The Complete Alien Franchise Timeline Defined

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Within the annals of cinematic historical past, few franchises can rival the longevity or inventive variance of the “Alien” saga. Born from Ridley Scott’s magnificent 1979 shocker “Alien,” this sci-fi horror franchise launched audiences to H.R. Giger’s splendidly nightmarish creature — the Xenomorph. A double-jawed monstrosity, drenched in slime and armed with acid blood, razor-sharp instincts, and a twisted type of intelligence, this so-called “good organism” has terrorized humanity throughout the galaxy for hundreds of years.

Whereas the creature’s escapades have ranged from genre-defining highs (“Aliens”) to unlucky lows (“Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem”), the Xenomorph stays an astonishing cultural icon, persevering with to hang-out us by movies, books, comics, and shortly, an FX tv sequence helmed by Noah Hawley.

Nonetheless, with a lot materials throughout so many mediums, it is simple to lose observe of the timeline — or to marvel how one story connects to a different. Worry not, the next article affords a deep dive into your complete “Alien” franchise timeline, making it simpler to piece collectively the saga’s sprawling historical past. Learn on… in the event you dare.

Paul W.S. Anderson’s “Alien vs. Predator” and Greg & Colin Strause’s “Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem” had been kind of wiped from the canonical timeline as soon as “Prometheus” hit theaters, however we’ll embrace them on the record only for reference’s sake. Each movies happen on Earth in 2004, marking the earliest encounter with the dreaded Xenomorph on our house planet.

Nicely, scratch that. In line with “AvP,” Predators constructed pyramids throughout the globe round 2,996 B.C., the place aliens had been bred and hunted for sport. People led by Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen) uncover a temple buried in Antarctica and wind up in the course of a warfare between the 2 extra-terrestrial species. A fierce battle ensues, and lots of people die in what quantities to a foolish retread of higher movies.   

Finally, a bunch of Predators arrive and carry an contaminated Predator onto their ship, resulting in the creation of the Predalien and the abomination often called “Aliens v Predator: Requiem.” Naturally, amidst the chaos, the ship crash lands close to Gunnison, Colorado, the Predalien escapes and provides delivery to extra aliens, which overrun the tiny city. Colonel Stevens, an agent of the Yutani Coporation, calls in a nuclear strike that wipes out the city, leaving solely a handful of survivors to inform their story in sequels that by no means took place as a result of this film was f****** terrible. 

As a facet, an entire slew of “AvP” comics exist that do a significantly better job conveying this legendary battle.

Previous to the discharge of “Prometheus,” Ridley Scott teased audiences with a sequence of promotional movies that added slightly extra context to the movie’s story and characters. Dubbed “The Peter Weyland Recordsdata,” or “Weyland Archives,” these brief movies featured Man Pearce as a younger Peter Weyland delivering a philosophical TED Discuss the way forward for expertise and humanity. Set within the yr 2023, this temporary speech references every little thing from the fallen god Prometheus to synthetic intelligence and godhood, establishing the billionaire’s want to look the celebs for our creators.

One other video options Michael Fassbender’s David android mannequin in a mock industrial highlighting his capabilities, manufactured persona, and emotional mimicry. A 3rd introduces us to Noomi Rapace’s Dr. Elizabeth Shaw and sees the plucky scientist reaching out to the Weyland Company to share her want to seek out humanity’s creators — seemingly the video that satisfied Peter Weyland to recruit her for the “Prometheus” voyage.

Different fascinating tidbits launched embrace a Weyland Industries timeline detailing the rise of the formidable tech large, and a Weyland Company web site containing additional lore like mission logs, employees profiles, and different enjoyable particulars. Finally, the canonical “Alien” timeline begins right here, resulting in the “Prometheus” expedition in 2093.

Okay, we lied. If we actually needed to be nit-picky, the beginning of the “Alien” saga started billions of years in the past, when an Engineer drank mysterious black goo that led to the creation of humanity — an episode seen originally of Ridley Scott’s very divisive “Prometheus.” Flash ahead to 2089, the place Dr. Elizabeth Shaw and a crew of archaeologists uncover an historic cave on the Isle of Skye with coordinates that information them to the Engineers. Someplace between this second and the beginning of “Prometheus” in 2093, Shaw sends her message to the Weyland Company and joins the Prometheus expedition.

