The release of every newAlienmovie sparks audience discussion about the history of the franchise and often means that viewers will be looking for further content to scratch the same itch asAlien. Since the first film of the series premiered in 1979, the sequel films have all followed the same example and aremovies that perfectly blend sci-fi and horror. This mixture of genres andspecific aesthetic and tone are what sets theAlienfilms apart and informs other movies and TV showsthat incorporate similar stories. As sci-fi increasingly moves to TV, this has become more apparent.
The setting matters less than if the monsters and plot points evoke the same kind of thrills that theAlienmovies do.
There is a litany of science fiction TV shows set in space and deal with humans interacting with aliens across the galaxy, but this isn’t enough to draw a direct comparison to the film franchise. The setting matters less than if the monsters and plot points evoke the same kind of thrills that theAlienmovies do. Stories of invasion, possession, andmoments of well-timed violence and fight scenes move these TV series into the same territory asAlien.All theAlienmovies in chronological orderdemonstrate how the franchise has evolved but maintains connections to its roots.
Every Upcoming Alien Movie & TV Show After Romulus
There will be further installments in the popular long-running science fiction horror franchise after the 2024 theatrical hit Alien: Romulus.
Stranger Things
Cast
Stranger Things is a Netflix series set in the 1980s, where the mysterious disappearance of a young boy leads a small town to uncover secret experiments and supernatural forces. A significant focus is on a peculiar girl who may hold the key to the unfolding mystery.
While the monsters from the upside down might not be aliens, they still evoke a similar feeling as the xenomorphs.
As the final season of the beloved TV show approaches,Stranger Thingsseason 5 must address complaints and fix character endingsso that Netflix’s long-running sci-fi show can go out on the same high it premiered on. It’s been a long time sinceStranger Thingswas released, and the show has evolved a great deal since then, butthe eerie creatures and terrifying atmosphere have remained a consistent aspect of the series.While the monsters from the Upside Down might not be aliens, they still evoke a similar feeling as the xenomorphs.
Additionally, a recurring conflict is that once characters go to the Upside Down or interact with the monsters, the creatures can possess them. It’s rarely as graphically violent as in theAlienmovies, butStranger Thingshas never been afraid to make its characters suffer and put them through traumatic situations.The design of the monster is also reminiscent ofAlien, as the movies have been enormously influential in shaping audience perception of what’s scary.
Falling Skies
When Earth is invaded by extraterrestrials, humanity loses the battle against the alien attackers. Picking up after the defeat of the human race, Falling Skies tells the story of a former college professor (Noah Wyle) who becomes the leader of the Second Massachusetts, a group of soldiers and civilians who are struggling to fight against the occupying force.
One of the biggest questions that pop up in stories about alien invasions is the purpose behind the otherworldly creatures' attack.InFalling Skies, life on Earth is turned upside down by a force of skilled and brilliant aliens,and though the humans fight back with everything they have, they’re uncertain what the invading army wants from them. In theAlienmovies, it’s fairly clear that the xenomorphs' only aim in life is to procreate and maintain the survival of their species, making them a different kind of intelligent and terrifying.
Falling Skiessees the last of humanity band together to attempt to stop the alien invasion throughout its five-season run. Though the sci-fi element ofFalling Skiesis the inciting incident of the series, many of the plot points come down to human ingenuity, and the major conflicts in the show play out similarly to battles and human wars.Noah Wyle stars as the protagonist, Tom Mason, one of the humans who survivesand must use his knowledge of history to fight the aliens and get his son back.
Roswell
In Roswell, New Mexico, high school student Liz learns that three of her classmates are actually alien survivors of a UFO crash that took place years prior. She and her other human friends must keep the secret, but as Liz and the others form deeper bonds with their alien classmates, the situation becomes more and more complex.
Blending sci-fi with horror or fantasy makes sense, as these genres all complement each other and have similar themes. However,Roswelltook on the difficult task of taking a teen drama and infusing it with classic sci-fi elements, including aliens and conspiracy theories.Though it only ran for three seasons,Roswellmade its mark on televisionand inspired further forays into the teen sci-fi genre. WhileRoswelldoesn’t get quite as scary as any of theAlienmovies, it still has plenty of stakes and tension.
Aliens aren’t necessarily the villains inRoswell, which is a welcome change from the monstrous archetypes that most sci-fi series utilize.
