With creator, writer, and showrunner Noah Hawley (of Fargo and Legion) at the helm—and directing two episodes himself—Alien: Earth is poised to be something quite different from your parents’ (or grandparents’?) 1979 introduction to the terrifying Xenomorphs in Ridley Scott’s original Alien. Set in the year 2120, just before the events of the O.G. film, the series promises a fresh take on the franchise’s legacy. One trailer even features a ginger cat—could it be Jonesy?
Not sure what a Xenomorph is, or who Jonesy was? No worries. Here’s your homework to complete before Alien: Earth premieres August 12th on HULU.
Required viewing:
Alien (1979) - If you only have time to watch one thing, always start with the original. The first entry in what would become an iconic franchise, Alien follows the crew of the commercial spaceship Nostromo as they investigate a mysterious distress signal from a nearby moon. There, they discover an abandoned alien craft filled with strange, unidentifiable eggs. When one crew member is unknowingly infected, they bring a terrifying new life-form aboard—one that quickly evolves into death incarnate.
In her breakout role as Ripley, Sigourney Weaver leads the crew in a desperate fight for survival as they try to escape their doomed ship and the nightmare they’ve unleashed.
Fun fact: One of the films that influenced Alien was the 1974 independent hit The Texas Chainsaw Massacre. Some have described Alien as “The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, but in space."
Aliens (1986) - In James Cameron's follow-up to Alien, after finally being rescued—and having her reports of the alien lifeforms that destroyed her ship and killed her crew dismissed—Ripley is forced to return to the original crash site. The corporation has since begun terraforming the planet to support human life, establishing a colony. But when contact with the colony is lost, Ripley joins a team sent to investigate.
There, they find the settlement overrun by the very creatures Ripley narrowly escaped the first time. Once again, she must face the deadly Xenomorphs in a brutal battle for survival.
Fun fact: James Cameron wrote the script for Aliens during a nine-month delay before filming began on The Terminator. Following the success of The Terminator’s release, the studio brought Cameron on to direct Aliens as well.
Alien: Romulus (2024) - Credited with revitalizing the Alien franchise, this film succeeds by returning to the formula that made the original a phenomenon. Set in the time between Alien and Aliens, it follows a new, female-led crew desperate to escape a mining colony where they’re being quite literally worked to death. In a last-ditch effort, they take on a risky scavenger mission, breaking into a seemingly abandoned space station to steal cryo tubes.
Unfortunately for them, the station houses a massive containment system filled with facehuggers—the parasitic stage of the Xenomorph lifecycle. Despite some plot holes and inconsistencies, the film's fast pace and faithful recreation of the original Alien’s gritty aesthetic have made it a fan favorite.
Fun Fact: To maintain the look and feel of the original Alien films, Alien: Romulus primarily uses practical effects to bring its creatures to life. The aliens were created through a blend of animatronics and puppetry—some requiring up to 12 puppeteers to operate—along with select scenes featuring actors in full creature suits, including one worn by a 7-foot-tall basketball player. CGI was used only to enhance these practical elements, preserving the gritty, tactile atmosphere of the franchise's early entries.
Xenomorphs and Yautja: A Crash Course in the Crossover Universe
Diving a little deeper into the details, the official trailer teases, “This ship has collected five different lifeforms from the darkest corners of the universe,” sparking speculation among fans that one of them might be the iconic Predator. Hopes were further fueled by claims that the creature’s signature snarl can be heard in an earlier teaser for the new series. While Alien vs. Predator and Alien vs. Predator: Requiem firmly establish the two franchises as sharing a universe, they’re also widely regarded as the low points of both series, and the movies contain canonical and continuity errors in both the Alien and Predator franchises.
Still, just in case a Predator really is lurking in this new chapter, here’s the essential viewing for newcomers to this corner of the sci-fi horror universe.
Required Viewing:
Predator (1987) - A group of mercenaries is sent on a mission into the Central American jungle, supposedly to rescue a cabinet minister and his aide from guerrilla forces. In reality, the true objective is to investigate the mysterious disappearance of an earlier team of American soldiers and eliminate the rebels believed to be responsible. Led by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s character, Dutch, and accompanied by Carl Weathers’ Dillon, the mission quickly takes a dark turn. Predator becomes Rambo meets Alien when the team discovers skinned corpses hanging from the trees. As they engage in a deadly battle with the Predator—a technologically advanced extraterrestrial hunter faster, stronger, and deadlier than any human—it becomes clear that this is a fight for survival against an enemy unlike any they've faced before.
Fun fact: Stan Winston, the legendary special effects artist, designed both the Predator creature and the alien queen in Aliens (1986).
Prey (2022) - Incredibly different from any of the previous Predator sequels, Prey is set 300 years ago in the Great Plains and centers on a young Indigenous woman as its protagonist. The film devotes significant attention to portraying the Comanche Nation’s deep connection to nature and community, while also exploring Naru’s (Amber Midthunder of Opus and Novocaine) struggle to be recognized as the intelligent, strong, and capable warrior she truly is. In fact, she’s the first to realize that a new predator (pun intended) has arrived on their land. The film even critiques human brutality, with a group of French fur trappers portrayed as more monstrous than the alien itself. While there’s still plenty of cool weapons, action, and gore to satisfy longtime fans, Prey adds an emotional depth that has audiences rooting for this fierce heroine as she battles enemies and proves her worth as a warrior—regardless of gender.
Fun fact: After wounding the Predator, Naru's brother Taabe says, "If it bleeds... we can kill it," the same words Dutch says in the first movie.
Predators (2010) - This installment in the Predator franchise takes a stripped-down approach reminiscent of the original film. But instead of Predator vs. prey on the prey’s turf, Predators flips the concept: this time it’s predatory humans vs. Yautjas (the Predator aliens) on the aliens’ home planet. The film opens with our protagonist, Royce (Adrien Brody, proving he’s as much action star as pianist), waking mid-air as he plummets to the ground—alongside a cartel enforcer, an IDF sniper, a Russian special forces operative, an RUF rebel, a Yakuza gangster, a death row inmate, and… a doctor? It quickly becomes clear that this deadly group has been selected for a twisted experiment—part of the Predators’ method for honing their own combat skills.
While the film is packed with action and delivers a satisfying return to a jungle setting, fans have criticized its pacing, predictability, and lack of character development.
Fun Fact: According to Director Nimrod Antal and Producer Robert Rodriguez on commentary, in the script, the character Cuchillo was described as "a guy who looks like Danny Trejo ." When Danny Trejo heard this, he called Robert Rodriguez and said, "Hey, I heard there's a guy in the script for 'Predators' who looks just like Danny Trejo, and guess what, I look just like Danny Trejo!" (imdb.com)
All the movies in the Alien and Predator series are currently streaming on HULU, including the new, 2025 animated series Predator: Killer of Killers. The Predator franchise is also available on AMC+.
With these films under your belt, your initiation—or refresher—is complete, and you’re ready for what promises to be a tense and violent new chapter. The story kicks off as a group of hybrids investigates a crashed spaceship in the heart of Prodigy City, carrying the very alien specimens that started it all.
Brace yourself—the next evolution of terror is about to begin.