This Is the Best Predator Movie Watch Order (You Can Do It in a Day)

As a huge fan of sci-fi and horror, I’ve always loved the Predator movies. The original from 1987 is a true classic, and honestly, it’s what’s kept the franchise going strong for almost forty years. Things got a little shaky for a while with some uneven sequels, but I’m really excited about what director Dan Trachtenberg is doing. He’s spearheading a real revival! What I appreciate is that he’s focusing on the Predator’s history and culture, giving us a deeper understanding of these creatures. It’s not just about the action anymore – the newer films feel like they’re building a richer, more connected story about the Predators and their long history with our planet.

Although the Predator series has recently become more consistent in its storytelling, some movies aren’t considered part of the main timeline. The Alien vs. Predator films, for example, feel separate, focusing more on action than a carefully built world. Similarly, the 2018 movie The Predator is generally disliked by both fans and the director of the newer films because of its weak story and inconsistent tone. Because it doesn’t add anything important to the current direction of the series, it’s best to leave it out of a complete viewing. Instead, watching the core movies in order allows fans to experience the Yautja’s long history on Earth and their centuries of development.

1) Prey

The 2022 film Prey is the first story when looking at the Predator timeline, showing that the alien hunters, known as Yautja, have been a threat to Earth for centuries. Set in 1719 on the Great Plains, the movie centers around Naru (Amber Midthunder), a young Comanche warrior, who fights to defend her tribe from a highly advanced alien hunter. Director Dan Trachtenberg deliberately removed the advanced technology seen in previous films, highlighting the raw skill and knowledge of the natural world needed to survive against this particular Predator. This historical setting is important to the Predator story, proving Earth has long been used as a hunting ground by the Yautja. The film also introduces a key item – the Raphael Adolini 1715 flintlock pistol – which connects this earlier story to the events of later Predator movies.

2) Predator

The first Predator film is the standard for all that followed, setting the rules for the entire series. The story follows a highly trained rescue team, led by Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger), as they are hunted one by one in the jungles of Central America by an invisible alien who uses heat vision and powerful weapons. While previous films took place in the past, Predator highlights how even the most skilled soldiers become helpless against a far more advanced and uncaring enemy. The film’s impressive practical effects and Alan Silvestri’s unforgettable music build a feeling of intense dread, transforming what starts as an action movie into a terrifying horror experience. By the time Dutch faces the alien in a final showdown, the film has clearly established the Yautja’s strict code of honor and their practice of taking trophies from those they deem worthy opponents.

3) Predator 2

Predator 2 moves the hunt from the jungle to the streets of Los Angeles in 1997, showing us how deeply the Yautja (the Predators) interact with humans. The movie follows detective Mike Harrigan (Danny Glover) as he investigates a violent gang war that a new Predator is using as hunting grounds, taking advantage of the city’s heat and disorder. For fans of the Predator universe, this sequel is important because it’s the first time we see inside a Yautja spaceship, complete with a trophy room filled with prizes like a Xenomorph skull and weapons from throughout history. The biggest connection to other Predator stories happens at the end, when the elder Predator gives Harrigan a flintlock pistol – the same one seen in the movie Prey. This shows that the Predators respect worthy opponents and hints at a long history of successful hunts, connecting the events of the 18th-century prequel directly to the modern films.

4) Predators

Robert Rodriguez produced the 2010 film Predators, which expanded the franchise by moving the action off Earth and delving into the complex society of the Predator species. The movie centers on a group of skilled human killers, led by mercenary Royce (Adrien Brody), who are kidnapped and left on an alien planet used as a hunting ground. A key element of this installment is the introduction of different Predator clans, including the larger and more aggressive “Super Predators.” The film shows a violent conflict between these two groups, revealing that Predators aren’t a single unified culture, but have internal conflicts and are constantly evolving. While not without flaws, Predators significantly added to the series’ story by establishing that hunting is a widespread, intergalactic practice for the Yautja, and they even use genetic engineering to become better hunters.

5) Predator: Killer of Killers

The animated anthology Predator: Killer of Killers expands on the Predators’ history with Earth by showing hunts throughout different time periods. The story begins with three separate tales: a Viking warrior named Ursa, a dishonored samurai named Kenji, and a World War II pilot named Torres. These historical segments demonstrate the Predators’ ability to adapt their hunting strategies. However, the most important part of the film is the intense finale, which takes place in a fighting arena on a desolate alien planet. This arena reveals that Predators often capture and freeze those who defeat them, keeping them in suspended animation. The final scene confirms this, showing Naru from Prey inside a cryogenic chamber alongside other famous Predator survivors like Dutch Schaefer and Mike Harrigan.

6) Predator: Badlands

Set far in the future on the dangerous planet Genna, Predator: Badlands offers a fresh take on the Predator story by focusing on a Yautja as the main character. The film centers on Dek (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi), a young and underestimated member of his clan, who’s trying to prove himself to his father and leader, Njohrr, by surviving on this harsh world. During his journey, Dek unexpectedly teams up with Thia (Elle Fanning), an artificial being created by the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. This partnership allows the film to explore Yautja culture and beliefs in greater detail than ever before, showing the pressures and traditions within their society. By moving away from the usual story of humans being hunted, director Trachtenberg examines the Predator’s code of honor and instinct for survival from a scientific and cultural perspective, effectively turning the franchise into a large-scale science fiction adventure.

If more Predator movies set in the past were made, which time period would be the most exciting? Share your thoughts in the comments and join the discussion on the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/movies/list/every-predator-movie-ranked-including-predator-badlands/embed/#

2026-02-15 22:16