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There were already plenty of sci-fi movies by the time Ridley Scott’s Alien hatched in 1979, but the filmmaker’s sophomore feature-length production certainly changed the game on what was possible. Blending sci-fi with horror, Scott went the extra step in delivering a truly terrifying out-of-this-world piece of cinema that shook audiences to the core upon its arrival. After the title’s incredible box office success, during which it earned $187 million, easily offsetting its $11 million production budget, a sequel would eventually be greenlit with James Cameron stepping in to helm. In a similar vein as titles like Star Wars: The Empire Strikes Back and The Dark Knight, many would consider Cameron’s Aliens to be even better than the film that came before it. Right now, Peacock is inviting subscribers to decide for themselves as both productions are currently available on the streamer.

On the surface, there are a lot of similarities between Alien and Aliens. Both movies follow an extraterrestrial beast (or several) as it rips apart an entire spaceship’s crew, both involve plenty of guts, gore, and gunfire, and — perhaps most importantly — both feature Sigourney Weaver in the leading role. When it comes to critical reception, both films also landed extended praise from the powers that be, with the original holding a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, with the second barely sneaking by with 94%.Alien took home the Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, with Weaver nominated as Best Actress at the distinguished event for her work on the sequel — which at the time was a particular feat considering the genre.

The Legacy of ‘Alien’ and ‘Aliens’

Another thing that both movies had in common was the backing of two incredible directors. As mentioned, Alien was Scott’s second film of his career, preceded by The Duelist and followed by classics like Blade Runner and Thelma & Louise. Likewise, Aliens played an important role in further helping Cameron solidify himself as one of the industry’s best directors, arriving shortly after The Terminator and three years before The Abyss. In the time since the first two movies of the film series arrived, directors like David Fincher and Fede Álvarez have taken a stab at the sci-fi horror favorite, with the latter’s recent Alien: Romulus resurrecting the hype for fans.

Right now, Peacock dares audiences to turn the lights off and settle in for a creature feature with Alien and Aliens, both available on the streaming platform.

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