Why More Predator Is The Best Way Forward For The Alien Franchise

Ridley Scott once claimed the "Alien" franchise went downhill after "Aliens," and he has a point. Of all properties in the saga where no one can hear you scream, only the first two films are universally regarded as classics. Sure, the others have their defenders (I'll happily go to war for "Alien: Resurrection" every day of the week), but let's face the truth: The world wouldn't be worse off if every sequel and prequel after "Aliens" didn't exist.

These days, though, it seems that Disney wants to keep milking the Xenomorphs, Facehuggers, Synthetics, and other in-universe creations until they're completely dry. The latest example, the TV series "Alien: Earth," takes place two years before the events of Scott's classic 1979 film and hopes to expand the lore, but for reasons we will get into later, Noah Hawley's show is yet another property that probably doesn't need to exist. Still, if this franchise must continue, there are ways to make it interesting again — such as bringing back Predators to spice things up.

Indeed, a new "Alien vs. Predator" movie has been teased for a while now, and it's about time Disney pulled the trigger on it. With that in mind, let's discuss why it needs to happen sooner rather than later.

The "Alien" franchise has been in decline for a while, especially with recent efforts. Fede Álvarez's "Alien: Romulus" is so concerned with playing it safe that it fails to bring any new ideas to the table, so why does it have to exist? Say what you will about movies like "Alien: Resurrection," "Prometheus," and "Alien: Covenant," but at least they boast enough unique ideas to be interesting, even if they are polarizing. No one can blame Alvarez for wanting to make a crowd-pleaser, especially in the wake of a slew of divisive movies, but it's a forgettable one.

"Alien; Earth," meanwhile, is a risky project that will either breathe new life into a stagnant franchise or create more polarization among the fans. Early teasers have revealed that the series will add a new form of life to the mix in the form of Hybrids — synthetic beings with human minds. Given that they haven't factored into the saga until now, though, it begs the questions: Is Noah Hawley's show going to clutter up the mythology even more? Or will it enrich the canon in a meaningful way? The jury is still out, but like all "Alien" projects made after 1986, the upcoming FX series will probably be divisive.

By contrast, the "Predator" franchise is experiencing a creative renaissance, and it's a perfect example of how to honor one's roots while adding enough fresh elements to keep things exciting. "Prey" is a revisionist Western with an incredible young protagonist at the front and center of a survival story. Elsewhere, "Predator: Killer of Killers" marks the franchise's first animated movie, and while it sticks to a familiar storytelling formula, the non-live-action aesthetic gives it a fresh coat of paint. With the Yautja riding high at the moment, maybe the Xenomorph can get a piece of the action — and do it right this time. If nothing else, another crossover would at least align with current pop culture trends.

Mentioning the "Alien vs. Predators" movies is a sure-fire way to make fans of both franchises balk, but that doesn't mean the idea should be abandoned moving forward. Pitting Yautja against Xenomorphs is a cool idea in theory, and it's been executed well in other mediums (especially in Randy Stradley and Chris Warner's Dark Horse Comics series from the early '90s, which sees the creatures collide on a remote farming planet).

If handled correctly (by that, I mean not tapping Paul W.S. Anderson to direct again), a new "Alien vs. Predator" could be a return to the action-packed mayhem that both franchises have benefited from in the past — after all, most people agree that James Cameron's "Aliens" is awesome, and no one goes into a "Predator" flick looking for heady sci-fi. To that end, another "Alien vs. Predator" flick is an opportunity to create something simple, entertaining, and back-to-basics, while also being somewhat refreshing, as it's been almost 20 years since Predators and Aliens last crossed paths on the screen.

Not only that, but another "Alien vs. Predator" could potentially spawn another lucrative shared cinematic universe — the kind Disney loves. There are some great comic book stories to mine for ideas, as Aliens and Predators have crossed paths with Judge Dredd, The Terminator, Superman, and Batman in the past, resulting in some very entertaining adventures. (The Dredd crossover, in particular, is great fun.) Obviously, getting the rights to those specific properties would be a logistical nightmare, but Disney owns enough interesting IPs to create compelling crossovers. How about "Alien vs. Predator vs. The Guardians of the Galaxy," or "Alien vs. Predator vs. Moana?" The possibilities are endless, and they'd be more interesting than another underwhelming "Alien" movie or TV series.

"Alien: Earth" premieres August 12, 2025, on FX and FX on Hulu, with "Predator: Badlands" set to open in theaters on November 7, 2025.