In space, no one can hear you scream, but trying to piece together the sprawling timeline of the “Alien” universe might just make you want to. While Ridley Scott’s groundbreaking 1979 film, “Alien,” famously launched the franchise and redefined science fiction horror, it now stands as merely a midpoint in a multi-chaptered narrative. As Noah Hawley, the Emmy-winning mind behind FX’s “Fargo” anthology, prepares to unleash “Alien: Earth”—the franchise’s ambitious first foray onto television—the complexities of its chronology have become a central point of discussion. Hawley himself acknowledges the challenge, embracing the “grey area” within the mythology to bring the terrifying Xenomorphs to humanity’s home planet for the very first time. Before embarking on this chilling new series, understanding the sequential flow of these horrifying events across centuries is crucial to fully appreciating the Xenomorph’s relentless evolution and humanity’s desperate struggle for survival.
The Genesis of Terror: Prequels and Philosophical Beginnings
The cinematic journey into the “Alien” universe began not with a straightforward prequel, but with Ridley Scott’s highly anticipated return to the director’s chair for “Prometheus,” released in 2012. Set in the year 2093, this film aimed to delve into the enigmatic origins of the universe’s ultimate biological weapon and, more broadly, the mysterious Engineers—the towering, ancient beings believed to be the creators of humanity. “Prometheus” posed profound philosophical questions about creation, existence, and the destructive consequences of scientific hubris, rather than providing simple answers. It intentionally raised more questions than it resolved, leading to fervent debates among fans about its canonical ties and introducing elements that often felt disconnected from the established lore of the original films. This deliberate ambiguity laid a foundation that prioritized existential inquiry over direct narrative continuity, creating a complex entry point into the deeper mythology of the Xenomorph.
Following “Prometheus,” Scott continued his exploration of these foundational themes with “Alien: Covenant,” released in 2017 and set in 2104, a mere eleven years later. This direct sequel attempted to bridge the philosophical introspection of its predecessor with the more visceral horror that defined the original “Alien.” The film notably followed the classic “Alien” sequel trope: a new crew responding to a distress signal and landing on a seemingly idyllic, yet ultimately perilous, planet with disastrous consequences. While it deepened the lore surrounding the Engineers and the origins of the Xenomorph, it was Michael Fassbender’s chilling and nuanced performance as the android David, who plays a pivotal role in the creature’s evolution, that often stole the show. Much like “Prometheus,” the convoluted connections and new lore introduced in “Covenant” have led showrunner Noah Hawley to consciously step away from these specific storylines for his new television series, preferring to carve out his own narrative space within the broader timeline.
Earth’s Unsettling Debut: A New Chapter Before the Classic
The highly anticipated new series, “Alien: Earth,” is set to make a groundbreaking shift by bringing the terrifying Xenomorphs to a location they’ve never explicitly dominated on-screen: our home planet. Slated for release in 2025, the show is chronologically positioned in the year 2120, a mere two years before the fateful events aboard the Nostromo in the original “Alien.” Showrunner Noah Hawley has stated his intention to present the titular creatures “within a larger ecosystem,” emphasizing a broader scope for their terrifying impact. The decision to set the series on Earth opened up what Hawley described as “a grey area that we can play in,” capitalizing on the fact that very little detailed mythology exists about Earth’s fate or condition within the established “Alien” universe. This provided a unique creative freedom, allowing the series to explore new facets of the franchise’s enduring terror.
“Alien: Earth” will delve into a world grappling with competing global corporations, prominently featuring the unscrupulous Weyland-Yutani — the omnipresent “company” frequently cited in the very first film as a sinister underlying force. The narrative centers on a complex hierarchy of human and humanoid beings vying for control, their delicate balance thrown into chaos when a spaceship crash-lands on Earth, carrying incredibly valuable and profoundly dangerous cargo. This setup promises to deliver the classic “Alien” blend of corporate intrigue, class struggle, and existential dread, all heightened by the unprecedented proximity of the Xenomorph threat to humanity’s last bastion. By placing the action on Earth, Hawley is not only exploring new geographical territory but also potentially redefining the stakes of the entire franchise, pushing the boundaries of where “no one can hear you scream” truly applies.
