Top 50 Scariest Movie Aliens

Top 50 Scariest Movie Aliens

Welcome to WatchMojo, and today we’re counting down our picks for the 50 most terrifying, blood-curdling extra-terrestrial nightmares in the history of film.

#50: Harvesters

“Independence Day” (1996)
If aliens ever pull up with a vibe like this, we’re toast. The Harvesters don’t come in peace; they explicitly rebuke peace altogether. To them, introductions involve showing up in city-sized ships to blow up every major city on Earth in one fell swoop. Underneath their biomechanical exosuits, these evil space locusts are slimy little telepathic horrors. They don’t want to rule Earth - they want to strip it clean and move on to the next one. “Independence Day” might be full of quippy one-liners, but the Harvesters represent everyone's greatest fear when it comes to interstellar terror.

#49: The Landsharks

“Battle: Los Angeles” (2011)
In real life, snakeheads were one of the worst invasive fish to ever reach Los Angeles' shores - aggressive, fast-spreading, and nearly impossible to wipe out. Now imagine they had legs, incendiary machine guns, and a whole army behind them. That’s basically what hits the city of angels in "Battlefield: Los Angeles." These unnamed extraterrestrial invaders don’t come with saucers or speeches. Instead, they crash-land in the ocean and immediately start wrecking everything in their path. They’re here to plunder Earth’s water and exterminate us in the process. Think less “little green men,” more “military-grade seafood.” The film is gritty, chaotic, and honestly way too realistic for comfort.

#48: Krites

“Critters” franchise (1986-)
Do our 90s kids out there remember Furbies? Well, let us introduce you to the Gen X version: an alien Furby that went feral and developed a taste for human flesh. That’s the Krites: deadly little furballs from space with rows of razor-sharp teeth and a bad attitude. These aliens escape from an asteroid prison, crash-land on Earth, and immediately start chewing their way through the countryside. Sadly, they’re not dumb. They’re cunning, can regenerate, and can even use technology. If you manage to escape them individually, don't worry: they can join into some kind of twisted furry Voltron. Their big finishing move is combining into a rolling buzzsaw of death.

#47: Aliens

“No One Will Save You” (2023)
These aren’t your average Greys - they’re taller, faster, and outright looking to terrify. In “No One Will Save You,” the aliens come with telekinesis, freaky spindly limbs, and zero chill. They break into your house, levitate you like a ragdoll, and mess with your memories like it’s nothing. What starts as classic alien abduction horror turns into a silent psychological nightmare, with zero dialogue and maximum dread. And just when you think it’s over? It gets weirder. These beings don’t just want to probe: they want to own you, body and mind.

#46: Alien Agents

“The Arrival” (1996)
About a month before Will Smith and Jeff Goldblum were taking down an alien threat, Charlie Sheen was fighting a secret invasion. Unlike "Independence Day," "The Arrival" serves up a different kind of extraterrestrial threat. The aliens are already here, hiding in plain sight, terraforming Earth from the inside out. These reverse-jointed shapeshifters pose as humans, rig the climate, and silence anyone who gets too close to the truth. Charlie Sheen plays a radio astronomer trying to blow the lid off it all, but the aliens are always one step ahead. They’re not flashy, but they’re smart, secretive, and terrifying in a “we’re already screwed” kind of way.

#45: Necromorphs

“Dead Space: Downfall” (2008)
Fans of the award-winning video game "Dead Space" were hyped to see their favorite space-faring zombies finally hit the screen. The animated "Dead Space: Downfall" certainly delivered the gore in buckets. Necromorphs aren’t just reanimated corpses. They’re twisted, mutated nightmares brought back to life by a mysterious alien artifact called the Marker. Limbs stretch into scythes, spines bend backwards, and flesh becomes a weapon. This animated prequel doesn’t pull punches: it’s claustrophobic, gruesome, and soaked in blood. Once these things get loose on a spaceship, surviving more than a few minutes becomes a luxury.

