The Predator films are mostly standalone. Watch Predator (1987) first, then any order; Prey (2022), set in 1719, is the earliest in the timeline. The Alien vs. Predator films are crossovers you can skip.
- Titles
- 9
- Films
- 9
- Watch time
- 15 hours
- Box office
- $935 million
- Avg IMDb
- 6.4
Predator movies in release order
Here is every Predator title in the order it came out, 1987 to 2025: 9 films. Optional entries are marked; you can skip them on a first watch.
| # | Title | Year | Type | Runtime | IMDb |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Predator | 1987 | Film | 1h 47m | 7.8 |
| 2 | Predator 2 | 1990 | Film | 1h 48m | 6.3 |
| 3 | Alien vs. Predator optional | 2004 | Film | 1h 41m | 5.7 |
| 4 | Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem optional | 2007 | Film | 1h 34m | 4.6 |
| 5 | Predators | 2010 | Film | 1h 47m | 6.4 |
| 6 | The Predator | 2018 | Film | 1h 47m | 5.3 |
| 7 | Prey | 2022 | Film | 1h 40m | 7.1 |
| 8 | Predator: Killer of Killers optional | 2025 | Film | 1h 25m | 7.4 |
| 9 | Predator: Badlands | 2025 | Film | 1h 47m | 7.2 |
Predator timeline: movies in chronological order
The same titles in story order, by when they take place, with the year or era each one is set in.
| # | Title | Set in | Released |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Predator: Killer of Killers | 841, 1609 & 1942 | 2025 |
| 2 | Prey | 1719 | 2022 |
| 3 | Predator | 1987 | 1987 |
| 4 | Predator 2 | 1997 | 1990 |
| 5 | The Predator | 2018 | 2018 |
| 6 | Predators | The game preserve | 2010 |
| 7 | Predator: Badlands | The far future | 2025 |
| 8 | Alien vs. Predator | 2004 | 2004 |
| 9 | Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem | 2004 | 2007 |
Release or chronological: which order is best?
Release order and story order disagree on 9 titles here. In release order you start with Predator (1987); in story order you start with Predator: Killer of Killers, set in 841, 1609 & 1942, which came out 38 years later.
First time through, watch in release order. That is how the twists, returning characters and callbacks were built to land, and later entries assume you have seen the earlier ones. On a rewatch, try story order. It turns Predator into one continuous story and makes the prequels play as setup instead of backstory.
Predator also runs a separate continuity: Alien vs. Predator. It has its own line on the timeline, so you can watch it on its own without breaking the main story.
Where to start
Start with Predator and go in release order, skipping the 3 optional titles on the first pass.
The essentials are 6 titles and about 11 hours, 31% less than the full run.
The three highest rated: Predator (7.8), Predator: Killer of Killers (7.4), and Predator: Badlands (7.2).
Every Predator movie, explained
One entry per title in release order: what it is about, why it matters to the bigger story, who is in it and how it did.
No. 01 · 1987 · Film · 1h 47m · 3rd in story order
Predator
A team of elite commandos on a secret mission in a Central American jungle come to find themselves hunted by an extraterrestrial warrior.
Why it matters: The 1987 original in the jungle.
- Starring
- Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, and Kevin Peter Hall
- Director
- John McTiernan
- Box office
- $98 million on a $15 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.8 · Rotten Tomatoes 65%
No. 02 · 1990 · Film · 1h 48m · 4th in story order
Predator 2
A police chief in the war-torn streets of Los Angeles discovers that an extraterrestrial creature is hunting down residents - and that he is the next target.
Why it matters: The hunt moves to Los Angeles.
- Starring
- Danny Glover, Gary Busey, and Rubén Blades
- Director
- Stephen Hopkins
- Box office
- $57 million on a $35 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.3 · Rotten Tomatoes 36%
No. 03 · 2004 · Film · 1h 41m · 8th in story order · optional
Alien vs. Predator
When scientists discover something near Antarctica that appears to be a buried Pyramid, they send a research team out to investigate. Little do they know that they are about to step into a hunting ground where Aliens are grown as sport for the Predator race.
