12 Movies Like Alien You Need to Watch
Craving tense sci-fi horror? Explore 12 picks inspired by Alien, from Alien: Romulus and Pandorum to The Brood, with eerie space thrills.
If you’re searching for movies like Alien, you probably want tense, claustrophobic sci-fi with real dread, not just spaceships and flashy effects. This list brings together 12 smart picks that mix horror, thriller, mystery, adventure, and hard-edged science fiction in different ways. Start with Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986), then branch out to The Brood (1979), Pandorum (2009), and Alien: Romulus (2024) for more fear-soaked pressure-cooker storytelling. You’ll also find eerie, ambitious space fare like Star Trek: The Motion Picture (1979), The Black Hole (1979), and Galaxy of Terror (1981), plus enough unsettling atmosphere to keep the tension high. Whether you want creature horror, deep-space isolation, or a slow-burn mystery, these are strong choices to queue up next.
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01
The Brood
horror · sci-fi
A man tries to uncover an unconventional psychologist's therapy techniques on his institutionalized wife, while a series of brutal attacks committed by a brood of mutant children coincides with the husband's investigation.
Directed by David CronenbergCast Oliver Reed, Samantha Eggar, Art Hindle, Henry Beckman, Nuala FitzgeraldMaxMore details on IMDb → -
02
Alien: Romulus
1 Oscar nomination
horror · sci-fi · thriller
While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonists come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
Directed by Fede AlvarezCast Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson, Archie Renaux, Isabela Merced, Spike FearnHuluMore details on IMDb → -
03
Star Trek: The Motion Picture
3 Oscar nominations
adventure · mystery · sci-fi
When an unidentified alien destroys three powerful Klingon cruisers, Captain James T. Kirk returns to the newly transformed U.S.S. Enterprise to take command.
Directed by Robert WiseCast William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, George TakeiParamount PlusMore details on IMDb → -
04
The Black Hole
2 Oscar nominations Best Cinematography (1980)
action · sci-fi
The explorer craft USS Palomino is returning to Earth after a fruitless 18-month search for extra-terrestrial life when the crew comes upon a supposedly lost ship, the USS Cygnus, hovering near a black hole. The ship is controlled by Dr. Hans Reinhardt and his monstrous robot companion, but the initial wonderment and awe the Palomino crew feel for the ship and its resistance to the power of the black hole turn to horror as they uncover Reinhardt's plans.
Directed by Gary NelsonCast Maximilian Schell, Anthony Perkins, Robert Forster, Joseph Bottoms, Yvette MimieuxDisney PlusMore details on IMDb → -
05
Aliens
Won 2 Oscars Best Actress (1987) · 7 nominations
action · adventure · horror · sci-fi · thriller
Ripley, the sole survivor of the Nostromo's deadly encounter with the monstrous Alien, returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story is initially met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of Colonial Marines back to LV-426.
Directed by James CameronCast Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance HenriksenNetflixMore details on IMDb → -
06
Galaxy of Terror
action · adventure · horror · sci-fi
As a lone spaceship proceeds on its long voyage across space, the crew are surprised to encounter a strange pyramid form. Surprise turns to horror as one by one, they discover that their darkest nightmares are all starting to become real. The pyramid has to be behind it all somehow, but how can they save themselves from its influence?
Directed by Bruce D. ClarkCast Edward Albert, Erin Moran, Ray Walston, Bernard Behrens, Zalman KingAMC+FreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
07
The Deadly Spawn
horror · sci-fi
When a meteorite touches down in the New Jersey woods carrying a monstrous alien slug, it’s up to four teens to stop it before it’s terrifying brood consumes all life on Earth!
Directed by Douglas McKeownCast Charles George Hildebrandt, Tom DeFranco, Richard Lee Porter, Jean Tafler, Karen TigheAMC+More details on IMDb → -
08
The Thing
horror · mystery · sci-fi
A research team in Antarctica is hunted by a shape-shifting alien that assumes the appearance of its victims.
Directed by John CarpenterCast Kurt Russell, Wilford Brimley, T.K. Carter, David Clennon, Keith DavidAmazon Prime VideoMore details on IMDb → -
09
Shivers
horror · sci-fi
When the residents of a luxury apartment complex outside Montreal are infiltrated by parasites and transformed into violent, sex-crazed maniacs, it's up to Dr. Roger St. Luc to contain the outbreak from spreading to the city.
Directed by David CronenbergCast Paul Hampton, Joe Silver, Lynn Lowry, Allan Kolman, Susan PetrieAmazon Prime VideoFreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
10
The Fury
horror · sci-fi · thriller
When a devious plot separates CIA agent Peter Sandza from his son, Robin, the distraught father manages to see through the ruse. Taken because of his psychic abilities, Robin is being held by Ben Childress, who is studying people with supernatural powers in hopes of developing their talents as weapons. Soon Peter pairs up with Gillian, a teen who has telekinesis, to find and rescue Robin.
Directed by Brian De PalmaCast Kirk Douglas, John Cassavetes, Carrie Snodgress, Charles Durning, Amy IrvingAmazon Prime VideoMore details on IMDb → -
11
Phantasm
horror · sci-fi
A teenage boy and his friends face off against a mysterious grave robber, known only as the Tall Man, who employs a lethal arsenal of unearthly weapons.
Directed by Don CoscarelliCast A. Michael Baldwin, Bill Thornbury, Reggie Bannister, Kathy Lester, Terrie KalbusAmazon Prime VideoPeacock PremiumAMC+FreeveeMore details on IMDb → -
12
Breach
action · horror · sci-fi
A hardened mechanic must stay awake and maintain an interstellar ark fleeing the dying planet Earth with a few thousand lucky souls on board... the last of humanity. Unfortunately, humans are not the only passengers. A shapeshifting alien creature has taken residence, its only goal is to kill as many people as possible. The crew must think quickly to stop this menace before it destroys mankind.
Directed by John SuitsCast Cody Kearsley, Bruce Willis, Rachel Nichols, Kassandra Clementi, Johnny MessnerAmazon Prime VideoMore details on IMDb →
Wrapping Up
What makes this list useful is the range: some picks lean into creature-feature terror, others into psychological unease, and a few balance the wonder of space with a lingering sense of danger. That mix gives you plenty of paths if you loved the mood, suspense, or world-building of Alien. Bookmark this page and come back whenever you want another set of smart, creepy, or suspenseful recommendations. It’s updated regularly so the selection stays fresh as new releases and rediscoveries arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to Alien?
These picks were matched by tone, themes, and story style using a similarity model trained on plot synopses, genres, and cast — not just shared genre tags — so the connection runs deeper than a simple category match.