Alien: Romulusis the latest sequel in the hugely popular sci-fi franchise, but it takes place at an awkward spot on the series’ timeline. While the movie isn’t directly connected to any other installment through characters or locations, there are certain aspects to the story that are undeniably enhanced by having a more widespread knowledge of this saga. For example, details aboutwhere the Xenomorphs came fromcan only be fully understood after watchingPrometheus, which complicates theAlienviewing order even more.
The intended viewing order for theAlienmovies has always been complex, andAlien: Romulusmakes it even more unclear. There’s a clear chronology to this universe, but some of the prequels benefit from a knowledge that can only be obtained from watching movieslateron the timeline, making a chronological marathon less effective. And with discussions about apotential sequel toAlien: Romulustaking place, it’s important to figure out exactly how these movies should be watched.
Alien: Romulus Makes The Alien Movies Watch Order More Complicated
It Doesn’t Fit Neatly Into The Timeline
The intended watch order for theAlienfranchise has never been simple, and the latest sequel makes it even more complicated by stepping outside of the linear timeline and jumping backwards to an earlier point. Fede Álvarez’s sequel takes place between the events of Ridley Scott’s original sci-fi horrorAlienand James Cameron’s action-packed sequelAliens, thoughit’s not directly connected to either story. There are some references andEaster eggs inAlien: Romulusthat pay homage to bothAlienandAliens, though confusingly, one of these stories technically hadn’t happened yet.
Every Death In Alien: Romulus, Ranked By Goriness
Alien: Romulus brings the series back to its horrorific roots, and that includes dishing out some gruesome deaths over the course of the film.
To make matters worse,Alien: Romulusalso has clear connections to the prequel moviesthat muffle the timeline even more. This sequel takes place many years after bothPrometheusandCovenant, which is self-evident from the presence of Xenomorphs in the narrative. There are even some direct links, such as the black goo that the Engineers used to create humanity at the beginning ofPrometheus- though it takes a whole new form inAlien: Romulus. Therefore, Alvarez’ movie is both a sequel (toPrometheus, Covenant,andAlien) and a prequel (toAlien 3onwards).
Alien: Romulus Takes Place Before Aliens, But Should You Watch It That Way?
The Answer Comes Down To Personal Preference
However, just becauseAlien: Romulustakes place beforeAliens, that doesn’t mean that’s the order in which these movies should be watched. For those who’ve just watched Ridley Scott’sAlienfor the first time,Romulusprobably isn’t the best sequel to pick up straight away,despite being the next chronologically. Watching theAlienfranchise in release orderis undoubtedly the safest way to go - at least for a first viewing. This way, audiences are sure to pick up on all the Easter eggs that exist in the series, and won’t be confused by the offspring reveal inRomulus’ ending sequence.
However, for those who’ve already seen theAlienfranchise in its entirety and want to experience the story through a fresh lens,a chronological viewing order could be the way to go. This allows for a more immersive and continuous experience, providing a more focused perspective on how this universe evolved over time.In this case,Prometheusand its direct sequelAlien: Covenantwould be the perfect place to start. From there, audiences can move onto the main series, fittingAlien: Romulusinto the timeline after the original movie and going straight intoAliensafter that.
Alien: Romulus Works Better If You Have Seen Prometheus & Alien: Covenant
The Prequels Strongly Enhance Alien: Romulus
Whichever viewing order you choose, the only strict rule is that Ridley Scott’s prequel films should definitely come beforeAlien: Romulus. While they’re not directly connected through any characters or major plot points, viewers should have some knowledge of the Engineers fromPrometheusforAlien: Romulus’ endingto have the maximum effect.There’s a shocking reveal in the sequel’s final actthat draws direct inspiration from the prequels’ black goo and impacts the franchise’s lore as a result. This won’t be as impactful for those who haven’t already seen bothPrometheusandAlien: Covenant.
Incidentally,Alien: Romulus’final act is some of the strongest filmmaking in the entire franchise, and the way Fede Alvarez effortlessly transforms this survival thriller into a dark, gritty piece of body horror is truly astounding.
Incidentally,Alien: Romulus’final act is some of the strongest filmmaking in the entire franchise, and the way Fede Alvarez effortlessly transforms this survival thriller into a dark, gritty piece of body horror is truly astounding. The film uses both practical and special effects to maximum effect, totally flipping the script on everything that’s come before and lulling the audience into a false sense of security before subverting all their expectations. The full strength of this wouldn’t be felt without prior knowledge of thePrometheuslore.
Prometheus Might Not Be The Best Way To Start An Alien Movie Marathon
The Prequel Isn’t As Exciting As Those That Preceded It
However, there’s one slight problem with adopting a chronological viewing order for your nextAlienmarathon:Prometheusis pretty slow, and it’s not the most engaging movie in the franchise. There’s a reason theAlienprequels are the franchise’s most divisive movies- they’re essentially in a different genre from everything that preceded them. WhereAlienis a gory, atmospheric horror andAliensis a high-octane action flick,Prometheusis more of a slow-burn, philosophical dramathat just happens to be set in space.
Prometheus' Original Script Would Have Solved A Major Problem With Ridley Scott’s Alien Comeback
Prometheus was originally intended to be a very different movie when the first draft was finished, and it could have solved some huge critiques.
The film centers around humanity’s purpose in the universe, exploring where we came from and where our current society is heading. There’s rich subtext about religion, power, and spirituality that makes it one ofAlien’s most profound and moving stories, but certainly not the most engaging. While this isn’t a problem in general (as the film was intended to be a slower, more meditative adventure), it poses somewhat of an obstacle forAlien’s chronological viewing order.
Ultimately, there are plenty of different options for anAlienmovie marathon, and most of them work pretty well. The only fixed guidelines are to start with 1979’sAlien,don’t jump aroundwithinthe main-series films, and try to watch the prequels beforeAlien:Romulus. And certainly don’t worry aboutAlien vs Predator.