#44: Aliens

“Night of the Creeps” (1986)
This one kicks off with alien slugs, a zombie outbreak, and a straight-up ‘80s B-movie vibe. "Night of the Creeps" is truly ridiculous, and that's why we love it. It all begins with a deadly alien experiment gone awry, crashing into Earth. The experiment starts turning frat guys into brain-munching corpses. These slug-like parasites crawl into your mouth, hijack your body, and multiply like crazy. It’s part sci-fi, part horror, and all splatterfest. Sure, it's campy, but the concept is still creepy: aliens that weaponize the undead and make your head literally explode.

#43: Puppet Masters

“The Puppet Masters” (1994)
These aliens are like if body-snatchers got slimier and way more hands-on. In "The Puppet Masters," they’re creepy starfish-like parasites. They take control by latching onto your back, digging straight into your brainstem. When the process is complete, you're no longer human: you're a personal, custom meat puppet. Once attached, they control everything. Your voice, your thoughts, your memories, are all stolen and you're just a passenger for the ride. Based on a Heinlein[a] novel, the ‘90s cult sleeper leans hard into the paranoia. The all-star cast of character actors tell a harrowing tale of government agents, mass infections, and spine-chilling mind control.

#42: Kaiju

“Pacific Rim” franchise (2013-)
They're big, they're angry, and they're not just giant monsters. The kaiju in the "Pacific Rim" franchise are bioengineered weapons. Sent by their alien overlords from another dimension, these beasts are on a mission to eradicate humanity. They’re part of a coordinated invasion effort by interdimensional conquerors known as the Precursors. They look at Earth - through an extra-dimensional rift - with hungry eyes. Their beasts of war come in predictable waves, each one bigger and nastier than the last. Acid spit and EMP pulses are just some of the upgrades the Kaiju bring to the table. With them, they have a real talent for leveling entire coastlines.

#41: Edgar

“Men in Black” (1997)
If "Men In Black" taught us anything, it's that we are right to fear cockroaches. Edgar - a giant space roach in a human skin suit - is pure nightmare fuel. He crash-lands on Earth, kills a farmer, and wears his body like a Halloween costume that’s three sizes too small. Every movement he makes is awkward and hilarious. From his twitchy neck to that wet, crunching voice, Edgar is violent but played for laughs. The hilarity vanishes the instant he discards his human guise. When in full space-roach form, Edgar is a giant killing machine.

#40: Rancor[b]

“Star Wars” franchise (1977-)
You never forget your first movie monster. For many Millennials and Gen Xers, that beast was the Rancor. True to its name, this towering, slobbering creature is anything but friendly. Luke Skywalker meets one the hard way: dropped into a pit beneath Jabba the Hutt’s palace with nothing but a bone and a prayer. Jabba’s prized pet sits in the shadows, waiting for snacks to fall from the ceiling. And somehow, despite all the talons and teeth, its death still hits hard. It’s just an animal, after all. Maybe its rage was just a reflection of how poorly it was treated. Decades later, "The Book of Boba Fett" gave us a battle-ready Rancor. It turns out even a beloved alien monster can still be terrifying.

#39: White Spikes

“The Tomorrow War” (2021)
They’re fast. They’re hungry. True to their name, they are festooned with deadly projectile spikes they like bone darts from hell. The White Spikes are the kind of alien you’d hope gets wiped out by the time you arrive. Sadly for Chris Pratt - and all of humanity - these world-killers are on the verge of wiping out the earth. The catch: they're doing it thirty years in the future, and people today are getting drafted for the fight. These pale, insectoid nightmares may be intelligent, but negotiation isn't on the table. They are bred for one thing: global conquest. They are nearly impossible to kill, even with future technology.