The invasion of the aliens inRoswellis more covert and subtlethan other more violent shows, but this adds to the mystery and intrigue that defines the series.Roswellwas popular enough that it was recently revived asRoswell, New Mexico, in 2019, a series that ran for four seasons and added to the lore of the original show. Aliens aren’t necessarily the villains inRoswell, which is a welcome change from the monstrous archetypes that most sci-fi series utilize.
Alien: Earth
When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat.
The premier ofAlien: Earthcan’t come soon enough, asthe upcoming prequel show will give fans of the film series ample information about the character’s past and the mysteries behind the xenomorphs’origins. There’s a lot of pressure riding onAlien: Earth, as the series is following in the footsteps of an enormously popular collection of movies and a dedicated fanbase. However, ifAlien: Earthcan deliver both visually and in terms of story, it will open doors for the franchise to expand out of film and dig into television.
Manyrecent sci-fi shows prove the genre’s future is on TV, and it will be well worth it forAliento take the risk and develop this series if it can take off. Not much is known aboutAlien: Earthother than that the series takes place before the events of the first movie and has an exciting cast of characters lined up. Episodes ofAlien: Earthwill be directed by Noah Hawley, whose past credits include experimental and boundary-pushing projects likeLegionand theFargoTV show. These factors make it easy to get excited for the forthcoming series.
Does Alien: Romulus Connect to the Upcoming Alien TV Show?
Alien: Romulus is a stand-alone story, but could it be connected to the upcoming Alien: Earth TV show?
3 Body Problem
3 Body Problem is a Netflix original series from Game of Thrones creators David Benioff and D.B. Weiss, along with Alexander Woo. Based on the novel of the same name by Liu Cixin, 3 Body Problem centers on a detective who joins forces with a group of scientists after an unknown force begins killing scientists around the world.
Even though the threat of annihilation isn’t as immediate in3 Body Problemas it is inAlien, it’s still just as pressing and thrilling to watch Earth’s future unfold onscreen.
3 Body Problemwas quickly hailed as one of thebest sci-fi TV shows of 2024, and it’s no wonder considering its rich source material and far-reaching narrative. Liu Cixin’s book series has been highlighted as a work of science fiction that accurately and intricately deals with factual science while creating well-built imagined technology and math to flesh out the abilities of its world.3 Body Problempays tribute to the worldbuilding created by Cixinand delves even further into the characters and relationships within the story.
In3 Body Problem, multiple timelines are dealt with, similar to how audiences learn more about the characters and the xenomorphs as sequels and prequels are released in theAlienfranchise. However,the alien invasion is years away, and it’s up to the characters to try and prevent itor prepare for the fallout. Even though the threat of annihilation isn’t as immediate in3 Body Problemas it is inAlien, it’s still just as pressing and thrilling to watch Earth’s future unfold onscreen.
Parasyte: The Grey
“Parasyte: The Grey” imagines a world where alien parasites begin taking over human hosts, blending horror with psychological drama. The story follows a young man who forms a symbiotic relationship with his alien parasite, leading to a morally complex journey as they confront other parasites threatening humanity. This adaptation adds a unique twist, focusing on the grey areas of survival, identity, and the essence of being human.
Parasyte: The Greyis a loose spinoff of the best-selling mangaParasyte, but it takes the world of the story to new heights in the South Korean series.The visuals and aesthetics ofParasyte: The Greyare stellar, which is an incredible feat considering the intricate visual effects that are required to make the parasites look realistic inside their human hosts. After these parasites fall to Earth inParasyte: The Grey, groups of humans rise up to stop them, but it proves difficult considering the shapeshifting abilities and power of the parasites.
The parasites are markedly different from the xenomorphs inAlien,as they live inside human bodies and take over their minds to survive. However, the protagonist, Su-in, merges with her parasite and maintains her humanity while using the parasitic powers she’s developed to protect herself and fight against the more sinister parasites. Thriller elements and detective work are incorporated into the story as multiple groups battle for control of the human and parasite worlds.
Sugar
“Sugar” is a contemporary, unique take on one of the most popular and significant genres in literary, motion picture and television history: the private detective story. Academy Award nominee Colin Farrell stars as John Sugar, an American private investigator on the heels of the mysterious disappearance of Olivia Siegel, the beloved granddaughter of legendary Hollywood producer Jonathan Siegel. As Sugar tries to determine what happened to Olivia, he will also unearth Siegel family secrets; some very recent, others long-buried.
