaCon|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 3, 2019|access-date=2019-04-28}}</ref> In May 2019, ''Variety'' reported that the third prequel film was "in the script phase", with Ridley Scott attached to serve once again as director.<ref>{{cite web|last=King|first=Susan|title={{'}}''Alien''{{'}} at 40: Ridley Scott Explains Why 'You Don't Show the Monster Too Many Times'|url=https://variety.com/2019/film/news/alien-40-anniverary-ridley-scott-1203223989/|website=Variety|date=25 May 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last=Schaefer |first=Sandy| title=''Alien: Covenant'' Sequel Reportedly Being Written, Ridley Scott to Direct |url= https://screenrant.com/alien-covenant-sequel-writer-director-ridley-scott/|date=27 May 2019|work=Screen Rant|access-date=27 May 2019}}</ref> In September 2020, Scott confirmed that work on the next installment is ongoing, but whether the plot would be connected to ''Prometheus'' and ''Alien: Covenant'' was undecided.<ref name="Alien_Forbes">{{cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/simonthompson/2020/09/02/ridley-scott-interview-raised-by-wolves-hbo-max-alien-franchise-future-sequel-news |work=Forbes |title=Ridley Scott Talks 'Raised By Wolves' And The Future Of The 'Alien' Franchise |last= Thompson| first=Simon| date=September 2, 2020|access-date=September 6, 2020}}</ref> In October 2024, Scott confirmed he was already developing a new ''Alien'' film.<ref>{{cite web |title=Inside Ridley Scott's Producing Empire: 'Tell Me the Film in Two Sentences' |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/ridley-scott-free-movies-shows-1236047958/ |first=James |last=Hibberd |website=The Hollywood Reporter |date=October 31, 2024 |access-date=October 31, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ridley Scott Is Working On A New Alien Movie, And As A Fan, I'm Chestbursting With Excitement |url=https://www.cinemablend.com/movies/ridley-scott-working-new-alien-movie-fan-chestbursting-excitement |first=Mike |last=Reyes |website=Cinemablend |date=November 1, 2024 |access-date=November 1, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ridley Scott Says He's Working on 20th Century Fox's New Alien Movie |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/ridley-scott-says-hes-working-on-20th-century-foxs-new-alien-movie |first=Rebekah |last=Valentine |website=IGN |date=November 1, 2024 |access-date=November 1, 2024}}</ref> In June 2025, Scott announced his departure from the ''Alien'' franchise, saying "where it's going now, I think I've done enough, and I just hope it goes further", while expressing his critiques of the ''Alien'' sequels;<ref>{{cite web |title=Ridley Scott Is Done With Alien After Revitalizing The Franchise: "I Think I've Done Enough" |url=https://screenrant.com/alien-franchise-future-ridley-scott-done/ |first=Katrina |last=Yang |website=Screen Rant |date=June 1, 2025 |access-date=June 1, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Ridley Scott Says 'I've Done Enough' With 'Alien,' Thought 'F— That's the End of the Franchise' After Bad Sequels: This Series 'Should Be as Important' as 'Star Wars' |url=https://variety.com/2025/film/news/ridley-scott-done-alien-franchise-1236418106/ |first=Zack |last=Sharf |website=Variety |date=June 4, 2025 |access-date=June 4, 2025}}</ref> though in August, Scott updated his stance and was open to a third prequel film saying, "Another ''Alien'' prequel — yeah, if I get an idea, for sure".<ref>{{cite web |title=Ridley Scott Says Gladiator 3 'In the Process Right Now,' Open to a Third Alien Prequel |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/ridley-scott-says-gladiator-3-in-the-process-right-now-open-to-a-third-alien-prequel |first=Wesley |last=Yin-Poole |website=IGN |date=August 28, 2025 |access-date=August 28, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Gladiator 3 & Third Alien Prequel Get An Update From Ridley Scott |url=https://screenrant.com/gladiator-3-alien-update-ridley-scott/ |first=Ryan |last=Northrup |website=Screen Rant |date=August 28, 2025 |access-date=August 28, 2025}}</ref> In October 2025, Sigourney Weaver announced that she has had discussions with The Walt Disney Company and 20th Century Studios to reprise her role in an upcoming project, with a script being written by Walter Hill.<ref name="Weaver_THR">{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/alien-star-sigourney-weaver-has-met-with-disney-1236397969/|work=The Hollywood Reporter|title=Sigourney Weaver Has Met With Disney About a New 'Alien' Script: "It's a Very Strong First 50 Pages"|author=White, Abbey|date=October 10, 2025|accessdate=October 12, 2025}}</ref>
As of March 2026, following the success of ''Alien: Romulus'' and the TV show ''Alien: Earth'', a ''Romulus'' sequel was said to be in the works. ''Romulus'' director Fede Álvarez is writing the screenplay<ref>{{Cite web |last=Outlaw |first=Kofi |date=2026-03-12 |title=The Next Alien Movie Gets Major Update After Disappointing Change |url=https://comicbook.com/movies/news/the-next-alien-movie-gets-major-update-after-disappointing-change/ |access-date=2026-04-25 |website=ComicBook.com |language=en-US}}</ref> and will co-produce with Ridley Scott. New directors for the sequel are being explored, including Michael Sarnoski, who wrote and directed ''Pig'' (2021), ''A Quiet Place: Day One'' (2024), and ''The Death of Robin Hood'' (2026)''.''<ref>{{Cite web |last=Koc |first=Demet |date=2026-03-11 |title=EXCLUSIVE: Michael Sarnoski Eyed to Direct the ‘Alien: Romulus’ Sequel |url=https://nexuspointnews.com/exclusive-michael-sarnoski-eyed-to-direct-the-alien-romulus-sequel/ |access-date=2026-04-25 |language=en-US}}</ref>
==Short films== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+ ''Alien'' short films ! scope="col" | Film ! scope="col" | U.S. release date ! scope="col" | Director(s) ! scope="col" | Screenwriter(s) ! scope="col" | Producer(s) |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''TED 2023'' | style="text-align:center" | {{start date|2012|02|28}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQpGwnN3dfc |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/dQpGwnN3dfc |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Peter Weyland's 2023 TED Talk|date=March 16, 2012|publisher=20th Century Fox|access-date=March 15, 2019|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | Luke Scott<ref name="RSA">{{cite web|url=https://rsafilms.com/uk/directors/luke-scott/prometheus--ted-conference---weyland-448#branded |title=Directors / Luke Scott|date=2023|publisher=RSA Films|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | Damon Lindelof<ref>{{cite web|url=https://blog.ted.com/writing-a-tedtalk-from-the-future-q-a-with-damon-lindelof/ |title=Writing a TED Talk from the future: Q&A with Damon Lindelof|date=February 28, 2012|publisher=TED.com|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | rowspan="3" | RSA Films<ref name="RSA"/><ref name="Hardstaff"/><ref name="Hardstaff2"/> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Happy Birthday, David'' | style="text-align:center" | {{start date|2012|04|17}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qgJs7uluwlU/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/qgJs7uluwlU |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Introducing the David 8 – The Next Generation Weyland Robot|date=April 18, 2012|publisher=20th Century Fox|access-date=March 15, 2019|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | rowspan="2"| Johnny Hardstaff<ref name="Hardstaff">{{cite web|url=https://www.johnnyhardstaff.com/moving-image/david |title=PROMETHEUS - 'DAVID' - 2012|work=JOHNNY HARDSTAFF |date=2023|publisher=johnnyhardstaff.com|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="Hardstaff2">{{cite web|url=https://www.johnnyhardstaff.com/moving-image/quiet-eye |title=PROMETHEUS - 'QUIET EYE' - 2012|work=JOHNNY HARDSTAFF |date=2023|publisher=johnnyhardstaff.com|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | Damon Lindelof & Johnny Hardstaff<ref name="Hardstaff"/> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Quiet Eye: Elizabeth Shaw'' | style="text-align:center" | {{start date|2012|05|16}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FI-Dd-cLxEc/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/FI-Dd-cLxEc |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=''Prometheus – Quiet Eye''|date=May 17, 2012|publisher=20th Century Fox|access-date=March 15, 2019|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | Damon Lindelof<ref name="Hardstaff2"/> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Project Prometheus: Mission'' | style="text-align:center" | {{start date|2012|05|30}}<ref name="Ignition">{{cite web|url=https://www.behance.net/gallery/14268389/Project-Prometheus-Training-Center |title=Project Prometheus: Training Center|date=February 6, 2014|publisher=Behance|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | Chris Eyerman & Evan DeHaven<ref name="Ignition"/> | Ashley Crandall, James Cobo, & Nina Kauffman<ref name="Ignition"/> | Ignition Interactive<ref name="Ignition"/> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Weyland Industries Testimonial'' | style="text-align:center" | {{start date|2012|06|27}}<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hollywoodvideo.com/blog/prometheus-recruiting-san-diego-comic-con-2012/ |title=What is Prometheus Recruiting for at San Diego Comic Con 2012?|date=June 28, 2012|publisher=Hollywood Video|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | N/A | N/A | 20th Century Fox |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Prometheus Transmission'' | style="text-align:center" | {{start date|2012|10|11}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2012/09/07/prometheus-lands-on-blu-ray-and-dvd |title=Prometheus Lands on Blu-ray and DVD|date=September 7, 2012|publisher=IGN|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | Johnny Hardstaff<ref name="Hardstaff3">{{cite web|url=https://www.johnnyhardstaff.com/home/transmission |title=PROMETHEUS - 'TRANSMISSION' - 2012|date=2023|publisher=johnnyhardstaff.com|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | Michael Ellenberg & Johnny Hardstaff<ref name="Hardstaff3"/> | rowspan="3" | RSA Films<ref name="Hardstaff3"/><ref name="RSA2"/><ref name="RSA3"/> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Covenant — Prologue: Last Supper'' | style="text-align:center" | {{start date|2017|02|22}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EkXgRlRao5I/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/EkXgRlRao5I |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Alien: Covenant – Prologue: Last Supper|date=February 22, 2017|publisher=20th Century Fox|access-date=March 15, 2019|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | rowspan="2"| Luke Scott<ref name="RSA2">{{cite web|url=https://rsafilms.com/uk/directors/luke-scott/alien-covenant-prologue-last-supper-447 |title=Directors / Luke Scott|date=2023|publisher=RSA Films|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref name="RSA3">{{cite web|url=https://rsafilms.com/uk/directors/luke-scott/alien-covenant-x-amd-meet-walter-445#branded |title=Directors / Luke Scott|date=2023|publisher=RSA Films|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | Will Melton<ref>{{cite web|url=http://willmelton.me/portfolio#/alien-covenant-last-supper/ |title=Prologue: Last Supper|date=2023|publisher=willmelton.me|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Covenant — Meet Walter'' | style="text-align:center" | {{start date|2017|03|10}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B4Cmf4BuNgg/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/B4Cmf4BuNgg |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Alien: Covenant – Meet Walter|date=March 15, 2019|publisher=20th Century Fox|access-date=March 10, 2017|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | Will Melton & Chris Eyerman<ref>{{cite web|url=http://willmelton.me/portfolio#/alien-covenant-meet-walter/ |title=Meet Walter|date=2023|publisher=willmelton.me|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://chriseyerman.com/work/meet-walter/ |title="MEET WALTER"|date=2023|publisher=chriseyerman.com|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Covenant — Crew Messages'' | style="text-align:center"| April 17–20, 2017<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLfPBohF1uFwqD9h58oKoPNApzTXQ0AR1O|title=Alien: Covenant – Now Playing|date=May 5, 2017|publisher=20th Century Fox|via=YouTube|access-date=March 15, 2019}}</ref> | N/A | N/A | rowspan="2" | 20th Century Fox |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Covenant — Prologue: The Crossing'' | style="text-align:center" | {{start date|2017|04|26}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XeMVrnYNwus/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/XeMVrnYNwus |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Alien: Covenant – Prologue: The Crossing|date=April 26, 2017|publisher=20th Century Fox|access-date=March 15, 2019|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | Ridley Scott<ref>{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/alien-covenant-shaw-david-explained/|title='Alien: Covenant' Prologue