Hollywood loves the idea of aliens in movies. Well, remember Avatar? How much we loved those blue-skinned beings. It could be because of human nature of being drawn towards curiosity and fear at the same time.
Alien movies have suspense and the thrill that normal action movies may not have. Moreover, the Alien movie franchise has evolved over the years in unexpected ways, and here is the list of them that were released over the last few decades.
20. Predator
Predator features Arnold Schwarzenegger as Major Alan “Dutch” Schaefer, a commander in an elite paramilitary rescue squad who goes to a guerilla-held territory in a Central American rainforest. The team run across the deadly Predator, a technologically skilled alien who stalks and hunts them down.
The movie was released on June 12, 1987, and it made $98 million worldwide. Although the early reviews were unfavorable, it is now regarded as a classic in the action and science fiction genres and as one of the finest movies of the 1980s.
The movie became popular and it was later developed into movies, books, comic books, video games, and toys. There are four follow-up films which include Predator 2, Predators, The Predator, and Prey.
19. The Abyss
A US search and recovery team works with an oil platform crew to recover an American submarine, Montana, that has sunk in the Caribbean while evading Soviet vessels. They come into something unexpected in the depths of the ocean, which is eventually referred to as non-terrestrial intelligence.
The alien movie was loved worldwide and received a good response while collecting $90 million against a budget of $43-47 million. The film was also nominated for three Academy Awards and won the Best Visual Effects, Oscar.
The movie features actors like Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn, Leo Burmester, Todd Graff, John Bedford Llyod, J.C. Quinn, Kimberly Scott, George Robert Klek, Christopher Murphy, Chris Elliot, Richard Warlock, Jimmy Ray, J. Kenneth Campbell, William Wisher, Jr., and Ken Jenkins.
18. Alien Vs Predator
Alien Vs. Predator follows a group of archeologists who is on an expedition in Antarctica to discover a mysterious source of heat that has been found. The expedition is supported by a wealthy and ambitious Charles Bishop Weyland.
Weyland and his team locate a pyramid while being guided by a guide named Alexa Woods, but they also come across malevolent parasite aliens. The situation becomes worse when Predators show up there to hunt the other aliens, with humans getting caught in the middle of the conflict.
The movie was released in theatres on August 12, 2004, Alien vs. Predator. It received many negative reviews but still made $177.4 million globally against a $60-$70 million production budget.
17. The Man Who Fell To Earth
The Man Who Fell To Earth is based on a novel of the same name. It follows an extraterrestrial named Thomas Jerome Newton, who has come to Earth in search of water to save his home planet, which is suffering from drought.
Oliver Farnsworth, a patent lawyer helps him as he created profitable inventions using his expertise in cutting-edge technology. He also meets Mary-Lou, a quiet hotel clerk, and he starts to fall in love with her. Thomas’ entire strategy is jeopardized when the U.S. government intercepts him just as he is about to leave Earth.
It features actors like David Bowie, Rip Torn, Candy Clark, Buck Henry, Bernie Casey, Jackson D. Kane, Rick Riccardo, Tony Mascia, Jim Lovell, Claudia Jennings, Albert Nelson, and Adrienne La Russa.
16. Close Encounters Of The Third Kind
Close Encounters Of The Third Kind shows that a group of people attempt to communicate with alien intelligence. Roy Neary sees an unidentified flying object and even gets a sunburn from it as proof. He refuses to accept an explanation of what he saw and willingly risks his life to find out the truth about UFOs.
The movie, which features Richard Dreyfuss as the main lead, received both financial and critical success. It was made on a production budget of $19.4 million but grossed over $300 million worldwide.
It also received several awards, accolades, and nominations at the 50th Academy Awards, the 32nd British Academy Film Awards, 35th Golden Globe Awards, and the 5th Saturn Awards. The film has a wonderful scene, combining fantasy, adventure, and mystery, so it could be worth a watch for those who like alien movies.
15. Starman
A space being attempts to contact mankind in response to a NASA communication intended for aliens, but an American missile damages his ship. The Starman inhabits the deceased Wisconsinite’s body and kidnaps his wife, Jenny Hayden.
He and Jenny head to Arizona with the goal of reuniting with a vessel from his home planet at a predetermined location. As he is pursued by the military personnel to murder him, he forms a lasting bond with Jenny while facing difficulties together.
The movie received positive reviews but did not do well at the box office. They made a profit, but there is not much difference in the budgeted amount and box office collection.
The film that begins as sci-fi transforms into surprisingly sweet, offbeat drama as the story continues. So, it could be a great watch for those who are seeking some romance between humans and aliens.
14. Enemy Mine
Enemy Mine shows Willis Davidge, a starship pilot, and enemy fighter Jeriba Shigan being stuck in an alien world during a conflict between humanity and the reptile Drac species. They can both breathe on the planet, but the environment and its creature are often hostile.
