Top Alien Movies Of All Time

From Ridley Scott, starring Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt, Veronica Cartwright
Rated R

Alien is a classic science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott released in 1979. Set in the future, the movie follows a crew of seven astronauts on board the ship Nostromo who respond to a distress signal coming from a nearby planet. They discover an alien creature and soon find themselves in a fight for survival as the creature begins to hunt and kill them one by one. The remaining crew members must work together to defeat the creature and escape the planet alive. The film is known for its suspenseful and thrilling atmosphere, and is often cited as one of the greatest science fiction films of all time.

From James Cameron, starring Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn, Paul Reiser
Rated R

Aliens is a 1986 science fiction action film directed by James Cameron and starring Sigourney Weaver. The film follows Ellen Ripley (Weaver) as she returns to the planet LV-426 where her crew encountered the hostile alien creatures. This time, however, Ripley is accompanied by a unit of space marines, led by Lt. Gorman (William Hope), to eliminate the aliens. After the marines are wiped out, Ripley is forced to team up with a former prisoner, Hicks (Michael Biehn), to save the remaining colonists and reach safety. In the process, she must confront the alien queen, face her own inner demons, and ultimately come face-to-face with her own mortality.

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 written by Bill Lancaster. It is a remake of the 1951 film of the same name based on the 1938 John W. Campbell Jr. novella “Who Goes There?”. Set in Antarctica, the film is about a group of American researchers who discover a hostile shape-shifting alien organism that assimilates and then imitates other organisms. They soon find themselves in a desperate battle for their lives when the alien begins to hunt them one by one. The Thing features an ensemble cast of Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T. K. Carter, David Clennon, Richard Dysart, Keith David, and Donald Moffat. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest horror films of all time.

From Denis Villeneuve, starring Amy Adams, Jeremy Renner, Forest Whitaker, Michael Stuhlbarg
Rated PG-13

Arrival is a 2016 sci-fi movie directed by Denis Villeneuve. The story follows linguist Louise Banks (played by Amy Adams) as she is recruited by the US military along with physicist Ian Donnelly (Jeremy Renner) to investigate the mysterious arrival of alien spacecraft around the world. Banks and Donnelly must unlock the alien language in order to communicate with them and prevent a possible war between the aliens and humanity. With the help of a team of scientists, Banks discovers that the aliens' language is based on non-linear time and they have come to share a message of vital importance to the fate of humanity. The movie follows Banks on her journey to decipher the language and find out what message the aliens have for humanity before it is too late.

From Steven Spielberg, starring Henry Thomas, Drew Barrymore, Peter Coyote, Dee Wallace
Rated PG

E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial is a science fiction film released in 1982, directed by Steven Spielberg and written by Melissa Mathison. The film follows the story of a young boy named Elliott and his group of friends who befriend a stranded extraterrestrial, whom they name E.T. While trying to help E.T. return to his home planet, Elliott and his friends must evade government agents and scientists who seek to study him. Along the way, a powerful bond is formed between Elliott and E.T., culminating in a climactic and emotional goodbye. The film is widely acclaimed and is considered one of the greatest films of all time.

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

District 9 is a science fiction action movie directed by Neill Blomkamp and produced by Peter Jackson. The plot follows a bureaucrat named Wikus van de Merwe, who is tasked with the relocation of an alien species known as "prawns" from their slum-like habitats in Johannesburg to a distant internment camp. However, Wikus is exposed to a mysterious alien substance, which begins to alter his DNA, giving him enhanced strength and the ability to manipulate alien technology. In his struggle to survive and protect his family, Wikus allies with the prawns and fights against the oppressive forces of a multi-national corporation, which is seeking to exploit the aliens for their own gain. His fight for justice and acceptance ultimately leads to an unlikely hero and a resolution to the conflict.

