Humans like to contemplate themselves the highest of the meals chain, and whereas that concept may work on Earth, we barely scrape by within the galactic gladiator competitors. The Predator franchise, which started with the basic Scwarzenegger movie in 1987, is all concerning the “Yautja” – towering trophy-seeking hunters from house who journey to totally different worlds for deadly competitors and have been identified to kidnap species for hunts again on their residence planet.
Two preliminary Predator movies in 1987 and 1990 created a baseline for the Predator saga. Since Xenomorphs from the Alien strikes are additionally a cinematic scourge for humanity, it made good sense within the 2000’s to create a shared universe with two Alien vs. Predator flicks. In the next decade, administrators equivalent to Robert Rodriquez, Shane Black, and Dan Trachtenberg all put their spins on the franchise.
With two new Predator films arriving in 2025, it is a greater time than ever to binge the unique sci-fi classics. If you need to watch each Predator film so as, we have you lined! Below you may discover the total timeline of the Predator films and the place to observe them on-line.
You also can try our information to the Alien films so as to include the entire timeline.
There are a complete of seven movies in the Predator franchise — 4 within the mainline collection of movies, two Alien crossovers, and one prequel. Two new Predator films are set to launch in 2025.
Predator 4-Movie Collection
Includes Predator, Predator 2, Predators, and The Predator
Predator Movies in (Chronological) Order
1. Prey (2022)
Prey is a prequel and due to this fact designed to be watched after every little thing else (particularly Predator 2) but when one is actually trying to soak up the Predator franchise in chronological order that is the place to start. Set in 1719, throughout the the Great Plains, Prey follows a younger Comanche lady, Naru (Amber Midthunder), who will get greater than she bargains for when she accompanies her brother on a hunt and winds up within the crosshairs of a (extra primitive) Predator. Determined to show herself, Naru units her sights on taking the alien stalker down on this recent and thrilling take from the three-decade saga.
Read IGN’s overview of Prey
2. Predator (1987)
It all began with 1987’s Predator, directed by Die Hard’s John McTiernan and starring heyday Arnold Schwarzenegger, together with Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, Bill Duke, and Shane Black (who would direct his personal Predator movie a few years later). Predator is an superior motion basic the place a near-unstoppable army rescue group will get their asses handed to them by a terrifying invisible power within the jungles of South America. When the attacker is revealed to be an alien hunter out by itself model of a sinister safari, Schwarzenegger’s Dutch should determine ambush and defeat a monster gentle years forward of him in tech and ways.
3. Predator 2 (1990)
A number of years later, Predator returned to multiplexes for extra massacres and mayhem, however this time with a whole change of solid and setting. Taking place amongst a near-future heatwave/crimewave — 1997 Los Angeles — Predator 2 follows cops performed by Danny Glover, Bill Paxton, Ruben Blades, and MarÃa Conchita Alonso as they try to not solely cope with a bloody Cartel battle on the streets, however a badass alien Predator too, stalking the cityscape for victims.
4. AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)
After 14 years — with novels, comics, and video video games conserving the franchise flames lit — Predator got here again in an enormous manner with a full crossover film, merging with the Alien saga, which hadn’t been dormant however positively struggled to seek out its footing within the ’90s. Alien vs. Predator, from Resident Evil/Event Horizon’s Paul W. S. Anderson, was an enormous hit, injecting new life into each sci-fi/horror properties. Set in “current day” America, AVP launched a nasty little bit of historical past connecting the Yautja and Xenomorphs. Namely that Predators had been conducting hunts on Earth for hundreds of years utilizing people as breeding our bodies for Xenos, after which looking down the Xeno swarm for “proper of passage” sport. Sanaa Lathan, Lance Henriksen, Raoul Bova, and Ewen Bremner star.
Read IGN’s overview of AVP: Alien vs. Predator
5. Aliens vs Predator: Requiem (2007)
The sequel to AVP, Aliens vs Predator: Requiem, picks up proper the place AVP left off, so timeline-wise that is all the identical battle. Not as profitable as its predecessor (therefore it being the ultimate crossover movie) Requiem delivered an Alien-Predator hybrid, referred to as the “Predalien,” because it attacked a small Colorado city and a Predator “cleaner” being dispatched to take down this new monstrosity.
Read IGN’s overview of Alien vs. Predator: Requiem right here.
6. Predators (2010)
The solely Predator film to not happen on Earth, Predators, from Robert Rodriguez, regarded to shake up the components a bit by bringing audiences to a distant planet, a Yautja recreation reserve. With a killer solid together with Adrien Brody, Walton Goggins, Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace, and Alice Braga, Predators confirmed followers how people, particularly “established killers,” are kidnapped and used for sport between two warring Yautja tribes.
Timeline-wise, it is a tough one. It’s by no means clearly said when this all occurs. Meaning, the Earth yr. But it is simple sufficient to simply assume it is 2010, when the film was launched. Or, within the very least, based mostly on the characters, the early twenty first Century. So Predators can match into your chronological viewing plans right here, at quantity six, or it can save you it for final.
Read IGN’s overview of Predators
7. The Predator (2018)
Despite Predators being a modest hit it will nonetheless be eight years earlier than a brand new Predator movie hit the large display screen and with 2018’s The Predator, director/co-writers Shane Black (Iron Man 3, Kiss Kiss Bang Bang) would take the franchise again to its authentic components (which he himself starred in) by presenting a squad of unstable troopers — performed by the likes of Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Keegan-Michael Key, Thomas Jane and Game of Thrones’ Alfie Allen — who tackle a pair of rampaging Predators and thwart their Yautja schemes (which contain DNA splicing). The movie ends with a tease for extra, whereas alternate/unused endings featured time touring variations of each Alien’s Ellen Ripley and Rebecca “Newt” Jorden in a brand new seize for crossover gold.
Read IGN’s overview of The Predator
How to Watch the Predator Movies by Release Date
If you are seeking to watch all the flicks in theatrical launch order, the proper listing is under:
- Predator (1987)
- Predator 2 (1990)
- AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)
- Aliens vs Predator: Requiem (2007)
- Predators (2010)
- The Predator (2018)
- Prey (2022)
The Future of the Predator Franchise
Two new Predator films shall be launched in 2025. Predator: Badlands, in theaters November 7, 2025, will star Elle Fanning and have Predator because the protagonist, in accordance with director Dan Trachtenberg.
The second film, additionally directed by Trachtenberg, was stored secret for fairly a while. However, we are able to now affirm that Predator: Killer of Killers, is an animated film that follows three totally different encounters with the final word killer at varied factors in historical past. The film is about to launch immediately onto Hulu on June 6.
Matt Fowler is a contract leisure author/critic, overlaying TV information, critiques, interviews and options on IGN for 13+ years.