Why it matters: The Alien vs. Predator crossover; optional.
- Starring
- Sanaa Lathan, Lance Henriksen, and Ian Whyte
- Director
- Paul W. S. Anderson
- Box office
- $177 million on a $70 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.7 · Rotten Tomatoes 21%
No. 04 · 2007 · Film · 1h 34m · 9th in story order · optional
Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
After a horrifying PredAlien crash-lands near a small Colorado town, killing everyone it encounters and producing countless Alien offspring, a lone Predator arrives to "clean up" the infestation.
Why it matters: The crossover sequel; optional.
- Starring
- David Paetkau, Sam Trammell, and Steven Pasquale
- Director
- Colin Strause and Greg Strause
- Box office
- $130 million on a $40 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 4.6 · Rotten Tomatoes 12%
No. 05 · 2010 · Film · 1h 47m · 6th in story order
Predators
A group of cold-blooded killers find themselves trapped on an alien planet to be hunted by extraterrestrial Predators.
Why it matters: Hunted on an alien game reserve.
- Starring
- Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, and Alice Braga
- Director
- Nimród Antal
- Box office
- $127 million on a $40 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 6.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 66%
No. 06 · 2018 · Film · 1h 47m · 5th in story order
The Predator
When a young boy accidentally triggers the universe's most lethal hunters' return to Earth, only a ragtag crew of ex-soldiers and a disgruntled scientist can prevent the end of the human race.
Why it matters: A 2018 entry; optional.
- Starring
- Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, and Sterling K. Brown
- Director
- Shane Black
- Box office
- $161 million on a $88 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 5.3 · Rotten Tomatoes 34%
No. 07 · 2022 · Film · 1h 40m · 2nd in story order
Prey
When danger threatens her camp, the fierce and highly skilled Comanche warrior Naru sets out to protect her people. But the prey she stalks turns out to be a highly evolved alien predator with a technically advanced arsenal.
Why it matters: A Predator hunts a Comanche warrior in 1719; works on its own.
- Starring
- Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, and Michelle Thrush
- Director
- Dan Trachtenberg
- Scores
- IMDb 7.1 · Rotten Tomatoes 94%
No. 08 · 2025 · Film · 1h 25m · 1st in story order · optional
Predator: Killer of Killers
While three of the fiercest warriors in human history—a Viking raider, a ninja in feudal Japan, and a WWII pilot—are killers in their own right, they are merely prey for their new opponent: the ultimate killer of killers.
Why it matters: An animated anthology of Predator hunts through history; optional.
- Starring
- Lindsay LaVanchy, Louis Ozawa, and Rick Gonzalez
- Director
- Dan Trachtenberg
- Scores
- IMDb 7.4 · Rotten Tomatoes 94%
No. 09 · 2025 · Film · 1h 47m · 7th in story order
Predator: Badlands
Cast out from his clan, a young Predator finds an unlikely ally in a damaged android and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
Why it matters: A young Predator as the hero.
- Starring
- Elle Fanning, Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, and Ravi Narayan
- Director
- Dan Trachtenberg
- Box office
- $185 million on a $105 million budget
- Scores
- IMDb 7.2 · Rotten Tomatoes 86%
Predator box office and budgets
The 7 Predator films with reported numbers have grossed $935 million worldwide on about $393 million in combined budgets, roughly 2.4 times what they cost. The biggest is Predator: Badlands at $185 million, 20% of the franchise's total on its own, followed by Alien vs. Predator ($177 million) and The Predator ($161 million).
Measured against what it cost, the best return belongs to Predator, which made 6.6 times its $15 million budget. The weakest was Predator 2 at 1.6 times its $35 million budget. As a rule of thumb, a film needs about two and a half times its budget at the box office to cover marketing and the theaters' cut.