Within the movie, Shaw and the ill-fated crew of the Prometheus uncover an Engineer ship on the moon LV-223, together with a considerable arsenal of black goo that seems to have been created to wipe out humanity. One other battle commences — one full of quite a few nonsensical plot contrivances, a lot of that are concocted by the maniacal android David — and everybody besides Shaw and David is killed. Our pair of survivors then boards one other Engineer ship and flies off into house, seemingly intent on finding the Engineer house world.

We additionally get take a look at an early Xenomorph, recognized in canon because the Deacon, created after Shaw’s alien child — it is a lengthy story — sucks face with an Engineer. Presumably, the Engineers designed the aliens as bioweapons; a foolhardy errand that left loads of their very own on the fallacious facet of mortality.

This is the place the enjoyable actually begins. Set roughly a decade after the occasions of “Prometheus,” “Alien: Covenant” continues the exploits of David, the evil artificial hell-bent on enacting revenge in opposition to his creators — particularly, humanity. Utilizing analysis gained by finding out the Engineers, David genetically creates the ovomorph (egg) and facehugger by experimenting on the Engineers and different lifeforms (together with Dr. Elizabeth Shaw) through the use of the black goo taken from LV-223. He then sends a sign that beckons the crew of the USCSS Covenant to his location on Planet 4, the Engineers’ house world.

Led by Chris Oram (Billy Crudup) and Daniels (Katherine Waterston), the Covenant crew discovers David’s crashed ship and learns how he annihilated the native inhabitants. Finally, they fall into the vile android’s lure and turn out to be a part of his merciless experiments that result in the Neomorph and later the Protomorph — the latter of which seems similar to the basic monster seen within the unique “Alien.”

As of now, we do not know David’s destiny. “Covenant” concludes with him in charge of the titular ship, together with Daniels and Tennessee (Danny McBride), who will seemingly now determine into his experiments. Ridley Scott has already said that he has nothing left to supply the franchise, however that is definitely a storyline in dire want of a conclusion.

Now we bounce to FX’s “Alien: Earth.” Set two years earlier than “Alien,” in 2120, the TV sequence follows a bunch of tactical troopers as they discover a crashed ship seemingly carrying the dreaded Xenomorph. Whereas we do not know a lot about this fascinating mission, creator Noah Hawley has said his want to disregard the occasions of “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant,” as a substitute specializing in the mythology of “Alien.” Judging by the early trailers, he seems to have achieved his goal.

Starring Sydney Chandler, Timothy Olyphant, Alex Lawther, Essie Davis, Lily Newmark, and Samuel Blenkin, “Alien: Earth” has already unveiled a sequence of fascinating trailers that promise to ship the franchise’s trademark creepy horror vibe, together with just a few new twists. If we needed to guess, it is seemingly the occasions that transpire within the sequence set in movement the Weyland-Yutani Company’s want to seize the Xenomorph, main the dreaded firm to ship the USCSS Nostromo on its ill-fated mission into house. 

In line with a number of sources, the Nostromo departed Earth in 2120 — the identical yr “Alien: Earth” is about. A couple of years later, Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) will come face-to-face with the alien for the primary time.

Now we return to 1979, er, bounce ahead to 2122, the place all of it started, with Ridley Scott’s basic field workplace hit “Alien.” Right here, audiences met sequence icon Ellen Ripley and the Xenomorph for the primary time, encountered the mysterious Area Jockey (later retconned as an Engineer), and realized that androids — even these performed by Ian Holm — might pose a higher menace than a slimy, double-jawed extraterrestrial.

Occasions kick off when the USCSS Nostromo, headed again to Earth after a deep-space mission, receives a misery sign from the moon LV-426. The ragtag crew units foot on the desolate rock and discovers a crashed spaceship — one we now know belonged to the Engineers. Inside, they arrive throughout hundreds of eggs, one among which springs to life and infects Kane (John Damage), who subsequently “provides delivery” to the alien. You already know the drill: the creature grows, stalks, and kills the crew one after the other till solely Ripley is left standing, resulting in an exciting showdown that ends with the alien blasted into house. Following her encounter, Ripley enters hypersleep within the Narcissus and drifts away into the darkish reaches of house, presumably en path to Earth.

