What to Watch Before Predator: The Ultimate Franchise Viewing Guide

If you are starting the Predator franchise with the original 1987 film, you do not need to watch anything beforehand because it is the foundational entry. However, if you are preparing for newer installments like Prey or Predator: Badlands, watching the original Predator (1987) and Predator 2 (1990) provides the most critical context regarding the alien hunter's lore, weaponry, and honor code.

Do You Need Pre-Requisite Movies Before Watching Predator (1987)?

The original 1987 action masterpiece directed by John McTiernan and starring Arnold Schwarzenegger was designed as a completely standalone story. When it hit theaters, audiences had zero prior knowledge of the extra-terrestrial creature—known in expanded lore as the Yautja.

The narrative deliberately begins as a straightforward military rescue operation in the Central American jungle before escalating into a survival horror thriller. Because of this structure, the movie introduces the creature's physiology, thermal vision, cloaking technology, plasma weaponry, and hunting rituals naturally through the perspective of Dutch (Schwarzenegger) and his mercenary team. Watching any other movie beforehand is completely unnecessary to enjoy or understand the 1987 original.

What to Watch Depending on Which Predator Movie You Plan to See Next

Because the Predator franchise features anthology-style stories linked by a common antagonist species rather than a single continuous human protagonist, your ideal watchlist depends directly on which specific film you intend to watch.

• Franchise Entry Point
  
  
  • Prey (2022)
    
    
    • Standalone
    • (Flintlock Pistol tie)
  • Original Era
    
    
    • Predator (1987)
    • Predator 2 (1990)
  • Modern Era
    
    
    • Predators (2010)
    • The Predator (2018)
    • Badlands (2025/2026)

1. What to Watch Before Prey (2022)

Prey, directed by Dan Trachtenberg, serves as a prequel set in 1719 in the Comanche Nation.

• Required Viewing: None. Prey is engineered to serve as a clean entry point for brand-new viewers.
• Recommended Viewing: Predator 2 (1990). While not mandatory for plot understanding, watching Predator 2 prior to Prey enhances a major story connection. Predator 2 introduces an engraved 1715 flintlock pistol belonging to a pirate named Raphael Adolini, which is given to LAPD Lieutenant Mike Harrigan (Danny Glover) as a sign of respect by a Predator elder. Prey delivers the full backstory of how that specific pistol came into the hands of the Yautja.

2. What to Watch Before Predators (2010)

Produced by Robert Rodriguez and directed by Nimród Antal, Predators follows a group of elite warriors and criminals abducted and dropped onto an alien game preserve planet.

• Required Viewing: Predator (1987).
• Why It Matters: Predators acts as a direct thematic sequel to the 1987 original, largely ignoring the urban setting of Predator 2. The character Isabelle (Alice Braga) explicitly references the events of the 1987 Val Verde incident, noting military reports detailing a survivor (Dutch) who defeated an extraterrestrial hunter using mud to obscure his thermal body heat.

3. What to Watch Before The Predator (2018)

Directed by Shane Black (who played Hawkins in the 1987 original), The Predator is set in suburban North America and introduces modified "Upgrade" Predators.

• Required Viewing: Predator (1987) and Predator 2 (1990).
• Why It Matters: This entry relies heavily on continuity elements established in the first two films. It features Dr. Sean Keyes (Jake Busey), who is the son of Peter Keyes (Gary Busey's character in Predator 2). The film also references government capture initiatives and previous Yautja visits to Earth occurring in 1987 and 1997.

4. What to Watch Before Predator: Badlands

For viewers jumping into modern developments in the franchise led by Dan Trachtenberg, catching up on the foundational mythos ensures complete appreciation of how the creatures operate.

• Required Viewing: Predator (1987), Predator 2 (1990), and Prey (2022).
• Why It Matters: Modern entries build upon the core principles established across these three specific films: the creature's search for challenging targets, their avoidance of unarmed or sick prey, and their technological evolution across centuries.

Chronological Order vs. Release Order

Navigating the Predator timeline can be approached in two primary ways: by when the films were released in theaters or by the historical year in which their narratives take place.