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

Edge of Tomorrow is a sci-fi action film starring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. The story follows Major William Cage (Cruise), an officer who has never seen a day of combat when he is unceremoniously dropped into what amounts to a suicide mission. Killed within minutes, Cage finds himself thrown into a time loop, forced to live out the same brutal combat over and over, fighting and dying again and again. But with each battle, Cage becomes able to engage the adversaries with increasing skill, alongside the Special Forces warrior, Rita Vrataski (Blunt). As Cage and Rita take the fight to the aliens, each repeated encounter gets them one step closer to defeating the enemy.

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

Predator is an action science fiction film released in 1987, directed by John McTiernan. The story follows a team of elite commandos on a mission in the Central American jungle who find themselves being hunted by a mysterious, lethal alien. The team is led by Major Alan "Dutch" Schaefer (Arnold Schwarzenegger) and includes Dillon (Carl Weathers), Billy (Sonny Landham), Blain (Jesse Ventura), Mac (Bill Duke), and Poncho (Richard Chaves). As the team struggles to survive against a seemingly unstoppable alien hunter, Dutch ultimately discovers that their invisible enemy is using an alien technology to hunt them. In the end, Dutch is able to defeat the Predator and escape with the rest of the team.

From Don Siegel, starring Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, Larry Gates, King Donovan
Rated Approved

Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1956) is a science fiction horror classic directed by Don Siegel and starring Kevin McCarthy, Dana Wynter, and Larry Gates. The film follows a small town doctor (McCarthy) who discovers that aliens are taking over the bodies of the townspeople. As the residents of the town slowly become replaced by emotionless clones, the doctor and his girlfriend (Wynter) must fight for their lives in order to prevent the complete takeover and save the town. The film is a critical classic and is considered one of the great films of the genre. It has gone on to influence countless other films and has been remade multiple times.

From Steven Spielberg, starring Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut, Teri Garr, Melinda Dillon
Rated PG

Close Encounters of the Third Kind is a 1977 science fiction film directed by Steven Spielberg. It tells the story of Roy Neary, an everyday blue-collar worker in Indiana, whose life changes after an encounter with an unidentified flying object. The film follows Roy's obsession as he attempts to make contact with the alien visitors. Along the way, he meets a group of scientists and fellow “experiencers” who have also had close encounters with the alien visitors. Driven to find answers, Roy joins the team and together they set out on an incredible journey to the site of the alien landing. Along the way, Roy and the team discover the true purpose of the visit from the aliens: to make contact with human civilization. The film is full of suspense and awe-inspiring visuals as the team unravels the mystery and ultimately makes contact with the aliens.

From Robert Zemeckis, starring Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Skerritt, John Hurt
Rated PG

Contact is a 1997 science fiction drama film directed by Robert Zemeckis and adapted from Carl Sagan's novel of the same name. The film stars Jodie Foster as Dr. Ellie Arroway, an astronomer in search of extraterrestrial intelligence. After building a powerful radio telescope and deciphering a transmission from space, Ellie is chosen to be part of a team that builds a machine capable of traveling to a distant world. With the help of her team, Ellie embarks on a journey of discovery, finding out what lies beyond her own world and uncovering the meaning of life. Along the way, she is challenged by a government conspiracy, religious zealots, and her own personal beliefs. In the end, Ellie discovers the truth and learns to accept the uncertainty of the universe.

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

From Dan Trachtenberg, starring John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead, John Gallagher Jr., Douglas M. Griffin
Rated PG-13

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

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 Roland Emmerich, starring Will Smith, Bill Pullman, Jeff Goldblum, Mary McDonnell
Rated PG-13

From Josh Trank, starring Dane DeHaan, Alex Russell, Michael B. Jordan, Michael Kelly
Rated PG-13

From Greg Mottola, starring Simon Pegg, Nick Frost, Seth Rogen, Mia Stallard
Rated R

From M. Night Shyamalan, starring Mel Gibson, Joaquin Phoenix, Rory Culkin, Abigail Breslin
Rated PG-13

From Tim Burton, starring Jack Nicholson, Pierce Brosnan, Sarah Jessica Parker, Annette Bening
Rated PG-13