By now, this components is a component and parcel of the franchise. In 1979, nevertheless, audiences virtually fainted over Scott’s gnarly sci-fi horror. “Alien” set the course for an enchanting — and sometimes irritating — franchise that has but to clear the excessive bar set by its first two entries.

It took 35 years, however we lastly acquired a stable third entry within the “Alien” franchise: 2014’s “Alien: Isolation.” Developed by Inventive Meeting, this survival horror online game journey follows Ellen Ripley’s daughter, Amanda (Andrea Deck), who travels to the house station Sevastopol in 2137 to retrieve the “Nostromo”‘s flight recorder and uncover the reality about her mom’s disappearance. Naturally, she arrives to discover a ravaged station populated by a handful of terrified survivors — and one very nasty alien.

Apparently, a small crew recovered the derelict ship’s coordinates from the flight recorder and set off for LV-426. As anticipated, their expedition leads to a Xenomorph being introduced aboard Sevastopol. Amanda should sneak by the sprawling facility, evading the alien whereas additionally contending with rogue androids and determined, armed civilians to be able to survive. The sport ends together with her destroying Sevastopol and drifting into house. Although her final destiny is left ambiguous within the sport, “Aliens” later reveals that Amanda Ripley died on December 23, 2178.

An thrilling love letter to Ridley Scott’s basic, with just a few nods to James Cameron’s “Aliens” thrown in for good measure, “Alien: Isolation” leans closely on established lore with out upending the components. A semi-sequel titled “Alien: Blackout” was launched for cellular gadgets in 2019, and a pair of comedian e-book sequels continued the storyline. As of 2024, Inventive Meeting has confirmed improvement of a full sequel.

So much occurred throughout Ellen Ripley’s lengthy, 57-year voyage by house — together with the occasions of Fede Álvarez’s “Alien: Romulus.” Set in 2142, or 20 years after “Alien,” the movie follows a younger group of Weyland-Yutani employees and their encounter with an entire slew of aliens aboard the derelict house station Renaissance. Led by the fearless Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny) and her android companion (and “brother”) Andy (David Jonsson), the group hopes to steal the Renaissance’s cryostasis tools and escape their bleak existence on the planet LV-410.

Shock, shock! The Renaissance is crawling with aliens genetically derived from the Xenomorph seen in Ridley Scott’s 1979 movie. However wasn’t that creature launched into house by Ripley? Yup. Nevertheless, a Weyland-Yutani probe supposedly retrieved the organism from the Nostromo’s wreckage, the place it had cocooned itself to outlive. (Simply go together with it.) Scientists then used the alien’s DNA to reverse-engineer facehuggers, a mission that shortly went sideways, killing the station’s unique crew together with the unique Xenomorph.

We study all of this from the Renaissance’s science officer, Rook — an Ash lookalike obsessive about “saving” humanity through the use of fluid harvested from the facehuggers to genetically improve people for deep-space survival. It is simply one among a number of callbacks and loads of Easter Eggs from the unique “Alien” and past.

Rain and Andy survive the ordeal after battling a grotesque Engineer/Xenomorph hybrid and set off into house, organising a deliberate sequel. Oh, and in a single remaining twist, they unknowingly brush shoulders with Ripley herself.

Now we get to “The Shadow Archive,” a trilogy of books loosely tied collectively (although the third entry, “Sea of Sorrows,” happens in 2496).

First up is “Alien: Out of the Shadows“, set round 2159, roughly 37 years after the occasions of “Alien.” A mining vessel, the DSMO Marion, orbiting the planet LV-178, experiences a Xenomorph outbreak that cripples the ship and knocks it out of orbit. The surviving crew, together with Chris Hooper, sends out a misery sign which is intercepted by the Narcissus.

Ripley is woke up and should assist her newfound allies escape the Marion earlier than it crashes into the planet, all whereas coping with a harmful complication: Ash’s consciousness, preserved as an AI fragment throughout the Narcissus. In the long run, Ripley is knocked unconscious. Hooper, fearing the psychological injury this second encounter would possibly trigger her, erases her reminiscence and locations her again into hypersleep — none the wiser. Handy.

