Ranking Every ‘Alien’ Project According to Rotten Tomatoes (Including ‘Alien: Earth’)

The ‘Alien’ universe keeps finding new ways to crawl under your skin. From gritty space workers to doomed colonies and curious prequels, each entry puts everyday people against something that learns fast and shows no mercy. The series shifts tones and styles, yet it always circles back to survival and the price it demands.

Here is a look at the major projects fans keep revisiting, now with the Rotten Tomatoes scores right in the headings. The numbers show how each chapter landed with critics, but the fun is in how different each one feels while still carrying that same creeping dread.

‘Alien³’ (1992) – 44%

This chapter leans into bleak mood and spiritual weight. Ripley wakes in a harsh place with almost nothing to help her and the movie spends time with the routine of people who have lost hope. The setting is spare and cold which makes every corridor feel risky.

The creature returns in a new form and the chase is raw. The finale makes a bold choice that still stirs debate. Even if it splits opinions, the downbeat atmosphere gives the series a stark turn that lingers.

‘Alien Resurrection’ (1997) – 55%

This entry brings a pulpy tone with mercenaries, experiments, and a twisted lab vibe. The production design is wet and strange which suits the genetic tinkering at the heart of the plot. You can feel the franchise stretching for dark humor and body horror in equal measure.

Action beats come in messy bursts and the underwater sequence stands out. It may be uneven, yet the wild ideas and creature work keep it watchable for fans who enjoy the stranger corners of this universe.

‘Alien: Covenant’ (2017) – 65%

This one blends slasher tension with grand questions about creation. The crew stumbles into a place that looks like paradise and then learns how carefully a nightmare can be built. The story moves between quiet exploration and sudden violence.

The android thread adds a chilling look at ambition and control. When the xenomorph finally cuts loose the film snaps into pursuit mode that feels mean and efficient.

‘Prometheus’ (2012) – 73%

‘Prometheus’ widens the canvas with sleek ships, pristine suits, and big ideas about where monsters come from. The sense of discovery is strong as scientists probe ruins that feel older than history. Curiosity turns to dread in a few sharp body horror turns.

Its mysteries spark talk long after the credits. Love it or not, the movie gives the saga a mythic backbone and imagery that looks carved from a nightmare museum.

‘Alien: Romulus’ (2024) – 80%

‘Romulus’ returns to industrial corridors and close quarters terror. A young crew scrounges for survival and the film builds set pieces around failing equipment, narrow vents, and tough choices. The practical feel of the environments makes every scrape hurt.

Once the creature is loose the tension builds with steady force. It plays like a love letter to the earliest entries while adding spirited new faces and a few nasty surprises.

‘Alien’ (1979) – 93%

The original lights the fuse with slow dread and blue collar detail. You meet a crew that eats, jokes, and argues like real people which makes the horror hit harder when the unknown slips aboard. Silence and space do half the work as the ship becomes a maze.

The life cycle reveal is still chilling. Shot by shot the movie teaches you to fear a shadow or a drop of fluid and by the end you understand why this creature became legend.

‘Alien: Earth’ (2025) – 93%

Bringing the nightmare home raises the stakes in a fresh way. The tone balances grounded survival with the wider consequences of a breakout in familiar places. The sight of ordinary spaces turned hostile gives the story a push that feels immediate.

Fans will notice how it ties long running themes to new characters and threats. The result feels like a modern chapter that respects what came before while pushing the danger into a place we all recognize.

‘Aliens’ (1986) – 94%

This sequel shifts into combat mode without losing the human heart. Ripley finds a surrogate family and the story builds momentum through teamwork, bad intel, and a steady run of setbacks. The world feels lived in and the dialogue carries nervous humor.

When the hive is revealed the movie becomes a ride that barely lets up. Set pieces stack on top of each other and the final showdown is pure crowd pleaser energy. It is the rare follow up that expands the universe and leaves you cheering and shaking at the same time.

Share your own series order and favorite moments from the ‘Alien’ universe in the comments.