Reveals the Fate of Shaw and David Post-'Prometheus'|first=Dave|last=Trumbore|date=April 26, 2017|access-date=September 27, 2022|publisher=Collider|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220928212339/https://collider.com/alien-covenant-shaw-david-explained/|archive-date=September 28, 2022|url-status=live}}</ref> | John Logan & Dante Harper |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Covenant — She Won't Go Quietly'' | style="text-align:center"| {{start date|2017|05|05}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8LJSuO4aXA/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211219/d8LJSuO4aXA |archive-date=2021-12-19 |url-status=live|title=Alien: Covenant|date=May 5, 2017|publisher=20th Century Fox|access-date=March 15, 2019|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | Luke Scott<ref name="geektyrant">{{cite web|url=https://geektyrant.com/news/new-alien-covenant-clip-builds-the-intensity-she-wont-go-quietly |title=New ALIEN: COVENANT Clip Builds The Intensity - "She Won't Go Quietly"|date=May 5, 2017|publisher=geektyrant.com|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | | RSA Films<ref name="geektyrant"/> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Covenant — Rick and Morty'' | style="text-align:center"| {{start date|2017|05|15}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BirGJS23Nfo|title=Alien: Covenant – Rick and Morty [sponsored content]|date=May 13, 2017|publisher=Adult Swim|access-date=May 13, 2017|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | colspan="2" | Justin Roiland<ref>{{cite web|last=Bartleet|first=Larry|url=https://www.nme.com/news/film/rick-morty-alien-covenant-2071778|title=Watch Rick and Morty get attacked by facehuggers in ''Alien: Covenant'' crossover|date=May 14, 2017|publisher=NME|access-date=May 14, 2017}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | rowspan="3" | 20th Century Fox |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Covenant — Phobos'' | style="text-align:center"| {{start date|2017|07|19}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mUi_MxFdtc |title=Phobos: An "Alien: Covenant" Story Sneak Peek | date=July 19, 2017|publisher=20th Century Fox|access-date=September 19, 2023|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | Toby Dye<ref name="Dye">{{cite web|url=https://tobydye.com/films/phobos/ |title=Phobos An 'Alien:Covenant' Story|date=2023|publisher=tobydye.com|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | John Logan & Toby Dye<ref name="Dye"/> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Covenant — Advent'' | style="text-align:center"| {{start date|2017|08|15}}<ref name="Advent">{{cite web|url=https://letterboxd.com/film/alien-covenant-epilogue-advent/crew/ |title=Alien: Covenant - Epilogue: Advent |date=2017|publisher=Letterboxd|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | Matthew Thorne<ref name="Advent"/> | Will Melton<ref>{{cite web|url=http://willmelton.me/alien-covenant-advent |title=Alien: Advent|date=2023|publisher=willmelton.me|access-date=September 19, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Containment'' | style="text-align:center" | {{start date|2019|03|29|}}<ref name="shorts"/> | colspan="2" | Chris Reading<ref name="shorts"/> | rowspan="6" | Tongal Studios<ref name="shorts"/> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Specimen'' | style="text-align:center" | {{start date|2019|04|05|}}<ref name="shorts"/> | Kelsey Taylor<ref name="shorts"/> | Federico Fracchia<ref name="shorts"/> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Night Shift'' | style="text-align:center" | {{start date|2019|04|12|}}<ref name="shorts"/> | colspan="2" | Aidan Breznick<ref name="shorts"/> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Ore'' | style="text-align:center" | {{start date|2019|04|19|}}<ref name="shorts"/> | colspan="2" | Kailey & Sam Spear<ref name="shorts"/> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Harvest'' | rowspan="2" style="text-align:center" | {{start date|2019|04|26|}}<ref name="shorts"/> | Benjamin Howdeshell<ref name="shorts"/> | Craig Dewey |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Alone'' | colspan="2" | Noah Miller<ref name="shorts"/> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Covenant — David's Lab: Last Signs of Life'' | style="text-align:center"| {{start date|2019|08|15}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oLcUiIy_ghw |title=David's Lab - Last Signs of Life - YouTube Space LA Collab | date=August 15, 2019|publisher=20th Century Fox|access-date=September 19, 2023|via=YouTube}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | Allen Colombo<ref name="colombo">{{cite web|url=https://www.acolombo.com/alien |title=ALIEN: LAST SIGNS OF LIFE | date=2023|publisher=acolombo.com|access-date=September 21, 2023}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | Milena Westarb<ref name="colombo"/> | Effie Studios<ref name="colombo"/> |}
In 2012 and 2017 respectively, fourteen short films were produced to tie in with the releases of ''Prometheus'' and ''Alien: Covenant''. In July 2018, it was reported that 20th Century Fox had joined forces with Tongal to produce short films, intended to coincide with the 40th anniversary of the ''Alien'' franchise.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://tongal.com/project/Alien/|title=Alien 40th Anniversary Shorts Project on Tongal.com|website=tongal.com |access-date=2019-04-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3512468/pre-production-begun-six-alien-universe-short-films/|title=Pre-Production Has Begun On Six 'Alien' Universe Short Films|last=Squires|first=John|date=2018-07-26|website=Bloody Disgusting! |access-date=2019-04-28}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.horrornewsnetwork.net/20th-century-fox-selects-six-filmmakers-to-create-short-films-set-inside-the-alien-universe/|title=20th Century Fox Selects Six Filmmakers to Create Short Films Set Inside the 'Alien' Universe|last=Banks|first=Nick|date=2018-07-28|website=Horror News Network - The Horror News You Need! |access-date=2019-04-28}}</ref> By March 2019, the details of the anthology short films were released. Tongal co-founder and CEO James DeJulio stated that the joint-production is "reflective of Tongal's mission to bring creative opportunities to the next generation of talent." The shorts were released weekly on ''IGN'', after which they were uploaded to the Alien Universe web page, as well as all ''Alien'' social media pages on May 5 of the same year. All six of the short films premiered at the Emerald City Comic Con in Seattle.<ref name="shorts">{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/alien-celebrating-40th-anniversary-6-short-films-1193923|title='Alien' Celebrating 40th Anniversary With 6 Short Films|last=McMillan|first=Graeme|date=March 13, 2019|website=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=March 15, 2019}}</ref> The 40th anniversary short films are available as a Movies Anywhere-exclusive bonus feature accompanying the digital release of ''Alien''.
==Television and web series== {{Series overview | infoA = Showrunner(s) | infoB = Status | network = y | multiseries = {{Series overview | series = ''Alien: Isolation – The Digital Series'' | infoA = y | infoB = y
| color1 = #7FC177 | episodes1 = 7 | released1 = {{Start date|2019|2|28}} | network1 = IGN | infoA1 = Kinga Smith and Fabien Dubois | infoB1 = Concluded }} {{Series overview | series = ''Alien: Earth'' | infoA = y | infoB = y
| color1 = #1A5A92 | episodes1 = 8 | start1 = {{Start date|2025|8|12}} | end1 = {{End date|2025|9|23}} | network1 = FX <br> FX on Hulu | infoA1 = Noah Hawley | infoB1 = Released
| color2 = #CCF | linkR2 = <ref name="Season2">{{cite web|last=Petski|first=Denise|date=November 11, 2025|title='Alien Earth' Renewed For Season 2 As Creator Noah Hawley Re-Ups Overall Deal With FX|url=https://deadline.com/2025/11/alien-earth-renewed-season-2-noah-hawley-reups-fx-deal-1236614596/|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=November 11, 2025}}</ref> | start2 = {{TableTBA}} | end2 = | infoB2 = Pre-production }} }}
In 1979, 20th Century Fox considered producing a television series based on the 1979 film ''Alien'', with the intention of ABC picking it up, but its only media coverage was in the June 1980 ''Fangoria'' issue #6.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://weyland-yutaniarchives.blogspot.com/2010/09/alien-tv-series-that-never-happend.html |title=Alien TV Series that Never Happened |access-date=2019-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130113062404/http://weyland-yutaniarchives.blogspot.com/2010/09/alien-tv-series-that-never-happend.html |archive-date=2013-01-13 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 1992, an animated series inspired by the 1986 film ''Aliens'' titled ''Operation: Aliens'' was being developed along with an LCD game, board game, a Sega Genesis video game by THQ, and action figures.<ref name="MMS10a1">{{cite magazine |url=https://archive.org/details/mean-machines-sega-magazine-10/page/n23/mode/1up |title=CES Show - News: New Games '93 - Megadrive |magazine=Mean Machines Sega |issue=10 |publisher=EMAP |date=August 1993 |page=24}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://futurewarstories.blogspot.com/2014/10/fws-military-sci-fi-oddities-operation.html |title=Future War Stories: FWS Military Sci-Fi Oddities: Operation: ALIENS Cartoon Series (1992) |date=October 8, 2014 |access-date=2019-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190410004557/http://futurewarstories.blogspot.com/2014/10/fws-military-sci-fi-oddities-operation.html |archive-date=2019-04-10 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.alienscollection.com/operationaliens.html |title=Operational Aliens |access-date=2019-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180926230611/http://www.alienscollection.com/operationaliens.html |archive-date=2018-09-26 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.hasbro.com/common/instruct/Operation_Aliens_LCD_Video_Game.pdf |title=Operation Aliens LCD Video Game |access-date=2019-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151102225053/http://www.hasbro.com/common/instruct/Operation_Aliens_LCD_Video_Game.pdf |archive-date=2015-11-02 |url-status=live }}</ref> However, the brand lived on through Kenner toylines as simply ''Aliens'' and in the comics series included with the action figures as well as in the ''Aliens/Predator Universe'' trading cards set.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.comicartfans.com/galleryroom.asp?gsub=120256 |title=Alien Gallery |access-date=2019-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170618083202/http://www.comicartfans.com/galleryroom.asp?gsub=120256 |archive-date=2017-06-18 |url-status=live }}</ref> In 2007, ''Ain't It Cool News'' reported that a (since cancelled) animated series inspired by the 1986 film ''Aliens'' titled ''Aliens: War Games'' was being developed.<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://www.aintitcool.com/node/31596 |title=They Mostly Air at at[sic] Night - Mostly!! An ALIENS-Inspired Animated Project, A-La CLONE WARS?? So |access-date=2019-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226084634/http://www.aintitcool.com/node/31596 |archive-date=2018-12-26 |url-status=live }}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |url=http://posthume.dynamicforum.net/t72-aliens-war-games-the-cartoon |title=Alien War Games the Cartoon |access-date=2019-03-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181226084512/http://posthume.dynamicforum.net/t72-aliens-war-games-the-cartoon |archive-date=December 26, 2018 |url-status=dead }}</ref>
===''Alien: Isolation – The Digital Series'' (2019)=== {{main|Alien: Isolation – The Digital Series}}
In 2014, Sega published the video game ''Alien: Isolation''. In 2019, a seven-episode animated adaptation of the same name<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/tv/3547602/r-rated-alien-isolation-animated-series-reportedly-way/|title="R" Rated 'Alien: Isolation' Animated Series is Reportedly On the Way!|last=Squires|first=John |date=2019-02-20|website=Bloody Disgusting! |access-date=2019-04-28}}</ref> was released on February 28. The series, developed by 20th Century Fox, in conjunction with Reverse Engineering Studios and DVgroup, was created using a combination of brand-new scenes animated from scratch, cinematics taken directly from the original game, and digital recreations of first-person scenes from the game. ''Alien: Isolation'' is set in 2137, 15 years after the events of ''Alien'' and 42 years prior to ''Aliens'', following Amanda Ripley, who is investigating the disappearance of her mother, Ellen Ripley, as she is transferred to the space station Sevastopol to find the flight recorder of the ''Nostromo'' only to discover an Alien has terrorized the station, killing the vast majority of the crew.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/alien-isolation-2-discussed-daily-at-the-creative-/1100-6424179/ |title=Alien Isolation 2 "Discussed Daily" at The Creative Assembly |website=GameSpot.com |date=December 12, 2014 |access-date=August 3, 2016}}</ref> Andrea Deck reprises her role as Amanda Ripley.