The Chronological Order (In-Universe Timeline)

If you wish to experience the presence of the Yautja on Earth and beyond in sequential historical order, follow this timeline:

1. Prey (2022) – Set in 1719 in North America (Great Plains).
2. Alien vs. Predator (2004) – Set in 2004 beneath Bouvet Island, Antarctica. (Note: Crossover canon status is separate from main Alien/Predator solo continuity).
3. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) – Set in 2004 in Gunnison, Colorado (immediately following AvP).
4. Predator (1987) – Set in 1987 in the fictional Central American country of Val Verde.
5. Predator 2 (1990) – Set in 1997 during a futuristic, heatwave-stricken Los Angeles.
6. The Predator (2018) – Set around 2018 in suburban Georgia/United States.
7. Predators (2010) – Set on an unspecified alien preserve world (generally placed in the late 2000s or mid-2010s).

The Release Date Order (Recommended for First-Time Viewers)

Watching in order of release is widely considered the best approach for newcomers. This sequence reveals how the creature's special effects, lore, expanded arsenal, and cultural rules were gradually built by filmmakers over time.

1. Predator (1987)
2. Predator 2 (1990)
3. Alien vs. Predator (2004) (Optional Crossover)
4. Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007) (Optional Crossover)
5. Predators (2010)
6. The Predator (2018)
7. Prey (2022)

Detailed Film Breakdown & Lore Progression

To understand why certain films are essential, it helps to examine what each chapter contributes to the overall mythology of the extra-terrestrial species.

1. 1987: Predator (Tactical Gear, Thermal Camo)
2. 1990: Predator 2 (Weapon Variety, Trophy Lore, Honor Code)
3. 2010: Predators (Sub-species Rivalry, Off-world Hunting)
4. 2018: The Predator (Genetic Harvesting, Government Tracking)
5. 2022: Prey (Primitive/Historical Yautja Tech, Prequel Roots)

1. Predator (1987)

• Director: John McTiernan
• Key Lore Introduced:
  
  
  • Active optical cloaking (invisibility camo).
  • Thermal spectrum vision mode via helmet HUD.
  • Shoulder-mounted Plasmacaster (plasma cannon).
  • Wrist blades for close-quarters combat.
  • Self-destruct sequence via wrist gauntlet explosive charge.
  • Core behavior: Hunting aggressive human warriors for sport in warm climates.

The original film establishes the basic biological traits of the alien: a tall, muscular humanoid with mandible jaws, dreadlock-like appendages, and green fluorescent blood. It highlights the creature’s preference for stalking armed combatants while ignoring non-threatening targets.

2. Predator 2 (1990)

• Director: Stephen Hopkins
• Key Lore Introduced:
  
  
  • Expanded weaponry: Smart Disc (thrown razor disc), Combistick (telescoping spear), Netgun, and Spear Gun.
  • The Yautja Honor Code: The creature explicitly refuses to kill an pregnant woman (LAPD Detective Leona Cantrell) or an unarmed child.
  • Trophy Case: Displays a massive alien skull featuring the distinct xenomorph head structure, establishing the initial crossover link to 20th Century Fox’s Alien franchise.
  • Clan Hierarchy: Introduces the "Lost Clan" and Elder Predators, demonstrating that these hunters operate within an organized, tribal societal structure.

3. Predators (2010)

• Director: Nimród Antal
• Key Lore Introduced:
  
  
  • Class structure and caste rivalries: Distinguishes between standard Predators (Classic) and larger, more aggressive "Super Predators" (Berserker, Tracker, and Falconer).
  • Hunting tactics: Use of quadrupeds ("Predator Hounds") to flush out prey and remote reconnaissance drones.
  • Off-world reserves: Confirms that Yautja abduct skilled combatants from various planets and transport them to dedicated hunting reserves.

4. The Predator (2018)

• Director: Shane Black
• Key Lore Introduced:
  
  
  • Genetic hybridization: Asserts that some rogue Yautja hunt species to harvest their DNA, integrating desirable traits to upgrade their own biology.
  • Human-Yautja interactions: Introduces Project Stargazer, a covert U.S. government organization tasked with tracking, capturing, and studying extraterrestrial technology.

5. Prey (2022)

• Director: Dan Trachtenberg
• Key Lore Introduced:
  
  
  • Early technological iterations: Features an earlier, more bone-carved aesthetic for the Yautja armor, a heat-shield umbrella fold-out, and laser-guided projectile arrows rather than a high-tech plasma cannon.
  • Adaptive survival: Demonstrates how human ingenuity and knowledge of local terrain can counter superior alien technology.