In the meantime, “Alien: River of Ache” chronicles the autumn of Hadley’s Hope, the ill-fated colony established on LV-426. The story follows Rebecca “Newt” Jorden and her household after Carter Burke (Paul Reiser) orders colonists to research the Derelict spacecraft from “Alien.” This results in the primary facehugger an infection and, inevitably, a full-blown alien outbreak. Because the colony descends into chaos, Newt is left to fend for herself. The novel ends the place “Aliens” begins with the Colonial Marines being dispatched to Hadley’s Hope. A comic book adaptation, “Newt’s Story,” can also be out there.

It is honest to say the “Alien” franchise peaked with its first two installments. Whereas James Cameron’s “Aliens” jettisons a lot of the horror environment of Ridley Scott’s “Alien” in favor of a extra easy action-adventure, it stays a basic follow-up and simply one of many best sequels ever made.

Set in 2179, “Aliens” sees Ellen Ripley’s lengthy journey again to Earth lastly come to an finish 57 years later. Ceaselessly stricken by Xenomorph nightmares, our badass protagonist joins a crew of Colonial Area Marines on a mission to research the Hadley’s Hope colony on LV-426, which has gone radio silent. There, Ripley finds Newt and an entire hive of Xenomorphs that shortly make mince meat of her supporting forged. Along with a meager band of survivors, notably Hicks (Michael Biehn, who now holds a uncommon cinematic honor), the android Bishop (Lance Henriksen), Hudson (Invoice Paxton, who has an analogous honor as Biehn), and Vasquez (Jenette Goldstein), Ripley fights like hell to outlive, nuking LV-426 within the course of.

Finally, she comes face-to-face with an Alien Queen, and the 2 mortal enemies have interaction in a brutal battle — with Ripley utilizing an influence loader to fend off her huge foe. Finally, Ripley tosses the Queen into house, and as soon as once more settles into hypersleep alongside Newt, a wounded Hicks, and Bishop.

“Alien” firmly established the franchise, however “Aliens” takes these concepts to an entire new stage, delivering a pointy, fast-paced motion extravaganza that has but to be topped by any entry launched within the final 40 years.

Ellen Ripley’s third hypersleep journey ends far prior to the earlier two, because of a random (learn: nonsensical) egg the Alien Queen in some way left behind on the Sulaco throughout the climactic battle in “Aliens.” A facehugger emerges, chaos ensues, and Ripley, Newt, Bishop, and Hicks are ejected in an escape pod that crash-lands on the distant penal colony planet Fiorina 161.

Directed by David Fincher – who has since publicly disowned the mission after a troubling manufacturing — “Alien 3” drags the franchise into bleak, nihilistic territory. Fan favorites like Hicks and Newt are killed off-screen, throughout the opening credit, leaving Ripley as soon as once more going through the alien menace alone, aided by a bunch of violent prisoners.

The twist? Ripley is carrying an Alien Queen embryo inside her chest. This results in a strong (and divisive) finale during which she sacrifices herself by leaping right into a vat of molten metallic, guaranteeing the alien species dies together with her. 

Finish of story, proper? Nicely, not precisely.

Within the 2013 online game “Aliens: Colonial Marines,” it is revealed that Hicks did not truly die within the escape pod crash. In line with the sport, he was rescued by Weyland-Yutani personnel, who swapped his physique with one other unknown sufferer and detained him at a black website for interrogation.

The subsequent seven years are fairly eventful within the “Alien” universe. Throughout this period, Michael Bishop repairs the artificial Bishop, upgrading him with a stronger physique that enables him to proceed preventing Xenomorphs alongside a contingent of Colonial Marines — occasions chronicled in the novel “Aliens: Bishop.” 

A couple of years later, in “Alien: Into Charybdis” (2184), a warfare breaks out after a bunch of American engineers arrives at an Iranian-run facility on LV-991, inadvertently triggering a Xenomorph outbreak tied to secret Weyland-Yutani experiments. These occasions carry over into “Alien: Colony Battle” (2186) and introduce characters reminiscent of Shy Hunt and her sister Cher. The story explores the far-reaching implications of Weyland-Yutani’s harmful experimentation on the alien species, which invariably results in dire penalties.