The Iconic Original: Where It All Began
Released in 1979, Ridley Scott’s “Alien” is, without question, the foundational pillar of the entire franchise and a groundbreaking masterpiece that forever altered the landscape of science fiction and horror. Set in the year 2122, just two years after the events of the new “Alien: Earth” series, the film introduced the world to Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), an unassuming warrant officer aboard the commercial towing vessel Nostromo. What begins as a routine detour to investigate a mysterious distress signal on a desolate planetoid quickly spirals into a claustrophobic nightmare. The crew’s fateful encounter with a derelict alien spacecraft leads to the horrifying discovery of the Xenomorph, a creature that embodies pure biological terror with its razor-sharp teeth, face-hugging larvae, chest-bursting emergence, and highly corrosive acid blood.
“Alien” did more than just launch a successful franchise; it created an enduring blueprint for creature features and sci-fi horror for decades to come. Scott’s masterful direction emphasized suspense, atmosphere, and psychological dread over overt gore, turning the confined spaces of the Nostromo into a haunted house in the cosmos. The film established the iconic design of the Xenomorph, a biomechanical nightmare that remains terrifying to this day, and cemented Ellen Ripley as one of cinema’s most resilient and influential heroines. Its themes of corporate callousness, survival against an unknowable threat, and the terrifying beauty of biological perfection continue to resonate, proving that the 2122 setting of this seminal film remains the true genesis of the Xenomorph’s chilling saga.
Interquels and Escalation: Expanding Ripley’s Nightmare
Following the groundbreaking original, the “Alien” timeline saw strategic expansions that both filled in gaps and pushed the narrative forward. “Alien: Romulus,” released in 2024, strategically places itself in the year 2142, roughly two decades after the original film and before the events of its immediate sequel. This installment aimed to revitalize the franchise during a period of dormancy by exploring a new story within a familiar, yet previously unseen, chronological window. Crucially, it takes place while Ellen Ripley is still adrift in hypersleep after her harrowing escape from the Nostromo. This allows “Romulus” to introduce new characters and a fresh perspective on the Xenomorph threat without directly involving the franchise’s iconic protagonist, providing a self-contained yet canonical contribution that respects the established lore while expanding the universe.
The most celebrated sequel, James Cameron’s “Aliens,” followed in 1986, jumping ahead to the year 2179 – over half a century after Ripley’s initial ordeal. This film famously broke the mold of the original, transforming the suspenseful horror into a full-throttle action-horror epic. Ripley, rescued from hypersleep, learns that her escape pod went undetected, and all those she knew on Earth have long since died of old age, leaving her utterly alone. The discovery of a Xenomorph infestation on LV-426, the very planetoid where the original creature was found, forces her to confront her deepest fears once more. Cameron expertly ramped up the action, introduced the terrifying Xenomorph Queen, and layered in a compelling human drama, resulting in Sigourney Weaver’s rare acting Oscar nomination for a genre film. “Aliens” became a benchmark for sequels, demonstrating how to expand a universe while maintaining the essence of its predecessor, creating a powerful, character-driven story amidst relentless action.
The Concluding Chapters: Demise and Resurrection
The original Ripley saga continued with “Alien 3,” released in 1992 and notably the only entry to directly follow its predecessor, taking place immediately in 2179. The film opens with Ripley’s latest escape vessel crashing into a bleak, desolate prison planet, only for her to discover that a deadly Xenomorph egg had stowed away on board. This installment marked a significant departure in tone, embracing a grimmer, more nihilistic aesthetic, and presenting Ripley with perhaps her most desperate and emotionally taxing battle. The film culminates in a shocking and definitive demise for one of cinema’s greatest heroines, a bold and controversial choice that aimed to provide a definitive end to Ripley’s story arc within the franchise, leaving audiences with a stark and memorable conclusion.
Five years later, in 1997, “Alien: Resurrection” took the franchise into a decidedly zany and futuristic direction, set far into the year 2381. Directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet (known for “Amélie”), this entry brought Ellen Ripley back to life, but with a twist: she is a clone whose DNA has been fused with that of the Xenomorph, granting her enhanced abilities and a disturbing connection to the creatures she once fought. While it offered some memorable, albeit bizarre, sequences—such as the aliens swimming—and expanded the Xenomorph’s biological capabilities, its distant future setting and unique narrative direction made it an outlier in the franchise. Showrunner Noah Hawley, in constructing the new “Alien: Earth” series, explicitly stated that he did not concern himself with the events of “Alien: Resurrection” due to its extreme chronological distance, highlighting the film’s standing as a wild, yet largely disconnected, epilogue to the Xenomorph saga.