===''Alien: Earth'' (2025–present)=== {{Main|Alien: Earth}}
On December 10, 2020, as part of Disney's Investor Day presentation, a new TV series project based on the franchise was announced to be in development for FX on Hulu, with Noah Hawley and Scott being involved (the former as showrunner and the latter as producer). It will be set on Earth in the near future, thus marking the first of the franchise to do so without featuring Ellen Ripley.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://movieweb.com/alien-tv-series-fx-disney/ | last = Scott | first = Ryan | date = December 10, 2020 | title = Alien TV Show Is Coming to FX, Will Take Place on Earth | website = MovieWeb | access-date = December 11, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2021/07/alien-tv-series-noah-hawley | last = Breznican | first = Anthony | date = July 1, 2021 | title = New Alien TV Series Will Be Class Warfare With Xenomorphs | website = Vanity Fair | access-date = July 1, 2021}}</ref> At the 2021 Television Critics Association Press Tour, FX network's John Landgraf said that the series will probably premiere in 2023.<ref>{{cite web|title='Alien': FX Boss Says Noah Hawley's Series Will 'Feel Like A Part Of The Cinematic Universe,' Teases Premiere Year|url=https://deadline.com/2021/08/alien-fx-boss-noah-hawley-series-will-feel-like-a-part-of-the-cinematic-universe-premiere-year-1234814375/|website=Deadline Hollywood|first=Alexandra|last=Del Rosario|date=August 13, 2021|accessdate=August 13, 2021}}</ref> A casting sheet for characters Hermit and Wendy shed light on the show's leads.<ref>{{Cite web|url = https://www.theilluminerdi.com/2021/11/05/alien-descriptions-noah-hawley/|title = Alien: New Character Descriptions for Noah Hawley's Sci-Fi Horror Series Coming FX: Exclusive - the Illuminerdi|work = The Illuminerdi|date = November 5, 2021|access-date = November 6, 2021|archive-date = December 13, 2024|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20241213162133/https://theilluminerdi.com/2021/11/05/alien-descriptions-noah-hawley/|url-status = dead}}</ref> Reports suggested that the TV series would start filming in March 2022,<ref>{{cite news |first=Max |last=Weinstein |date=November 16, 2021 |url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/418441/alien-fx-series-set-to-start-shooting-in-thailand-in-march-2022-synopsis-reportedly-revealed/ |title='Alien': FX Series Set to Start Shooting in Thailand in March 2022, Synopsis Reportedly Revealed |publisher=Dread Central}}</ref> but production was delayed until 2023, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/fx-alien-tv-show-delayed-filming-2023/|title=FX's Alien TV Show Will Start Filming Next Year|work=Screen Rant|last=Fink|first=Richard|date=February 17, 2022|access-date=March 21, 2022}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/alien-tv-show-release-update/|title=Alien TV Show Likely To Release In 2023|work=Screen Rant|last=Nelson|first=Jeff|date=August 13, 2021|access-date=June 12, 2023}}</ref> On April 6, Landgraf stated that the series was in "active preproduction".<ref>{{Cite web |url=https://sffgazette.com/sci_fi/television/alien-noah-hawleys-upcoming-tv-series-gets-a-positive-update-from-a5005#gs.u5z5ao |title=Alien: Noah Hawley's Upcoming TV Series Gets A Positive Update From FX Boss John Landgraf |date=April 6, 2023 |access-date=2023-04-08 |website= Sci-Fi & Fantasy Gazette |last=Wilding |first=Josh}}</ref> On July 19, the production of the series began in Thailand with Sydney Chandler, Alex Lawther and Samuel Blenkin being cast as the series' lead roles.<ref>{{cite web |last1=D'Alessandro |first1=Anthony |title=Sydney Chandler Set As A Lead In Noah Hawley's ''Alien'' At FX |url=https://deadline.com/2023/05/alien-fx-series-sydney-chandler-noah-hawley-1235352488/ |website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=1 May 2023 |date=May 1, 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2023/07/alien-alex-lawther-samuel-blenkin-cast-fx-series-production-no-sag-aftra-actors-strike-1235443713/|title='Alien': Alex Lawther & Samuel Blenkin Among Quartet Cast As FX Series Starts Production With No SAG-AFTRA Actors Amid Strike|author=Liz Shackleton, Nellie Andreeva|work=Deadline Hollywood|date=July 20, 2023|access-date=July 21, 2023}}</ref> ''Alien: Earth'' premiered on FX and FX on Hulu on August 12, 2025.<ref name="AlienEarthReleaseDate">{{cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2025/05/alien-earth-fx-series-photos-1236394803/|title=''Alien: Earth'' Photos Reveal First-Look At Noah Hawley's FX Series As New Details Emerge|first=Rosy|last=Cordero|website=Deadline Hollywood|date=May 13, 2025|accessdate=May 13, 2025|archive-date=May 13, 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250513140835/https://deadline.com/2025/05/alien-earth-fx-series-photos-1236394803/|url-status=live}}</ref> The series officially takes place in an alternate timeline within the ''Alien'' universe and is not considered part of the main canon.<ref>{{cite web|title='Alien: Earth' Creator Noah Hawley Says the Show Is 'Its Own Thing'|date=August 15, 2025 |url=https://movieweb.com/alien-earth-noah-hawley-record-straight-canon/|accessdate= August 15, 2025}}</ref>
==Cast and crew== ===Principal cast=== {{Main|List of Alien (franchise) characters}}
{{Cast indicator|appeared=the franchise|C|E|MC|P|U|V|Y}} {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center; width:99%; font-size:92%" |- ! scope="col" rowspan="3" | Character ! scope="col" colspan="7" | ''Alien Anthology'' ! Web series ! Television series ! scope="col" colspan="4" | ''Alien: The Audible Original Dramas'' |- ! scope="col" | ''Alien'' ! scope="col" | ''Aliens'' ! scope="col" | ''Alien 3'' ! scope="col" | ''Alien<br />Resurrection'' ! scope="col" | ''Prometheus'' ! scope="col" | ''Alien:<br />Covenant'' ! scope="col" | ''Alien:<br />Romulus'' ! scope="col" | ''Alien:<br />Isolation'' ! scope="col" | ''Alien:<br />Earth'' ! scope="col" | ''Alien:<br />Out of the Shadows'' ! scope="col" | ''Alien:<br />River of Pain'' ! scope="col" | ''Sea of Sorrows'' ! scope="col" | ''Alien 3'' |- | style="background:ivory;"| {{small|'''1979'''}} | style="background:ivory;"| {{small|'''1986'''}} | style="background:ivory;"| {{small|'''1992'''}} | style="background:ivory;"| {{small|'''1997'''}} | style="background:ivory;"| {{small|'''2012'''}} | style="background:ivory;"| {{small|'''2017'''}} | style="background:ivory;"| {{small|'''2024'''}} | style="background:ivory;"| {{small|'''2019'''}} | style="background:ivory;"| {{small|'''2025'''}} | style="background:ivory;"| {{small|'''2016'''}} | style="background:ivory;"| {{small|'''2017'''}} | style="background:ivory;"| {{small|'''2018'''}} | style="background:ivory;"| {{small|'''2019'''}} |- ! colspan="14" style="background:lightblue;"|
====Main characters==== <!-- PLEASE NOTE: if editing this individually by section, the preview function will not show what the table will look like, because the opening and closing parameters to the table are outside of the section. If you're unfamiliar with table markup, it's probably best to use the overall edit this page. Section editing is best for small mistakes, like spelling, or if you're familiar with table markup. --> |- ! Ellen Ripley | colspan="4" | Sigourney Weaver | colspan="3" {{cEmpty}} | Andrea Deck{{ref|voice|V}} | {{cEmpty}} | colspan="4" | Laurel Lefkow{{ref|voice|V}} |- ! Aliens | Bolaji Badejo | Carl Toop | colspan="2" | Tom Woodruff Jr. | {{N/A|Appeared}} | Andrew Crawford<hr />Goran D. Kleut | Trevor Newlin<hr />Robert Bobroczkyi | colspan="6" {{N/A|Appeared}} |- ! Ash / Rook | Ian Holm | Ian Holm{{ref|photo|P}} | colspan="4" {{cEmpty}} | Ian Holm (digital effect) | colspan="2" {{cEmpty}} | Rutger Hauer{{ref|voice|V}} | colspan="3" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Bishop II<br />{{small|Michael Bishop Weyland}} | {{cEmpty}} | colspan="2" | Lance Henriksen | colspan="9" {{cEmpty}} | Lance Henriksen{{ref|voice|V}} |- ! Rebecca "Newt" Jorden | {{cEmpty}} | Carrie Henn | Danielle Edmond | colspan="6" {{cEmpty}} | Mairead Doherty{{ref|voice|V}} | {{cEmpty}} | Mairead Doherty{{ref|voice|V}} | {{cEmpty}} |- ! Dwayne Hicks | {{cEmpty}} | Michael Biehn | Michael Biehn{{ref|photo|P}} | colspan="9" {{cEmpty}} | Michael Biehn{{ref|voice|V}} |- ! Anne Jorden | {{cEmpty}} | Holly De Jong | colspan="8" {{cEmpty}} | Anna Friel{{ref|voice|V}} | colspan="2" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Amanda "Amy" Ripley-McClaren | {{cEmpty}} | Elizabeth Inglis{{ref|extend|E}}{{ref|photo|P}} | colspan="5" {{cEmpty}} | Andrea Deck{{ref|voice|V}}<hr />{{small|Kezia Burrows}}{{ref|mocap|MC}} | colspan="5" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Ripley 8 | colspan="3" {{cEmpty}} | Sigourney Weaver<hr />{{small|Nicole Fellows}}{{ref|young|Y}} | colspan="7" {{cEmpty}} | Laurel Lefkow{{ref|voice|V}} | {{cEmpty}} |- ! Annalee Call | colspan="3" {{cEmpty}} | Winona Ryder | colspan="9" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Elizabeth M. Shaw | colspan="4" {{cEmpty}} | Noomi Rapace<hr />Lucy Hutchinson{{ref|young|Y}} | Noomi Rapace{{ref|uncredited|U}}{{ref|photo|P}} | colspan="7" {{cEmpty}} |- ! David<sup>8</sup> | colspan="4" {{cEmpty}} | colspan="2" | Michael Fassbender | colspan="7" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Peter Weyland | colspan="4" {{cEmpty}} | Guy Pearce | Guy Pearce{{ref|uncredited|U}} | colspan="3" {{cEmpty}} | Guy Pearce{{ref|voice|V}} | colspan="3" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Charlie Holloway | colspan="4" {{cEmpty}} | Logan Marshall-Green | Logan Marshall-Green{{ref|photo|P}} | colspan="7" {{cEmpty}} |- ! colspan="14" style="background:lightblue;"|
====Supporting characters==== <!-- PLEASE NOTE: if editing this individually by section, the preview function will not show what the table will look like, because the opening and closing parameters to the table are outside of the section. If you're unfamiliar with table markup, it's probably best to use the overall edit this page. Section editing is best for small mistakes, like spelling, or if you're familiar with table markup. --> |- ! Arthur Dallas | Tom Skerritt | Tom Skerritt{{ref|photo|P}} | colspan="11" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Joan Lambert | Veronica Cartwright | Veronica Cartwright{{ref|photo|P}} | colspan="11" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Samuel Brett | Harry Dean Stanton | Harry Dean Stanton{{ref|photo|P}} | colspan="11" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Gilbert Kane | John Hurt | John Hurt{{ref|photo|P}} | colspan="11" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Dennis Parker | Yaphet Kotto | Yaphet Kotto{{ref|photo|P}} | colspan="11" {{cEmpty}} |- ! MU ''/'' TH ''/'' UR 6000<br />"{{small|Mother ''/'' Father}}" | Helen Horton{{ref|voice|V}} | colspan="2" {{cEmpty}} | Steven Gilborn{{ref|voice|V}} | {{cEmpty}} | Lorelei King{{ref|voice|V}} | Annemarie Griggs{{ref|voice|V}} <br/><small>( MU/TH/UR 9000 )</small> | {{cEmpty}} | Robin August{{ref|voice|V}} | Tom Alexander{{ref|voice|V}} | colspan="2" {{cEmpty}} | Lorelei King{{ref|voice|V}} |- ! Jones | colspan="2" | Various animal performers | colspan="7" {{cEmpty}} | colspan="2" | Various animal performers | colspan="2" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Engineers | {{N/A|Appeared}} | colspan="3" {{cEmpty}} | Ian Whyte<hr />John Lebar<hr />Daniel James | {{N/A|Appeared}} | {{cEmpty}} | {{N/A|Appeared}} | colspan="5" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Scott Gorman | {{cEmpty}} | William Hope | colspan="7" {{cEmpty}} | William Hope{{ref|voice|V}} | colspan="3" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Al Simpson | {{cEmpty}} | Mac McDonald | colspan="7" {{cEmpty}} | Mac McDonald{{ref|voice|V}} | colspan="3" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Jernigan | {{cEmpty}} | Stuart Milligan | colspan="7" {{cEmpty}} | Stuart Milligan{{ref|voice|V}} | colspan="3" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Russ Jorden | {{cEmpty}} | Jay Benedict | colspan="7" {{cEmpty}} | Marc Warren{{ref|voice|V}} | colspan="3" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Timmy Jorden | {{cEmpty}} | Christopher Henn | colspan="7" {{cEmpty}} | Matt Keith Rauch{{ref|voice|V}} | colspan="3" {{cEmpty}} |- ! Hudson | {{cEmpty}} | Bill Paxton | colspan="11" {{cEmpty}} |} {{Notelist}}
===Additional crew=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheadres" style="text-align:center;" |+Crew of ''Alien'' films |- ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Film ! scope="col" colspan="8" | Crew/detail |- ! scope="col" | Composer(s) ! scope="col" | Cinematographer ! scope="col" | Editor(s) ! scope="col" | Production <br />companies ! scope="col" | Distributor |- ! scope="row" | ''Alien'' | Jerry Goldsmith | Derek Vanlint | Terry Rawlings <br />Peter Weatherley | 20th Century Fox <br />Brandywine Productions <br />Brandywine-Ronald Shusett Productions | rowspan="6" | 20th Century Fox |- ! scope="row" | ''Aliens'' | James Horner | Adrian Biddle | Ray Lovejoy | 20th Century Fox <br />SLM Production Group <br />Brandywine Productions |- ! scope="row" | ''Alien 3'' | Elliot Goldenthal | Alex Thomson | Terry Rawlings | rowspan="2" | 20th Century Fox <br />Brandywine Productions |- ! scope="row" | ''Alien Resurrection'' | John Frizzell | Darius Khondji | Hervé Schneid |- ! scope="row" | ''Prometheus'' | Marc Streitenfeld | rowspan="2" | Dariusz Wolski | rowspan="2" | Pietro Scalia | 20th Century Fox <br />Dune Entertainment <br />Scott Free Productions <br />Brandywine Productions |- ! scope="row" | ''Alien: Covenant'' | Jed Kurzel | 20th Century Fox <br />Scott Free Productions <br />Brandywine Productions |- ! scope="row" | ''Alien: Romulus'' | Benjamin Wallfisch | Galo Olivares | Jake Roberts | Scott Free Productions<br />Brandywine Productions |20th Century Studios<br /><small>(Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures)</small> |}