The best and worst rated Predator movies
Across 9 rated titles, Predator averages 6.4 on IMDb. The top of the list is Predator at 7.8, then Predator: Killer of Killers (7.4) and Predator: Badlands (7.2). At the bottom: Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (4.6) and The Predator (5.3).
- Predator7.8 · RT 65%
- Predator: Killer of Killers7.4 · RT 94%
- Predator: Badlands7.2 · RT 86%
- Prey7.1 · RT 94%
- Predators6.4 · RT 66%
- Predator 26.3 · RT 36%
- Alien vs. Predator5.7 · RT 21%
- The Predator5.3 · RT 34%
- Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem4.6 · RT 12%
Who appears in the most Predator movies
Kevin Peter Hall leads with 2 appearances as The Predator and Helicopter Pilot, ahead of Ian Whyte (2) and Louis Ozawa (2). Counted from each title's top-billed cast.
| Actor | Role | Titles | First and latest |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kevin Peter Hall | The Predator / Helicopter Pilot | 2 | Predator (1987) to Predator 2 (1990) |
| Ian Whyte | Scar / Predator | 2 | Alien vs. Predator (2004) to Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) |
| Louis Ozawa | Hanzo / Kenji | 2 | Predators (2010) to Predator: Killer of Killers (2025) |
Predator directors and creators
8 filmmakers have directed or created Predator; Dan Trachtenberg has the most, with 3.
- Dan TrachtenbergPrey (2022), Predator: Killer of Killers (2025), and Predator: Badlands (2025)
- John McTiernanPredator (1987)
- Stephen HopkinsPredator 2 (1990)
- Paul W. S. AndersonAlien vs. Predator (2004)
- Colin StrauseAliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
- Greg StrauseAliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
- Nimród AntalPredators (2010)
- Shane BlackThe Predator (2018)
How long it takes to watch every Predator movie
All 9 titles add up to 15 hours. That is about 8 two-hour evenings, or 2 days of ten-hour binges. The essentials cut it to 11 hours. The longest film is Predator 2 at 1h 48m.
The 4 best rated films: Predator, Predator: Killer of Killers, Predator: Badlands, and Prey.
Everything takes about 3 weeks; the essentials about 2 weeks.
Track what you've watched on the timeline and it counts the hours left.
Which Predator movies can you skip?
3 titles can go without losing the main story. They are side stories, spin-offs or entries the later films ignore. Dropping them saves 5 hours.
- Predator: Killer of Killers2025 · Film · 1h 25m · optionalAn animated anthology of Predator hunts through history; optional.
- Alien vs. Predator2004 · Film · 1h 41m · optionalThe Alien vs. Predator crossover; optional.
- Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem2007 · Film · 1h 34m · optionalThe crossover sequel; optional.
Common questions
What order should I watch the Predator movies in?
The Predator films are mostly standalone. Watch Predator (1987) first, then any order; Prey (2022), set in 1719, is the earliest in the timeline. The Alien vs. Predator films are crossovers you can skip.
How many Predator movies and shows are there?
There are 9 titles in the Predator franchise: 9 films and 0 series, released from 1987 to 2025.
How long does it take to watch all the Predator movies?
About 15 hours for all 9 titles, counting every episode. The essentials only (6 titles) take about 11 hours.
What is the first Predator title in chronological order?
Predator: Killer of Killers, set in 841, 1609 & 1942. In release order the first is Predator (1987).
Which Predator titles can I skip?
Predator: Killer of Killers, Alien vs. Predator, and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. They are spin-offs, side stories or non-canon entries; the main story holds without them.
What is the best Predator movie?
By IMDb score, Predator (1987) at 7.8, followed by Predator: Killer of Killers at 7.4.
What is the highest-grossing Predator movie?
Predator: Badlands (2025), with $185 million worldwide. Predator films have made $935 million in total.
Who has appeared in the most Predator movies?
Kevin Peter Hall, in 2 of them as The Predator.
What is the longest Predator movie?
Predator 2, at 1h 48m.
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