Initially hunting each other down and acting individually, they, however, cooperate later in order to survive. They eventually become friends, despite the difficulties their unique relationship faces.
While the movie may have been a failure at the box office and received mixed reviews, over a decade after its release, The Los Angeles Times said the movie was surprisingly coherent and surprisingly enjoyable.
The actors in the movie are Dennis Quaid, Louis Gossett Jr., Brion James, Richard Marcus, Carolyn McCormick, Bumper Robinson, Jim Mapp, Lance Kerwin, Scott Kraft, Lou Michaels, Andy Geer, Herb Andress, and Henry Stolow.
13. Contact
In the movie, Contact, Dr. Ellie Arroway tries to interpret what may be a message from the Vega star system. When evidence of first contact with alien intelligence is found, Arroway faces opposition from the constrictive National Security Advisor Kitz and religious extremists determined to limit the effects of the discovery.
It stars Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Skerritt, Jake Busey, James Woods, William Fichtner, Angela Bassett, John Hurt, Rob Lowe, and David Morse. The movie was made with a budget of $90 million and earned $171 million worldwide.
The movie also received a positive critical response while the internet reviewer James Berardinelli said that it is “one of 1997’s finest motion pictures, and is a forceful reminder that Hollywood is still capable of making magic”.
12. Dark City
The Dark city follows John Murdoch, who finds out that he is wanted for a series of horrible murders after waking up in an unfamiliar hotel. The issue is that he is unable to recall whether or not he was responsible for the killings.
He believes for a split second that he has gone entirely insane. But, when he attempts to solve the complex riddle of his identity, he discovers a devilish underworld ruled by a group of ominous beings known as the Strangers.
The movie was a critical hit, with many viewers praising its art direction, set design, cinematography, special effects, and imagination of the movie, including Robert Ebert. However, financially, it was not much of a success. They had a production budget of $27 million, and the movie grossed $27.2 million only.
Nevertheless, if you are looking for a good storyline with some alien appearances and action, then this could be worth the watch.
11. Slither
Slither is a science fiction dark horror comedy that follows the story of a town named Wheelsy. It is a small community where hardly much happens, and people keep to themselves.
Evil often creeps up on people undetected, but when people start reporting missing women and cattle, Sheriff Bill Pardy finds an extraterrestrial parasite that poses a threat to all life on Earth.
The parasite infects everyone in the town except Starla, Bill, mayor Jack MacReady, and teenager Kylie Strutemyer. The group comes together to fight the monster and save mankind.
In the movie, Nathan Fillion plays Police Chief Bill Pardy, Elizabeth Banks is seen as Starla Grant, Michael Rooker as Grant Grant, Tania Saulnier as Kylie Strutemyer, Gregg Henry as Mayor Jack MacReady, Don Thompson as Wally Brenda, James as Brenda Gutierrez, Jennifer Copping as Margaret, Jenna Fischer as Shelby Cunningham and Haig Sutherland as Trevor.
10. Attack The Block
Attack The Block stars John Boyega, Jodie Whittaker, and Nick Frost. The story revolves around a teenage street gang in South London who fights with extraterrestrial invaders to save themselves.
The movie was released on May 11, 2011. It did poorly at the box office but was well-reviewed by critics, who praised Boyega’s acting and Cornish’s directing. Additionally, it won numerous honors internationally.
This film was a debut for Boyega, who received praise for his performance. Attack The Block was listed as one of the best films of the 2010s in Wired Magazine.
9. Edge Of Tomorrow
Edge of Tomorrow is a science fiction action film featuring Tom Cruise and Emily Blunt. The story sets in the future, where most of Europe is occupied by an alien race, and a suicide mission is given to Maj. William Cage is an officer who has never been in battle.
Cage is instantly killed and is thereafter trapped in a time loop where he repeatedly experiences the same horrible struggle and his demise. But as the film progresses, Cage’s combat prowess grows, bringing him and a companion nearer to defeating the aliens.
It was a both critical and financial success which earned over $300 million against a budget of over $100 million. The critics also praised the plot, direction, action sequences, and performances.
8. Arrival
Arrival follows a linguistics professor Louise Banks who is in charge of an elite team of investigators when enormous spacecraft crash-lands at 12 different sites around the planet. Banks and her crew have to figure out how to communicate with the alien visitors before it could lead to tensions of global war.
Thus, she risks her life and maybe the survival of all humanity in an attempt to solve the mystery. The science fiction drama stars Amy Adams as the main character, whereas Jeremy Renner, Michael Stuhlbarg, Forest Whitaker, and Tzi Ma appear in supporting roles.
7. Dune
The novel-adapted movie follows Paul Atreides, a smart and gifted young man who has to travel to a dangerous planet in the universe to secure the future of his family and his people. It was released in 2021, and with its big hit, the sequel is set to release in 2023.