==Reception== {{Hatnote|Figures in this table are not inflation adjusted. Where two different figures are quoted for box office grosses, information is taken from two different sources.}}
===Box office performance=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" |+Box office performance of ''Alien'' films |- ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | Film ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | Release date ! scope="col" colspan="3" style="text-align:center;" | Box office revenue ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | Budget ! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="text-align:center;" | References |- ! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" | North America ! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" | Foreign ! scope="col" style="text-align:center;" | Worldwide |- ! scope="row" | ''Alien'' | May 25, 1979 | style="text-align:right;" | $65,403,354 | style="text-align:right;" | $122,631,433 | style="text-align:right;" | $188,034,787 | style="text-align:center;" | $10.7 million | style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Alien-(1979)#tab=summary|title=Alien (1979)|website=The Numbers|publisher=Nash Information Services, LLC|access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| ''Aliens'' | July 18, 1986 | style="text-align:right;" | $85,160,248 | style="text-align:right;" | $98,131,008 | style="text-align:right;" | $183,291,256 | style="text-align:center;" | $17 million | style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Aliens#tab=summary|title=Aliens (1986)|website=The Numbers|publisher=Nash Information Services, LLC|access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | ''Alien 3'' | May 22, 1992 | style="text-align:right;" | $55,473,545 | style="text-align:right;" | $104,340,953 | style="text-align:right;" | $159,814,498 | style="text-align:center;" | $50–55 million | style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Alien-3#tab=summary|title=Alien 3 (1992)|website=The Numbers|publisher=Nash Information Services, LLC|access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0103644/|title=Alien³ (1992)|website=Box Office Mojo|publisher=IMDb|access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | ''Alien Resurrection'' | November 26, 1997 | style="text-align:right;" | $47,795,658 | style="text-align:right;" | $113,580,411 | style="text-align:right;" | $161,376,069 | style="text-align:center;" | $60–75 million | style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Alien-Resurrection#tab=summary|title=Alien: Resurrection (1997)|website=The Numbers|publisher=Nash Information Services, LLC|access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt0118583/|title=Alien: Resurrection (1997)|website=Box Office Mojo|publisher=IMDb|access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | ''Prometheus'' | June 8, 2012 | style="text-align:right;" | $126,477,084 | style="text-align:right;" | $276,877,385 | style="text-align:right;" | $403,354,469 | style="text-align:center;" | $125–130 million | style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Prometheus#tab=summary|title=Prometheus (2012)|website=The Numbers|publisher=Nash Information Services, LLC|access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt1446714/|title=Prometheus (2012)|website=Box Office Mojo|publisher=IMDb|access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref> |- ! scope="row"| ''Alien: Covenant'' | May 19, 2017 | style="text-align:right;" | $74,262,031 | style="text-align:right;" | $166,629,732 | style="text-align:right;" | $240,891,763 | style="text-align:center;" | $97 million | style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Alien-Covenant#tab=summary|title=Alien: Covenant (2017)|website=The Numbers|publisher=Nash Information Services, LLC|access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt2316204/|title=Alien: Covenant (2017)|website=Box Office Mojo|publisher=IMDb|access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | ''Alien: Romulus'' | August 16, 2024 | style="text-align:right;" | $105,313,091 | style="text-align:right;" | $245,552,251 | style="text-align:right;" | $350,865,342 | style="text-align:center;" | $80 million | style="text-align:center;" | <ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/Alien-Romulus-(2024)#tab=summary |title=Alien: Romulus (2024) |website=The Numbers |publisher=Nash Information Services, LLC |access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.boxofficemojo.com/title/tt18412256/|title=Alien: Romulus|website=Box Office Mojo|publisher=IMDb|access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" colspan="2" | '''Total''' ! ${{val|fmt=commas|{{#expr:65403354+85160248+55473545+47795658+126477084+74262031+105313091}}}} ! ${{val|fmt=commas|{{#expr:122631433+98131008+104340953+113580411+276877385+166629732+245552251}}}} ! ${{val|fmt=commas|{{#expr:188034787+183291256+159814498+161376069+403354469+240891763+350865342}}}} ! style="text-align:center;" | $439.7–464.7 million ! <ref name="numbers">{{cite web|url=https://www.the-numbers.com/movies/franchise/Alien|title=Alien franchise|website=The Numbers|publisher=Nash Information Services, LLC|access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref> |}
===Critical and public response=== {{Hatnote|Each film is linked to the "Critical response" section of its article}} {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |- |+ Critical and public response of Alien films ! scope="col" rowspan="2" | Film ! scope="col" colspan="2" | Critical ! colspan="2" scope="col" | Public |- ! scope="col" | Rotten Tomatoes ! scope="col" | Metacritic ! scope="col" | CinemaScore<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/ |title=CinemaScore |publisher=CinemaScore |access-date=April 13, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220413083139/https://www.cinemascore.com/ |archive-date=April 13, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref> |- ! scope="row" | ''Alien'' | 93% (207 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alien |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/alien |access-date=September 6, 2025 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango Media |language=en}}</ref> | 89 (34 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alien |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/alien-1979/ |access-date=September 6, 2025 |website=Metacritic |publisher=Fandom, Inc |language=en}}</ref> | {{n/a}} |- ! scope="row" | ''Aliens'' | 93% (150 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aliens |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/1000617-aliens |access-date=September 6, 2025 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango Media |language=en}}</ref> | 84 (23 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Aliens |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/aliens/ |access-date=September 6, 2025 |website=Metacritic |publisher=Fandom, Inc |language=en}}</ref> | {{sort grade|A}} |- ! scope="row" | ''Alien 3'' | 44% (126 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alien 3 |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/alien3 |access-date=September 6, 2025 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango Media |language=en}}</ref> | 59 (20 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alien 3 |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/alien-3/ |access-date=September 6, 2025 |website=Metacritic |publisher=Fandom, Inc |language=en}}</ref> | {{sort grade|C}} |- ! scope="row" | ''Alien Resurrection'' | 56% (163 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alien Resurrection |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/alien_resurrection |access-date=September 6, 2025 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango Media |language=en}}</ref> | 62 (21 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alien: Resurrection |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/alien-resurrection/ |access-date=September 6, 2025 |website=Metacritic |publisher=Fandom, Inc |language=en}}</ref> | {{sort grade|B−}} |- ! scope="row" | ''Prometheus'' | 73% (311 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prometheus |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/prometheus_2012 |access-date=September 6, 2025 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango Media |language=en}}</ref> | 64 (43 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Prometheus |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/prometheus/ |access-date=September 6, 2025 |website=Metacritic |publisher=Fandom, Inc |language=en}}</ref> | {{sort grade|B}} |- ! scope="row" | ''Alien: Covenant'' | 65% (408 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alien: Covenant |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/alien_covenant |access-date=September 6, 2025 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango Media |language=en}}</ref> | 65 (52 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alien: Covenant |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/alien-covenant/ |access-date=September 6, 2025 |website=Metacritic |publisher=Fandom, Inc |language=en}}</ref> | {{sort grade|B}} |- ! scope="row" | ''Alien: Romulus'' | 80% (408 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alien: Romulus |url=https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/alien_romulus |access-date=September 6, 2025 |website=Rotten Tomatoes |publisher=Fandango Media |language=en}}</ref> | 64 (57 reviews)<ref>{{Cite web |title=Alien: Romulus |url=https://www.metacritic.com/movie/alien-romulus/ |access-date=September 6, 2025 |website=Metacritic |publisher=Fandom, Inc |language=en}}</ref> | B+ |} The American Film Institute ranked ''Alien'' as the sixth most thrilling American movie and seventh-best film in the science fiction genre, and in the AFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains list, Ripley was ranked eighth among the heroes, and the Alien was fourteenth among the villains. IGN listed ''Alien'' as the thirteenth best film franchise of all time in 2006.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/12/22/top-25-movie-franchises-of-all-time-1|title=Top 25 Movie Franchises of All Time: #13|date=December 22, 2006|publisher= IGN | access-date= January 27, 2008}}</ref> ''Alien'' was also inducted into the National Film Registry of the Library of Congress for historical preservation as a film which is "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."<ref name="nfpb about">{{cite web |title=National Film Preservation Board |url=https://www.loc.gov/film/filmabou.html |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829144823/http://www.loc.gov/film/filmabou.html |archive-date=August 29, 2008 |access-date=September 6, 2008 |publisher=National Film Preservation Board}}</ref><ref name="national film registry">{{cite web |title=Films Selected to the National Film Registry, Library of Congress, 1989–2007 |url=https://www.loc.gov/film/titles.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080829144902/http://www.loc.gov/film/titles.html |archive-date=August 29, 2008 |access-date=September 6, 2008 |publisher=National Film Registry}}</ref>
{{Television critical response | show_caption = yes | caption = Critical response of Alien series | multiseries = {{Television critical response | series = ''Alien: Earth'' | 1 | rotten_tomatoes1 = 94% (198 reviews)<ref>{{Cite Rotten Tomatoes |id=alien_earth |type=tv |season=1 |access-date=December 7, 2025 |publisher_hide=y}}</ref> | metacritic1 = 85 (41 reviews)<ref>{{Cite Metacritic |id=alien-earth |type=tv |season=1 |access-date=August 17, 2025 |publisher_hide=y}}</ref> }} }}
===Accolades=== {{main|List of accolades received by the Alien film series}}
====Academy Awards==== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="margin:left;" |+Academy Award nominations for ''Alien'' films |- ! scope="col" | Award ! scope="col" | ''Alien'' ! scope="col" | ''Aliens'' ! scope="col" | ''Alien 3'' ! scope="col" | ''Prometheus'' ! scope="col" | ''Alien: Romulus'' |- !scope="row"| Actress | | {{nom}} | | | |- !scope="row"| Art Direction | {{nom}} | {{nom}} | | | |- !scope="row"| Film Editing | | {{nom}} | | | |- !scope="row"| Original Score | | {{nom}} | | | |- !scope="row"| Sound | | {{nom}} | | | |- !scope="row"| Sound Effects Editing | | {{won}} | | | |- !scope="row"| Visual Effects | {{won}} | {{won}} | {{nom}} | {{nom}} | {{nom}} |}
===''Alien'' Day=== {{anchor|Alien Day|Aliens Day}}"Alien Day", April 26, has become the fan celebration day for the ''Alien'' franchise. The date derives from LV-426, the "426" converting to "4/26" or "April 26".<ref name="blee_Happ">{{Cite web|url=https://www.bleedingcool.com/2019/04/26/alien-day-lv426-reebok-super7-neca-funko-fright-rags/|title=Happy Alien Day! Here are Some of the Things You Can Buy Today to Celebrate!|website=Bleeding Cool|date=26 April 2019|access-date=17 January 2020|quote=Happy Alien Day! Today is LV426, the day we celebrate the Alien franchise and its awesomeness.}}</ref> On Alien Day 2016, Neill Blomkamp released new art for his concept of ''Alien 5'',<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://www.empireonline.com/movies/alien/alien-day-neill-blomkamp-posts-new-newt-art/ |author= James White |title= Alien Day: Neill Blomkamp posts new Newt art |magazine= Empire |date= April 26, 2016}}</ref> and the Audible Original audio play adaptation of ''Alien: Out of the Shadows'' was released. On Alien Day 2017, 20th Century Fox released "The Crossing" prologue short film for ''Alien: Covenant'',<ref>{{cite magazine |url= https://www.wired.co.uk/article/alien-covenant-prologue-video |author= Victoria Wollaston |title= You can now experience the horror of Alien: Covenant in VR |magazine= Wired |date= April 26, 2017}}</ref> and the Audible Original audio play adaptation of ''Alien: River of Pain'' was released.
