The Predator franchise should be simple. Big alien hunter. Dangerous humans. Jungle, city, planet, or historical battlefield. Somebody gets hunted, somebody gets skinned, and sooner or later someone realizes the clicking noise is very bad news.
But once you start asking how to watch the Predator movies in order, things get a little trickier.
The franchise includes direct sequels, loose sequels, a prequel, an animated anthology, two Alien vs. Predator crossover movies, and Predator: Badlands, which pushes the series in a very different direction. That means release order and chronological order are not the same thing.
For most viewers, the best way to watch the Predator movies is theatrical release order, with the Alien vs. Predator films treated as optional crossover entries. If you want the full timeline, though, we have that covered too.
Quick Answer: The Predator Movies in Release Order
If you want the simplest way to watch the Predator movies, start here.
| Movie | Year |
|---|---|
| Predator | 1987 |
| Predator 2 | 1990 |
| Alien vs. Predator | 2004 |
| Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem | 2007 |
| Predators | 2010 |
| The Predator | 2018 |
| Prey | 2022 |
| Predator: Killer of Killers | 2025 |
| Predator: Badlands | 2025 |
That is the full release order, including the two Alien vs. Predator crossover movies and the animated anthology film Predator: Killer of Killers.
For a first-time watch, however, you do not need to treat every title as equally essential.
The Best Way to Watch the Predator Movies
For first-time viewers, this is the cleanest viewing order:
- Predator
- Predator 2
- Predators
- Prey
- Predator: Killer of Killers
- Predator: Badlands
That gives you the core shape of the franchise without getting bogged down in the messier corners.
Alien vs. Predator, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, and The Predator can be treated as optional detours. They are part of the larger franchise history, but they are not required to understand the best or most important Predator stories.
The Predator Movies in Chronological Timeline Order
If you want to watch the franchise by in-universe chronology, the order changes quite a bit.
| Movie | Timeline Placement |
|---|---|
| Prey | Set in 1719 |
| Predator: Killer of Killers | Animated anthology set across multiple historical periods |
| Predator | Set in the late 20th century |
| Predator 2 | Set in 1997 |
| Alien vs. Predator | Set in 2004 |
| Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem | Set immediately after Alien vs. Predator |
| The Predator | Set in the modern era |
| Predators | Set after modern-day human encounters with Predators |
| Predator: Badlands | Set in the future |
Chronological order is fun once you already know the franchise, especially because Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers expand the idea that Predators have been hunting humans for centuries.
But for a first-time viewer, release order is still the better path. The original Predator is the movie that teaches you the rules. Everything else either expands, bends, or cheerfully ignores them.
Predator Movies in Release Order
Predator (1987)
John McTiernan’s Predator is still the cleanest and best entry point for the franchise.
The setup is beautifully simple. A team of elite commandos, led by Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Dutch, is sent into the jungle on what appears to be a rescue mission. Then they realize something else is out there with them. Something stronger, smarter, and much better equipped.
What makes Predator work is that it starts as one kind of movie and quietly turns into another. It begins as a muscular 1980s action film, then becomes a survival horror movie with science fiction teeth. By the end, all the firepower in the world does not matter nearly as much as mud, patience, and not being the loudest idiot in the jungle.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Predator 2 (1990)
Predator 2 moves the hunt from the jungle to Los Angeles, which is a bigger swing than it sometimes gets credit for.
Danny Glover stars as Lt. Mike Harrigan, a police officer dealing with violence, heat, and an alien hunter who has decided that the city is an excellent place for trophy collecting. It is louder, grimier, and stranger than the first movie, but it also expands the mythology in important ways.
Most notably, Predator 2 gives us a better look at Predator culture, their ship, and their trophy room. It also famously includes a xenomorph skull, which helped plant the seed for the eventual Alien vs. Predator crossover films.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Alien vs. Predator (2004)
Alien vs. Predator brings together the Predator and Alien franchises in a theatrical crossover that had been teased, argued about, and merchandised in various forms for years.
The movie is set on Earth and follows a group of humans who discover an ancient pyramid beneath Antarctica. Unfortunately for them, the structure is connected to a Predator hunting ritual involving xenomorphs. As vacation destinations go, it is not ideal.
For Predator fans, the movie is worth noting because it leans into the idea of Predators as ritualistic hunters with codes, traditions, and ranks. It is not essential to the mainline Predator story, but it is part of the larger franchise history.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem picks up after the previous crossover and brings the chaos to a small Colorado town.
The film introduces the Predalien, a hybrid creature that combines xenomorph and Predator traits. It also sends a lone Predator, often referred to by fans as Wolf, to clean up the mess. In theory, that sounds like a fun monster-movie setup. In practice, this is one of the rougher entries in either franchise.
For completists, it belongs on the list. For anyone just trying to understand the core Predator series, it is optional.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Predators (2010)
Predators is one of the stronger franchise revivals because it understands the basic appeal of the original while changing the playing field.
Instead of bringing a Predator to Earth, the movie drops a group of dangerous humans onto an alien game preserve. Soldiers, criminals, killers, and mercenaries wake up in a jungle that is very much not their jungle. The result is a movie that feels like a spiritual sequel to the original without simply copying it.
It also expands the mythology by introducing different Predator types and the idea of a hunting preserve. That makes it useful franchise viewing, especially if you want something closer in spirit to the 1987 film.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
The Predator (2018)
The Predator is a mainline franchise entry, but it is also the one that tends to make timelines feel like paperwork.