#38: Jellyfish Aliens

“Europa[c] Report” (2013)
If space exploration is scary to you, "Europa Report" may explain why. It features an international crew of astronauts looking for life and liquid water on the surface of Jupiter's smallest moon. In truth, if life exists in our solar system beyond earth, Europa is maybe our best bet. The journey is harrowing, and not all of the intrepid explorers make it. Those who do, don't fare much better. There is life on Europa, and it hungers. Glowing, jellyfish-like beings exist in the water below the frozen surface. These deep-sea-looking creatures are equal parts mesmerizing and menacing. Like a cosmic anglerfish, their lights - while potentially used for communication with each other - just mean certain death for anyone else.

#37: The Borg

“Star Trek: First Contact” (1996)
The Borg are scary in the same way as the onset of night: it's inevitable and you're bound to get lost in the darkness. They first creeped onto the scene in "The Next Generation," appearing in subsequent "Trek" television. "Star Trek: First Contact" portrays the Borg at their frightening peak. The film opens with an attack on Earth. On the edge of defeat, they travel back in time to assimilate humanity. The introduction of the Borg Queen cranks the dread factor to eleven. She gives a face and voice to the cold terror of assimilation. The threat is so traumatic that even Captain Picard, Starfleet’s best captain, still suffers PTSD. Resistance isn’t just futile: it’s the prelude to losing everything that makes you you.

#36: The Creature

“Sputnik” (2020)
It lives inside him. That’s the first and worst thing you learn in "Sputnik," a slow-burn Russian horror. It just gets more deranged the longer you sit with it. After a Soviet cosmonaut crash-lands back on Earth, doctors realize he brought something back. Some kind of creature slithers out of his mouth at night to feed, returning before dawn like it never left. The alien is fast, grotesque, and shockingly intelligent. But the real terror? The military sees it as a weapon. Sputnik doesn’t rely on cheap scares. It's a deeply disturbing psychological thriller about losing your body, your autonomy, and maybe even your soul.

#35: Thanos

MCU (2012-)
Sure, he’s got memes, chin lines, and a weirdly calm voice, but make no mistake: Thanos has a higher kill-count than any other alien in cinematic history. This isn’t just a big purple alien with a god complex. Thanos is a genocidal true-believer. He thinks that life has grown beyond its ability to self-sustain. His solution: wipe out half of it. What makes him so scary isn’t just his power, but his conviction. He truly sees himself as a merciful god. Somehow, that makes it worse. At the end of "Infinity War," he's achieved his life work: Earth’s mightiest heroes are left either broken, traumatized, or dusted.

#34: Lovecraft Monsters

“The Mist” (2007)
You never really see where they come from. You barely even see what they are. What you know as the audience of "The Mist," is that once it rolls in, it’s already too late. The Frank-Darabont-helmed adaptation of Stephen King's novella is dark - even for the master of suspense. The film is populated by an entire host of Lovecraftian monsters. They’re grotesque, otherworldly things with too many limbs, too many teeth, and no right to exist in our reality. Tentacled horrors, spider-creatures that cocoon people alive, and towering, godlike beasts that make humans feel like ants. The Mist doesn’t name them, explain them, or offer much hope. They’re just there, like some divine punishment from a dimension that doesn’t care about you.

#33: The Blob

“The Blob” (1958 & 1988)
It has no face, no voice, no motive. It is just the personification of insatiable hunger. The Blob starts as a little gooey glob from space. Unfortunately for its victims, it grows fast and melts through everything in its path: walls, cars, and especially people. The 1958 original is a sci-fi classic, sure, but the 1988 remake turns up the terror hard. This version is meaner, faster, and absolutely vile. If you imagine if a Jell-O cup were possessed by the devil, you'd be in the right ballpark. Victims of The Blob aren't just eaten, they're dissolved alive in full, screaming detail. You can’t reason with it. You can’t outrun it. You can only hope it doesn't find you.

#32: King Ghidorah

Various (1964-)
Three heads, no mercy. King Ghidorah isn’t just Godzilla’s arch-nemesis, but an apex predator from another world. Ghidorah's breath is living lightning. Ghidorah’s wings straight-up level cities, with a scream that feels like a demonic bellow ushering in the apocalypse. First introduced in 1964, Ghidorah has been wrecking Earth ever since. "Godzilla: King of the Monsters" gave us Ghidorah at its golden height. To call Ghidorah a kaiju is to do it a disservice. Ghidorah is a terraforming force, altering the planet’s ecosystem just by existing. Each head thinks independently, regenerates when severed, and works like a brutal hive mind. If Godzilla is nature’s wrath, Ghidorah is its cosmic executioner and doesn’t come in peace.

