How to Watch Alien: Romulus (and Where to Binge Every Alien Movie Beforehand)

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Hollywood is brimming with sequels, reboots, reimaginings, and requels these days — and even extraterrestrials aren't immune from catching sequel fever. Enter: Alien: Romulus, the ninth(!) installment in the long-running sci-fi/horror franchise. This time, the story is set between the events of Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), providing an easier entry point for newcomers who haven't seen the entire series. In anticipation of the new film, let's explore how to watch Alien: Romulus and where to binge all the other Alien movies for its release on Aug. 16. No spacecraft required — we promise.

The Alien saga has launched the careers of some of Hollywood's biggest directors. The impressive roster of A-listers who have helmed an Alien film includes Ridley Scott (Alien, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant), James Cameron (Aliens, Titanic) and David Fincher (Alien 3, Fight Club). Now, modern master of horror Fede Alvarez joins their ranks as the writer and director of Alien: Romulus. Alvarez, known for his highly suspenseful Don't Breathe (2016) and the ultra-bloodyEvil Dead reboot (2013), also produced and wrote the story for Texas Chainsaw Massacre for Netflix in 2022. With a resume like that, the latest installment in the Alien franchise is in very good horror hands. 

Not only is Alien: Romulus expected to revitalize the franchise on the big screen, but there's also a prequel television series, Alien: Earth, starring Timothy Olyphant, currently in production for Hulu. We'll keep you updated on the latest streaming options for both as they become available.

In the meantime, there are plenty of ways to binge all the Alien movies before you catch Alien: Romulus in theaters.

Here are just a few of the streaming platforms you can find the Alien movies playing on:

• Hulu
• Hulu as part of Disney+
• Sling TV
• Prime Video

So, before you head to a theater, let's break down how to watch every Alien movie right from the comfort of your own home (or spaceship).

How to Watch Alien: Romulus (2024)

Set after the events of Alien (1979), Alien: Romulus follows a group of young colonists who stumble upon a derelict space station and soon find themselves confronting the terror of the alien creature. The film stars Cailee Spaeny (Civil War, Priscilla), Isabela Merced (Transformers: The Last Knight), and Archie Renaux (Morbius).

So, where can you stream Alien: Romulus? Well, it's not on streaming quite yet, however since Alien: Romulus is a 20th Century Studios/Disney-owned property, and with the upcoming Alien television series set to debut on Hulu in 2025, it's likely that Alien: Romulus will eventually be available to stream on Hulu (which is also owned by Disney). However, no official announcements have been made yet. We'll keep you updated on the streaming options as they become available. 

How to Watch Alien (1979)

The seminal sci-fi classic Alien, set in the distant future, introduced the world to one of cinema's greatest "final girls": Ellen Ripley. Played by Sigourney Weaver, the character is a warrant officer aboard the Nostromo spaceship, which is en route to Earth. However, their journey is interrupted when a transmission of unknown origin diverts them to a nearby planetoid, forcing the craft to make a rough landing. Unbeknownst to the crew, they have stumbled upon the hive of an unknown creature that is on the hunt for warm bodies.

Ridley Scott's Alien grossed $78 million on a budget of $11 million, making it the fifth highest-grossing movie of 1979, following Superman, The Amityville Horror, Rocky II, and Star Trek: The Motion Picture.

How to Watch Aliens (1986)

Often hailed as one of the best sequels of all time, Aliens takes the intensity established in the first film and cranks it up to 100. Director James Cameron, who was riding high after the success of The Terminator just a year earlier, delivered an action-packed sequel that brought back Sigourney Weaver's iconic character, Ripley. In Aliens, Ripley awakens on a medical space station 57 years after the events of the first film, only to discover that those in charge are eager to retrieve her previous ship — leading to a violent meet-cute with the face-huggers. 

How to Watch Alien 3 (1992)

Following her landmark Academy-Award nominated performance in Aliens, Sigourney Weaver returns as Ripley in Alien 3, where she crash-lands on the maximum-security prison planet Fiorina 161. The situation quickly turns into a death sentence when it's revealed she didn't arrive alone. Alien 3 marks the feature directorial debut of David Fincher (Fight Club, Se7en, The Social Network), whose knack for visual precision shines throughout the film.  

How to Watch Alien: Resurrection (1997)

Much like Michael Myers and Laurie Strode in Halloween, the Aliens and Ellen Ripley are inseparable icons of the genre. But eventually, all rivalries must come to an end. The fourth installment of the Alien saga marks Sigourney Weaver's final outing as Ripley. Her wild send-off, which takes place 200 years after Alien 3, introduces a clone of Ripley, who is part of an effort to study and ultimately defeat the alien creatures. However, when the aggressive subject, er subjects, escape, chaos and carnage ensue.

Alien: Resurrection grossed $47.7 million on a budget of $75 million, and rumors of a fifth film were quickly put to rest. Needless to say, this put the Alien franchise on hold for the better half of a decade.

How to Watch Alien vs. Predator (2004)

What happens when two sci-fi titans face-off in a bloody battle to the end? Well, you get Alien vs. Predator. The film follows a team of archaeologists to Antarctica as they uncover something — or rather, some things, very inhuman lurking beneath the icy surface. 

Released one year after slasher icons Freddy Krueger from A Nightmare on Elm Street and Jason Voorhees from Friday the 13th fought to the death in Freddy vs. Jason, Alien vs. Predator joined the cinematic "versus" trend and found considerable box office success, grossing $177.4 million worldwide.

How to Watch Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)

Picking up right where the previous film left off, the battle between species continues — only this time, the war comes stateside. Set in rural Colorado, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem places an unsuspecting town right in the middle of the extraterrestrial carnage, forcing a handful of its residents to fight for survival. Although it wasn't as successful at the box office as its "versus" predecessor, the movie still managed to make $130.2 million worldwide. Oh, and who ultimately won in the iconic match, you ask? You'll have to watch to find out.

How to Watch Prometheus (2012)

When it came time to make the seventh installment in the Alien cinematic saga, the franchise hit the reset button in a big way. For starters, Ridley Scott, who helmed the original film, returned to the director's chair, and he assembled an A-list cast that included Michael Fassbender, Charlize Theron, Idris Elba, Guy Pearce, and Noomi Rapace.

Set in the same universe as the Alien films, the movie centers on a crew aboard the spacecraft Prometheus who embark on a quest to discover the origins of humanity. Along the way, they end up uncovering a threat that could lead to the extinction of mankind. The gamble paid off, with the film grossing over $403 million at the global box office — making it the highest-grossing film in the Alien franchise to date.

How to Watch Alien: Covenant (2017)

In Alien: Covenant, the crew of a colony ship discovers a remote planet that appears to be paradise. However, their hopes are quickly dashed as their landing turns into a harrowing fight for survival when they realize the planet harbors a deadly threat. One of the film's standout moments is a relentless field attack sequence that ranks among the franchise's most memorable scenes. Additionally, the plot's exploration of AI takes on a new, and perhaps even more alarming, significance when viewed through a modern-day lens.

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