12 Movies Like Aliens You Need to Watch
Craving sci-fi horror with tension, monsters, and action? Explore 12 picks inspired by Aliens, from Alien to Ash, The Thing, and more.
If you want movies like Aliens that mix tense survival, ruthless creatures, and a hard-driving sense of danger, this list keeps the adrenaline high. You’ll find the original Alien, the action-heavy Aliens, and newer picks like Alien: Covenant and Ash that keep the sci-fi horror edge alive. For a wider blend of space adventure and suspense, Star Trek: Generations and The Thing bring very different but equally gripping energy. There’s also cult chaos in Galaxy of Terror, eerie style in The Wraith, and plenty of reasons these 12 picks still hit for fans of smart, scary genre films.
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01
Star Trek: Generations
action · adventure · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
Captain Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the Enterprise-D find themselves at odds with the renegade scientist Soran who is destroying entire star systems. Only one man can help Picard stop Soran's scheme...and he's been dead for seventy-eight years.
Directed by David CarsonCast Patrick Stewart, Jonathan Frakes, Brent Spiner, LeVar Burton, Michael DornParamount Plus -
02
Alien
horror · sci-fi
During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.
Directed by Ridley ScottCast Tom Skerritt, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John HurtNetflix -
03
The Wraith
action · horror · romance · sci-fi · thriller
Packard Walsh and his motorized gang control and terrorize an Arizona desert town where they force drivers to drag-race so they can 'win' their vehicles. After Walsh beats the decent teenager Jamie Hankins to death after finding him with his girlfriend, a mysterious power creates Jake Kesey, an extremely cool motor-biker who has a car which is invincible. Jake befriends Jamie's girlfriend Keri Johnson, takes Jamie's sweet brother Bill under his wing and manages what Sheriff Loomis couldn't; eliminate Packard's criminal gang the hard way...
Directed by Mike MarvinCast Charlie Sheen, Nick Cassavetes, Sherilyn Fenn, Randy Quaid, Matthew BarryAmazon Prime VideoFreevee -
04
Ash
action · adventure · horror · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
On the mysterious planet of Ash, Riya awakens to find her crew slaughtered. When a man named Brion arrives to rescue her, an ordeal of psychological and physical terror ensues while Riya and Brion must decide if they can trust one another to survive.
Directed by Flying LotusCast Eiza González, Aaron Paul, Iko Uwais, Kate Elliott, Beulah KoaleHuluAMC+ -
05
Alien: Covenant
horror · sci-fi · thriller
The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise but is actually a dark, dangerous world.
Directed by Ridley ScottCast Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Demián BichirPeacock Premium -
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 KingAmazon Prime VideoAMC+Freevee -
07
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 Video -
08
Revolt
action · adventure · sci-fi · thriller
The story of humankind's last stand against a cataclysmic alien invasion. Set in the war-ravaged African countryside, a U.S. soldier and a French foreign aid worker team up to survive the alien onslaught. Their bond will be tested as they search for refuge across a crumbling world.
Directed by Joe MialeCast Lee Pace, Bérénice Marlohe, Jason Flemyng, Sibulele Gcilitshana, Wandile MolebatsiFreevee -
09
Dead End Drive-In
action · drama · horror · sci-fi · thriller
In the future, a health nut and his tag-along girlfriend become trapped in a drive-in theater that has become a concentration camp for outcast youths.
Directed by Brian Trenchard-SmithCast Ned Manning, Natalie McCurry, Peter Whitford, Wilbur Wilde, Dave GibsonAmazon Prime VideoFreevee -
10
Maximum Overdrive
action · comedy · horror · sci-fi
When a comet passes close to the earth, machines all over the world come alive and go on homicidal rampages. A group of people at a desolate truck stop are held hostage by a gang of murderous 18-wheelers. The frightened people set out to defeat the killer machines…Or be killed by them.
Directed by Stephen KingCast Emilio Estevez, Pat Hingle, Laura Harrington, Yeardley Smith, John ShortAmazon Prime VideoFreevee -
11
Pandorum
action · horror · mystery · sci-fi · thriller
Two crew members wake up on an abandoned spacecraft with no idea who they are, how long they've been asleep, or what their mission is. The two soon discover they're actually not alone – and the reality of their situation is more horrifying than they could have imagined.
Directed by Christian AlvartCast Dennis Quaid, Ben Foster, Cam Gigandet, Antje Traue, Cung LeAmazon Prime VideoFreevee -
12
Dreamscape
action · adventure · horror · sci-fi · thriller
In order to diagnose the psychic traumas suffered by his patients, Dr. Paul Novotny gets young Alex Gardner to enter their dreams.
Directed by Joseph RubenCast Dennis Quaid, Max von Sydow, Christopher Plummer, Eddie Albert, Kate CapshawPeacock Premium
Wrapping Up
Whether you want claustrophobic terror, explosive action, or a tense creature feature with real suspense, these picks cover the full range of what makes this kind of sci-fi horror so addictive. From landmark classics to newer entries, the mix of thrillers, adventure stories, and monster movies gives you plenty to queue up next. Bookmark this page and come back whenever you want another round of recommendations. We update it regularly so the list stays fresh as new releases and fan favorites arrive.
Frequently Asked Questions
What makes these movies similar to Aliens?
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.
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Last updated: September 9, 2026