The Predator franchise remains one of the scariest and most inventive in science-fiction. The original film about a creature stalking a team of commandos has spawned a series that has even leaked into other franchises. The franchise is returning quickly, with Prey hitting later this year. With this new movie-building hype, now is a perfect time to revisit the entire franchise. From jungles to the far reaches of space, here are all of the Predator movies ranked.
6. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
The first time the Xenomorph from the Alien franchise and the Predator clashed on the big screen, fans ate it up. As with any big-budget success, a sequel was rushed into production. This sequel did not enjoy anywhere near the same success as the predecessor. Rushed was the opportune word. Fan criticism included sloppy plots, lame fights, and unlikeable characters. This movie could have helped launch AVP into a new film franchise but instead killed it dead in the water. While the concept of the Predalien was cool, the execution was disappointing. This movie is rarely discussed today, as the fanbase has primarily chosen to ignore it.
5. The Predator (2018)
This film has received a mixed reception. Most seem to agree that it is a fun addition to the franchise and is packed with action. The movie doesn’t do anything new, but it takes familiar ideas and makes them seem fresh. New species are introduced, including one that appears to side with humans. The movie was directed by Shane Black, who was actually featured as Hawkins in the original film. This movie is a love letter to all Predator movies and features callbacks to each of the previous entries. This movie shows what happens when the hunter becomes the hunted, as a new creature makes it its mission to hunt down the titular aliens.
4. Alien vs. Predator (2004)
Since an easter egg in the second movie, fans have wanted to see the Predator take on the Xenomorph from the Alien series. Throughout the ’90s, several comic books and video games saw them clash, but fans wanted it on the big screen. In 2004 it happened, and it has everything they wanted. While the main plot leaves much to be desired, the meat of the film is the titular showdown. The movie saw the classic monsters fight several times, and fans loved it. The success of this crossover and the previous year’s Freddy vs. Jason seemed to begin a new era of horror crossovers. Unfortunately, this didn’t happen, as the sequel seemed to kill the crossover idea. Today, fans want to see other horror icons crossover somehow, although this is unlikely to happen again anytime soon.
3. Predators (2010)
After the failure of AVP: Requiem, it seemed that the Predator movies were better off as solo affairs. However, this didn’t stop filmmakers from borrowing g from the Alien series for the next entry. The second film in that franchise was called Aliens. By simply adding an “s,” fans knew exactly what to expect. Instead of one alien, there were many. This is precisely the case with this film. By adding an “s,” fans knew that more than one threat would be present. This time, the humans were the ones in a strange world.
A group of prisoners are sent to the Predator’s home world and are hunted by the creatures. This adds a twist to the first film’s plot, and fans seemed to enjoy it. The movie is brutal and scary, making the titular monsters a force to be reckoned with. The film stars Adrian Brody as well as Lawrence Fishburne and Danny Trejo. The stacked cast must fight to survive in this strange world and pray they make it home.
2. Predator 2 (1990)
While the first of the Predator movies took place in the jungle, the sequel took it to the concrete jungle. Danny Glover plays an LA cop in the middle of a crime wave. Things begin to get worse when mutilated bodies begin to show up around the city. He soon learns this isn’t a gang’s work but an alien hunting humans for sport. This change of scenery took the series to new heights and added even more suspense.
Soon, Glover and the gang he was hunting must join to take out this killing machine before it wipes out humanity. The film is fun and brutal and may even be a bit underrated. The film leans more into action than horror, but it still works. Also starring is Bill Paxton, who previously fought Xenomorphs in Aliens. Speaking of Xenomorphs, a Xenomorph skull spotted in this film led to the AVP craze throughout the ’90s.
1. Predator (1987)
The original film is still the top Predator movie. The film follows Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger), a mercenary who leads a group of soldiers deep into the jungle. They are sent to rescue a group of politicians but get more than they bargained for. When they find mutilated bodies, they realize they aren’t alone. This is hands down the scariest film in the series, as it is essentially a slasher movie. One by one, the soldiers are taken out until just Dutch remains. Dutch must use his wit and skills to take on this blood-thirsty creature. This film still stands tall as one of the best science-fiction thrillers. When the fight is taken to the city and space, fans still think of the jungle when imagining the series.