#31: Calvin

“Life” (2017)
Calvin starts out looking like a squishy little starfish baby. It's almost cute... until it evolves, way too fast. What begins as a microscopic Martian lifeform turns into a hyper-intelligent, ever-growing killing machine. Calvin picks off the astronauts who found it one by one, growing with each human meal. It crushes bones, slithers into mouths, and adapts to every threat thrown its way. There's no time to mourn, no time to rest. Calvin is a thinking being, using tools and intelligence as it grows. At times he seems more like a person trying to survive than a monster. In the end, the difference is academic. When it crash lands in the Pacific, it's clear that Calvin could mean trouble for the entire planet.

#30: The Mimics

“Edge of Tomorrow” (2014)
The stakes in “Edge of Tomorrow” are epically high. An unstoppable alien army has crash-landed in Europe, threatening to spread across the globe. The Mimics are incredibly intimidating. Their bio-mechanical design gives them an otherworldly presence and the ability to burrow through the ground like a hedgehog made of knives. In battle, the armies of humanity have suffered one defeat after another. As it turns out, that’s because these alien killing machines have control over time itself. The Omega Mimic can pull a “Groundhog Day” when its Alpha generals are killed. That knowledge of the future allows the Mimics to repeat battles over and over until victory is achieved.

#29: Aliens

“Communion” (1989)
This lesser known sci-fi horror film is based on a book by Whitley Strieber about his own alleged encounter with aliens and subsequent ‘flashbacks’. The film stars Christopher Walken as Stieber at his unhinged best. It straddles the line between slapstick and horror. On one hand, Walken spending a surprisingly large amount of time dancing with the aliens he meets … On the other hand, there are truly frightening scenes like the one where he removes the face of a Grey to reveal the slimy creature beneath. All in all, the film feels like a bad 1980s acid trip, leading the viewer to share in Streiber’s confusion and uncertainty.

#28: Alien Beasts

“Attack the Block” (2011)
Humans have been encountering creatures from outer space since Georges Méliès introduced us to his moon creatures in 1902. Given that aliens have been part of motion pictures throughout cinematic history, it can be tough to come up with an original concept! Enter writer/director Joe Cornish and “Attack the Block.” A meteor crashes into a public housing council estate, releasing a horde of alien beasts. The residents of the block - including a teenage street gang - must defend themselves and their neighbors from the threat. Imagine spikey, eyeless space wolf/gorilla hybrids with glow-in-the-dark jaws, and you’ll have the right idea. The beasts are killing machines, and only the ingenuity of the residents helped them survive the night.

#27: The Strangers

“Dark City” (1998)
“Dark City” is one of the most under-appreciated films of the 1990s. As protagonist John Murdoch navigates the city and his own distorted memories, he discovers the truth: the pasty white men, the Strangers, chasing him over this noir landscape aren’t men at all. They are psychic aliens, using their powers, hive mind, and machines to run experiments on human test subjects. The city isn’t a city, either, but a giant vessel in space. The creatures are dying from an unknown cause and hope that extracting the secret of human individuality will cure them. The Strangers are the unseen power behind the world of the film, manipulating events and people for their own dark ends.

#26: The Shimmer

“Annihilation” (2018)
We humans tend to anthropomorphize everything in fiction - including aliens. We ascribe human thought and motivations to characters so that the audience can better understand what’s happening. But in Alex Garland’s 2018 adaptation of Jeff VanderMeer’s novel “Annihilation”, the alien presence at the center of the story is alien in both mind and body. The Shimmer’s motivations are completely unknown, so the audience is left only with the results of its actions. The Shimmer is a catalyst of change, warping and altering everything it touches. Change can be terrifying, especially when it’s a change that results in the annihilation of what existed before. This more existentialist horror is what makes the Shimmer scary on a literally cellular level.

