Every ‘Alien’ Movie, Ranked From Worst to Best

The very first Alien in 1979 described its central character as a “perfect organism” with a “structural perfection” that “is matched only by its hostility.” And while not every Alien movie has been structurally perfect, their hostility toward humanity (and especially poor Sigourney Weaver) might be unmatched among big Hollywood franchises.

There are now nine Alien movies, provided you count the two Alien vs. Predator films. What’s most impressive about these films is their overall consistency (provided you don’t count the two Alien vs. Predator films). The series has had its ups and downs, but it’s been reliable through the years in going above and beyond simple rehashes of Ridley Scott’s 1979 original. The subsequent movies pushed the material into new genres, explored different themes, and gave us novel and increasingly disgusting iterations of the all-important Xenomorph. (It helps when you have directors of the caliber of James Cameron and David Fincher working on the material.)

But which Alien reigns supreme? Which one do you want to hug to your face and give a big slobbery Xenomorph extending-tongue kiss? (Sorry.) In the list below, I’ve ranked all nine Alien (and AVP) films through 2024’s Alien: Romulus from worst to best. The bottom is, at least in my opinion, very easy and obvious. Ranking the top two … that’s where it can get a little tricky. You can send me your most acidic comments about my choice via social media.