Alien: Romulus is the latest sequel in the hugely popular sci-fi franchise, but it takes place at an awkward spot on the series’ timeline. While the movie isn’t directly connected to any other installment through characters or locations, there are certain aspects to the story that are undeniably enhanced by having a more widespread knowledge of this saga. For example, details about where the Xenomorphs came from can only be fully understood after watching Prometheus, which complicates the Alien viewing order even more.

The intended viewing order for the Alien movies has always been complex, and Alien: Romulus makes it even more unclear. There’s a clear chronology to this universe, but some of the prequels benefit from a knowledge that can only be obtained from watching movies later on the timeline, making a chronological marathon less effective. And with discussions about a potential sequel to Alien: Romulus taking place, it’s important to figure out exactly how these movies should be watched.

Alien: Romulus Makes The Alien Movies Watch Order More Complicated

It Doesn’t Fit Neatly Into The Timeline

The intended watch order for the Alien franchise has never been simple, and the latest sequel makes it even more complicated by stepping outside of the linear timeline and jumping backwards to an earlier point. Fede Álvarez’s sequel takes place between the events of Ridley Scott’s original sci-fi horror Alien and James Cameron’s action-packed sequel Aliens, though it’s not directly connected to either story. There are some references and Easter eggs in Alien: Romulus that pay homage to both Alien and Aliens, though confusingly, one of these stories technically hadn’t happened yet.

To make matters worse, Alien: Romulus also has clear connections to the prequel movies that muffle the timeline even more. This sequel takes place many years after both Prometheus and Covenant, which is self-evident from the presence of Xenomorphs in the narrative. There are even some direct links, such as the black goo that the Engineers used to create humanity at the beginning of Prometheus – though it takes a whole new form in Alien: Romulus. Therefore, Alvarez’ movie is both a sequel (to Prometheus, Covenant, and Alien) and a prequel (to Alien 3 onwards).

Alien: Romulus Takes Place Before Aliens, But Should You Watch It That Way?

The Answer Comes Down To Personal Preference

However, just because Alien: Romulus takes place before Aliens, that doesn’t mean that’s the order in which these movies should be watched. For those who’ve just watched Ridley Scott’s Alien for the first time, Romulus probably isn’t the best sequel to pick up straight away, despite being the next chronologically. Watching the Alien franchise in release order is undoubtedly the safest way to go – at least for a first viewing. This way, audiences are sure to pick up on all the Easter eggs that exist in the series, and won’t be confused by the offspring reveal in Romulus’ ending sequence.

However, for those who’ve already seen the Alien franchise in its entirety and want to experience the story through a fresh lens, a chronological viewing order could be the way to go. This allows for a more immersive and continuous experience, providing a more focused perspective on how this universe evolved over time. In this case, Prometheus and its direct sequel Alien: Covenant would be the perfect place to start. From there, audiences can move onto the main series, fitting Alien: Romulus into the timeline after the original movie and going straight into Aliens after that.

Alien: Romulus Works Better If You Have Seen Prometheus & Alien: Covenant

The Prequels Strongly Enhance Alien: Romulus

Whichever viewing order you choose, the only strict rule is that Ridley Scott’s prequel films should definitely come before Alien: Romulus. While they’re not directly connected through any characters or major plot points, viewers should have some knowledge of the Engineers from Prometheus for Alien: Romulus’ ending to have the maximum effect. There’s a shocking reveal in the sequel’s final act that draws direct inspiration from the prequels’ black goo and impacts the franchise’s lore as a result. This won’t be as impactful for those who haven’t already seen both Prometheus and Alien: Covenant.

Incidentally, Alien: Romulus’ final act is some of the strongest filmmaking in the entire franchise, and the way Fede Alvarez effortlessly transforms this survival thriller into a dark, gritty piece of body horror is truly astounding. The film uses both practical and special effects to maximum effect, totally flipping the script on everything that’s come before and lulling the audience into a false sense of security before subverting all their expectations. The full strength of this wouldn’t be felt without prior knowledge of the Prometheus lore.

Prometheus Might Not Be The Best Way To Start An Alien Movie Marathon

The Prequel Isn’t As Exciting As Those That Preceded It

However, there’s one slight problem with adopting a chronological viewing order for your next Alien marathon: Prometheus is pretty slow, and it’s not the most engaging movie in the franchise. There’s a reason the Alien prequels are the franchise’s most divisive movies – they’re essentially in a different genre from everything that preceded them. Where Alien is a gory, atmospheric horror and Aliens is a high-octane action flick, Prometheus is more of a slow-burn, philosophical drama that just happens to be set in space.

The film centers around humanity’s purpose in the universe, exploring where we came from and where our current society is heading. There’s rich subtext about religion, power, and spirituality that makes it one of Alien’s most profound and moving stories, but certainly not the most engaging. While this isn’t a problem in general (as the film was intended to be a slower, more meditative adventure), it poses somewhat of an obstacle for Alien’s chronological viewing order.

Ultimately, there are plenty of different options for an Alien movie marathon, and most of them work pretty well. The only fixed guidelines are to start with 1979’s Alien, don’t jump around within the main-series films, and try to watch the prequels before Alien: Romulus. And certainly don’t worry about Alien vs Predator.