There are only a handful of directors in Hollywood who can claim to be as influential as Ridley Scott. Scott struck gold with only his second directorial feature in 1979, Alien, which not only proved hugely successful but went on to spawn one of the most beloved sci-fi franchises in cinema. While Scott hasn’t been involved in every Alien movie that followed, his early work left an indelible imprint on both the sci-fi and horror genres. Scott then went on to achieve major success in several other genres, winning the Academy Award for Best Picture for 2000’s Gladiator, and also being nominated for the prestigious award on two other occasions.
Ridley Scott may have proven his filmmaking chops in a variety of genres, but he’s also responsible for making some of the best sci-fi movies of all time. While some of Scott’s sci-fi movies aren’t even likely to make it onto a list of the director’s best ever films, others are often named as some of the best movies ever made. With that in mind, here is every sci-fi movie made by Ridley Scott, ranked.
5) Alien: Covenant (2017)
Although Alien: Covenant is one of the scariest Alien movies, it’s also widely considered Ridley Scott’s worst contribution to the franchise. The 2017 movie served as the direct sequel to Prometheus, and established a few revelatory elements of the franchise’s wider story that weren’t particularly well-received by many fans. As such, it stands out as Ridley Scott’s worst sci-fi movie.
Alien: Covenant received some praise from critics, who cited its claustrophobic horror elements as reminiscent of the first Alien film. But, while it may sound like Covenant was Ridley Scott returning the franchise to its roots, it lacked much of the charm that made the original movie great. While Alien: Covenant is far from a terrible movie, it simply isn’t Ridley Scott’s finest work.
4)Prometheus (2012)
Narrowly beating out its own sequel is Ridley Scott’s 2012 entry into the Alien franchise, Prometheus. The prequel marked Scott’s triumphant return to the sci-fi genre after a considerable absence, making it a hugely anticipated film. While it was an improvement on previous entries into the Alien franchise, Prometheus didn’t quite live up to the expectations.
There are many things about Prometheus that still don’t make sense. Scott’s new ideas about the direction of the franchise’s story were met with derision by some fans, who didn’t appreciate the movie’s bizarre religious symbolism. However, judging the movie strictly on its individual merit highlights that it’s a well-crafted entry into the beloved franchise, and it also proved that Ridley Scott hadn’t lost his sci-fi touch over his decades-long absence from the genre.
3) The Martian (2015)
Considered by some as one of the best sci-fi movies of the 2010s, Ridley Scott’s The Martian adapted Andy Weir’s novel of the same name to the big screen. With a star-studded cast led by A-lister Matt Damon, Ridley Scott’s sci-fi story of survival had an advantage before it even released. It tells the story of an astronaut who finds himself stranded on Mars as he struggles to survive long enough for a rescue mission to reach him.
The Martian was nominated for multiple prestigious awards and earned almost universal positive reviews. Its visuals are excellent, the performance of Matt Damon is exceptional, and as such, the movie proves Scott’s talents as a sci-fi filmmaker. While it certainly isn’t the director’s best effort in the genre, it’s a brilliant movie nonetheless.
2) Blade Runner (1982)
It’s not contentious to say that Blade Runner is one of the best sci-fi movies of all time. The 1982 adaptation of Philip K. Dick’s Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep? is one of the most iconic sci-fi movies ever made, and its examination of sentient artificial intelligence remains cutting-edge. Though aspects of the movie seem a little dated, it is still considered a sci-fi movie masterpiece by most.
Blade Runner‘s approach to the sci-fi genre blends cyberpunk with neo-noir in a film that is so visually distinctive it has been credited with inspiring a whole spate of stories in the decades following its release. Harrison Ford’s leading role is great, and Rutger Hauer’s turn as villain Roy Batty thoroughly steals the show. As one of the most beloved sci-fi movies of all time, Blade Runner remains one of Ridley Scott’s best cinematic achievements.
1) Alien (1979)
There aren’t many sci-fi movies considered better than Blade Runner, and it just so happens that one of the few that are was also directed by Ridley Scott. 1979’s Alien pioneered the sci-fi horror genre, introducing the now-iconic Xenomorph to audiences in a movie that still serves as pure nightmare fuel. It’s no surprise, then, that it’s also considered Ridley Scott’s best sci-fi movie.
Considering more than four decades have passed since its release, Alien is one of those sci-fi movies that aged incredibly well. Everything from its visual effects to the unrelenting sense of tension and claustrophobia continues to stand out as absolutely perfect, making Alien one of the most popular sci-fi movies of all time. As well as being the movie that really launched Ridley Scott’s career, it’s also still his best sci-fi movie to date.
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