Definitive Ranking of All ‘Alien’ Movies, Including ‘Romulus’

“In space, no one can hear you scream” was the tagline for 1979’s “Alien,” but over the past 45 years, audiences have encountered plenty of sounds, from blood-curdling yells to the yucky noises of creatures hugging faces and bursting from human chests.

The sci-fi horror franchise has introduced a great action hero in Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley, who fought monsters in four films but hasn’t been seen in an “Alien” project since the 1990s. The series also features a string of androids, from Michael Fassbender in “Prometheus” to David Jonsson in the new film “Alien: Romulus.” Add to this the persistent Weyland-Yutani Corporation, which is more interested in cosmic beasts than its employees, and the impressively fanged Xenomorph, the iconic villain of the movie series.

The slavering, snarling extraterrestrial is unleashed yet again in “Romulus” (in theaters Friday), which harks back to director Ridley Scott’s original outing. But how does the latest film stack up to the old-school scares from decades past? Here’s the definitive ranking of all the “Alien” movies so far. (Note: The “Alien vs. Predator” films are not included as they are considered a separate franchise and are generally viewed unfavorably.)

7. ‘Alien: Resurrection’ (1997)

The fourth installment focuses on science experiments run amok and the military’s decision to clone Ripley 200 years after she sacrificed herself in “Alien 3.” The result is a hybrid that gives “birth” to a new alien queen. Although not big on actual plot, “Resurrection” features a bevy of creatures that a crew of mercenaries, including Ron Perlman and Winona Ryder, has to face. There is also a really strange humanoid monstrosity that shares a surprisingly touching moment before getting sucked out of a spaceship.

6. ‘Alien 3’ (1992)

Ripley gets stranded on a planet with an all-male penal colony and not much else. Unfortunately for everybody, an alien stowed away on her space vessel. Director David Fincher explores gender issues and creates interesting visuals, plus Ripley shaves her head to fit in with the abundance of dudes. However, the installment is a bit disappointing in terms of alien escapades: There aren’t many Xenomorphs, and the CGI is definitely lacking.

5. ‘Alien: Covenant’ (2017)

This installment mashes up the headiness of “Prometheus” with the chaotic terror of the earlier movies. A ship carrying the future of the human race makes an ill-fated stop on a paradise planet, and all hell breaks loose when a couple of guys get infected with the alien parasite. The creatures are cool, but Michael Fassbender stands out in the dual android roles of David and new model Walter.

4. ‘Prometheus’ (2012)

The most divisive movie among fans, the prequel was a surprise “Alien” movie of sorts, gradually revealing its ties to the franchise amid a story of human archaeologists trying to map out the connection between mankind and an ancient race of Engineers. “Prometheus” leans more towards being thought-provoking than action-packed, though there is plenty of horror, including Noomi Rapace giving herself the gnarliest C-section of all time.

3. ‘Alien: Romulus’ (2024)

Director Fede Alvarez (“Don’t Breathe”) emphasizes the human characters before placing them in the worst scenario possible. Rain Carradine (Cailee Spaeny) and her friends just want a better life when they happen upon a decrepit space station that quickly turns into a house of horrors. “Romulus” mixes what worked in the first two franchise movies – action and isolation – and adds an intriguing new element to the mythos.

2. ‘Aliens’ (1986)

Dripping with action-movie machismo, James Cameron’s sequel wakes up Ripley after 50 years of hypersleep and takes her back to LV-426, the world where her crew first encountered alien life. Now, it’s a terraforming colony where Ripley teams with space marines, including a memorable Bill Paxton, to take on extraterrestrial antagonists. The film is worth it just for Ripley becoming a feminist folk hero and surrogate mother, plus taking on the alien queen for all the galactic marbles.

1. ‘Alien’ (1979)

Director Ridley Scott’s original film is not only the best “Alien” movie, but also one of the top sci-fi films ever. It creates an atmosphere of non-stop dread as a team of space truckers, trying to get minerals back to Earth, answers a distress call and ends up fighting for their lives while a Xenomorph hunts them down one by one. Even after decades of visual-effects spectacle, the sight of the alien blasting out of John Hurt’s chest remains completely terrifying, absolutely cringe-inducing, and totally awesome.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: ‘Alien’ movies ranked definitively (yes, including ‘Romulus’)