The Alien vs. Predator (AvP) Crossovers: Are They Canon?

A common question for viewers building a watchlist is whether to include the two crossover films: Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007).

• Main Predator Solo Canon (Predator 1 & 2, Predators, The Predator, Prey)
  
  
  • AvP Crossover (Earth-based Pyramids, Xenomorph Hunts)
  • Alien Solo Universe (Prometheus, Covenant, Alien 1979 - Weyland-Yutani History)

Understanding Canon Split

• The Mainline Predator Continuity: Accepts details from Predator, Predator 2, Predators, The Predator, and Prey.
• The Mainline Alien Continuity: Directed largely by Ridley Scott (Alien, Prometheus, Alien: Covenant), this timeline ignores the AvP films entirely. Scott’s films place the origin/discovery of the Xenomorph species in a historical context that directly contradicts the premise of AvP (where Xenomorphs were hunted in Antarctica in 2004).
• The AvP Universe: Functions effectively as an alternate side-canon. Alien vs. Predator (2004) builds heavily on Yautja lore—explaining that Predators built ancient pyramids and used Earth as a hunting ground to test young warriors against Xenomorphs ("bugs").

Recommendation: If your goal is strictly to understand mainline Predator films, you can skip the AvP movies without missing any critical narrative progression. However, watch AvP (2004) if you enjoy creature feature crossovers and want to see classic Yautja ritualistic rites of passage on screen.

Comprehensive Viewing Comparison Matrix

Use this reference table to evaluate release details, temporal placement, essential status, and key narrative contributions for each installment:

Essential vs. Streamlined Watchlists

Depending on the amount of time you wish to invest, choose one of these curated viewing routes:

Option A: The Core Trilogy (The Best Narrative Experience)

If you only want the highest-rated and most narrative-critical entries in the franchise, watch these three films in order:

1. Predator (1987) – Establishes the creature and base action-horror roots.
2. Predator 2 (1990) – Expands the lore, weapon systems, and honor system.
3. Prey (2022) – Provides a critically acclaimed historical survival perspective and completes the 1715 pistol backstory link.

Option B: The Complete Mainline Canon (No Crossovers)

To experience the entire narrative progression of the main Yautja universe without side-stories:

1. Predator (1987)
2. Predator 2 (1990)
3. Predators (2010)
4. The Predator (2018)
5. Prey (2022)

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I watch Prey without watching any other Predator movies?

Yes. Prey takes place in 1719, almost 270 years before the events of the original 1987 film. Its plot features an entirely standalone cast of characters facing a Predator visiting Earth for one of its earliest recorded hunts. You do not need any prior franchise knowledge to fully follow and enjoy the film.

Is the original 1987 Predator connected to the Alien franchise?

The original 1987 Predator script was completely independent of the Alien franchise. The connection began as an easter egg in 1990's Predator 2, which displayed a Xenomorph skull inside the alien spacecraft. This led to spin-off comic books, video games, and eventually the crossover feature films Alien vs. Predator (2004) and Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007). However, the primary solo film lines remain distinct from one another.

Why is the flintlock pistol in Predator 2 important for Prey?

At the end of Predator 2 (set in 1997), an Elder Predator presents LAPD Detective Mike Harrigan with an antique flintlock pistol inscribed with the name "Raphael Adolini 1715" as a tribute to Harrigan's combat prowess. Prey (set in 1719) reveals how that exact pistol was first acquired during an encounter involving Comanche warrior Naru, explaining how it eventually fell into the possession of the Yautja Clan.

Do I need to watch Alien vs. Predator to understand modern Predator films?

No. The Alien vs. Predator crossover films operate in their own separate continuity loop and do not impact the events or narrative setups of Predators (2010), The Predator (2018), or Prey (2022).

What order should I watch the movies in if I want absolute chronological context?

Start with Prey (set in 1719), followed by Predator (set in 1987), Predator 2 (set in 1997), The Predator (set around 2018), and finally Predators (set on an off-world preserve in the modern era).

Final Recommendation

If you are totally new to the franchise, start with Predator (1987) followed immediately by Predator 2 (1990). These two films lay down every rule, weapon mechanics, and cultural detail that define the character across modern cinema. Once complete, jump directly to Prey (2022) for a masterclass in modern franchise revival, before exploring Predators (2010) or The Predator (2018) to round out your viewing experience.