Alien Vs Predator Which SciFi Horror Series Is More Successful

Alien Vs Predator: Which Sci-Fi Horror Series Is More Successful

Contents

The Alien and Predator franchises have been rivals for years, but which of the classic sci-fi horror series performs better at the box office?

You Are Reading :[thien_display_title]

Alien Vs Predator Which SciFi Horror Series Is More Successful

The Alien and Predator franchises have both had their critical ups and downs over the decades, but which is more financially successful as a series? Both the Alien and Predator movies are legendary among fans of sci-fi horror. Only the Terminator franchise can come close to their legendary status in the sub-genre and, unlike sci-fi’s two most famous monsters, that sci-fi horror series transitioned into action-adventure from the second outing onwards.

However, not every Alien and Predator movie has proven to be a surefire hit (particularly with critics). The later sequels of both franchises were met with a mixed critical reaction while the Alien Vs Predator crossover movies were both critical disasters that were largely hated by fans. That said, the successful entries in both the Predator and Alien franchises have been huge hits, and the critical reception of the earlier movies was superb.

However, the measure most often used to decide a franchise’s success (or lack thereof) is not critical reception. Ever since Alien made $100 million upon release, the financial performance of both series has been the deciding factor for studios wondering whether or not to make another Predator installment or Alien sequel. So, with the bottom line speaking volumes and both franchises being famous sci-fi horror efforts with action elements and two crossover outings, is the Alien series more successful than the Predator movies, or vice versa?

Predator Vs Alien

Alien Vs Predator Which SciFi Horror Series Is More Successful

The original Predator was a huge hit, earning over $100 million on a relatively small budget of $15 million, while its sequel Predator 2 was much less lucky despite earning equally solid reviews. Predator 2 earned only $60 million on a much bigger budget of $30 million, meaning the franchise no longer seemed like a surefire winner for studios. This resulted in the property remaining dormant until 2004’s financially successful (but critically hated) Alien Vs Predator in 2004. Predator’s biggest competitor had almost the exact same beginning over a decade earlier, but its financial fortunes soon improved in comparison to the later, more action-oriented series.

See also  Just Cause 4 How to Get More Squad Reserves

1979’s original Alien earned $100 million after costing around $10 million, much like Predator. However, its belated 1986 sequel Aliens earned around $150 million despite costing only $15 million. While the exact box office of James Cameron’s movie is unclear (with estimates putting it somewhere between $120 million and $180 million), what is clear is that Alien’s sequel earned more than the original on a similar budget, where Predator’s first sequel earned a lot less on a far larger budget. While the Alien franchise’s critical reception dwindled thereafter, this didn’t hurt its financial prospects with Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection both earning $160 million (albeit with budgets of $60 and $70 million respectively) during the years that the Predator series did not add any movies to its stable.

Prometheus Vs Predators

Alien Vs Predator Which SciFi Horror Series Is More Successful

In the early 2010s, both the Predator and Alien franchises were overdue a makeover, and both series earned new outings that did well at the box office considering the critical drubbing received by both of the Alien Vs Predator movies. 2010’s Predators performed impressively, with director Nimrod Antal’s belated sequel to the series earning $130 million on a comparatively paltry $40 million budget. The sequel also received positive reviews and was seen as a worthy addition to the franchise, although Predators never spawned a follow-up. In comparison, original Alien director Ridley Scott’s return to the franchise came with a far higher price tag.

The ambitious Alien prequel Prometheus cost a massive $120 million and received mixed reviews, with some critics admiring its scope and others seeing it as a betrayal of the intense, claustrophobic horror of the original Alien. However, these mixed reviews did not hurt Prometheus’s prospects at the box office. Released only two years after Predators, the prequel earned a huge $400 million payday, by far the most impressive box office performance of any entry into either franchise so far. As a result, while the critical feedback for both flawed but largely-liked 2010’s reboots may be comparable, Alien’s Prometheus comfortably outshone Predators when it came to the box office.

See also  The Circle Every Episode Of The Netflix Series Ranked According To IMDb

Alien: Covenant Vs The Predator

Alien Vs Predator Which SciFi Horror Series Is More Successful

The Alien Vs Predator movies may have ruined both monsters, but the number of surprising similarities between the two franchises made their face-off inevitable. Not only did both properties receive ambitious reboots in the early 2010s, both Alien and Predator then went on to receive mid-budget sequels that brought back important behind-the-scenes figures in the late 2010s. While Ridley Scott returned once again to direct Alien’s second prequel Alien: Covenant, original Predator actor/script contributor Shane Black made a triumphant return to the franchise by writing and directing The Predator.

Alien: Covenant was released in 2017, while The Predator arrived in 2018. The Predator earned an impressive $160 million but cost a sizable $88 million and failed to impress critics, meaning its success was somewhat compromised despite the significant payday. Meanwhile, the superior Alien prequel Alien: Covenant cost over $100 million but managed to net a massive $250 million as well as earning better reviews than Prometheus, with critics lately liking the movie’s brutal tone and comparatively stripped-back story.

The Alien Vs Predator Question

Alien Vs Predator Which SciFi Horror Series Is More Successful

The Alien Vs Predator movies were surprisingly financially successful given their disastrous critical reaction, but do they count toward the Alien or Predator series? Both franchises can reasonably take credit for their success, so this counts as a win for both and doesn’t contribute to the overall performance of either over the other. Meanwhile, the critical failure of the two movies can’t be blamed on either franchise either, making the two Alien Vs Predator movies a non-entity in the debate over which franchise is more successful.

The Verdict: Alien Is More Successful Than Predator

With higher budgets, the Alien movies arguably have a leg up on their competitor, the Predator franchise. That being said, the box office receipts don’t lie. The Alien movies consistently outearn the Predator movies, with the impressive performance of the first Alien sequel even guaranteeing the series two more installments than its more action-forward rival. As a result, the Alien franchise beats the Predator franchise when it comes to earning potential, regardless of the critical merits (or lack thereof) of both series.

Link Source : https://screenrant.com/alien-predator-franchise-profit-success-comparison-sequels-reboots/

Movies -