In 2186, “Alien: Inferno’s Fall” depicts colonists on the mining planet Shānmén remodeling into Xenomorph-like creatures after publicity to a mysterious black rain. This disaster prompts an elite crew often called the Jackals, led by Zula Hendricks, to intervene and seek for survivors. “Alien: Enemy of My Enemy” (2187) continues the story, focusing totally on the political aftermath of the occasions in “Inferno’s Fall.”

These tales take a deep dive into the state of the universe, the place wars amongst numerous factions play an integral position within the ongoing Xenomorph menace.

Oddly, the following a number of hundred years are largely missed — besides in comedian books. These standalone tales primarily discover Weyland-Yutani’s relentless pursuit of revenue and energy, typically on the expense of human life and morality. Their obsession with weaponizing the Xenomorph results in reckless experimentation, demise, and widespread disaster. Many comics proceed themes launched within the novels, diving into the conflicts between warring colonial factions, normally set amid a Xenomorph outbreak.

In different phrases, Ellen Ripley wasn’t the one one whose life was screwed over by the Xenomorph.

Excessive factors embrace “Aliens: Thaw” (2195), which completely captures the unique “Alien” vibe, and “Alien Vol. 1: Bloodlines” (2200), an thrilling story with robust characters that continues into “Alien: Revival” (2202). Different entries reminiscent of “Alien: Icarus” (2205), “Alien: Descendant” (2208), “Aliens: Aftermath” (2214), and “Aliens: Useless Orbit” (2295) fill within the narrative hole between “Alien 3” and “Alien Resurrection,” additional increasing the universe.

For extra of an “Aliens” vibe, try “Aliens: Earth Hive” (2192), or its earlier model, “Aliens: Outbreak,” together with its two follow-ups: “Aliens: Nightmare Asylum” (2189) and “Aliens: Feminine Battle.” These tales had been initially supposed as direct sequels to “Aliens” and proceed the adventures of Hicks and Newt — providing a much more satisfying development than “Alien 3.” Alternatively, for a special tackle the third movie, learn William Gibson’s unique script, which has since been tailored into each a comic book and a novel.

Avid gamers in want of a Xenomorph repair can bounce into “Aliens: Darkish Descent” (2198), which picks up 19 years after the unique “Alien” trilogy and follows Colonial Marines as they attempt to stymie an outbreak on the moon Lethe, triggered by the harmful Darwin Period cult. Led by Sergeant Jonas Harper, the badass squad chases down the cult’s chief, a rogue Weyland-Yutani scientist named Joseph Marlow, and offers with every little thing from telepathic daughters to an historic alien metropolis. Like all good Alien tales, our heroes nuke the positioning from orbit and head off into deep house. (Significantly, followers of “Aliens” ought to try this sport.)

“Aliens: Fireteam Elite,” a stable survival horror expertise set in 2202, equally incorporates a squad of Colonial Marines battling Xenomorphs throughout a number of worlds. The mission begins on the orbital refinery station Katanga, the place Weyland-Yutani foolishly experimented with alien eggs and a mutagen known as the Pathogen. The squad should cease a rogue AI from launching an Engineer ship loaded with Pathogen to Earth, all whereas preventing by wave after wave of Xenomorphs in a wide range of terrifying places.

Backing up barely, the VR sport “Alien: Rogue Incursion” (2140) locations players within the sneakers of Zula Hendricks, an ex-Colonial Marine preventing to outlive an alien infestation on the distant mining planet Purdan. The primary a part of a two-part story, Zula kills an Alien Queen solely to be attacked by an artificial, leaving her destiny undetermined.

Over 200 years after “Alien 3,” navy scientists work out a strategy to clone Ellen Ripley, bringing the tough-as-nails heroine again from the lifeless in “Alien Resurrection.”

Nicely, type of.

Ripley 8, as she’s recognized, carries alien-like attributes. She will be able to really feel the beasts transferring aboard the house vessel USM Auriga and exhibits a whole lack of empathy towards her human companions. Sadly, this stable premise falters beneath director Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s over-stylized course and Joss Whedon’s clunky screenplay. Whereas this bonkers entry works as a serviceable B-movie creature characteristic, it fails to seize the magnificence, and ferocity of earlier entries.