Directed by Shane Black, who appeared in the original Predator, the film tries to expand the mythology with genetic upgrades, government programs, alien tech, and a more chaotic tone. There are interesting ideas in the mix, but the movie is uneven and does not fit as cleanly with the stronger entries.
You should include it if you are watching every Predator movie. If you are building a tighter first-time viewing path, it is not essential.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Prey (2022)
Prey is the franchise’s best modern reinvention.
Directed by Dan Trachtenberg, the film is set in 1719 and follows Naru, a young Comanche woman who finds herself facing a Predator during one of its earlier hunts on Earth. By moving the story into the past, Prey refreshes the franchise without overcomplicating it.
The movie works because it gets back to the essentials: hunter, prey, environment, adaptation. It is also proof that the Predator concept does not need constant mythology inflation to stay interesting. Sometimes all you need is a strong character, a dangerous setting, and an alien hunter who picked the wrong opponent.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Predator: Killer of Killers (2025)
Predator: Killer of Killers is an animated anthology film set within the Predator universe.
The film follows different human warriors across history as they encounter Predators in their own eras. That makes it a natural extension of the approach that worked so well in Prey: take the Predator concept, drop it into a distinct historical setting, and let the hunt play out through a different cultural and tactical lens.
Because it is animated and anthology-based, it sits a little differently from the live-action films. Still, it is an official movie-length franchise entry and should be included in a complete Predator viewing guide.
Where to watch: Available to stream.
Predator: Badlands (2025)
Predator: Badlands pushes the franchise in a new direction by putting a Predator closer to the center of the story.
The film follows a young Predator outcast on a dangerous journey, which immediately makes it different from the usual structure. Most Predator movies are built around humans slowly realizing they are being hunted. Badlands shifts the perspective and gives the Yautja more direct dramatic weight.
It is also notable because it further connects the modern Predator franchise to broader science fiction territory, including ties that longtime Alien fans will notice. For a franchise that began with commandos being picked off in a jungle, that is quite a road.
Where to watch: Available to stream; sold on physical media and digitally.
Do the Alien vs. Predator Movies Count?
Yes, but with a very large asterisk. Possibly carved into a wall by something with mandibles.
The two Alien vs. Predator movies are official theatrical crossover films. They belong in a complete release-order guide because they are part of the franchise’s movie history.
However, they are not essential to the core Predator series.
You do not need Alien vs. Predator or Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem to understand Predator, Predator 2, Predators, Prey, Predator: Killer of Killers, or Predator: Badlands. They are best treated as crossover detours.
If you want the full theatrical experience, watch them in release order after Predator 2. If you want the strongest version of the Predator franchise, you can skip them and come back later.
Should You Watch Predator in Release Order or Chronological Order?
For most viewers, release order is better.
Release order lets you see how the franchise evolved:
- Predator establishes the concept.
- Predator 2 expands the mythology.
- The Alien vs. Predator films explore the crossover side.
- Predators returns to the survival-hunt structure.
- The Predator tries to expand the modern mythology.
- Prey reinvents the franchise as historical survival horror.
- Predator: Killer of Killers takes the historical anthology route.
- Predator: Badlands moves the series into new territory.
Chronological order is better for repeat viewing. It lets you follow the idea of Predators hunting across centuries, from Prey to Killer of Killers to the modern-day films and beyond.
But if you have never seen the series before, start with Predator. The original movie is still the franchise’s instruction manual.
Which Predator Movies Are Essential?
If you want the essential Predator experience, watch:
- Predator
- Predator 2
- Predators
- Prey
- Predator: Killer of Killers
- Predator: Badlands
If you want the complete theatrical and streaming movie experience, add:
- Alien vs. Predator
- Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
- The Predator
That gives you two clean options: the stronger main path, or the full completist route.
Frequently Asked Questions About the Predator Movies
What is the first Predator movie?
The first Predator movie is Predator, released in 1987 and directed by John McTiernan.
What is the best Predator movie to watch first?
Start with Predator. Even though Prey takes place much earlier in the timeline, the original movie is still the best introduction to the franchise.
Are the Predator movies connected?
Yes, but loosely. The Predator movies generally share the same basic mythology, but most entries are designed to stand on their own. You do not need every film to understand the others.
Is Prey a Predator movie?
Yes. Prey is a Predator prequel set in 1719. It is one of the earliest stories in the franchise timeline.
Is Predator: Killer of Killers a movie or a series?
Predator: Killer of Killers is an animated anthology film, not a TV series. It tells multiple Predator stories set across different historical periods.
Does Predator: Badlands connect to the other Predator movies?
Predator: Badlands is part of the larger Predator franchise, but it shifts the focus by placing a Predator character closer to the center of the story.
Do I need to watch Alien vs. Predator?
No. The Alien vs. Predator movies are optional crossover entries. Watch them if you want the complete franchise experience, but they are not required for the core Predator movies.
Is Predator connected to Alien?
The two franchises are connected through the Alien vs. Predator crossover movies and related franchise history. The main Predator movies, however, can be watched without needing to follow the Alien series.
Final Thoughts on Watching the Predator Movies in Order
The best way to watch the Predator movies is to start with the 1987 original, then move forward through the franchise in release order, treating the Alien vs. Predator movies as optional crossovers.
Chronological order is interesting, especially now that Prey and Predator: Killer of Killers have expanded the idea of Predators hunting across human history. But the original Predator still gives the concept its purest form.
A group of heavily armed professionals walks into the jungle convinced they are the dangerous ones.
The jungle has other plans.
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