These 25 alien movies will introduce us to creatures, beings, and encounters that will haunt our dreams and awaken our deepest fears.
Here are 25 alien movies for adults, no comedy or animation here. We’ve saved those for another list.
I’ve been obsessed with aliens, ufos and the unknown since childhood. I’ve watched numerous documentaries and docu-shows on the subject and never get tired of it. Its fascinating to think that there may be life out in the vast universe just waiting for us to find (or find us).
These 25 alien movies fulfill our insatiable curiosity about what lies beyond our planet and are a reminder of our vulnerability in the face of the unknown.
They introduce us to creatures, beings, and encounters that will haunt our dreams and awaken our deepest fears.
Let’s get to the list.
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“Avatar” follows a paraplegic Marine named Jake Sully who gets the chance to inhabit an alien body on the lush moon of Pandora. As he goes deeper into life with the Na’vi, he faces a moral dilemma between his mission and protecting the indigenous people and their way of life.
Two astronauts wake up on a spaceship but can’t remember anything, and they must navigate through dark corridors filled with dangerous creatures to uncover the truth about their mission and survive the chaos aboard. As they unravel the mystery, they confront their own fears and pasts, discovering the horrifying reality of their situation.
3. Predator (1987)
Director: John McTiernan
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Kevin Peter Hall
“Predator” is a classic that no true alien movie enthusiast should miss.
A team of elite commandos, led by Arnold Schwarzenegger as Major Dutch Schaefer, is dropped into the unforgiving jungles of Central America. Their mission? To rescue hostages and take down a group of guerrilla fighters. As the team hunts the guerrillas, they soon realize that they’re being hunted themselves by something not quite human. The invisible, dreadlocked, and technologically advanced extraterrestrial hunter known as the Predator is on the prowl.
4. Invasion of the Body Snatchers (1978)
Director: Philip Kaufman
Cast: Donald Sutherland, Brooke Adams, Jeff Goldblum
“Invasion of the Body Snatchers” is set in San Francisco where strange things are happening. People are acting strangely, and those closest to you seem somehow different, almost as if they’ve been replaced. It’s a slow burn of paranoia and suspense that keeps you guessing.
5. Prometheus (2012)
Director: Ridley Scott
Cast: Noomi Rapace, Logan Marshall-Green, Michael Fassbender
“Prometheus” is directed by Ridley Scott and is both a prequel to the iconic “Alien” series and a standalone story that explores profound questions about the origins of life and our place in the universe.
“Alien” is directed by Ridley Scott and is an absolute classic that has redefined the sci-fi horror genre. Traveling in the eerie spaceship Nostromo are a crew of seven, including the iconic Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver). Their mission is to investigate a mysterious distress signal on a desolate planet. What they find are terrifying aliens.
Instead of a large scale invasion, it’s an intimate, character driven story that explores themes of faith, family, and the unknown. The film keeps you guessing as it slowly unveils the mystery behind the crop circles and the possible extraterrestrial presence.
8. Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977)
Director: Steven Spielberg
Cast: Richard Dreyfuss, François Truffaut, Teri Garr
Roy Neary (Richard Dreyfuss) is an ordinary electrician who becomes obsessed with the mysterious visions he experiences after an encounter with an otherworldly spacecraft. It’s a film that reminds us of the sense of wonder that drives our fascination with the cosmos and the possibility of intelligent life beyond our world.
A mysterious spacecraft lands in the heart of Washington, D.C. and out steps Klaatu, an enigmatic and dignified alien visitor (Michael Rennie). Klaatu, along with his imposing robot companion, Gort, is on a mission to warn Earth’s leaders about the dangers of nuclear weapons. He seeks to unite the nations of the world with a message of peace and unity on Earth to avoid self destruction.
10. Contact (1997)
Director: Robert Zemeckis
Cast: Jodie Foster, Matthew McConaughey, Tom Skerritt
“Contact” is based on Carl Sagan’s novel. Dr. Ellie Arroway (Jodie Foster) is a brilliant scientist that discovers a mysterious signal from the Vega star system. This signal contains a complex blueprint for a machine capable of transporting humans across the vastness of space.
This movie takes a fresh and gritty approach to the classic “aliens on Earth” scenario with a “found footage” style of filming. It takes place in Johannesburg, South Africa, where an enormous spacecraft arrives and hovers over the city. The extraterrestrial beings are confined to a government controlled district known as District 9.
12. Men in Black (1997)
Director: Barry Sonnenfeld
Cast: Tommy Lee Jones, Will Smith, Linda Fiorentino
“Men in Black” is a fun and quirky alien movie that’s an absolute blast for fans of sci-fi with a dose of humor.
There’s a secret government agency tasked with monitoring and regulating the activities of aliens living on Earth. These agents dress in sharp suits, use flashy gadgets, and are known simply as the “Men in Black” (MIB). New York City is filled with aliens, secret technology, and intergalactic diplomacy. The agents uncover a sinister plot involving an impending alien invasion so they embark on a mission to save the world while keeping their activities hidden from the general public.