===''Alien: The Play''=== From March 19 to 22, 2019, North Bergen High School (New Jersey, US) staged an adaptation of ''Alien'' entitled ''Alien: The Play'', which was widely praised,<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/stage/2019/mar/26/new-jersey-high-school-production-alien-goes-viral|title=High school production of Alien bursts into a viral success|date=March 26, 2019|website=The Guardian|access-date=March 26, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/americas/alien-high-school-production-recycled-new-jersey-north-bergen-ridley-scott-a8840211.html|title=High school's elaborate production of Alien becomes international sensation|date=March 26, 2019|website=The Independent|access-date=March 26, 2019}}</ref> and granted seals of approval by Ridley Scott, James Cameron, Sigourney Weaver, and Walter Hill. In the aftermath of the play's popularity and approval, North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco's non-profit foundation pledged funds for more performances.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.cinemablend.com/news/2469090/sigourney-weaver-and-ridley-scott-are-totally-into-that-alien-high-school-play|title=Sigourney Weaver And Ridley Scott Are Totally Into That Alien High School Play|date=March 28, 2019|website=Cinemablend|access-date=March 28, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/alien-high-school-play-praised-by-sigourney-weaver-ridley-scott-1198173/|title=Sigourney Weaver Praises High School Drama Club Version of 'Alien'|date=March 29, 2019|website=The Hollywood Reporter|access-date=March 29, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/alien-director-star-sigourney-weaver-praise-jersey-high/story?id=62045381|title='Alien' director and star Sigourney Weaver praise a New Jersey high school's production of the popular science-fiction film|date=March 30, 2019|website=ABC News|access-date=March 30, 2019}}</ref> In April 2019, Weaver made a surprise appearance and attended the play.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://deadline.com/2019/04/sigourney-weaver-alien-north-bergen-high-school-ridley-scott-play-1202603243/|title=Sigourney Weaver Makes Surprise Appearance At 'Alien: The Play' High School Drama|date=April 27, 2019|website=Deadline Hollywood|access-date=April 27, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://ew.com/movies/2019/04/27/alien-the-play-sigourney-weaver/|title=Sigourney Weaver surprises Alien: The Play's high school cast for encore performance|date=April 27, 2019|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|access-date=April 27, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://nypost.com/2019/04/27/sigourney-weaver-seen-freaking-out-at-high-school-alien-play/|title=Sigourney Weaver seen freaking out at high school 'Alien' play|date=April 27, 2019|website=New York Post|access-date=April 27, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/sigourney-weaver-surprises-students-encore-performance-viral-alien/story?id=62670197|title=Sigourney Weaver surprises students after encore performance of viral 'Alien' play|date=April 27, 2019|website=ABC News|access-date=April 27, 2019}}</ref>
===In academia=== The Bishop character has been the subject of literary and philosophical analysis as a high-profile android character conforming to science fiction author Isaac Asimov's Three Laws of Robotics and as a model of a compliant, potentially self-aware machine.<ref>{{cite book | first = G | last = Buttazzo |date=May 2000 | chapter = Can a Machine Ever Become Self-Aware? | title = Artificial Humans, an historical retrospective of the Berlin International Film Festival 2000 | isbn= 9783931321260 | oclc=950210968 | editor = R. Aurich, W. Jacobsen and G. Jatho| publisher=Filmmuseum Berlin|location = Goethe Institute, Los Angeles | pages = 45–49}}</ref> The portrayal of androids in the ''Alien'' series—Ash in ''Alien'', Bishop in ''Aliens'' and ''Alien 3'', and Call (Winona Ryder) in ''Alien Resurrection'' (1997)—has been studied for its implications relating to how humans deal with the presence of an "Other", as Ripley treats them with fear and suspicion, and a form of "hi-tech racism and android apartheid" is present throughout the series.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Nishime|first=LeiLani|date=Winter 2005|title=The Mulatto Cyborg: Imagining a Multiracial Future|journal=Cinema Journal|volume=44|issue=2|pages=34–49|doi=10.1353/cj.2005.0011|s2cid=153367253 }}<!-- | access-date = January 10, 2007 --></ref><ref>{{cite journal | first = Anton Karl | last = Kozlovic | title = HAL-o-phobia: Computer Horror in the Pre-1990 Popular Cinema | url = http://biblioteca.universia.net/html_bura/ficha/params/title/hal-phobia-computer-horror-in-the-pre-1990-popular-cinema/id/1093385.html | issn = 1562-384X | journal = Sincronía | date = Spring 2004 | access-date = July 1, 2017 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20170801195108/http://biblioteca.universia.net/html_bura/ficha/params/title/hal-phobia-computer-horror-in-the-pre-1990-popular-cinema/id/1093385.html | archive-date = August 1, 2017 | url-status = dead | df = mdy-all }}</ref> This is seen as part of a larger trend of technophobia in films prior to the 1990s, with Bishop's role being particularly significant as he redeems himself at the end of ''Aliens'', thus confounding Ripley's expectations.<ref>{{cite journal|last=Kozlovic|first=Anton Karl|date=September 2003|title=Technophobic themes in pre-1990 computer films|journal=Science as Culture|volume=12|issue=3|pages=341–373|doi=10.1080/09505430309008|s2cid=144991466}}</ref>
==Music== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+Soundtracks for ''Alien'' films ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | U.S. release date ! scope="col" | Length ! scope="col" | Composer(s) ! scope="col" | Label |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Original Motion Picture Score'' | style="text-align:left" | 1979 | style="text-align:left" | 33:37 | Jerry Goldsmith | 20th Century |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Aliens: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' | style="text-align:left" | October 25, 1987 | style="text-align:left" | 39:57 | James Horner | Varèse Sarabande |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien 3: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' | style="text-align:left" | June 9, 1992 | style="text-align:left" | 47:58 | Elliot Goldenthal | MCA |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien Resurrection: Complete Motion Picture Score'' | style="text-align:left" | November 11, 1997 | style="text-align:left" | 45:13 | John Frizzell | RCA |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Prometheus: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack'' | style="text-align:left" | May 15, 2012 | style="text-align:left" | 57:07 | Marc Streitenfeld | Sony Classical<br />Fox Music |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Covenant (Original Soundtrack Album)'' | style="text-align:left" | May 19, 2017 | style="text-align:left" | 58:57 | Jed Kurzel | Milan |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Romulus (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)'' | style="text-align:left" | August 16, 2024 | style="text-align:left" | 56:56 | Benjamin Wallfisch | Hollywood |}
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |+Soundtracks for other ''Alien'' entries ! scope="col" | Title ! scope="col" | U.S. release date ! scope="col" | Length ! scope="col" | Composer(s) ! scope="col" | Label ! scope="col"| {{abbr|Ref.|Reference(s)}} |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Blackout (Original Video Game Soundtrack)'' | style="text-align:left" | January 29, 2019 | style="text-align:left" | 15:23 | Tommi Hartikainen | Hollywood |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Isolation (Original Video Game Soundtrack)'' | style="text-align:left" | October 07, 2024{{ref|a|[a]}} | style="text-align:left" | 49:05 | The Flight and Christian Henson | 20th Century | <ref>{{cite web | last=T | first=Amber | title=You Can Now Stream The ALIEN: ISOLATION Soundtrack | website=FANGORIA | date=2024-10-08 | url=https://www.fangoria.com/alien-isolation-soundtrack/ | access-date=2025-09-03}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Earth (Original Soundtrack)'' | style="text-align:left" | August 12, 2025 | style="text-align:left" | 1:31:47 | Jeff Russo | FX Productions, LLC | <ref>{{cite web | title='Alien: Earth' Soundtrack Album Details | website=Film Music Reporter | date=2025-08-11 | url=https://filmmusicreporter.com/2025/08/11/alien-earth-soundtrack-album-details/ | access-date=2025-09-03}}</ref> |- ! scope="row" style="text-align:left" | ''Alien: Earth . 5 "In Space, No One..." (Original Soundtrack)'' | style="text-align:left" | September 2, 2025 | style="text-align:left" | 28:34 | Jeff Russo | FX Productions, LLC | <ref>{{cite web | title=Soundtrack Album for 'Alien: Earth' Episode 'In Space, No One…' to Be Released | website=Film Music Reporter | date=2025-09-01 | url=https://filmmusicreporter.com/2025/09/01/soundtrack-album-for-alien-earth-episode-5-in-space-no-one-to-be-released/ | access-date=2025-09-03}}</ref> |}
'''Notes''' * <sup>{{note|a|[a]}}</sup> released on the 10 year anniversary of the game.
==Home media== {{Anchor|Home media|DVD|Video}}There have been dozens of stand-alone releases of the individual films on various formats, including Betamax, VHS, Laserdisc, DVD, and Blu-ray. The multiple single releases on VHS were generally the original theatrical cuts of each film.
Laserdisc saw single releases of all theatrical versions, as well as two so-called "box sets" which only contained one film (there were two single releases, one each for ''Alien'' and ''Aliens'') but had multiple discs and a large amount of supplemental material with a high retail price tag (around US$100). The ''Aliens'' set included a new "Special Edition" cut of the film completed by James Cameron just for this release, which was a significantly extended version of the film.
The films made their DVD debut in 1999, both as part of a boxed set (see ''Alien Legacy'' below) and as separate single-disc releases of each film (''Aliens'' was only available in its "Special Edition" cut, not its original theatrical cut, which did not make it to DVD until the next boxed set). Following the ''Alien Quadrilogy'' set (see below), each film received individual two-disc releases containing the content of each film from that set. Since then, there have been multiple issues and reissues of the films, in both their theatrical or extended version, though some single releases include both.
