How to Watch the Predator Movies in Chronological Order

Humans may dominate Earth's food chain, but in the galactic gladiator competition, we barely hold our own. The Predator franchise, which kicked off with the iconic Arnold Schwarzenegger film in 1987, revolves around the "Yautja" - towering, trophy-hunting extraterrestrials who travel across the universe for lethal sport and have been known to abduct species for hunts on their home planet.

The first two Predator films, released in 1987 and 1990, established the groundwork for this thrilling saga. The introduction of Xenomorphs from the Alien franchise, another cinematic nemesis for humanity, led to the creation of a shared universe in the 2000s with two Alien vs. Predator movies. In the next decade, directors like Robert Rodriguez, Shane Black, and Dan Trachtenberg each added their unique flair to the series.

With two new Predator movies set to premiere in 2025, now is the perfect time to dive into the original sci-fi classics. Whether you're a long-time fan or a newcomer, we've compiled a complete timeline of the Predator movies and where you can 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 new 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 and is best watched after the other films, particularly Predator 2. However, for a true chronological experience, start here. Set in 1719 on the Great Plains, Prey follows a young Comanche woman, Naru (Amber Midthunder), who faces more than she bargained for during a hunt with her brother, encountering a primitive Predator. Determined to prove herself, Naru aims to take down the alien stalker in this fresh and thrilling addition to the three-decade saga.

Read IGN's review of Prey

Where to Stream: Hulu

2. Predator (1987)

It all began with 1987's Predator, directed by John McTiernan of Die Hard fame and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger, alongside Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, Bill Duke, and Shane Black (who later directed his own Predator film). This action classic showcases a seemingly unstoppable military rescue team being outmatched by an invisible alien hunter in the jungles of South America. When the alien reveals itself, Schwarzenegger's Dutch must devise a plan to defeat a technologically superior foe.

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

3. Predator 2 (1990)

A few years later, Predator 2 brought more action and chaos to the big screen, with a new cast and setting. Set during a heatwave and crime surge in 1997 Los Angeles, the film follows a group of cops, led by Danny Glover, Bill Paxton, Ruben Blades, and María Conchita Alonso, as they tackle a violent cartel war and a deadly Predator stalking the city.

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

4. AVP: Alien vs. Predator (2004)

After a 14-year hiatus, the franchise returned with a bang through a crossover with the Alien series, revitalizing both sci-fi horror franchises. Directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, AVP: Alien vs. Predator was set in present-day America and revealed that Predators had been hunting on Earth for centuries, using humans to breed Xenomorphs for their rites of passage. 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)

Aliens vs Predator: Requiem picks up immediately after AVP, continuing the same battle. Although not as successful as its predecessor, it introduced the "Predalien," a hybrid monster that wreaks havoc in a small Colorado town. A Predator "cleaner" is sent to eliminate this new threat.

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

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

6. Predators (2010)

The only Predator film not set on Earth, Predators, directed by Robert Rodriguez, takes audiences to a distant planet used as a Yautja hunting ground. The film features a stellar cast including Adrien Brody, Walton Goggins, Laurence Fishburne, Topher Grace, and Alice Braga, and shows how humans, specifically established killers, are abducted for sport between rival Yautja tribes. While the exact Earth year is unspecified, it can be assumed to be around 2010 or the early 21st century, making it suitable for this slot or the end of the chronological viewing.

Read IGN's review of Predators

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

7. The Predator (2018)

Despite Predators being a modest success, it took eight years for the next Predator film to hit theaters. Shane Black's The Predator returns to the series' roots, featuring a squad of unstable soldiers, played by Boyd Holbrook, Trevante Rhodes, Keegan-Michael Key, Thomas Jane, and Alfie Allen, who confront two rampaging Predators and their DNA-splicing schemes. The film hints at more to come, with alternate endings teasing 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, follow this 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 slated for release in 2025. Predator: Badlands, hitting theaters on November 7, 2025, will star Elle Fanning and focus on the Predator as the protagonist, as directed by Dan Trachtenberg.

The second film, also directed by Trachtenberg, was initially kept under wraps but has been revealed as Predator: Killer of Killers, an animated movie depicting three different encounters with the ultimate killer throughout history. It will be available directly on Hulu starting June 6.