The “Alien” franchise gets an exciting new entry in its first TV series, “Alien: Earth,” which explores life on our planet in the context of the hunt for xenomorphs to study and weaponize.
The franchise’s timeline has become increasingly confusing since the initial film was released in the late 1970s. The new FX series slots comfortably into the growing tangle, a couple of years before “Alien” takes place. That smartly leaves very little homework needed for people wanting to jump right in.
Here’s where “Alien: Earth” falls in the sci-fi timeline and what you need to watch to be ready.
Where does “Alien: Earth” fall in the timeline?
The new FX series falls fairly early in the “Alien” franchise. The show serves as a standalone entry into the sci-fi series but raises many questions when it comes to the lore of the xenomorph and, unsurprisingly, why Earth was so enamored with getting an alien onto the planet. Here is where the show falls on the timeline.
- “Prometheus” – 2089-2093
- “Alien: Covenant” – 2104
- “Alien: Earth” – 2120
- “Alien” – 2122
- “Alien: Romulus” – 2142
- “Aliens” – 2179
- “Alien 3” – 2179
- “Alien: Resurrection” – 2381
Which movies do you need to watch before diving into “Alien: Earth?”
The shortest answer is none. “Alien: Earth” stands as a solid entry point into the iconic franchise, but your enjoyment of the show might be enhanced with a bit more knowledge of the world. Watching the original “Alien” should be mandatory at this point anyway, but with the film that started it all taking place two years after the new FX show, it serves as a great entry to what the xenomorphs are all about.
Similarly, “Prometheus” is a dense, lore-heavy entry into the franchise that establishes a lot of origin for the titular aliens. Some of that information might be beneficial, but it is far from necessary to enjoy the show, especially since series creator Noah Hawley said he’s not drawing inspiration from it.
