Top 10 Scariest Moments in the Alien Franchise

“Alien 3” (1992)
David Fincher’s entry is certainly flawed, and the director himself has since disowned it, saying, “No one hates it more than me.” But there are some good things going for it, and there are many well-constructed sequences that showcased the obvious talent brewing in the young director. The visual of the xenomorph approaching Ripley is obviously iconic, and the movie contains one of the greatest chase sequences in the entire franchise. The hunt in the corridor is terrifically paced and contains some great acting and sound design. Furthermore, it showcases Fincher’s thirst for filmmaking, containing fun flourishes like twirling POV shots and creative visual effects.

“Aliens” (1986)
It’s amazing to think that this was James Cameron’s third movie, as he already had complete command of the art of filmmaking. In the thrilling climax of the second film, Ripley and Newt meet the alien queen, and it is truly a sight to behold. The slow reveal of the queen is absolutely stellar, complete with some unbearable tension, creative visual and sound design, and eye-popping special effects. Cameron and Stan Winston built a 14-foot foam puppet that was controlled by fishing line and hydraulics, and the results couldn’t be more amazing. It’s one of the best reveals in movie history - and certainly one of the scariest.

“Alien” (1979)
Unlike “Aliens,” the first movie doesn’t end with a face-melting showdown. Instead, it favors quiet, anxiety, and suspense. Ripley discovers to her absolute horror that the alien has stowed itself inside the escape shuttle, and she is forced to use her resourcefulness and intelligence to defeat it. In a moment that is almost unwatchable, she allows the alien to get close, her breathing getting more and more panicked as she hears it approaching And then she jettisons that sucker into space. Ridley Scott directs the sequence to perfection, allowing the tension to build and lighting the shuttle with a strobing effect, which ensures that the creature remains in shadow.

“Alien Resurrection” (1997)
For many “Alien” fans, this is the worst entry in the franchise, as things get a little…weird. But this weirdness results in a grotesque image unlike any other. The Queen’s DNA combines with that of Ripley, resulting in a bizarre alien-human hybrid that recognizes Ripley as its biological mother. This creature was a full-scale animatronic created by Amalgamated Dynamics Incorporated, and the results are, well, absolutely disgusting. Its face bears resemblance to a human skull, and it’s covered in a nasty white slime. It looks like it was ripped straight from a nightmare.

“Alien: Covenant” (2017)
We’ve all seen the chestburster. Ridley Scott knows this, so he decided to change it up and give us something a little different while still retaining the soul of the original. The result? A backburster! Ledward is infected by spores and is immediately taken to the med bay, where all Hell proceeds to break loose. A neomorph slowly emerges from his back and flops on the floor. It then kills Karine, who was tragically trapped in the room with the inhuman creature. The scene is a nice twist on the iconic original, and it’s certainly more graphic. We see every revolting detail of this alien birth, and it’s enough to leave a permanent impression.

“Prometheus” (2012)
Another variation on the chestburster - and arguably an even scarier one - can be seen in the divisive prequel “Prometheus.” David spikes Holloway’s drink with a mysterious black liquid, and Holloway proceeds to sleep with Elizabeth Shaw. Shaw is impregnated, but not with a baby. At least, not a human baby. In the movie’s most famous sequence, Shaw enters an automated surgery table and has the creature removed from her stomach. Everything about this scene just screams horror movie perfection, from the acting and claustrophobic setting to the revolting image of a slithering squid emerging from her womb. It’s enough to give someone a panic attack.

“Alien” (1979)
The first “Alien” contains one of the most famous plot twists in the horror genre, and it comes via a haunting image. Ash is revealed to be a robot, and he has been ordered to bring the alien specimen back to the company. He attacks and nearly kills Ripley, but she is saved in the nick of time by Parker, who clubs Ash with a blunt weapon. Ash freaks out, emitting high-pitched robot noises and spewing a white liquid across the room. And then Parker hits his head and, well, you all know what happens next. It’s amazing that in a franchise filled with scary alien monsters, it’s a simple robot who provides one of its greatest scares.

“Aliens” (1986)
James Cameron definitely favored action over horror, but he still found time to craft some creepy sequences. Like the Colonial Marines arriving on LV-426. Cameron squeezes the arrival for all its worth, lingering on empty, ruined hallways and letting the eerie sound design work its magic. But things literally descend into full-blown horror when they make their way down to the nest. Here the Marines find opened eggs and cocooned colonists, one of whom wakes up and gives birth to an infant alien. And that’s when the shooting starts. It’s a masterful sequence that harkens back to the tension of the first movie, complete with grisly sights and unimaginable terror.

“Alien” (1979)
It’s amazing how many things Ridley Scott manages to accomplish in this one short scene. He manages to build an incredible amount of anxiety over the alien in the vents, which is done mostly through solid reaction shots and stellar sound design. That relentless beeping will forever haunt our nightmares. He also crafts one of the all-time greatest jump scares when the alien finally emerges from the shadows. And finally, he kills off Dallas, who up until this point was the group’s leader. He’s set up as the primary hero of the film, but Scott performs a wonderful bait and switch and kills him off with one terrifying screech. What a scene.

Before we unveil our top picks, here are a few honorable mentions.

A Tense Scene with Some Wonderful Sound Design & Creepy Visuals

Trapped in a Room with Facehuggers and No One Can Hear You Scream. Nightmare Fuel

It’s One of the Most Iconic Visuals in the Franchise - Maybe In All of Horror

“Alien” (1979)
Of course it’s the chestburster. How could it not be the chestburster? While exploring the creepy planet, Kane does a terrifically silly thing and puts his face directly over a hatching egg, allowing the facehugger to, well, hug his face. This is a fantastic scare in and of itself, but it leads to one of the most iconic sequences in movie history. John Hurt is mesmerizing, and he fully sells the unimaginable pain of having a baby alien burrow its way through your stomach. His screams are piercing and nightmarish, and the visual of the alien emerging from his belly has remained a staple of pop culture for decades. Horror doesn’t get much better than this.