In addition to the single releases, there have been seven complete box sets of the series at various points in its history. With the exception of the DVD version of the ''Aliens Triple Pack'', each release contained all films that had come out at the time the sets were released. The seven box sets each had unique characteristics and features which were then sometimes reused in later sets or single releases in one form or another, most notably the Blu-ray ''Anthology'', which includes a detailed archive of many previous releases, including the rare Laserdisc box sets. * ''Alien Triple Pack'' (VHS, 1992), containing the first two films in the series and a third cassette with a 23-minute preview of the then upcoming theatrical release of ''Alien 3''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Daly |first=Steve |url=https://ew.com/article/1992/05/08/alien-aliens-alienaliens-triple-pack/ |title=Alien; Aliens; Alien/Aliens Triple Pack |website=EW.com |date=May 8, 1992 |access-date=August 3, 2016 |archive-date=October 19, 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131019213109/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,310456,00.html |url-status=live }}</ref> (Not to be confused with the 2008 DVD set of the same name below.) * ''Alien Trilogy'' (VHS, 1993), a three-cassette packaging of ''Alien'', ''Aliens'' (in its LaserDisc Special Edition cut, for the first time on another format) and ''Alien 3''.<ref>{{cite book|title=Alien Trilogy [VHS]: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Carrie Henn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, William Hope, Jenette Goldstein, Al Matthews, Mark Rolston, David Fincher, James Cameron, Ridley Scott, Dan O'Bannon, David Giler, Larry Ferguson, Ronald Shusett: Movies & TV |asin = 6302822688}}</ref> * ''Alien Saga'' (VHS, 1997), UK boxed set with the first three films plus a "Making of ''Alien Resurrection''" cassette. It was released again in 1998 with the ''Alien Resurrection'' film included. A Japan-exclusive Laserdisc pack containing the first three films released in 1999 also had the same name.<ref>{{cite web |author=Joshua Zyber |url=http://www.mindspring.com/~laserdisc-forever/aliens.htm |title=Alien Saga – Laserdisc Forever |website=Mindspring.com |date=May 1, 1999 |access-date=August 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161001230138/http://www.mindspring.com/~laserdisc-forever/aliens.htm |archive-date=October 1, 2016 |url-status=dead }}</ref> (A planned U.S. version was canceled as DVDs were quickly taking over the much smaller domestic Laserdisc market in that country.)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0090605/laserdisc |website=IMDB.com|title= Laserdisc Details|access-date=August 3, 2016}}</ref> * ''Alien Legacy'' (VHS/DVD, 1999), a four-volume set containing the 1991 Laserdisc "Special Edition" cut of ''Aliens'', the theatrical versions of the other three films, and on DVD various supplemental materials that were either re-used from Laserdisc or newly created.<ref>{{cite magazine |last=Sauter |first=Michael |url=https://ew.com/article/1999/06/04/more-aliens-come-vhs-and-dvd/ |title=More ''Aliens'' come to VHS and DVD |magazine=Entertainment Weekly |date=June 4, 1999 |access-date=November 30, 2021 |archive-date=October 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121013043956/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,273583,00.html |url-status=dead }}</ref> * ''Alien Quadrilogy'' (DVD, 2003), considered one of the most exhaustive box sets of the DVD era in terms of content and special features, was spread over nine discs: four discs (one disc each) for the theatrical and extended cuts of each film (new "2003" cuts of ''Alien'', ''Alien 3'', and ''Alien Resurrection'' and the previously released 1991 "Special Edition" cut of ''Aliens''), four discs containing special features specific to each film, and an extra disc of documentaries and other supplemental content.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/movies/alien-quadrilogy |title=Alien Quadrilogy|website=IGN |access-date=November 30, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://dvdcompare.net/comparisons/film.php?fid=4361 |title=Rewind- Alien Quadrilogy (The) (1979–1997) |website=Dvdcompare.net |access-date=August 3, 2016}}</ref> ** The films were later re-released as two-disc individual titles as part of 20th Century Fox's Collector's Series. * ''Alien Triple Pack'' (DVD, 2008), a three-disc package including the theatrical cuts of ''Alien'' and ''Alien 3'', as well as the "Special Edition" of ''Aliens''. This set reused the name of the 1992 VHS set (this was an unusual release in that ''Alien Resurrection'' was not included, making this the first franchise box set it had not appeared in since its release).<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000REQQGQ |title=Alien Triple Pack (Alien / Aliens / Alien 3): Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Carrie Henn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, Bill Paxton, William Hope, Jenette Goldstein, Al Matthews, Mark Rolston, David Fincher, James Cameron, Ridley Scott, Dan O'Bannon, David Giler, Larry Ferguson, Ronald Shusett: Movies & TV |website=Amazon.com |date=April 15, 2008 |access-date=August 3, 2016}}</ref> * ''Alien Anthology'' (Blu-ray, 2010), an exclusive six-disc release featuring two versions of each film (theatrical, and the 2003 cuts from the ''Alien Quadrilogy'' set—except for changes to the 2003 ''Alien 3'' "Workprint" version which included having some original voice actors come back to re-record poorly captured dialogue in newly inserted extended scenes, and fixed production errors on the "special edition" of ''Aliens''<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.darkrealmfox.com/film_reviews/2010/08/09/alien-anthology-hits-blu-ray/ |title=Alien Anthology Hits Blu Ray |website=Darkrealmfox.com |date=November 13, 2010 |access-date=August 3, 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110708233210/http://www.darkrealmfox.com/film_reviews/2010/08/09/alien-anthology-hits-blu-ray/ |archive-date=July 8, 2011 |url-status=dead |df=mdy-all }}</ref>) and almost all special features and supplements from the previous releases (including an archive of the special edition Laserdisc box sets with all their image galleries and other unique content). As with the ''Quadrilogy'' DVD, the two versions of each film were housed on a single disc, while the storage capacity of Blu-ray means the previous five discs of special features were included on the remaining two discs in the set, which held approximately 60 hours of bonus video content and over 12,000 still images.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.homemediamagazine.com/fox/alien-anthology-blu-ray-boasts-60-hours-bonus-content-20024|title='Alien Anthology' Boasts 60 Hours of Bonus Content |work=Home Media Magazine |first=Chris|last=Tribbey|access-date=November 28, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120314061355/http://www.homemediamagazine.com/fox/alien-anthology-blu-ray-boasts-60-hours-bonus-content-20024|archive-date=March 14, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> Most subsequent releases of the films on the Blu-ray medium are repackaged versions of the Blu-ray disks contained in this box set. A discount box set without the two additional discs of bonus features was also released. * ''Alien/Aliens Dual Pack'' (DVD), including the theatrical cuts of both ''Alien'' and ''Aliens''. A separate dual pack was released containing the theatrical and extended versions of ''Alien vs. Predator'' and the unrated ''Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem''. * ''Prometheus to Alien: The Evolution'' (Blu-ray, 2012), containing all of the ''Alien'' films, ''Prometheus'', and a bonus material disk for ''Prometheus''. * All of the ''Alien'' films, including ''Prometheus'', have been released in special SteelBook Blu-ray editions, although these do not come in a boxed set. While the ''Alien'' SteelBooks themselves contain the Blu-ray disks on their own, the ''Prometheus'' SteelBook contains both Blu-ray and Blu-ray 3D versions of the film, as well as a bonus feature Blu-ray disk with seven hours of content. With the exception of ''Prometheus'', the films had been previously released as DVD Definitive editions, which featured SteelBook casing and contained both DVD versions (theatrical and directors cuts) of the films and a bonus feature disk. * ''Alien: The 35th Anniversary Edition'' (Blu-ray, 2014), released to mark the 35th anniversary of the release of the film, containing both a Blu-ray and a Digital HD copy, a reprint of ''Alien: The Illustrated Story'' and a series of collectible art cards containing artwork by H. R. Giger related to the film. The disk itself is the same as the respective disk on the 2010 Anthology Blu-ray release, and contains MOTHER mode, despite the lack of the required bonus disk. A reprint of the novel by Alan Dean Foster was also released, along with reprints of all other novels, with the ''Alien Resurrection'' novel available as of May 2015. * The ''Alien Universe'' box set was released exclusively through Walmart on April 18, 2017, and included four limited edition poster cards designed by the Mondo art company.<ref>{{cite web|url= https://screenrant.com/alien-covenant-day-2017/ |title=Alien: Covenant Fan Events Announced For Alien Day 2017|first=Todd|last=Sokolove|website=Screen Rant|date=April 3, 2017}}</ref> * The ''Alien: 6-Film Collection'', released in 2017 in regular Blu-ray and SteelBook, contains the first six films in the franchise.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/home-video/3438498/first-look-alien-six-film-collection-alien-covenant-steelbook/|title=First Look at 'Alien' Six Film Collection and 'Alien: Covenant' Steelbook|date=May 22, 2017|first=John |last=Squires|access-date=October 24, 2022|work=Bloody Disgusting}}</ref>
==Other media== There exists a great number of spin-offs in other media, including a large number of crossovers with the ''Predator'' franchise.
===Print media=== ''Alien'' print media has been published since shortly before the release of the original eponymous film, in 1979. The full library of these literary works include novelizations of the films, original content that expand upon the fictional universe, comics and companion books for both the cataloging of in-universe elements and supplemental works concerning the development of the franchise. These include works by special effects company Amalgamated Dynamics Incorporated (ADI), which assisted with the effects in ''Alien 3'' and ''Alien Resurrection''.
====Novels==== {{Main|List of Alien (franchise) novels}}
Several novelizations of each of the six films and some comic books as well as original canonical novels based on the franchise have been released. The original novels include ''Alien: Out of the Shadows'', ''Alien: Sea of Sorrows'', ''Alien: River of Pain'', marketed as the "Canonical ''Alien'' Trilogy" and the short story collection ''Aliens: Bug Hunt''. ''Out of the Shadows'' and ''River of Pain'' were adapted into audio dramas in 2016 and 2017 respectively released on the Alien Day of the respective year. Alan Dean Foster published ''Alien: Covenant – Origins'', a novel set between the events of ''Prometheus'' and ''Alien: Covenant''. Titan Books would also release a series of different novels, including for example ''Aliens: Phalanx'' in 2020 and ''Alien: Uncivil War'' in 2024.
====Comic books==== {{Main|List of Alien (franchise) comics}}
In addition to ''Alien: The Illustrated Story'', a graphic novel adaptation of the original film, there have been numerous limited series set in the ''Alien'' universe, as well as non-canonical crossover appearances of the Alien. In addition to ''Alien vs. Predator'' comics featuring the Alien and Predator battling, Dark Horse Comics published ''Fire and Stone'' between 2014 and 2017, crossing over the continuities of the ''Prometheus'' prequel series with the ''Alien vs. Predator'' franchise.
Dark Horse Comics also published a number of other miniseries crossovers, featuring the Alien species as an enemy pitted against prolific characters from other continuities. In 1995, the miniseries ''Superman/Aliens'' featured Aliens fighting against Superman, while his powers are diminished.<ref>{{cite web |first=K. Thor|last= Jensen |url=http://www.ugo.com/the-goods/superman-aliens |title=Superman / Aliens - Universe-Shattering Comic Book Crossovers |publisher=UGO.com |date=2011-01-19 |access-date=December 6, 2019 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121209033047/http://www.ugo.com/the-goods/superman-aliens |archive-date=December 9, 2012 }}</ref> Between 1997 and 2002, a two-part miniseries called ''Batman/Aliens'' was published, depicting Batman fighting against a horde of Aliens in a jungle bordering Mexico and Guatemala.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://io9.com/5849075/the-10-most-deranged-alien-crossover-stories|title=The 10 most deranged Alien crossover stories|author=Cyriaque Lamar|work=io9|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111013043502/http://io9.com/5849075/the-10-most-deranged-alien-crossover-stories|archive-date=October 13, 2011}}</ref> In 1998, WildStorm, (now a part of Image Comics), and Dark Horse Comics published an intercompany crossover event called ''WildC.A.T.s/Aliens'', featuring the Wildcats battling the Aliens.<ref>{{cite web | last = Cronin | first = Brian | date = April 8, 2008 | title = Top 100 Comic Book Runs #85-81 | url = https://www.cbr.com/top-100-comic-book-runs-85-81/ | website = Comic Book Resources | access-date = December 6, 2019 }}</ref> ''Green Lantern Versus Aliens'', an intercompany crossover event between Dark Horse and DC Comics, features a plot beyond either continuity, where the Aliens residing on the Green Lantern planet Mogo get out of control and must be exterminated.<ref>{{cite web | last = Lamar | first = Cyriaque | date = October 12, 2011 | title = Top 100 Comic Book Runs #85-81 | url = https://io9.gizmodo.com/the-10-most-deranged-alien-crossover-stories-5849075 | website = Gizmodo | access-date = December 6, 2019 }}</ref> In 2003, Dark Horse published ''Judge Dredd vs. Aliens'', depicting an Alien invasion in Mega-City One, necessitating for Judge Dredd to intervene, to destroy the infestation.<ref>{{cite web | last = Hanly | first = Gavin | date = February 21, 2003 | title = 2000 AD Review - Judge Dredd vs Aliens: Incubus | url = http://www.2000adreview.co.uk/reviews/extra/2004/dreddaliens/dreddaliens.shtml | website = 2000 AD | access-date = December 6, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20061012213434/http://www.2000adreview.co.uk/reviews/extra/2004/dreddaliens/dreddaliens.shtml | archive-date = October 12, 2006 }}</ref>
In July 2020, Marvel Comics announced that it had acquired the comic book rights to the ''Alien'' franchise, in addition to the rights to the ''Predator'' and ''Alien vs. Predator'' franchises.<ref>{{cite web | author = Marvel | date = July 2, 2020 | title = Marvel Comics to Publish New 'Alien' and 'Predator' Stories | url = https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/marvel-comics-to-publish-new-alien-and-predator-stories | publisher = Marvel Entertainment | access-date = July 3, 2020 }}</ref> Marvel announced the ''Alien'' series in December 2020, with Phillip Kennedy Johnson writing and Salvador Larroca illustrating it. Issue #1 was released in March 2021.<ref>{{cite web | author = Marvel | date = December 7, 2020 | title = All-New 'Alien' Stories Coming to Marvel Comics in March | url = https://www.marvel.com/articles/comics/all-new-alien-stories-coming-to-marvel-comics-in-march | publisher = Marvel Entertainment | access-date = December 7, 2020 }}</ref>
====Picture books==== ''Jonesy: Nine Lives on the Nostromo'' is a 2018 picture book that retells the plot of ''Alien'' (1979) from the perspective of Jones, the ship's cat from the film.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2018-10-17 |title=Jonesy From Alien Now Has His Own Illustrated Book, and We've Got Your First Look |url=https://gizmodo.com/jonesy-from-alien-now-has-his-own-illustrated-book-and-1829767723 |access-date=2022-12-28 |website=Gizmodo |language=en}}</ref>
===Video games=== {{Main|List of Alien, Predator, and Alien vs. Predator games}}
[[File:Aliens Colonial Marines at E3 2012 (7350546390).jpg|thumb|upright|Promotion of ''Aliens: Colonial Marines'' at E3 2012]] Since the launch of the ''Alien'' franchise, there have been numerous video games released over the years, spanning a variety of genres. In addition to appearances in crossover video games, including those from the ''Alien vs. Predator'' franchise, ''Mortal Kombat X'', and ''Dead by Daylight'', the four films from the original series were adapted into video games, typically multiple times.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Dawson|first1=Bryan|title=Mortal Kombat X — How to Play Alien, Combos and Strategies|url=https://www.primagames.com/games/mortal-kombat-x/tips/mortal-kombat-x-how-play-alien-combos-and-strategies|website=Prima Games|date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=July 24, 2017 }}</ref>
The first release was ''Alien'' (1982) for the Atari 2600, inspired heavily by ''Pac-Man''. A second adaptation of the first film was released in 1984.
