Top 100 Alien Movies

From John Carpenter, starring Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, Keith David, Richard Masur
Rated R

The Thing is a 1982 science fiction horror film directed by John Carpenter, and starring Kurt Russell as R.J. MacReady, a helicopter pilot tasked with leading a group of American researchers in the Antarctic who discover an alien organism that has the ability to perfectly mimic and assimilate other living beings. With the alien threat quickly spreading throughout the camp, MacReady and the researchers must find a way to destroy the creature before it can reach civilization. In a desperate fight for survival, they must determine who they can trust, and who may have already been assimilated by the alien.

From Brad Bird, starring Eli Marienthal, Harry Connick Jr., Jennifer Aniston, Vin Diesel
Rated PG

The Iron Giant is an animated adventure film directed by Brad Bird. It tells the story of a young boy named Hogarth who discovers a giant robot that has crash-landed from outer space. He befriends the robot and names him ‘The Iron Giant’ before trying to protect him from the government and a local beatnik artist who want to use the robot for their own sinister purposes. Together, Hogarth and the Iron Giant must find a way to save the town from the robot’s destructive capabilities while also protecting the robot from those who wish to exploit it. The film features the voice talent of Vin Diesel, Jennifer Aniston, Harry Connick, Jr., and Cloris Leachman.

From Joss Whedon, starring Robert Downey Jr., Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy Renner
Rated PG-13

The Avengers is a 2012 superhero action film directed by Joss Whedon. It follows Nick Fury, Director of the international peacekeeping agency S.H.I.E.L.D., as he assembles a team of superheroes to save the world from Loki and his army. The Avengers, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, the Hulk, Black Widow, and Hawkeye, must work together to defeat Loki and his forces, while also dealing with their own personal issues. Through a series of battles, the team is able to defeat Loki and save the world. The film was a major financial and critical success, setting a new box office record for an opening weekend and receiving numerous awards and nominations. It was followed by several sequels and is considered one of the most successful superhero films of all time.

From Doug Liman, starring Tom Cruise, Emily Blunt, Bill Paxton, Brendan Gleeson
Rated PG-13

Edge of Tomorrow is a science fiction action film directed by Doug Liman and starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. Set in a future where Earth has been invaded by an alien race called the Mimics, the film follows Major William Cage (Cruise), an officer who is killed in battle but is unexpectedly thrown into a time loop in which he repeatedly relives the same day. With the help of Special Forces warrior Rita Vrataski (Blunt), he realizes that he has the power to change the future and defeat the aliens. Through multiple cycles of trial and error, Cage learns the aliens' weaknesses and gradually develops tactics to survive and ultimately win the war. Both Cruise and Blunt deliver stunning performances in this thrilling, action-packed story.

From Neill Blomkamp, starring Sharlto Copley, David James, Jason Cope, Nathalie Boltt
Rated R

District 9 is a 2009 science fiction action film directed by Neill Blomkamp and produced by Peter Jackson. Set in Johannesburg, South Africa, the story follows an extraterrestrial species known as "prawns" who are forced to live in an internment camp after their spacecraft, which has been hovering over the city for almost three decades, is damaged. The main character is Wikus van der Merwe, a bureaucrat tasked with relocating the aliens. He soon discovers they are intelligent and eventually develops a relationship with them. As he learns more about their culture and situation, he begins to sympathize with them, leading to a dramatic confrontation between the aliens and the South African government. The film explores themes of racism and xenophobia as Wikus comes to understand the plight of the aliens.

From John McTiernan, starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Kevin Peter Hall, Elpidia Carrillo
Rated R

Predator is a 1987 sci-fi action film directed by John McTiernan and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger as Major "Dutch" Schaefer. Dutch and his team of mercenaries are sent to the jungles of Central America to hunt down a guerrilla leader. However, they soon discover they are being hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior, the Predator, that is invisible to the naked eye and uses a range of advanced technology to hunt its prey. Dutch and his team must use their military training and cunning to survive the alien's onslaught and prevent it from killing them all.

From James Cameron, starring Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana, Sigourney Weaver, Michelle Rodriguez
Rated PG-13

Avatar is a sci-fi action-adventure film released in 2009, directed and written by James Cameron. Set in the 22nd century, it tells the story of an ex-Marine who is paraplegic and is sent to the planet Pandora on a mission to help the humans mine the planet's natural resources. On Pandora, the marine is given a genetically engineered body to inhabit, which allows him to walk again. He befriends the native Na'vi people and comes to understand their way of life and their connection to the planet. As his loyalty to the Na'vi grows, he is forced to choose between his mission and his new found loyalty to the Na'vi, and ultimately leads the humans and the Na'vi into a climactic battle for the control of Pandora.

From Philip Kaufman, starring Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum, Veronica Cartwright
Rated PG

From Dean Parisot, starring Tim Allen, Sigourney Weaver, Alan Rickman, Tony Shalhoub
Rated PG

From Barry Sonnenfeld, starring Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino, Vincent D'Onofrio
Rated PG-13

From Wolf Rilla, starring George Sanders, Barbara Shelley, Michael Gwynn, Laurence Naismith
Rated Not Rated

From Tom McGrath, starring Will Ferrell, Jonah Hill, Brad Pitt, Tina Fey
Rated PG

From Paul Verhoeven, starring Casper Van Dien, Denise Richards, Dina Meyer, Jake Busey
Rated R

From James Gunn, starring Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, Joel Kinnaman
Rated R

From Dan Trachtenberg, starring Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Dane DiLiegro, Stormee Kipp
Rated R

From John Krasinski, starring Emily Blunt, Millicent Simmonds, Cillian Murphy, John Krasinski
Rated PG-13

From John Carpenter, starring Roddy Piper, Keith David, Meg Foster, George 'Buck' Flower
Rated R

From Frank Oz, starring Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, Vincent Gardenia, Levi Stubbs
Rated PG-13

From Frank Darabont, starring Thomas Jane, Marcia Gay Harden, Laurie Holden, Andre Braugher
Rated R

From Zack Snyder, starring Henry Cavill, Amy Adams, Michael Shannon, Diane Lane
Rated PG-13

From Kenneth Branagh, starring Chris Hemsworth, Anthony Hopkins, Natalie Portman, Tom Hiddleston
Rated PG-13

From Byron Haskin, starring Gene Barry, Ann Robinson, Les Tremayne, Robert Cornthwaite
Rated G

From J.J. Abrams, starring Elle Fanning, AJ Michalka, Kyle Chandler, Joel Courtney
Rated PG-13

From Michael Bay, starring Shia LaBeouf, Megan Fox, Josh Duhamel, Tyrese Gibson
Rated PG-13

From Joseph Kosinski, starring Tom Cruise, Morgan Freeman, Andrea Riseborough, Olga Kurylenko
Rated PG-13