Ridley Scott’s Alien forever changed both science fiction and horror movies when it came out in 1979, and, nearly half a century later, we’re still chilled to the bone by those terrifying xenomorphs. The atmosphere of deadly far-future corporate greed and the shiny black details of H.R. Giger’s biomechanical creature design were unlike anything we’d ever seen in the genre, and its home studio was quick to set up a number of sequels.
The Alien franchise now numbers seven mainline movies, two spin-offs, and one series. We have the beloved Alien and Aliens, the less well-received Alien 3, the maligned (perhaps unfairly?) Alien: Resurrection, the prequels Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, last year's Alien: Romulus, and the now airing Alien: Earth series. The series also includes two more spinoff movies starring the xenomorphs and our friendly space-poaching Predator, so the prospect of growing your own at-home Alien collection may feel a little daunting.
We’re here with a breakdown of how to get the best bang for your buck if you’re seeking out any or all of the Alien movies on Blu-ray, in all their gooey glory. You can also check out our guide to watching the Alien movies in order for the full timeline.
Which Alien Blu-ray Set Should You Buy?
No matter who you are, if you’ve seen the Alien movies, you probably have your own strong opinions about which ones are better and which ones are worse. Where Alien was a slow, atmospheric build, James Cameron’s Aliens is full of macho “OO-RAH” energy. David Fincher’s Alien 3, by contrast, is darker and meaner, and Alien: Resurrection, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, sometimes barely feels like an Alien movie at all. And the sequels? Well, you either love them or you hate them.
That said, because more is more, we recommend getting the set of all six movies in the Alien 6-Film Collection to get as much of the Weyland-Yutani experience as possible. Follow the complete journey of Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley, from lowly space trawler pilot to half-human-half-alien clone, and then travel back in time to the origins of the corporation’s obsession with obtaining an alien specimen – and find out the true extraterrestrial origins of life on Earth.
Every Alien Blu-Ray You Can Buy
Because the franchise is so long-running, there are a number of variations on Alien Blu-ray sets that are currently available. If you’re only interested in the first few, it’s possible to buy only those, and if you’re down for purchasing the whole franchise, you can also do that. If you’re a true completist, we’ve also thrown an Alien vs. Predator double feature in here so you don't forget the Predator movies are connected.
Blu-ray Sets Available
Every Individual Blu-ray Available
Will Alien: Earth Get a Blu-ray Release?
The most recent release in the Alien franchise is going where the franchies has never gone before: TV. Created by Noah Hawley, Alien: Earth premiered on August 12 and is expected to run for eight episodes total. Early reviews have been pretty positive, with IGN's spoiler-free review describing the series as "an amazing piece of science fiction on the strength of solid production and creature design, an incredible cast, and needle drops that make me want a cigarette."
I'd imagine the series making a solid addition to an Alien collection. Unfortunately, we haven't heard anything about a Blu-ray release so far, and a firm announcement will likely depend on the show's performance on streaming.