The sequel, ''Aliens'' was adapted into four different video games: two different 1986 games titled ''Aliens: The Computer Game'', one of them a collection of minigames by Activision, and the other one a first-person shooter by Software Studios; as well as two different games titled ''Aliens'', a 1987 MSX platformer by Square and a the other one a 1990 arcade shoot 'em up by Konami.
Acclaim Entertainment released three different games based on ''Alien 3''; two different run and gun platformers - one for consoles in 1992, another for the SNES a year later - and a Game Boy adventure game in 1993. Sega also released a light gun arcade game ''Alien 3: The Gun'' in 1993. Acclaim's first-person shooter ''Alien Trilogy'' was released in 1996 and their adaptation of ''Alien Resurrection'' was released in 2000 as a PlayStation first-person shooter.
Other ''Alien'' games include Mindscape's adventure game ''Aliens: A Comic Book Adventure'' (1995), the first-person shooter ''Aliens Online'' (1998), the Game Boy Color action game ''Aliens: Thanatos Encounter'' (2001), the mobile phone game ''Aliens: Unleashed'' (2003), and the arcade game ''Aliens: Extermination'' (2006). In 2014, Play Mechanix and Raw Thrills released ''Aliens: Armageddon'', a rail gun first person shooter that hit arcades soon after.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://rawthrills.com/games/aliens-armageddon/|title=Aliens Armageddon™ – Raw Thrills, Inc. |access-date=2019-04-28}}</ref> Between 2016 and 2017, Zen Studios released downloadable content packs in a product line called ''"Alien vs. Pinball"'', featuring three virtual pinball tables based around the ''Alien'' and ''Alien vs. Predator'' franchises for ''Zen Pinball 2'', ''Pinball FX 2'' and ''Pinball FX 3''.<ref>{{cite web | access-date = December 24, 2019 | url = https://www.polygon.com/2016/4/12/11416636/aliens-vs-pinball-zen-studios | title = Aliens vs. Pinball pits xenomorphs against flippers on 'Alien Day' | website = Polygon | last = Michael | first = McWhertor | date = April 12, 2016}}</ref>
In 2006, Sega made a deal with Fox Licensing to release two ''Alien'' video games for sixth generation consoles.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/news/6162961.html |title=Aliens to spawn on next-gen systems |website=GameSpot |date=December 11, 2006 |access-date=January 27, 2008 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071013060316/http://www.gamespot.com/news/6162961.html |archive-date=October 13, 2007}}</ref> The first was ''Aliens: Colonial Marines'', a first-person shooter by Gearbox Software that was released in 2013 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.ign.com/games/aliens-colonial-marines/xbox-360-868803|title=Aliens: Colonial Marines still alive, DS edition planned|website=GameSpot|date=June 15, 2009|access-date=August 16, 2009}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://gbxforums.gearboxsoftware.com/showthread.php?t=122193 |title=Aliens: Colonial Marines shipping Spring 2012 and will be at E3 + Teaser Trailer – Gearbox Software Forums |publisher=Gbxforums.gearboxsoftware.com |date=June 1, 2011 |access-date=July 20, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605192545/http://gbxforums.gearboxsoftware.com/showthread.php?t=122193 |archive-date=June 5, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> The game is set between ''Aliens'' and ''Alien 3'', following a group of marines sent to investigate the ''Sulaco'' who wound up crash-landing on LV-426.<ref name="screwup">{{cite web | url=http://www.gamefront.com/all-the-ways-aliens-colonial-marines-breaks-the-aliens-story/ | title=All the Ways Aliens: Colonial Marines Breaks the 'Aliens' Story | publisher=Game Front | first=Phil| last=Hornshaw | date=February 16, 2013 | access-date=April 4, 2013}}</ref><ref name="canon">{{cite web | url=http://au.pc.gamespy.com/pc/sega-alien-shooter/1227452p1.html | title=How Aliens: Colonial Marines Seriously Screws Up Alien Lore | publisher=GameSpy | first=Mike| last=Sharkey | date=February 20, 2013 | access-date=April 4, 2013}}</ref>
The second was ''Alien: Isolation'', a survival-horror game by Creative Assembly that follows Ripley's daughter, Amanda, who is stranded aboard an Alien-infested space station. The game experienced a long development cycle, with it finally being released in late 2014 for seventh generation consoles.<ref name="Edge feature">{{cite magazine |access-date=December 7, 2019 |url=http://www.edge-online.com/features/how-creative-assembly-convinced-sega-to-greenlight-alien-isolation/ |title=How Creative Assembly convinced Sega to greenlight Alien: Isolation |magazine=Edge-Online |date= January 14, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140120165933/http://www.edge-online.com/features/how-creative-assembly-convinced-sega-to-greenlight-alien-isolation/ |archive-date=20 January 2014 |url-status=dead}}</ref> During the prolonged development of ''Alien: Isolation'', Sega also released a Nintendo DS game ''Aliens Infestation'' in 2011.<ref name="Aliens: Infestation gamespot">{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/aliens-infestation-review/1900-6346310/ |title=Aliens: Infestation review |website=GameSpot |date=July 20, 2011 |first=Kevin |last=VanOrd |access-date=July 22, 2011 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131015103257/http://www.gamespot.com/reviews/aliens-infestation-review/1900-6346310/ |archive-date=October 15, 2013}}</ref> Furthermore, a spin-off featuring Amanda Ripley called ''Alien: Blackout'' was released for mobile devices in 2019.<ref name="Alien Blackout review">{{cite web |access-date = December 7, 2019 |url=https://www.polygon.com/reviews/2019/1/24/18194708/alien-blackout-review-ios-android |title=Alien: Blackout's clever premise never leads to a substantial game |website=Polygon |author=Andrew Hayward |date=January 24, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190203085812/https://www.polygon.com/reviews/2019/1/24/18194708/alien-blackout-review-ios-android |archive-date=3 February 2019 |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name=":0">{{Cite web |title=Instagram |url=https://www.instagram.com/p/DA08iYSMqn1/ |access-date=2024-10-07 |website=www.instagram.com}}</ref>
''Aliens: Dark Descent'', a real-time strategy game developed by Tindalos Interactive in collaboration with Disney's 20th Century Games and published by Focus Entertainment was announced during the Summer Game Fest in June 2022<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.eurogamer.net/aliens-dark-descent-is-a-squad-based-single-player-action-game-for-pc-and-consoles|title=Aliens: Dark Descent bringing "squad-based, single-player action" to PC and consoles|first=Matt|last=Wales|work=Eurogamer|date=June 9, 2022|accessdate=October 30, 2022}}</ref> and was released on June 20, 2023.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2023/03/23/aliens-dark-descent-gets-gameplay-trailer-and-june-release-date|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230325161257/https://www.gameinformer.com/2023/03/23/aliens-dark-descent-gets-gameplay-trailer-and-june-release-date|url-status=live|archive-date=March 25, 2023|title=Aliens: Dark Descent Gets Gameplay Trailer And June Release Date|first=Marcus|last=Stewart|magazine=Game Informer|date=March 23, 2023|access-date=April 2, 2023}}</ref> The Dark Descent story is set 19 years after the events of the original trilogy films. It received generally positive reviews from critics.
