Alien Franchise Films in Release Order
The Alien series began with Ridley Scott's 1979 film Alien, produced by 20th Century Fox and Brandywine Productions. The franchise expanded with James Cameron's Aliens in 1986, followed by David Fincher's Alien 3 in 1992 and Jean-Pierre Jeunet's Alien: Resurrection in 1997. The prequel series started with Ridley Scott's Prometheus in 2012, followed by Alien: Covenant in 2017. The latest entry is the 2024 film Alien: Romulus, directed by Fede Alvarez and produced by 20th Century Studios and Scott Free Productions. The series has generated over $1.8 billion in global box office revenue across eight theatrical releases. The franchise is based on the original script by Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett, with the Alien creature design created by H.R. Giger. For financial details on major studio performance, see the latest analysis on Forbes at the highest-grossing franchises.
Alien Franchise Box Office and Production Data
The original 1979 Alien earned approximately $104 million worldwide against a $9 million budget. Aliens (1986) grossed $131 million worldwide on a $18.5 million budget. The prequel Prometheus (2012) earned $403 million globally on a $130 million budget. Alien: Covenant (2017) generated $240 million worldwide against a $97 million production cost. Alien: Romulus (2024) was produced with a reported budget of $80 million and distributed by 20th Century Studios. The franchise spans multiple production companies including 20th Century Fox, Brandywine Productions, and Scott Free Productions. The series has received multiple Academy Award nominations, winning two for Best Visual Effects. The Alien franchise remains one of the highest-grossing horror/sci-fi series in cinema history.
Predator Franchise Films in Release Order
The Predator series began with the 1987 film Predator, directed by John McTiernan and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger. The film was produced by Silver Pictures and distributed by 20th Century Fox. Predator 2 followed in 1990, directed by Stephen Hopkins. The franchise expanded with Predators in 2010, directed by Nimrod Antal and produced by Robert Rodriguez. The 2018 film The Predator was directed by Shane Black and produced by 20th Century Fox. The latest entry is Prey (2022), directed by Dan Trachtenberg and set in the Comanche Nation 300 years ago. Prey was released on Hulu and became the most-watched Predator film within its first week of release. The franchise has generated over $1.2 billion in cumulative global box office across six theatrical releases. The Predator creature was designed by Stan Winston and is a registered trademark of 20th Century Studios.
Predator Franchise Production Companies and Distribution
The original Predator was produced by Silver Pictures and distributed by 20th Century Fox. The franchise has been produced by various studios including Davis Entertainment, Brandywine Productions, and 20th Century Studios. Prey (2022) was produced by 20th Century Studios and distributed exclusively on Hulu. The Predator films have involved production companies such as Davis Entertainment Company, Lawrence Gordon Productions, and John Davis Productions. The franchise has seen multiple directors including John McTier