If it bleeds, we can kill it.
And yet for almost 40 years now, the Predator franchise has refused to die. Created in the mid-1980s by Jim and John Thomas, a pair of sci-fi loving screenwriting brothers, the series has now produced seven movies, two crossover movies with the Alien franchise, and a bottomless well of comics, toys, video games, and merchandise.
Every installment is different but the core concept remains the same: An elite alien warrior wishes to hunt the most dangerous game, armed with incredibly cool technology like heat-vision goggles, camouflage systems, and all manner of advanced weaponry. (Stay away from those flying discs, those things are just bad news.) Sometimes his quest takes him to our planet; sometimes the monster brings us to his home. Occasionally, the xenomorph gets involved as well. But always one thing remains: Dreadlocks. The Predator always has dreadlocks. It’s just a rule.
With nine movies in the franchise and counting, and a reasonably solid track record over the course of 35+ years, why not rank them all? The top Predator film is pretty obvious, of course, but after that, it’s a tough call; like cooking up a story and dropping six tough hombres in a meat grinder. There’s a lot of debate about which takes on the concept worked best or delivered the most satisfying blend of action and horror. Here’s how they all shake out for me. (Note: If you want to watch or rewatch any of them, all of them except Predator: Badlands are currently streaming on Hulu.)
Every Predator Movie, Ranked From Worst to Best
READ MORE: The Worst ’90s Movies
Horror Movie Sequels That Successfully Reinvented a Franchise
From action-packed or comedy-driven genre switch-ups to meta re-imaginings, these horror movie sequels successfully and smartly reinvented their scary source material.
Gallery Credit: Erica Russell
