15 Most Terrifying Movie Aliens Of All Time

In space, no-one can hear you scream...

Alien: Resurrection
20th Century Fox

Humanity has spent much of its own existence looking up at the stars and wondering "Is there life out there?". The idea that we are not alone is one that has both intrigued and frightened us for a very long time and while we may never get the answers we appear to looking for, that hasn't stopped us from imagining what would happen if we did.

Yes, alien life is a recurring theme in just about every genre imaginable, but science fiction, fantasy and horror are three particular genres that just keep on giving when it comes to exploring the unknowns of space. And they benefit from the strange beauty of the fact that we just don't know what extraterrestrials would potentially look like as this ultimately gives an abundance of directors, producers and designers free rein to create something truly awe-inspiring.

The notion of aliens being harmless little green men isn't as popular as it used to be, and that's down to the fact that we've been introduced to more, well, malevolent on-screen species over the years. And, with that, let's take a look at the off-world organisms of the big screen that have kept us all up at night.

15. Monsters

Alien: Resurrection
Vertigo

Gareth Edwards' 2010 horror was more about the thought-provoking commentary and intriguing character relationships than it was about its science fiction premise, but it simply couldn't have worked without the titular creatures showing up to work their magic every now and again.

Taking the term 'alien' to a whole new level, we know virtually nothing about this oddly majestic species of, well, whatever it is that they are. And being the artistic film that it was, Monsters wasn't afraid to highlight the beauty of these creatures - something that is showcased in the film's strangely moving mating scene.

That being said, the sight of giant squids with massive luminous heads that glow in the dark and more tentacles than a real squid could dream of isn't exactly the most endearing thing now, is it? No, chances are that if you saw one of these creatures floating through the air, you'd run the other way in horror - no matter how ethereal their mating session looked.

Contributor
Contributor

Michael Patterson is an experienced writer with an affinity for all things film and TV. He may or may not have spent his childhood obsessing over WWE.