So, you want to watch a space hunter rip spines out of people in the most logical way possible. Honestly, I get it. The Predator franchise is weirdly messy for a series that’s basically just "scary alien versus tough humans." It started in the 80s as a pure Schwarzenegger adrenaline hit, but it has since mutated into a sprawling mess of sequels, spin-offs, and period-piece prequels that jump around more than a Yautja in a jungle canopy.
If you're trying to figure out the predator movies release order, you’ve probably realized by now that the timeline is a disaster. If you watch them in the order they hit theaters, you’re basically skipping through time like a broken record. But hey, that's how we all experienced it back in the day.
Let's break down exactly how these things came out, from the classics to the brand-new 2025 releases like Badlands.
The Original Hunt: Where it All Began
In 1987, nobody knew what a "Predator" was. We just knew Arnold Schwarzenegger was going into the jungle to kill rebels and ended up fighting something that looked like a giant crab with a laser cannon.
Predator (1987)
This is the gold standard. Directed by John McTiernan, it’s basically a perfect action movie. You've got Dutch (Schwarzenegger) leading an elite rescue team that gets picked off one by one. It’s simple, it’s brutal, and it introduced the iconic Stan Winston design that still holds up today.
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Predator 2 (1990)
Three years later, the series made a hard pivot. They swapped the jungle for the "concrete jungle" of a near-future 1997 Los Angeles. Danny Glover replaced Arnold, and while it didn't do great at the box office originally, fans love it now. It’s campy, gory, and expanded the lore by showing that these aliens have been hunting us for a long time. Plus, that Xenomorph skull in the trophy room? That changed everything.
The Crossover Years (The "AvP" Era)
After Predator 2, the franchise went into a weird hibernation. We didn't get another solo movie for twenty years. Instead, 20th Century Fox decided to smash their two biggest monsters together.
Alien vs. Predator (2004)
Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, this one moved the action to an underground pyramid in Antarctica. It’s PG-13, which was a huge bummer for fans of the R-rated originals, but it’s a fun enough popcorn flick. It basically treats the Predators as hunters who taught humans how to build pyramids in exchange for sacrifices. Kinda wild.Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
The sequel. Honestly? It’s a mess. It’s famous for being so darkly lit that you literally can't see the monsters fighting for half the movie. It brought the fight to a small town in Colorado, but most people tend to treat the AvP movies as their own separate, non-canon timeline.✨ Don't miss: The Name of This Band Is Talking Heads: Why This Live Album Still Beats the Studio Records
The Modern Resurgence and the 2025 Boom
Once the crossover hype died down, the series went back to its roots. Sorta.
Predators (2010)
Produced by Robert Rodriguez, this one actually felt like a proper sequel. It takes a group of human killers and drops them on a "game preserve" planet. It stars Adrien Brody (of all people) and Topher Grace. It’s a solid flick that introduces the idea of "Super Predators" and different clans of hunters.
The Predator (2018)
This is the one directed by Shane Black, who was actually in the original 1987 movie. It tried to be a funny, R-rated ensemble piece, but it got caught up in messy reshoots. The ending, involving a "Predator Killer" suit, is still pretty controversial among the hardcore fans.
Prey (2022)
Then came Prey. This was a massive win for Hulu. It jumped back to 1719 to follow a Comanche warrior named Naru (Amber Midthunder). It’s lean, mean, and proved that you don't need high-tech guns to take down a Yautja. It was so successful that it basically revived the whole brand.
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Predator: Killer of Killers (2025)
This is a weird one but very cool. It’s an animated anthology that hit Hulu in the summer of 2025. It’s not just one story; it jumps between the Viking age, feudal Japan, and World War II. It actually brought back the character of Mike Harrigan from Predator 2, which was a huge shock to everyone.
Predator: Badlands (2025)
The most recent big-screen entry, released in November 2025. Dan Trachtenberg (who did Prey) came back to direct this. It’s a total departure because it takes place in the far future on an alien planet and actually follows a Predator as the lead character. It’s weird, it’s experimental, and it’s arguably the most unique movie in the whole predator movies release order.
Quick Reference: Release Date Cheat Sheet
- Predator (June 12, 1987)
- Predator 2 (November 21, 1990)
- Alien vs. Predator (August 13, 2004)
- Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (December 25, 2007)
- Predators (July 9, 2010)
- The Predator (September 14, 2018)
- Prey (August 5, 2022)
- Predator: Killer of Killers (June 6, 2025)
- Predator: Badlands (November 7, 2025)
Why the Chronological Order is Totally Different
If you want to watch these based on when the stories actually happen, the list gets flipped upside down. Prey is first, followed by the various segments of Killer of Killers. Then you hit the 1987 original.
Most people recommend sticking to the release order for your first watch. Why? Because the tech gets more advanced (and the special effects get better) as the years go on. If you jump from the hyper-modern Badlands back to the 80s practical effects, it can feel a bit jarring, even if the 1987 suit still looks incredible.
The franchise has officially moved past the "is it canon?" debate. Even though the AvP movies are often ignored by the main solo films, recent 2025 entries have started dropping hints and "Easter eggs" that suggest everything might be part of one giant, bloody history.
Actionable Insights for Your Next Marathon:
- Skip the AvP movies if you only care about the "serious" lore. They function as a separate timeline and don't affect the plots of Prey or Badlands.
- Watch Prey and Predator 1 back-to-back. The thematic parallels between Naru and Dutch are huge, and it makes for a great double feature.
- Check out the "Killer of Killers" anthology if you want to see how the Yautja handled Samurai and Vikings. It’s on Hulu/Disney+ and fills in a lot of the gaps about why they keep coming back to Earth.
- Pay attention to the weapons. In Prey, the tech is primitive. By the time you get to The Predator (2018) and Badlands, the gadgets are practically magic. Seeing that progression is half the fun.