#25: Cooper

“Super 8” (2011)
What if “E.T.” were a horror film? That seemed to be the question J.J. Abrams chose to answer with his ‘kids on bikes’ classic, “Super 8.” A group of teens from Lillian, Ohio witness a violent train derailment. The crash was no accident, however. The U.S. Army was transporting a large, alien monster, and it escaped. Soon after, the residents of Lillian began to go missing. The creature is barely seen, allowing the audience's imaginations to run wild. In truth, though, ‘Cooper,’ isn’t a monster at all. He's just a wrongfully-detained interstellar traveler trying to return home. No Ohioans were harmed during the making of his spaceship.

#24: Skin Thief Alien

“Under the Skin” (2013)
The Skin Thief alien from "Under the Skin" is easily one of the weirdest roles in Scarlett Johansson’s filmography. Part road trip, part acid trip, “Under the Skin” shows the journey of her alien as she hunts men across the Scottish countryside. Once captured, the men are harvested, leaving only their skin. She’s methodical and seems devoid of emotion, although this changes as she begins to identify with the humans she was sent to prey on. Both her origins and motives are left unclear, resulting in an incredibly unsettling cinematic experience. Her cold, calculated actions and eerie, otherworldly presence make her a truly haunting and iconic cinematic alien.

#23: Jean Jacket

“Nope” (2022)
Jordan Peele’s “Nope” is a complex film examining our culture’s obsession with spectacle and violence. It’s also just an incredible horror movie. By looking up at this flying object, humans on the ground make themselves vulnerable to attack. It’s ranch owner OJ who realizes that the object is not a spaceship, but a wild animal. He and his sister Em observe its behavior, learn its weaknesses, and use that knowledge to kill it. In the interim, however, the creature - dubbed ‘Jean Jacket’ - is a blight on the countryside. When its true form is revealed, Jean Jacket appears to be some kind of giant, flying, carnivorous jellyfish. It consumes dozens of people and animals, creating a spectacle to lure in its prey.

#22: Owl Aliens

“The Fourth Kind” (2009)
The online UFO community has believed in the connection between aliens and owls for a long time. This was an idea that science fiction thriller film “The Fourth Kind” picked up and ran with in 2009. For the uninitiated, the idea is that many people who have been abducted by aliens remember seeing owls right before or after their experience. These are implanted memories that aliens have been using to hide their appearance. The film is shot in documentary style, with reenactments used side by side with faux found footage. The aliens are never actually seen on film, lending them an air of unknowable menace.

#21: Clover

“Cloverfield” (2008)
A found footage kaiju film was a great idea, putting the audience right there in the middle of the action. And that’s a big part of what makes “Cloverfield” so memorable and terrifying. The film sees a gigantic extraterrestrial wreak absolute havoc in Manhattan. While the monster isn’t often seen, the small glimpses we get are more than enough to scare the heck out of us. The entire setup makes you wonder: would we survive a giant monster attack? And the answer is: probably not! Conversely, the second film in the franchise, "10 Cloverfield Lane" is a slow-burn psychological thriller that ends with the reveal of a full-blown alien invasion! The quadrupedal figure we see there is honestly pretty scary too!

#20: Death Angels

“A Quiet Place” franchise (2018-)
There’s not a whole lot that we know about these mysterious predators, but they sure know how to make an entrance! After being carried to our unsuspecting planet by meteors, the terrifying creatures quickly brought society to its knees. Incredibly fast and hyper-sensitive to any sort of noise, they’ve essentially forced the remnants of humankind into quiet mode. With their long limbs, elaborate and slimy auditory systems along with wickedly sharp claws, these creatures seem tailor-made for hunting humans. And their lack of eyes only adds to their creep out factor.

