Every Predator Movie, Ranked by Rewatchability

By 1987, Arnold Schwarzenegger was already a famous star. However, almost four decades later, the alien creatures from the film – known as the Yautja – have become just as popular as Schwarzenegger himself, who played the character hunting them. The movie spawned several sequels, and some of them hold up better than others when you watch them again.

The Predator movies have had their share of successes and failures over the years. While some are truly excellent, they aren’t necessarily the ones people want to watch again and again. Still, it’s worth experiencing the series for yourself – everyone will have a different favorite!

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem Fails to Deliver the Spectacle of the Original

It’s often said that every movie has some fans, but Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem really challenges that idea. The 2007 sequel to Alien vs. Predator unfortunately didn’t live up to the original’s success.

Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem shifts the setting from Antarctica to Colorado, as a terrifying new creature – a hybrid called the ‘Predalien’ – causes widespread destruction. The movie largely repeats the plot of the original, but with more extreme and shocking scenes, including aliens being born in a hospital and a final battle between the Predalien and a Wolf Predator.

The Predator is an Honest Attempt at a Franchise That Stumbles Greatly

The 2018 Predator film received the most negative reaction of any in the main series. Director Shane Black attempted to recapture the exciting, buddy-movie feel of the first Predator – a film he also starred in – but wasn’t successful. Despite adding CGI Predator creatures, a resourceful young hero, and even an Iron Man-style suit to fight the alien, the movie didn’t deliver the same level of excitement as the original.

Without compelling characters or a solid base story, this film doesn’t hold up to repeated viewings as well as other movies in the series.

Predator: Badlands is a Financial Success That Doesn’t Feel Like the Original

The new movie, Predator: Badlands, generated a lot of excitement and performed well in theaters. While it’s part of the established Predator series, newcomers and longtime fans might be surprised by how much it deviates from previous films.

The movie introduces Dek, a young Predator, offering a fresh perspective on their culture and showing him adopt strategies like teamwork – something seen in previous films. While entertaining, the movie doesn’t quite capture the magic of the original, potentially disappointing dedicated fans and making it hard to revisit.

The Novelty of Prey Has Worn Off

In 2022, director and co-writer Dan Trachtenberg delivered a fresh take on the Predator franchise with Prey. The film is set in the early 1700s and centers on Naru, a young Comanche woman played by Amber Midthunder, who fights to defend her tribe from the Yautja—the Predator—while also challenging traditional expectations about who can be a hunter. Released during the late pandemic, the movie was a hit, bringing exciting action to both theaters and homes.

Okay, honestly, once you get past the initial cool factor, this movie feels a lot like Predator – same basic structure, just with a fresh coat of paint. It makes me wonder if I’ll really want to revisit it, because the original Predator still holds up so well and is just so captivating.

Predator 2 Wasn’t Quite Worth the Wait

Three years after Arnold Schwarzenegger battled the alien creatures in Central America, director Stephen Hopkins shifted the action to the streets of Los Angeles.

Similar to the first Prey movie, Predator 2 feels a bit redundant – you might find yourself wondering why you’re not just rewatching the original. While the new setting and Gary Busey’s energetic performance as a government agent offer some novelty, the most genuinely surprising moment is the discovery of an Alien skull among the Predator’s collection of trophies.

Predators Gave the Franchise a Fighting Chance

The 2010 film Predators aimed to revive the series after the disappointing Aliens vs. Predator. It nearly worked. The movie takes place on an alien hunting ground where a group of dangerous individuals – including mercenaries, criminals, and soldiers – are pitted against each other and the Predators. The film suggested these flawed characters would struggle to survive even without the alien threat.

Nimród Antal’s direction delivers plenty of action, laughs, and unusual, dangerous creatures, keeping the film engaging. While it didn’t initially get great reviews, and the ending is a bit predictable, Predators successfully avoids simply retreading the 1987 classic. It honors the original’s feel while still standing on its own as a film you can enjoy multiple times.

Predator: Killer of Killers is a Visually Stunning Look at the Yautja Through Generations

Hulu released Predator: Killer of Killers a few months before Predator: Badlands came out in theaters. Like many anthology series, some segments are stronger than others, but the best of these animated shorts are truly captivating.

These stories explore encounters between humans and Predators across various cultures and time periods. The standout story, “The Sword,” is set in feudal Japan and features a rivalry between brothers complicated by a Predator – it offers a depth and nuance the movies didn’t, and would have been amazing on a large IMAX screen. Even so, it’s a story worth revisiting repeatedly due to its rich detail.

Predator (Almost) Reigns Supreme

It seems strange now, but when the first Predator movie came out, audiences had no idea what the Yautja were. The film starts like a war movie, turns into a horror slasher, and ultimately becomes a thrilling alien invasion story. Since then, many filmmakers have tried to recreate that same sense of excitement and novelty, but haven’t often succeeded.

Predator is a thrilling and suspenseful movie with a clear message about how much we depend on technology. While it’s a classic and a great film, it’s not exactly light entertainment, which is why it doesn’t quite reach the top spot on my list.

Fans are Still In Love With Alien vs. Predator

Despite being criticized by fans for its PG-13 rating and for not following the popular Dark Horse comic series, Alien vs. Predator is a fun, fast-paced action movie. While it doesn’t have as much blood or strong language as other films in the series, it makes up for it with exciting action and creative ideas that add to the stories of both Alien and Predator.

This movie, released in 2004, takes us to Antarctica where a team discovers an ancient pyramid. It’s revealed that the pyramid was built by the Yautja (Predators) as a place to train, and they actually created Xenomorphs for the thrill of the hunt. The hunters quickly become the hunted when a Xenomorph Queen emerges, putting all of humanity at risk. While the story relies on familiar tropes and the characters aren’t particularly deep, Alien vs. Predator is perfect for a fun, lighthearted movie night – or something to have on in the background.

2026-03-08 16:38