“Alien” is a science-fiction horror and action franchise centered on warrant officer Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and her battles with the extraterrestrial lifeform known as the Xenomorph. Produced and distributed by 20th Century Studios, the series began with “Alien” (1979), directed by Ridley Scott. It was followed by three sequels: “Aliens” (1986), directed by James Cameron; “Alien 3” (1992), directed by David Fincher; and “Alien Resurrection” (1997), directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet.

Ridley Scott also directed a prequel series, including “Prometheus” (2012) and “Alien: Covenant” (2017), which explore the origins of the Xenomorphs and their creators, the Engineers, through the experiences of the David 8 android.

The franchise has expanded into numerous novels, comics, and video games, and it will soon include an upcoming television series developed by Scott for FX on Hulu, with Noah Hawley. Additionally, the series has inspired notable spin-offs, most famously the “Alien vs. Predator” series, which merges the “Alien” and “Predator” universes across two films, as well as various comics, books, and video games.