Watching the Alien films in chronological order can be a challenge, but fitting the Predator films (which share the same cinematic universe) into the timeline can be daunting. Fortunately, it’s not impossible.

This guide contains the three most important viewing lists Alien fans will need, depending on their personal viewing order and how extensive they want their movie marathons to be.

This list shows all of the films that prominently feature the Xenomorph, in the order in which they were released. Many fans often prefer to watch these films in the order in which they were released, as each new film in the franchise introduces new elements that build upon the mythology.

For example, the reveal of the Alien Queen in Aliens is a major moment in the franchise, but if you watch one of the later films first, you can already tell.