To celebrate the enduring legacy of the Predator franchise and tie in with its recent expansions, here’s a full-throated ranking of every official theatrical and crossover film (including the animated title), complete with thoughtful breakdowns: what each film does right, where it stumbles, and how it fits into the mythos. Let’s walk through them from strongest to weakest.
1. Predator (1987)
Director: John McTiernan
Cast: Arnold Schwarzenegger, Carl Weathers, Jesse Ventura, Bill Duke
Box Office: Approx. US$98.3 million worldwide
This film is the cornerstone. It introduced the idea of an apex hunter from another world, dropped into the jungle, preying on elite soldiers—and flipped the “hunter becomes hunted” trope on its head. Arnold and his squad bring the muscle and bravado, but there’s also fear, vulnerability, and the unknown creeping through the trees. The Predator’s design, the silence periods, and that final one-on-one confrontation still resonate.
Where it hits: Raw tension + strong concept + memorable practical creature effects. Where it falters: the plot heft is thin, motivations for the Predator minimal, and some early reviews called it “grisly and dull, with few surprises.”
Legacy: This film shaped the franchise’s identity—any successor has to contend with its shadow.
2. Prey (2022)
Director: Dan Trachtenberg
Cast: Amber Midthunder, Dakota Beavers, Dane DiLiegro
Release: Streaming (Hulu) – because of format the box office isn’t traditional, but its critical impact is considerable.
Prey reverses the usual formula in the best way possible: rather than high-tech soldiers, we have a young Comanche woman, Naru, facing the Predator in 1719. No helicopters, no machine-guns, just snows, tomahawks, survival, and hunting predator vs. prey. It distills the concept to its essence while layering in culture, character and stakes. It earned extraordinarily positive reviews (Rotten Tomatoes ~94%).
Where it hits: Fresh setting, strong female lead, and the horror/action blend works. Where it falters: Some critics argue the pacing could tighten, and a few story beats feel predictable. But even those pale compared to many franchise entries.
Why it’s second: It not only honours the original’s spirit, but pushes the franchise forward. It shows what the Predator can still be when done with care.
3. Predators (2010)
Director: Nimród Antal
Cast: Adrien Brody, Topher Grace, Alice Braga, Walton Goggins
Box Office: ~US$127 million worldwide
This film attempts a reboot of the franchise’s tension by placing a group of killers — mercenaries, snipers, special-ops — on an alien hunting ground. There’s promise in the premise and strong casting, and the film has a 65% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. It feels like a homage, a nod to the original’s isolation-fear while adding new shaders.
Where it hits: Good ensemble cast, fun set-piece potential, and a return to the “hunt humans for sport” idea. Where it falters: Character depth is shallow; the new Predators feel less scary and more gimmick; and some pacing/exposition issues hold it back.
Why third: It’s a meaningful step up from lesser entries, and it shows that the concept still works—but it lacks the singular focus and atmosphere of the top two.
4. Predator 2 (1990)
Director: Stephen Hopkins
Cast: Danny Glover, Gary Busey, Maria Conchita Alonso
Box Office: Approx. US$57.1 million worldwide
Predator 2 moves the action from jungle to urban jungle—Los Angeles, in a hot, crime-riddled future. That bold shift is interesting: the Predator hunts in a police gear-driven cityscape rather than remote wilderness. Danny Glover anchors the film with grounded energy.
Where it hits: Ambition and a different flavour for the franchise; Glover is strong. Where it falters: The tone gets messy, the script tries to weave too many threads, and the film lacks the visual/aural simplicity of the original.
Why fourth: Because it experiments and brings something new, but the uneven execution means it doesn’t match up to the best.
5. Alien vs. Predator (2004)
Director: Paul W. S. Anderson
Cast: Sanaa Lathan, Lance Henriksen, Raoul Bova
Box Office: ~US$177.4 million worldwide
In terms of raw box office, this film out-earned many in the franchise. It’s a spectacle-heavy crossover: two iconic monsters in a temple under Antarctica, with humans caught in the middle. It succeeds at delivering the big monster fights fans wanted.
Where it hits: Big set-pieces, strong design and the novelty of monster-vs-monster. Where it falters: Human characters are thin, narrative stakes feel secondary to spectacle, and it loses the intimacy and dread of earlier Predator films.
Why fifth: Because while it’s fun and financially successful, it moves away from what made Predator unique (the hunter/hunted tension, the survival-isolation vibe) and leans into crossover spectacle.
6. The Predator (2018)
Director: Shane Black
Cast: Boyd Holbrook, Olivia Munn, Trevante Rhodes, Keegan-Michael Key
Box Office: ~US$160.5 million worldwide
This film had the misfortune of high expectations: Shane Black returning (he co-wrote the original), big budget, big cast. It tried to blend gore, humour, sci-fi and action. Some elements succeed: the creature designs, moments of tension, the humour. But overall the result is disjointed.
Where it hits: Ambitious scope, interesting cast, fresh ideas. Where it falters: Tonal shifts (from horror to comedy to action), CGI over-use, narrative clutter, and a feeling that its heart wasn’t fully in the survival/hunter-chase aspect.
Why sixth: Because it aims high but doesn’t quite land for many fans; the promise is there, the execution less consistent.
7. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)
Directors: Colin Strause & Greg Strause
Cast: Steven Pasquale, Reiko Aylesworth, John Ortiz
Box Office: ~US$130.3 million worldwide
The dark sibling of the AVP crossover. It brings horrific violence and a gritty tone as the Predator and Alien clash in a small town in Colorado. The visual design of the creatures and settings is strong, but the story is thin.
Where it hits: Creature mayhem, gore, atmosphere. Where it falters: Very weak human character hooks, minimal thematic depth, feeling like creature fodder rather than storytelling.
Why seventh: Because it represents a low point in terms of narrative stakes and character investment—even if the creature effects still intrigue.
8. Predator: Killer of Killers (Animated, 2025)
Director: Dan Trachtenberg & Josh Wassung (animation)
Voice Cast: Lindsay LaVanchy, Louis Ozawa Changchien, Rick Gonzalez, Michael Biehn
Release: June 6, 2025 (Streaming, Hulu/Disney+)
In a departure format-wise, the film uses animation to let the Predator roam across different eras—Viking age, feudal Japan, WWII pilot, etc. Visually bold and creatively ambitious, it’s a refreshing experiment in the franchise’s world—but one that lacks the emotional core and character arcs of the theatrical films.
Where it hits: Visual style, inventive set-ups, freedom of animation to show epic predator hunts. Where it falters: Less character development, shorter runtime, feels more like anthology than a full feature narrative.
Why eighth: Because it offers something new and interesting—but as a feature in the franchise chain it doesn’t yet reach the emotional weight or legacy of the best live-action films.
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