Sugaris set in Los Angeles and is deeply in conversation with the film noir mysteries and history of Hollywood that pave the streets of the city.
Colin Farrell makes an interesting Private Detective in Apple TV+‘sSugar, a series that seems like a crime drama on paper but hides a sci-fi twist.Sugaris set in Los Angeles and is deeply in conversation with the film noir mysteries and history of Hollywood that pave the streets of the city. While this style of cinematography and storytelling might not usually go hand-in-hand with sci-fi,it turns out to be an effective setting for the otherworldly aspects of the show.
For several episodes, hints are dropped about the incredible twist that changes the meaning of the series, but it’s not until the sixth episode that all the pieces fall into place. This is a considerably slow burn for a sci-fi or thriller series, butSugarmakes it work with its strong character development and foreshadowing. It’s possible to catch on to Sugar’s secret before he reveals himself to the viewer, butit’s almost more exciting to watch the show with no idea what will happen nextand why Sugar is so desperate to fit in.
The X-Files
The X-files takes the police procedural formula and applies it to sci-fi mysteries. Conspiracy theorist Fox Mulder and skeptic Dana Scully team up to solve cases surrounding alien invasions and other unexplained, paranormal phenomena.
The X-Fileshas everything a great procedural drama should, and it adds an extra layer of mystery and science fiction, which sets it above the competition.It helps that Scully (Gillian Anderson) and Mulder (David Duchovny) have incredible chemistryand that the series doesn’t waste their relationship by having the characters be romantic with each other too early in the series. Their compatible but opposite approaches to life and the realities of extraterrestrial beings make them an ideal pair to investigate the abnormal.
The series originally ran for nine seasons, ending in 2002,but it was popular enough to warrant several additional seasons years after the first finale. However, it’s the original run of the show that holds the tightest and most cohesive episodes that consistently push the audience’s beliefs about alien life on Earth. With Mulder the true believer and Scully the staunch skeptic, there’s something for any viewer to relate to when watchingThe X-Files.
Resident Alien
A television adaptation of the comic book series, Resident Alien is a sci-fi comedy that stars Alan Tudyk as an alien who crashes on Earth with one mission - destroy humanity to save the planet. When Tudyk’s character takes the identity of a doctor, he arrives at a small town and begins to act the role preparing his plan. As time passes, he develops human emotions against his will - but his plans are further complicated when he meets the son of the mayor - who can see his actual appearance.
Tudyk plays the central alien inResident Alien, who masquerades as a human doctor in a small town while attempting to end the world.
Alan Tudyk is no stranger to starring in offbeat sci-fi series, as his role inFireflyis still one he is well-remembered for. Tudyk plays the central alien inResident Alien, who masquerades as a human doctor in a small town while attempting to end the world. While this premise might sound dark,Resident Alienpokes fun at the traditional anxieties surrounding an alien invasionby making Harry, the alien, an empathetic character who makes mistakes and quickly learns to love and care for humans.
By blending elements of comedy into a premise that is classically framed within a horror context,Resident Aliensubverts audience expectations and is surprisingly heartwarming.Central issues involve what it means to be human and the subtleties of understanding the intricate social rulesof being a person. These elements put Harry in awkward but hilarious situations. WhileResident Aliendoesn’t have the terror of theAlienfranchise, it does cleverly reference the long history of aliens in media for strong results.
1Sweet Home (2020–2024)
Netflix’s smash-hit sci-fi thriller has been a hallmark of the genre since it premiered.
Beloved K-drama star Song Kang leadsSweet Homein one of his best and most dramatic roles to date. However,Sweet Homedoesn’t see Song playing his usual archetype of the romantic lead. Instead,Sweet Homechronicles the aftermath of an invasion of brutal monsters who take over human bodies and terrorize the rest of the population. His character, Cha Hyun-su, challenges the norm and becomes at war with himself as he becomes a human-monster hybrid and realizes that monsters aren’t the only threat to his life.
Like inAlien, the humans must be resourceful to combat the invading monsters, and the central characters inSweet Homeare trapped in a single building during season 1. This mirrors the way the characters in the movies are confined within spaceships and forced to confront the xenomorphs within the small space.AsSweet Homeprogressed, the series provided more information about the characters and expanded their world,seeing the effects the monsters had on larger sections of the population.