At one level, Ripley has intercourse with an alien — sure, actually! — which provides delivery to a nasty trying human/Xeno hybrid, an idea that fails to ship attributable to a very heinous animatronic. A battle ensues, the hybrid is sucked out into house, and our heroes land on Earth — a finale that bugged Whedon — organising a can be sequel that by no means occurred after terrible ticket gross sales.

Regardless of, the story lives on in “Alien: Authentic Sin,” a 2005 novel written by Michael John Friedman introduces a shadowy group known as Loki that spends its days orchestrating Xenomorph outbreaks in trade for advance tech. Ripley and her motley crew dwell to proceed their battle in opposition to this newfound enemy. And this, pricey readers, is the place Ripley’s story ends … for now.

Persevering with our journey into the later levels of the “Alien” universe, “Alien: Sea of Sorrows” follows Ripley 8’s descendant, Alan Decker, who additionally shares a singular connection to the Xenomorphs, as he tries to cease Weyland-Yutani from as soon as once more buying a specimen. Sure, that is proper, tons of of years later, and this friggin’ firm is nonetheless making an attempt to weaponize this lethal alien species, regardless of centuries of carnage and disaster. Take the trace already!

Plot twist: This time, they really succeed. The novel ends on a chilling cliffhanger as Weyland-Yutani secures a dwell Xenomorph, clearly planning to proceed their experiments, seemingly towards creating bioweapons or advancing biotech. At this level, we’re not even mad. Like Wile E. Coyote chasing the Highway Runner, the corporate has been at this for therefore lengthy that you just type of begin rooting for them simply to see what occurs.

Sadly, Alan Decker hasn’t reappeared since. He ends his story debt-free and en route house, however whether or not his actions made any actual distinction stays unclear, making it onerous to really feel too damaged up if you flip the ultimate web page. On the very least, this e-book concludes the “Shadow Archive,” even when the tales are very loosely linked. 

“Aliens: Phalanx” (roughly 2500), a novel by Scott Sigler, stays an important piece of lore for “Alien” fandom, as we lastly see humanity work out easy methods to push again in opposition to the dreaded Xenomorphs — sarcastically, utilizing very primitive strategies.

Far into the longer term, the story’s heroes — Ahiliyah, Brandun, and Creen — are inhabitants of the planet Ataegina, which is caught in a feudalistic state. They spend their days preventing off “demons” (Xenomorphs) that dwell in close by Black Smoke Mountain. Ahiliyah’s folks have battled these monsters for generations, passing down information of their existence by delusion and oral custom. Because the battle grows deadlier, the trio meets Zachariah, an artificial who reveals {that a} colony ship carrying Xenomorphs crash-landed on Ataegina roughly 300 years earlier — roughly across the finish of the unique “Alien” trilogy.

Ahiliyah ultimately discovers a strategy to thwart a Xenomorph outbreak utilizing caminus leaves, a pure substance that destroys embryos and will be changed into a paste able to killing full-grown aliens. By these measures, “Phalanx” is a somewhat vital entry within the franchise — even when the important thing revelations sprinkled all through its plot might really feel like too little, too late.

Chronologically talking, “The Rage Battle Trilogy” represents the furthest level within the “Alien” timeline, kicking off with “Predator: Incursion” in 2351 and concluding with “Alien vs. Predator: Armageddon” in 2692. This sequence exists in a separate continuity throughout the “AvP” universe, however it’s a enjoyable strategy to bookend an article that started with the “AvP” movie.

Moreover, this trilogy affords a glimpse into the state of the universe tons of of years after Ellen Ripley’s departure, highlighting Weyland-Yutani’s continued obsession with the Xenomorphs and introducing a transhuman faction often called The Rage. These enhanced people bio-engineer the aliens right into a devastating weapon, prompting an unlikely alliance between people and Predators to cease them.

The battle escalates in “Alien: Invasion” (E-book 2), the place the franchise’s core themes of company greed and organic weaponization are echoed and amplified throughout the galaxy. Lastly, “Alien vs. Predator: Armageddon” culminates in an epic showdown that spans a number of colonies and Earth itself.

The climactic battle efficiently eliminates The Rage and sees humanity and the Predators go their separate methods — although the uneasy peace leaves the door open for future battle. Mainly, this saga won’t ever finish as there at all times exists one or two nut jobs prepared to make the most of the Xenomorphs for their very own private acquire.