Ridley Scott achieved a remarkable feat almost fifty years ago by masterfully blending the haunted house narrative with a creature feature, setting it all in the desolate expanse of space. In doing so, he unleashed one of cinema’s most terrifying creatures upon an unsuspecting audience, a monster that continues to evoke fear to this day.

The original 1979 classic, Alien, arrived on Netflix on September 1 as part of the streamer’s significant monthly content refresh. The film thrusts audiences into the harrowing journey of the commercial spaceship Nostromo's seven-person crew. Awakened from stasis to investigate a mysterious distress signal from a nearby moon, their discovery of a derelict spacecraft quickly spirals into disaster. An unknown organism found by a crew member leads to a lethal extraterrestrial lifeform — the iconic xenomorph — being unknowingly brought aboard the Nostromo.

The stellar cast features Sigourney Weaver as the unforgettable Ellen Ripley, alongside Tom Skerritt as Dallas, Veronica Cartwright as Lambert, Harry Dean Stanton as Brett, John Hurt as Kane, Ian Holm as Ash, and Yaphet Kotto as Parker. The terrifying Alien creature itself was portrayed by Bolaji Badejo.

Alien continues to be celebrated as one of the most influential science-fiction and horror films ever made. It boasts an impressive 93% critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes, lauded for its potent combination of sci-fi, horror, and a bleak, oppressive atmosphere. Its cultural significance was further cemented in 2002 when it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry. Beyond critical acclaim, the film was a major box office success, grossing over $106 million worldwide against an $11 million budget. It also earned an Academy Award for Best Visual Effects, with a nomination for Best Art Direction, and solidified Weaver's Ellen Ripley as a legendary figure in science-fiction history.

Fans and newcomers alike can now stream Alien on Netflix.