#19: The Greys

“Dark Skies” (2013)
While this film got generally mixed reviews from critics, the aliens at the center of the story still made a lasting impression on audiences. With their wispy arms, hunched backs and oversized heads, the Greys are by no means the most fearsome looking extraterrestrials on our list today. But their thoroughly alien anatomy is definitely strange enough to make your skin crawl. The real reason they earn a spot here is how the filmmaker decided to portray them in the story. Subscribing to the “less is more” philosophy of horror, the greys are never fully revealed to the audience and appear in silhouettes and shadows. And when you add a penchant for kidnapping vulnerable humans to the mix, they go from creepy to downright horrifying.

#18: Brandon Breyer

“Brightburn” (2019)
In terms of alien anatomy, it doesn’t get much more unassuming than this. Brandon Breyer looks like your run-of-the-mill young boy. What he’s capable of, however, is anything but ordinary. Produced by James Gunn, “Brightburn” essentially asks the question “what if Clark Kent had turned out bad?” Brandon Breyers’s origin story mirrors that of Superman, right down to the spaceship, incredible powers and a rural upbringing. When Brandon’s powers awaken, however, the spaceship he arrived in gives him a crash course in villainy and global domination. Creepy kids always bring an extra scare factor to horror films. But Brandon’s mannerisms, predatory nature and awe-inspiring abilities take it to a whole new level. We’re very glad that Superman is historically on humanity’s side.

#17: The Aliens

“Signs” (2002)
The mention of M. Night Shyamalan ignites more jeers than cheers these days, but the once promising director gave us some unforgettable scares in the sci-fi thriller, “Signs.” Although simplistic in design, these outer space foreigners left a lasting impression on moviegoers. Who could forget the intense kitchen scene or the jaw-dropping birthday interruption footage? The horror came from what we didn’t see and Shyamalan built upon the tension to create some truly memorable moments. Let’s hope those splashes of water were enough to keep them from coming back.

#16: Sil

“Species” (1995)
Created by genetically splicing human DNA with that of alien DNA, the attractive Sil is one alien that isn’t shy about her intentions. With an unstoppable desire to reproduce, she searches for a mate, often with extremely deadly results. Strong, smart and possessing incredible regenerative capabilities, Sil is as dangerous as she is sexy.

#15: Aliens [aka Ghouls]

“They Live” (1988)
It’s a question that’s plagued many an alien enthusiast and conspiracy theorist: what if they already walk among us? In this 1988 sci-fi action horror flick, the extraterrestrials take advantage of their humanoid anatomy to pass as earthlings—albeit with plenty of help from elaborate disguises. Like many of filmmaker John Carpenter’s movies, “They Live” took time to find its fanbase. Negative reviews of the film be damned; today, these extraterrestrials are recognized for what they really are—yet another masterclass in monstrous aliens courtesy of a horror legend. With their blue skin, buggish eyes and lipless mouths, these alien invaders also earned the name they were given in the credits. There, they were called “ghouls.”

#14: Mr. Gray

“Dreamcatcher” (2003)
Based on Stephen King’s novel of the same name, “Dreamcatcher” follows a group of friends that come across a parasitic alien species that have the ability to possess an unwilling victim’s body as well as use telepathy to control their victims. The main alien antagonist, given the name of “Mr. Grey,” along with several sharp-toothed alien worms, seek to populate the planet with their larvae. But it’s his methodical and gruesome methods that make Mr. Grey stand out as well as one the fiercest aliens this side of the Milky Way.

#13: The BioRaptors

“Pitch Black” (2000)
Before he became Dominic Toretto, this sci-film gave Vin Diesel a huge leading role. A blend of sci-fi, horror and action, “Pitch Black” sees Diesel playing a surgically-enhanced ex-soldier turned criminal named Riddick. This hardened warrior and master of survival barely earns the label anti-hero. When you suddenly find yourself being swarmed by bio-raptors, however, there’s really no one else you’d rather have around. Bio-raptors are the apex predators of the barren wasteland that is planet M6-117. These creatures look like a blend of a hammerhead shark, a dragon and a very twisted imagination. With their massive teeth, razor sharp claws and prehensile tails, they’ve got multiple ways to take down prey. Thankfully, they’re sensitive to light. But honestly, that’s only a small comfort.

