"Predator Movies: How to Watch in Chronological Order"

Humans may sit at the top of Earth's food chain, but in the grand arena of the galaxy, we're mere contenders in the cosmic hunt. The Predator franchise, launched with the iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger film in 1987, introduces us to the Yautja—towering extraterrestrial trophy hunters who traverse the universe for sport, often abducting species for their hunts on their home world.

The saga kicked off with two seminal films in 1987 and 1990, setting the stage for a universe filled with adrenaline-pumping action. As the Xenomorphs from the Alien series also posed a significant threat to humanity, the 2000s saw a brilliant crossover with two Alien vs. Predator movies. Subsequent decades brought fresh perspectives from directors like Robert Rodriguez, Shane Black, and Dan Trachtenberg, each adding their unique flair to the series.

With two exciting new Predator movies slated for 2025, now is the perfect time to revisit these sci-fi classics. Whether you're a die-hard fan or a newcomer, we've laid out the complete timeline of the Predator movies and the best places to watch them online.

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• How to watch in chronological order
• How to watch by release order

How to Watch the Predator Movies in Chronological Order

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You can also check out our guide to the Alien movies in order to incorporate the whole timeline.

How Many Predator Movies Are There?

There are a total of seven movies in the Predator franchise—four in the mainline series, two Alien crossovers, and one prequel. Two more thrilling Predator movies are scheduled for release in 2025.

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Predator 4-Movie Collection

Includes Predator, Predator 2, Predators, and The Predator. See it at Amazon

Predator Movies in (Chronological) Order

1. Prey (2022)

Prey serves as a prequel, ideally watched after the other films (especially Predator 2), but if you're aiming for a chronological experience, start here. Set in 1719 across the Great Plains, Prey follows Naru, a young Comanche woman played by Amber Midthunder. Accompanying her brother on a hunt, Naru encounters a primitive Predator. Determined to prove her worth, she embarks on a thrilling quest to outwit and defeat the alien stalker.

Read IGN's review of Prey

Where to Stream: Hulu

2. Predator (1987)

The saga begins with Predator, directed by John McTiernan and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger at the height of his career, alongside Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, Bill Duke, and Shane Black (who would later direct his own Predator film). This action classic sees a formidable military rescue team ambushed by an invisible alien hunter in the jungles of South America. Schwarzenegger's Dutch must outsmart and defeat a technologically superior foe.

Where to Stream: Hulu | Rent/Buy: Prime Video

3. Predator 2 (1990)

Predator 2 shifts the scene to a futuristic 1997 Los Angeles, amid a heatwave and crime surge. Danny Glover, Bill Paxton, Ruben Blades, and María Conchita Alonso star as cops battling a deadly Cartel and a Predator stalking the urban landscape.

Where to Stream: Hulu | Rent/Buy: Prime Video

4. AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)

Fourteen years after Predator 2, the franchise returned with a bang through a crossover with the Alien series. Alien vs. Predator, directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, was a box office success, reinvigorating both franchises. Set in present-day America, it reveals a chilling history of Predators using humans to breed Xenomorphs for their hunts. Sanaa Lathan, Lance Henriksen, Raoul Bova, and Ewen Bremner lead the cast.

Read IGN's review of AVP: Alien vs. Predator

Where to Stream: Hulu | Rent/Buy: Prime Video

5. Aliens vs Predator: Requiem (2007)

Picking up directly from AVP, Aliens vs Predator: Requiem introduces the terrifying "Predalien" and follows a Predator "cleaner" sent to eradicate this new threat in a small Colorado town. Though less successful than its predecessor, it remains a vital part of the crossover narrative.

Read IGN's review of Alien vs. Predator: Requiem

Where to Stream: Hulu | Rent/Buy: Prime Video

6. Predators (2010)

Predators, directed by Robert Rodriguez, takes the franchise off-world to a Yautja game reserve. Featuring a stellar cast including Adrien Brody, Walton Goggins, Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace, and Alice Braga, the film shows humans, specifically seasoned killers, being abducted for sport between rival Yautja clans. While the exact timeline is ambiguous, it can be comfortably placed in the early 21st century.

Read IGN's review of Predators

Where to Stream: Hulu | Rent/Buy: Prime Video

7. The Predator (2018)

Eight years after Predators, Shane Black returned to the franchise he once starred in with The Predator. Featuring a squad of unconventional soldiers played by Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Keegan-Michael Key, Thomas Jane, and Alfie Allen, the film pits them against two Predators and their sinister DNA splicing plans. The movie teases further adventures, with alternate endings hinting at potential crossovers with the Alien series.

Read IGN's review of The Predator

Where to Stream: Hulu | Rent/Buy: Prime Video

How to Watch the Predator Movies by Release Date

If you prefer to watch the movies in the order they were released, here's the correct sequence:

• Predator (1987)
• Predator 2 (1990)
• AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)
• Aliens vs Predator: Requiem (2007)
• Predators (2010)
• The Predator (2018)
• Prey (2022)

The Future of the Predator Franchise

Two new Predator movies are set to thrill audiences in 2025. Predator: Badlands, hitting theaters on November 7, 2025, stars Elle Fanning and uniquely positions the Predator as the protagonist, directed by Dan Trachtenberg.

The second film, also directed by Trachtenberg, was shrouded in secrecy until recently revealed as Predator: Killer of Killers, an animated feature. It explores three different encounters with the ultimate hunter across various historical periods, set to debut directly on Hulu on June 6, 2025.