In celebration of the recent streaming series Alien: Earth (whether you enjoyed it or not), I have created a new list of films that most certainly exist in the Weyland-Yutani universe, and if not certainly, then enjoy an unbelievably tenuous link to it.

This will be an ordered list of sixteen films, four a week, in reverse order, and is guaranteed to enrage you. The Alien and Predatorfilms, and all those in between, are beloved by some, held sacred by a few, and the subjects of intense debate. My opinions will most certainly not align with yours, but I hope to keep you guessing as to my top four!

This list is as complete as I could make it, as I’m only including films I have seen, and I am sure there are one or two other movies out there that have a sneaky W-Y easter-egg buried in the background. Also note the absence of 2022’s Prey, which is indeed a Predator flick (and would have ranked very high on my list), but Weyland-Yutani didn’t exist in its time period, so I’m not including it. Are these rules flawed? Probably. I’m making them up as I go along.

I am limiting this list to sixteen films. There are plenty of TV shows that have snuck in a Weyland-Yutani reference; Firefly, Angel (essentially anything created by Joss Whedon), the V remake, even Dr. Who, and of course the recent show, Alien: Earth. I won’t be discussing any of these, but for the record I really enjoyed Alien: Earth, so there.

#15 – Death Race 2 (2010)

Strong link, or tenuous as all hell? A bit of both.

What’s the link? The evil prison corporation that runs the races, Terminal Island Penitentiary, is owned by Weyland-Yutani.

What’s it all about? The first Death Race from 2008 was a remake (although director/producer Paul W.S. Anderson calls it a ‘prequel’) of one of my favorite trashy Corman flicks, Death Race 2000. Many of the characters were brought over from that original 1975 ode to vehicular mayhem, but there the similarity ended. Here, prisoners are forced to compete for the enjoyment of reality TV viewers in tricked out motors that sport all manner of weaponry and doodads. Very few opportunities to run down old people or invalids for points. Boo.

In the first film, The Stat (Jason to his mum), kicks all manner of butt to the curb, and a merry time is had by all. Unfortunately, this one features the Temu Stat, Luke Goss, who tries hard but doesn’t really cut it. He is supported by a rogue’s gallery of character actors, but it’s all a bit dull and immediately forgettable. Spawned two further sequels though, so what do I know?

3/10

#14 – Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem (2007)

Strong link, or tenuous as all hell? Totally canon.

What’s the link? Mrs. Yutani herself turns up to snag some Predator loot.

What’s it all about? This one follows directly on from AVP (2004), coincidentally directed by Paul W.S. Anderson (not the last time you’ll hear his name). Anderson relinquished the reins to The Brothers Strause, former effects artists, for this one, and their directorial debut was universally panned. They did go on to direct 2010’s Skyline, which I rather enjoyed, so they get a pass.

The problem with AvP:R is the over-stuffing of set pieces, the rather lacklustre acting, and most atrociously, a terrible bit of post colour grading, which plunged the entire film into a series of barely discernable shadows. A real shame, as there are a couple of moments in this one that I actually enjoy; the brutal attack on a father and child, the ‘predalien’ design, but any film that forces me to adjust the picture settings, purely to be able to see something, gets a thumbs down.

3/10

#13 – The Predator (2018)

Strong link, or tenuous as all hell? On this list purely through association.

What’s the link? The Yutanis have been all up in Predator tech.

What’s it all about? Oof. Unfortunate sex offender casting aside, this film is chock-full of terrible ideas woven together with some of the most tiresome dialogue ever.

A real shame, as the story is the brainchild of Fred Dekker, a writer/director who knows how to have fun (‘wolfman nards’, anyone?), and Shane Black, who has written or directed some of my absolute favorites. Not only that, but he was in the original Predator. I get the feeling that his additions to the original film (some ribald jokes) gave him the impression that his own particular brand of filthy humor was what audiences were clamoring for in their gory Predator flick, so he has stuffed it to the gills with ‘witty’ banter, pointless (and occasionally needlessly offensive) jokes, and clownish PTSD sufferers.

The icing on the cake is a horribly handled attempt to push autism as the next evolutionary step for humanity, in itself not a bad idea, but depicted poorly, and nonsensical reactions from the cast to the insanity carrying on around them. There are some nice moments of ghastliness, and some of the cast definitely come off better than others, but on the whole this is an exercise in disappointment. Not the first on this list.

4/10

#12 – Soldier (1998)

Strong link, or tenuous as all hell? Utterly, utterly, tenuous.

What’s the link? The writer, David Peoples, has described it as a ‘sidequel’ to Blade Runner. References to ‘Tannhäuser Gate.’ A spinner in a trash heap.

All glorified Easter eggs, I grant you that.

What’s it all about? A redundant and virtually mute, genetically enhanced soldier (Kurt Russell) is dumped on a garbage heap planet after a ruckus in his former unit. There he gels with the locals, survivors of a prior ship crash, and grunts his way through a series of battles to protect his new ‘family’. Directed by our old friend, Paul W.S. Anderson, this one shares a smidgen of DNA with Blade Runner, which itself has a dodgy connection to Alien (see later), and so I’m including it, mainly to see how many times Anderson appears in the complete list.

It’s a moderately entertaining bit of fluff, notable for some fun set pieces, and Russell is always a hoot to watch, even when he’s not talking, but it’s ultimately forgettable. Some tedious side plots about the nature of learning and family steer us languidly towards the third act, which is as bombastic as you might have hoped as Russell’s emotionally stunted killing machine must defend his new fam against a stronger and faster emotionally stunted killing machine.

Ultimately though, a bit of a snoozefest, and I’ve never bothered seeking it out again since ‘98. Maybe I should. Anyhoo, this isn’t the last you’ll hear of Paul W.S. Anderson!

4/10

Previous Murky Movie surveys from Neil Baker include:

Foreign Bodies
Mummy Issues
Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes
Monster Mayhem
It’s All Rather Hit-or-Mythos
You Can’t Handle the Tooth
Tubi Dive
What Possessed You?
Fan of the Cave Bear
There, Wolves
What a Croc
Prehistrionics
Jumping the Shark

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See all of Neil Baker’s Black Gate film reviews here. Neil spends his days watching dodgy movies, most of them terrible, in the hope that you might be inspired to watch them too. He is often asked why he doesn’t watch ‘proper’ films, and he honestly doesn’t have a good answer. He is an author, illustrator, teacher, and sculptor of turtle exhibits. (AprilMoonBooks.com).