On October 7, 2024, the 10 year anniversary of the aforementioned ''Alien: Isolation''<nowiki/>'s release, Sega and Creative Assembly announced that a sequel to Alien: Isolation was in early development.<ref name=":0" />
On December 19, 2024, Survios developed and published ''Alien: Rogue Incursion'', a virtual reality game.<ref>{{cite web |last=Maas |first=Jennifer |date=2024-10-28 |title=How 'Alien: Rogue Incursion' VR Game Is Building Out New Xenomorph Lore Without Screwing Up 'Romulus' Film Franchise or New TV Series Plans |url=https://variety.com/2024/gaming/news/alien-rogue-incursion-vr-video-game-romulus-film-fx-tv-series-1236192498/ |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=Variety}}</ref> On September 30, 2025, the ''Evolved Edition'' was released as a non-VR version of the game.<ref>{{cite web |last=Wales |first=Matt |date=2025-05-08 |title=Alien: Rogue Incursion is getting a non-VR release later this year |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/alien-rogue-incursion-is-getting-a-non-vr-release-later-this-year |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=Eurogamer.net}}</ref> ''Alien: Rogue Incursion'' is the first of a two-part story, with a second game in development.<ref>{{cite web |last=Flores |first=Johnny Jr. |date=2024-12-20 |title=Alien Rogue Incursion's Description Stealthily Updated To Be Two-Part Game |url=https://www.thegamer.com/alien-rogue-incursion-alien-virtual-reality-vr-two-part-game-update/ |access-date=2025-10-14 |website=TheGamer}}</ref>
===Merchandising=== Despite ''Alien'' being widely considered a mature and non child-appropriate series, merchandise — including action figures, board games and role-playing games — has been manufactured and marketed to a wide range of age groups. Prior to the release of the first film, 20th Century Fox executives signed a deal with Kenner Products, for the production of a board game called ''Alien Game'', as well as action figures, marketed for being family-friendly. Following the release of the film and the outcry from parents about its nature of being a graphic and mature horror film, the product lines were abruptly cancelled.<ref>{{cite web | access-date = January 7, 2020 | url = https://www.dreadcentral.com/last-toys-on-the-left/262691/whatever-happened-original-line-alien-1979-toys/ | title = Whatever Happened to the Original Line of Alien (1979) Toys? | website = Dread Central | last = Sprague | first = Mike | date = December 21, 2017}}</ref> The merchandising efforts for the franchise remained largely stagnant until the release of the more action-based sequel, ''Aliens'', seven years later. From thereon out, merchandise has been produced on a rolling, ongoing basis.<ref name = "EarlyKenner">{{cite web | access-date = January 7, 2020 | url = https://comicsalliance.com/operation-aliens-kenner-alien-toys/ | title = The Failed 'Aliens' Cartoon and the Kenner Toys It Inspired | website = ComicsAlliance | last = Brown | first = Luke | date = April 26, 2016}}</ref>
From the franchise's inception until Kenner's closure in 2000, the company was a major manufacturer of ''Alien'' action figures. From 1992 to 1995, Kenner produced a line of action figures dubbed ''Aliens'', initially intended to promote a cancelled animated series called ''Operation: Aliens''.<ref name = "EarlyKenner"/> In 1996, Galoob released the Micro Machines ''Alien'' line of miniature toys, but ceased production the following year, due in large to the violent and graphic nature of its packaging art.<ref>{{cite web | access-date = January 7, 2020 | url = https://entertainment.howstuffworks.com/10-embarrassing-movie-tie-in-toys.htm | title = 10 Embarrassing Movie Tie-in Toys | website = HowStuffWorks | last = Turner | first = Bambi | date = November 24, 2014}}</ref> Following the founding of Hong Kong collectible toy company Hot Toys, one of the first lines the company began producing was ''Alien''.<ref>{{cite news | access-date = January 7, 2020 | url = https://www.scmp.com/news/hong-kong/article/1710819/king-collectibles-how-hong-kong-toy-maker-turned-his-hobby-global | title = King of collectibles: how a Hong Kong toy maker turned his hobby into a global empire | publisher = South China Morning Post | last = Yu | first = Alan | date = February 16, 2015}}</ref> In 2014, Funko released a line of action figures heavily inspired by the original 1979 Kenner line called ReAction.<ref>{{cite web | access-date = January 7, 2020 | url = https://www.geek.com/geek-cetera/firefly-banknotes-vinyl-captain-mal-and-old-school-alien-figure-in-september-loot-crate-1605376/ | title = Firefly banknotes, old-school Alien action figure in September Loot Crate | website = Geek.com | last = Greenwald | first = Will | date = September 26, 2014 | archive-date = December 16, 2015 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20151216132915/http://www.geek.com/geek-cetera/firefly-banknotes-vinyl-captain-mal-and-old-school-alien-figure-in-september-loot-crate-1605376/ | url-status = dead }}</ref> In the 2010s, the National Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA) took a prominent role in the manufacturing of ''Alien'' action figures, with the majority being largely inspired by the Kenner line of action figures, as well as new additions depicting the prequel films and crossover continuities, such as ''Alien vs. Predator'' and ''Superman/Aliens''.<ref>{{cite web | access-date = January 7, 2020 | url = https://www.forbes.com/sites/lukethompson/2019/03/09/aliens-kenner-neca-apone/ | title = Toy Review: Kenner's Imaginary 'Aliens' Of The '90s Get Remade Movie-Style | website = Forbes | last = Thompson | first = Luke Y. | date = March 9, 2019}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/toys/3564624/one-necas-sdcc-exclusives-will-incredible-superman-vs-alien-action-figure-set/|title=One of NECA's SDCC Exclusives Will Be This Incredible "Superman vs. Alien" Action Figure Set!|last=Squires|first=John|date=May 31, 2019|website=Bloody Disgusting |access-date=January 7, 2020}}</ref>
Following Kenner's ill-fated first foray into the board game market with ''Alien Game'', merchandising efforts in the medium were stagnant, until Leading Edge Games released the cooperative game ''Aliens'' in 1989.<ref>{{cite web | title = Game over, man: Sons of Anarchy, Star Trek: Ascendancy and Firefly: The Game studio working on a co-op Aliens game | url = https://www.tabletopgaming.co.uk/news/game-over-man-sons-of-anarchy-star-trek-ascendancy-and-firefly-the-game-studio-working-on-a-co-op-aliens-game/ | website = Tabletop Gaming | date = February 22, 2018 | access-date = January 7, 2020}}</ref> Leading Edge Games released ''Aliens Adventure Game'' in 1991, to mixed reviews and commentary that states it functions closer to a board game than a traditional tabletop RPG.<ref>{{cite book|last=Schick |first=Lawrence|author-link=Lawrence Schick|title=Heroic Worlds: A History and Guide to Role-Playing Games|publisher=Prometheus Books |year=1991|isbn=0-87975-653-5 |page=302}}</ref><ref>{{cite journal|last=Swan|first=Rick|author-link=Rick Swan| date=July 1992 |title=Roleplaying Reviews|journal=Dragon|publisher=TSR, Inc.|issue=183|pages=52–53}}</ref> In 1993, British toy company Peter Pan Playthings Ltd released a board game called ''Operation: Aliens — Combat Game'', in which up to four players play as Colonial Marines and compete to reach the center of the board and self-destruct the Alien-infested facility.<ref>{{cite web | last = Kleckner | first = Stephen | title = Games of the Alien franchise, Part 1: The bad, the canceled, and the weirdly cool | url = https://venturebeat.com/2014/10/06/games-of-the-alien-franchise-part-1-the-bad-the-canceled-and-the-weirdly-cool/ | website = VentureBeat | date = October 6, 2014 | access-date = January 7, 2020 | archive-date = September 22, 2019 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20190922100935/https://venturebeat.com/2014/10/06/games-of-the-alien-franchise-part-1-the-bad-the-canceled-and-the-weirdly-cool/ | url-status = dead }}</ref> In December 2019, Swedish publisher Free League Publishing released a tabletop role-playing game called ''Alien: The Role-Playing Game'', featuring two game modes.<ref>{{Cite web | date = December 10, 2019 | last = Wilson | first = Mike | title = Free League Publishing Releases New 'Alien' Tabletop RPG Game | url = https://bloody-disgusting.com/video-games/3597197/free-league-publishing-releases-new-alien-tabletop-rpg-game/ | access-date = January 7, 2020 }}</ref> An upcoming licensed board game titled ''Alien: USCSS Nostromo'' is set for release in 2020. However, in 2018, a French board game designer named François Bachelart accused the game's publisher, Wonder Dice, of theft of a game concept he pitched to them years prior. Wonder Dice published a press release, in which they threatened to sue anyone who would question their legal practices.<ref>{{cite web | last = Plunkett | first = Luke | title = Alien Board Game Accused Of Plagiarism, Publisher Threatens To Sue Critics | url = https://kotaku.com/alien-board-game-accused-of-plagiarism-1825551686 | website = Kotaku | date = April 26, 2018 | access-date = January 7, 2020}}</ref>
===Theme park attractions=== An ''Alien''-themed attraction debuted at the Genting SkyWorlds Theme Park in Malaysia in February 2022.<ref>{{cite web | access-date = February 10, 2020 | url = https://www.gentingskyworlds.com/ | title = Genting SkyWorlds | website = Genting SkyWorlds}}</ref> The Park, previously known as '20th Century Fox World', has faced significant delays during construction, however, a licensing deal with Fox and new parent company The Walt Disney Company was reached. Pre-show footage of the ride was released online, and appears to detail a Weyland-Yutani themed drop tower attraction.<ref>{{cite web | access-date = February 10, 2020 | url = https://themeparkportal.com/video-genting-skyworlds-alien-attraction-pre-show-footage-surfaces/ | title = VIDEO: Genting SkyWorlds Alien Attraction Pre-Show Footage Surfaces | website = Theme Park Portal }}{{Dead link|date=July 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref>
''Alien'' was also previously represented in The Great Movie Ride at Disney's Hollywood Studios at Walt Disney World from 1989 until the attraction's closure in 2017.<ref>{{Cite web|title=The Great Movie Ride - Disney's Hollywood Studios|url=https://wdwinfo.com/wdwinfo/guides/mgm/st-movieride.htm|access-date=2021-07-26|website=wdwinfo.com}}</ref> The attraction featured a scene based on the first film, in which riders were taken through the ''Nostromo'', encountering Audio-Animatronic representations of Ripley and a Xenomorph.
==''Alien vs. Predator'' franchise== {{Main|Alien vs. Predator}}
Inspired by the Dark Horse Comics series, the filmmakers of ''Predator 2'' (1990) incorporated an easter egg in which an Alien skull was seen in a Predator trophy case. Expansions upon this shared universe between the ''Alien'' and ''Predator'' franchises followed through comics and video games, leading up to the launch of a film franchise with the release of ''Alien vs. Predator'' in 2004, followed by ''Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem'' in 2007. The franchise has spawned various comics, novels, video games, and other merchandise based upon or inspired by the films. A third film has been variously rumored since the production of ''Requiem''.<ref name="Holtreman"/><ref name="Fox Brewing Alien vs. Predator 3?"/><ref name="slashfilm.com"/> In mid-2018, Shane Black, the director of ''The Predator'', expressed his belief that a third ''Alien vs. Predator'' could still happen, indicating the studio's interest in both franchises, with Françoise Yip then reprising her role as Cullen Yutani from ''Requiem'' in a silent cameo appearance in ''The Predator'', after her speaking scenes were cut.
===''The Predator'' (2018)=== {{Main|The Predator (film)}}
Stuntwoman Breanna Watkins, in scenes that were filmed but not used, portrayed a masked Ellen Ripley in one alternate ending of Shane Black's ''The Predator'' (2018), and an unmasked adult Rebecca "Newt" Jorden in a second alternate ending, meant to tie the main ''Predator'' franchise to the ''Alien'' franchise in which the characters first appeared, in a manner separate from the pre-existing ''Alien vs. Predator'' franchise and incorporating the plot element of time travel; Watkins later elaborated that of the two roles portrayed, while she was serving as a stand-in for Ellen Ripley ahead of a failed attempt at a Sigourney Weaver cameo, that she had actually portrayed Newt Jorden in the original ending, and had been in early discussions about potentially reprising the role in a potential ''Alien vs. Predator''-focused sequel to ''The Predator''.<ref name="ripleydeleted">{{cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3539714/one-alternate-ending-filmed-predator-featured-arrival-ellen-ripley/|title=[Images] One Alternate Ending Filmed for 'The Predator' Featured the Arrival of… Ellen Ripley?!|last=Squires|first=John|website=Bloody Disgusting|date=December 29, 2018|access-date=December 29, 2018}}</ref><ref name="newtdeleted">{{cite web|url=https://io9.gizmodo.com/in-space-no-one-can-hear-you-scream-about-ripley-or-ne-1831429482/|title=In Space, No One Can Hear You Scream About Ripley or Newt Almost Being in ''The Predator''|last=Elderkin|first=Beth|website=io9|date=January 2, 2019|access-date=January 2, 2019}}</ref>
=== ''Predator: Badlands'' (2025) === {{Main|Predator: Badlands}}
The release of the trailer to the Predator movie Predator: Badlands would reveal Elle Fanning portrays dual roles of Thia and Tessa whom as robot synthetics, the Weyland-Yutani corporation is also featured integrating element from the Alien series into a Predator movie.
==See also== {{Portalbar|United States|Film|Comics|Books|Video games|Toys|Science fiction|Speculative fiction/Horror|1970s|1980s|1990s|2000s|2010s|2020s}} * List of films featuring extraterrestrials * List of monster movies * List of space science fiction franchises {{Clear}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==Further reading== {{Refbegin}} * ''Alien Woman: The Making of Lt. Ellen Ripley'' (by Ximena Gallardo C. and C. Jason Smith, Continuum, 272 pages, 2004, {{ISBN|0-8264-1910-0}}) * ''The Book of Alien'' (by Paul Scanlon and Michael Gross, Star Books, 112 pages, 1979, {{ISBN|0-352-30422-7}}, Titan Books, 2003, {{ISBN|1-85286-483-4}}) * ''Making of Alien Resurrection'' (by Andrew Murdock and Rachel Aberly, Harper Prism, 1997 {{ISBN|0-06-105378-3}}) * ''The Complete Aliens Companion'' (by Paul Sammon, Harper Prism, 1998, {{ISBN|0-06-105385-6}}) * ''The Alien Quartet: A Bloomsbury Movie Guide'' (by David Earl Thomson, Bloomsbury Publishing, 208 pages, 1999, {{ISBN|1-58234-030-7}}, as ''The Alien Quartet (Pocket Movie Guide)'', 2000 {{ISBN|0-7475-5181-2}}) * ''Beautiful Monsters: The Unofficial and Unauthorized Guide to the Alien and Predator Films'' (by David A. McIntee, Telos, 272 pages, 2005, {{ISBN|1-903889-94-4}}) * ''Alien Vault: The Definitive Story of the Making of The Film'' (By Ian Nathan) 2011, 176 pages. Includes inserts with sticker, mini posters, art and storyboards, Blueprints and other material. {{ISBN|9780760341124}} {{Refend}}
==External links== {{Wikiquote}} {{commons category}}
{{Alien (franchise)}} {{Alien vs. Predator (franchise)}} {{Dan O'Bannon}} {{Disney franchises}} {{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Alien}} Category:Alien (franchise) Category:American film series Category:Action film franchises Category:Horror film franchises Category:Science fiction film franchises Category:Science fiction horror film series Category:Film franchises introduced in 1979 Category:20th Century Studios franchises Category:Fiction about parasites