How to Stream Every 'Alien' Movie in Order Before 'Alien: Romulus' Premieres

Alien: Romulus hits theaters this Friday. It’s the seventh film in the franchise or the ninth if you count the Alien vs Predator crossover films. This standalone film takes place between the events of the original Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986). Directed by Fede Álvarez, known for his work in the horror genre, the marketing suggests Romulus may align more with Ridley Scott’s original horror classic than with the action-oriented Aliens or the philosophical Prometheus.

According to THR, Alien: Romulus was initially slated for a streaming release on Hulu, similar to the critically acclaimed Predator prequel, Prey (2022). A full theatrical release indicates confidence in the film’s potential success, and fans will be excited to see xenomorphs on the big screen for the first time in seven years. Additionally, Alien enthusiasts have more to look forward to with Alien: Earth, a TV series set to be released on FX.

For those eager to stream the films before the new release, the entire franchise is available on Hulu for the first time. This includes every film, even the critically-panned AVP movies. Hulu’s ad-supported tier costs $7.99 per month, with an option for new subscribers to get the first month free. The ad-free tier is $17.99 per month, but the best deal is the Disney+, Hulu, and Max bundle, which costs $16.99 per month with ads or $29.99 per month ad-free. Students can also access Hulu’s ad-supported tier for just $1.99 per month once verified.

Thanks to Hulu, streaming all of the films is now convenient. The challenge is deciding the order in which to watch them. Watching them in release order arguably makes the most sense, though including the AVP films is a personal choice. Here’s the list of films by their theatrical release date, all available to stream on Hulu except for Romulus, which will be exclusively in theaters this Friday:

Alien (1979)
Aliens (1986)
Alien 3 (1992)
Alien Resurrection (1997)
Alien vs Predator (2004)
AVPR: Aliens vs Predator – Requiem (2007)
Prometheus (2012)
Alien: Covenant (2017)
Alien: Romulus (2024)

If you prefer to watch them in story order, start with the AVP films, which are set in the present day. Next, watch Ridley Scott’s Prometheus and its sequel Alien: Covenant, which take place before the original four-film series. The original series includes Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, and Alien: Resurrection, all starring Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley. Since Romulus happens in the 57-year gap between Alien and Aliens, there’s no complete chronological order before its release. Here’s the order in narrative sequence:

Alien vs Predator (2004)
AVPR: Aliens vs Predator – Requiem (2007)
Prometheus (2012)
Alien: Covenant (2017)

Alien (1979)

Alien: Romulus (2024)

Aliens (1986)

Alien 3 (1992)

Alien Resurrection (1997)

There’s no guarantee that the Alien franchise will stay on Hulu indefinitely, so fans of physical media might consider purchasing a box set comprising the original four-film series and the Ridley Scott prequels on Blu-Ray or DVD. The AVP films are also available in physical formats.