#12: The Killer Klowns

“Killer Klowns from Outer Space” (1988)
Is this movie cheesy? Absolutely. But it’s also a testament to just how effective practical effects can be when it comes to terrifying your audience. Now, clowns in general tend to freak people out—and this was true long before the clown panic of 2016. There’s just something so inhuman about all that makeup and the outfits. In this case, however, the titular clowns from this movie are literally from outer space. And that isn’t white facepaint, it’s their skin! Armed with all manner of weaponized, clownish accessories, these extraterrestrials live to cause mayhem and are hungry for humans. Though this movie is a horror comedy, the practical effects used to bring the clowns to life are truly grotesque.

#11: The Pod People

“Invasion of the Body Snatchers” (1978)
They might not have the most intimidating label, but these extraterrestrials make up for it with their world-conquering ways. After originating in the 1955 novel “The Body Snatchers”, the pod people have appeared in a number of film adaptations. The scariest ones appear in the 1978 version starring Donald Sutherland. The film treats us to the sight of this extraterrestrial race in their natural gelatinous form and… it’s pretty weird. What really earns them a place on our list is the way they assume the form of humans and take their place. As they spread, the pod people systematically identify the unassimilated in a bid to replace all of humankind. That scream… it will haunt you long after the end credits roll.

#10: The Grey Aliens

“Extraterrestrial” (2014)
When a group of friends decide to get together for a party at a cabin in the middle of the woods, horror movie 101 dictates that treacherous events await them. The group in “Extraterrestrial” finds themselves confronting some absolutely vicious otherworldly beings that happen to crash land nearby. If these aliens weren’t menacing enough to begin with, killing one of them certainly didn’t help the friends’ chances of survival. The sheer brutality that these aliens unleash upon these unfortunate victims is one for the record books and makes us second guess the idea of exploring other planets.

#9: The Arachnids

“Starship Troopers” franchise (1997-)
No, the CGI in this franchise is not the best. While the films can feel a bit dated, “Starship Troopers” achieved something that you never really could have using practical effects—a swarm of aliens. Honestly, the arachnids would have snagged a spot on this list simply by virtue of their size and numbers. What lands them in the top 10, however, is the fact that they’re extremely organized and—though they might not look it—remarkably advanced. The Arachnids have seemingly got an equivalent for just about every human technology. Their alternatives just happen to be organic. And it’s this impressive range of abilities that makes these “bugs” so damn terrifying. Oh, and don’t even get us started on brain bug.

#8: The Aliens

“War of the Worlds” (2005)
This tale of alien invasion is so terrifying that, in 1938, just the radio drama was enough to send some listeners into a panic. H. G. Wells’ iconic story has been adapted a number of times over the years. But the aliens made their biggest impact yet in the 2005 adaptation. Directed by Steven Spielberg, the 2005 “War of the Worlds” is truly epic in scale—with extraterrestrials to match. Though the invaders were labelled “martians” in earlier versions of the story, Spielberg decided to obscure their origins to help add to their scare factor. Not that they need it! From their creepy design to their massive machines of war and the way they “repurpose” human bodies, these aliens are earth’s worst nightmare.

#7: The Long One

“Slither” (2006)
James Gunn strikes again on our list, this time with a race of alien parasites. These creepy, slithering otherworldly creatures have various forms in which to inspire fear. In their most rudimentary, slug-like form, these creepy red creatures are fairly vulnerable. But when they work together, it’s only a matter of time until one of them finds a way into the host. The parasite at the heart of this alien race is the most grotesque of all. Known as the Long One, it takes possession of a host and quickly causes them to mutate into a mass of tentacles, weird growths and pus. Eventually, the original host becomes all but unrecognizable. This is one close encounter we’d rather not have.

