Almost 40 years later, the ‘Alien’ vs. ‘Aliens’ debate is still spitting acid

When it comes to classic sci-fi franchises, Alien and its various sequels, spinoffs, prequels, videogames, offshoots, and crossovers can be argued to be one of the most celebrated properties of all time. Of course, it wouldn’t have risen to this status without its two original films being the timeless masterpieces they are.

As such, the fandom will often come together for a lively debate about which of the original two entries in the Alien series is the better flick. Is it Ridley Scott’s 1979 original, Alien? Or will James Cameron’s 1986 follow-up Aliens take the cake?

Reddit came together to discuss and came back with some solid points on either side. There is an apt argument made that a viewer’s preference between the two comes down to whether you prefer a haunted house or a rollercoaster. These commenters prefer spooks and claustrophobia.  

Others are here for the thrill and prefer gunslinging beat-to-beat movement over a slow-burning sense of dread.

Some think the conversation is comparing apples and oranges, and opt to unpack their thoughts as to which film does which elements of cinema more effectively rather than shoehorning themselves into one camp or the other. 

As for me, dear readers, this is a tricky question to answer. While haunted houses leave more of a lasting impression on me, I wouldn’t dare discount the thrill of Cameron’s sequel and sit firmly in the Alien camp. So I’m going to join this commenter up here on the fence and take both arguments for their merits.

Almost a decade ago, We Got This Covered released the list of our top 100 horror movies of all time, and Ridley Scott’s original Alien landed at number two on the chart. In contrast, Aliens either wasn’t considered a horror movie or didn’t make the cut. Time for an update, perhaps?

As for the future of Alien, there are a couple of things in the works. Don’t Breathe director Fede Álvarez has been tapped to direct a standalone Alien film produced by Ridley Scott for Hulu, and a TV series is on the way too. Fans should note the series is unlikely to be Alien 5, with Disney shooting down the idea of bringing back Sigourney Weaver’s beloved Ellen Ripley.