Every ‘Alien’ movie you have to watch before ‘Alien: Romulus’

For some background, Romulus will be the first new movie in the classic series since Alien: Covenant released in 2017. As a result, die-hards are firmly interested in knowing which movies to see before taking a glance at the head-twisting new project. Alien: Covenant was a little divisive among fans and casual moviegoers despite taking a different direction than Prometheus, but there’s still a massive fanbase for the franchise, which continues to evolve with every iteration, much like the beloved Xenomorph.

There’s a lot of hype surrounding Fede Álvarez’s vision for Romulus, as the director has sprinkled plenty of details before the big premiere. It’s true that fans can simply binge every single Alien movie beforehand to become familiar enough with the epic universe, but Álvarez has specifically mentioned which previous movies partly influenced Romulus. As such, revisiting certain films could help eager fans understand and appreciate Romulus‘ unique lore and direction.

Which Alien movies should you watch before Romulus?

During an interview with GamesRadar last March, the incomparable director mentioned that Romulus would be a standalone movie so total newcomers to the franchise won’t feel lost throughout the story. One could insist that audiences don’t technically need to revisit any of the previous Alien films at all, but becoming knowledgeable of the franchise’s eye-catching movies will only add a more pleasurable and memorable experience for moviegoers. In an interview with Variety, Álvarez specifically cited the first three Alien films as inspiration, and that much proves to be obvious after watching Romulus.

That being said, watching Alien and Aliens is especially significant before diving in and watching Romulus. The OG project will help folks to understand the opening scene in Romulus, while Aliens will assist in understanding the otherworldly colonies.

When does Alien: Romulus take place in the Alien timeline?

Alien: Romulus takes place 20 years after the original film, setting the story between Ridley Scott’s Alien and James Cameron’s hit sequel Aliens, which is crucial in following the plot of the latest entry. Romulus undoubtedly serves as connective tissue between those stories, so the original two movies in the series are likely essential viewing, while other movies are arguably optional. Without a doubt, however, those installments are iconic, and frequently inspire new sequels in some way or another. To fully enjoy the magic of the sci-fi universe, Alien: Romulus is officially out in theaters tomorrow.