If the second part has success as expected, there are chances of the third film following that. The first movie made over $400 million worldwide against a budget of over $100 million.
The cast includes Timothee Chalamet, Oscar Isaac, Rebecca Ferguson, Josh Brolin, Zendaya, Stellan Skarsgård, Dave Bautista, Charlotte Rampling, Stephen McKinley Henderson, David Dastmalchian, Chang Chen, Jason Momoa, Sharon Duncan-Brewster, and Javier Bardem.
6. Under The Skin
Under The Skin stars Scarlett Johnson as a space alien posing as a human woman who travels throughout Scotland to prey on men. Then, once she seduces them, they are sent into another realm where they are nothing more than meat.
The story was portrayed from an alien perspective on the human world, most of the cast had no acting experience, and many scenes were filmed with a hidden camera. Many reviewers and media called it the year’s greatest movie.
It was listed on many best-of-the-decade lists. It was also placed 61st on the BBC’s 100 Greatest Films of the 21st Century list.
5. The Thing
The Things is a 2011 science fiction survival horror film that is also a prequel to a 1982 film of the same name. It stars Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Ulrich Thomsen, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Joel Edgerton, and Eric Christian Olsen.
The story follows Paleontologist Kate Lloyd who joins the crew at the secluded Arctic outpost to investigate when Norwegian researchers find an extraterrestrial ship buried in the ice. She discovers a creature that initially seems to have passed away in the accident ages ago but is actually just ready to awaken.
The nefarious living thing launches an attack after being released from its icy prison. As the team struggles to survive a monster that takes the form of its victims, paranoia spreads among the crew like a wildfire.
The movie received mixed reviews and was not much of a success at the box office, grossing $31.5 million against a $38 million budget.
4. Lilo & Stitch
The animated science fiction comedy-drama was produced by Walt Disney Feature Animation in 2002. It is a heartwarming tale of a little girl’s close contact with the most wanted alien in the galaxy.
She is a lonely Hawaiian girl named Lilo who takes in a little, ugly “dog,” which she calls Stitch. But, if Stitch were not actually a genetic experiment that escaped from an alien planet and crashed-landed on Earth, he would make the ideal pet.
Lilo helps Stitch open up and gain the capacity to care for others through her love, faith, and unshakable belief in ohana, the Hawaiian notion of family. The movie is touching and would even bring tears to many eyes if you get deep into what the characters are feeling in every scene.
3. Nope
The 2022 film follows a man and his sister discovering something sinister in the skies above their California horse ranch. The stars Daniel Kaluuya and Keke Palmer play the role of horse-wrangling siblings attempting to capture evidence of an unidentified flying object.
The movie had its premiere on July 18, 2022, and on July 22, 2022, Universal Pictures distributed it to theaters nationwide. It made $171 million at the global box office and has received accolades for its ambition, acting, themes, cinematography, visual style, musical score, and direction.
This movie can be a great pick for those audiences who prefer science fiction with a touch of horror and suspense.
2. Transformers
Transformers is a science fiction action movie where the movie’s lead character, Sam Witwicky, finds himself in the middle of a clash between mechanical aliens. The good Autobots and the bad Decepticons are two robot groups that can transition into various types of things, primarily automobiles, to disguise their identities.
Transformers had its world debut on June 10 in Korea before hitting theaters on July 3 in America. With an estimated 46 million tickets sold in America, the movie ended up being the fifth-highest-grossing movie of 2007, earning $709 million overall.
Further, the film followed up with four sequels after its first release. The second part, Revenge of the Fallen, was released in 2009, followed by the Dark of the Moon in 2011, then Age of Extinction in 2014, and finally, The Last Knight in 2017. The rise of the Beast trailer got released in 2022 and is scheduled to hit the theaters in 2023.
1. Avatar
Avatar is a 2009 movie that goes to the future in 2154 after the Earth’s natural resources were depleting. But at the same time, The Resources Development Administration finds a valuable mineral, unobtanium, on a different star system’s moon named Pandora.
There lived Na’vi, blue-skinned, sapient humanoids that stood 10 feet tall and appeared primitive but were highly evolved. Because of the planet’s toxic environment, human/Na’vi hybrids known as Avatars are required to attach to human minds to walk freely there.
A paralyzed former Marine named Jake Sully is able to walk again through one such Avatar and develops feelings for a Na’vi lady, Neytiri. As the two get closer, he is dragged into a battle to save her world.
The movie earned over $26.7 million on the day of its premiere and more than $77 million by the weekend, with a total box office collection of $2.9 billion. Avatar was nominated for nine awards, including Best Picture and Best Director, and took home the 82nd Academy Awards for Best Art Direction, Best Cinematography, and Best Visual Effects.