On July 2nd, massive alien spacecraft suddenly appear in the skies above major cities worldwide. They’re here to conquer and annihilate Earth. Humanity faces an unprecedented threat, and it’s up to a diverse group of heroes, including Will Smith as Captain Steven Hiller and Jeff Goldblum as David Levinson, to lead the charge against the alien invaders.
In a futuristic world filled with flying cars, colorful aliens, and towering skyscrapers, humanity’s only hope lies in the hands of an unlikely hero named Korben Dallas (Bruce Willis). His mission is to protect the mysterious “Fifth Element,” embodied by Leeloo (Milla Jovovich), from falling into the clutches of the evil Zorg (Gary Oldman).
“The Host” (2006) is a South Korean film directed by Bong Joon-ho. On a lazy day by the Han River in Seoul, South Korea, a monstrous and amphibious creature emerges from the water. This creature, created by toxic waste, wreaks havoc and kidnaps a young girl, leading her family on a heart wrenching quest to rescue her.
A group of students at a typical high school in small town America discovers that their teachers are acting strangely, and there’s something not quite right about their behavior. As they investigate further, they uncover that their teachers are being controlled by parasitic aliens.
17. 2001: A Space Odyssey (1968)
Director: Stanley Kubrick
Cast: Keir Dullea, Gary Lockwood, William Sylvester
“2001: A Space Odyssey” (1968) is a true masterpiece. Its a visual and intellectual feast that challenges your perceptions and leaves you with more questions than answers. Dr. Dave Bowman and his crew set out on a mission to the planet Jupiter, accompanied by an advanced artificial intelligence named HAL 9000.
18. Aliens (1986)
Director: James Cameron
Cast: Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Carrie Henn
“Aliens” is the follow up hit to “Alien”. It’s been 57 years since the events of the first film, and Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) is awakened from hyper sleep. She’s tasked with returning to the planet LV-426, the site of her earlier encounter with the deadly Xenomorphs. She’s joined by a group of marines armed to the teeth. The iconic line, “Get away from her, you bitch!” is a testament to Ripley’s determination and resilience.
19. Species (1995)
Director: Roger Donaldson
Cast: Natasha Henstridge, Michael Madsen, Ben Kingsley
Scientists receive a message from outer space containing the instructions for creating a new life form using human DNA. They follow the instructions, leading to the creation of Sil, a stunningly beautiful but deadly hybrid creature (Natasha Henstridge). Sil matures rapidly and escapes from the laboratory, setting off a relentless pursuit to capture her before she can fulfill her biological imperative: to mate and propagate her alien species.
20. The Abyss (1989)
Director: James Cameron
Cast: Ed Harris, Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Michael Biehn
A team of underwater oil drillers, led by Bud Brigman (Ed Harris), is called in to assist a U.S. Navy SEAL team in investigating the wreck of a nuclear submarine that mysteriously sank in the deep ocean trench. What they discover is an otherworldly presence that challenges their perceptions of reality and tests their resilience in the face of the unknown.
“The Thing” is a masterclass in creating a sense of paranoia and dread. A group of scientists stationed at an Antarctic research facility suddenly find themselves isolated and under attack from a shape shifting extraterrestrial creature that can mimic any living organism. As they struggle to survive and figure out who among them has been replaced by the alien, trust dissolves, and fear escalates.
In the midst of an ordinary day, colossal tripods suddenly emerge from beneath the Earth’s surface, wreaking havoc and unleashing unimaginable destruction. Ray Ferrier (Tom Cruise), a divorced father who, along with his children, must navigate the chaos and danger to survive.
In a galaxy far, far away, a young farm boy named Luke Skywalker (Mark Hamill), discovers that he’s destined for greatness when he stumbles upon a message from Princess Leia (Carrie Fisher). This sets in motion a thrilling journey as Luke, along with the wise and enigmatic Jedi Knight Obi-Wan Kenobi and the charming rogue Han Solo (Harrison Ford), embarks on a quest to rescue the princess and confront the evil Galactic Empire led by the menacing Darth Vader.
24. Under the Skin (2013)
Director: Jonathan Glazer
Cast: Scarlett Johansson, Jeremy McWilliams, Lynsey Taylor Mackay
Scarlett Johansson delivers a mesmerizing performance as an otherworldly being that takes on a human appearance to lure unsuspecting men into a surreal and nightmarish encounter. As she cruises the streets of Scotland in a van, the film delves into themes of identity, loneliness, and the nature of humanity. This is a movie experience like no other!
Twelve mysterious spacecraft suddenly appear at different locations around the world. These enormous, oblong vessels are inhabited by alien beings known as the “heptapods,” who communicate using a complex written language that defies human understanding. In a world on the brink of global turmoil, linguist Louise Banks (Amy Adams), is enlisted by the U.S. military to decipher the aliens’ language and uncover their intentions.
Tiffany is a female entrepreneur who has been in the movie business since 2005.
She loves all things horror! Movies, Books, Magazines, Podcasts and Film Festivals. *****
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