#6: It

“It” franchise (1990-)
We bet you didn’t expect to see clowns appear on this list again. Or maybe you did! In which case... congratulations, you really know your space clowns. This iconic Stephen King creation, known simply as “It”, is best known for taking the form of Pennywise the Dancing Clown. With its vast assortment of abilities and near limitless power, It has terrified more than one generation of moviegoers. But this monster is more than just a shapeshifting clown. An entity that dates back millions of years, it came crashing down to earth either carried by a spatial body or in the form of one. Since then, it has plagued the people of Derry and their predecessors, and lives on a diet of fear and unlucky victims.

#5: The Extraterrestrials

“Fire in the Sky” (1993)
One would hope that our first contact with aliens will be nothing like this. The extraterrestrial beings in “Fire in the Sky” are somewhat plain-looking and don’t appear very menacing, but what makes them utterly terrifying is the way they conduct horrific and intensely painful experiments - such as the ones Travis Walton goes through. This is exactly the sort of abduction that nightmares are made of. Let’s hope that if aliens actually want to study us that it’s through more of a face-to-face conversation, not a brutal game of Operation.

#4: The Grey Aliens

“V/H/S 2” (2013)
What starts out as a fun get together with a group of teenagers strapping their camera to their lovable Yorkie quickly turns into a nightmare in this sequel to “V/H/S.” The camera captures every terrifying second as the kids are abducted one by one. Tricked by flashing lights and sirens, the kids head towards the police, but ultimately fall right into the grey aliens’ trap. We are given one last haunting image of them being taken away while their dying dog takes one last breath - and it all leaves us speechless with thoughts of space travel seeming less and less appealing with every passing moment.

#3: Predator

“Predator” franchise (1987-)
Aliens in film often fit into one of two categories. You’ve got your snarling, aggressive, animalistic creatures. And then you’ve got your mysterious technologically advanced abductors. The predator, or yautja, however, is cut from a different cloth. True to their names, they’re master predators who live to hunt, but they do it with super advanced technology that puts humans to shame. It’s this combination that makes them such a formidable force to reckon with. Their code of honor won’t stop them from going after their prey. The yautja often use cloaking technology and keep themselves masked. When a predator eventually reveals its true face, however, well... it’s rather hard to forget.

#2: The Thing

“The Thing” (1982)
John Carpenter did something special with the aliens in “They Live”. But his greatest gift to sci-fi is without a doubt “The Thing”. And that statement can equally apply in reference to the film itself and the titular extraterrestrial. The Thing is a shapeshifting creature that can not only emulate other life forms, but also actually assimilate them into its biomass. One moment, it’s posing as your friend, the next moment... it’s mutated that familiar face into something twisted, unimaginable and extremely lethal. Worst of all, it has the ability to live on even after being severed into multiple pieces. Even when you think you’ve destroyed it, some portion of the extraterrestrial threat may very well live on—just waiting to restart the cycle of violence.

#1: The Xenomorphs

“Alien” franchise (1979-)
This extraterrestrial species is so iconic that it has managed to maintain its monopoly on the word “Alien” for its franchise. It’s inspired countless notable imitators, like “The Faculty” alien. But honestly, no other creature comes close. Designed by Swiss artist H. R. Giger, the xenomorph is an unholy amalgamation of humanity’s biggest fears and anxieties. It’s serpentine, resembles human anatomy and is capable of implanting its host with a deadly parasite. This primal and predatory species seemingly exists only to cause pain. Although these aliens are terrifying in all its forms, the xenomorph is the purest and most disturbing creation found in a Ridley Scott-directed film. Its place in horror history, cinema and our nightmares has been rightfully earned. It doesn’t get scarier than the xenomorph.


Did we leave out your favorite fearsome freak from space? Beam your pick into the comments below!

[a]hine-line

[b]rang-core https://www.yarn.co/yarn-clip/4d25896f-e925-4415-b84d-8b684bef24f5
[c]https://youtu.be/XhdRYk1Y8VA?si=I5xG8V7U8PgTvGex&t=40