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Here's Your Reminder That ALIEN and PREDATOR Began as Feminist Franchises

It's shaping up to be a big year for the Alien and Predator franchises. Both have come a long way since their debuts in 1979 and 1987, respectively, with fan-favorite crossover flicks added to a mix of regular sequel and prequel installments. The new TV series Alien: Earth is set to air this summer, while Predator: Badlands will hit theaters in November 2025. But in dealing with out-of-this-world monsters, it's easy to lose sight of the close-to-home feminist commentary in which these stories are rooted. Here's your reminder. Facehuggers and Queens: Alien's Xenomorph Flips the Script on Sexual Assault Alien (1979), dir. Ridley Scott Ridley Scott's Alien challenged the sexual assault narratives that have saturated the horror genre and real world for generations with a monster of its own: the Xenomorph. Designed by H.R. Giger, we know this acid-blooded extraterrestrial as 'the perfect organism' in its many shapes and forms. Most notable here is the facehugger, a creature created with an almost uncanny likeness to female genitalia and a whipping, umbilical cord-like tail. As its tongue-in-cheek name suggests, this critter latches onto the faces of its victims to impregnate them. Soon, another spawns from the host's chest cavity (aptly dubbed a 'chestburster'). That's one deadly hug. RELATED: Check Out the Terrifying New Teaser for Alien: Earth The Xenomorph, by first targeting a majority male crew, gives credence to fears long held primarily by women — the ever-present threat of assault and forced birth. Alien reverses the roles of victim and aggressor to unpack the fear factor of these experiences and explore them in new ways. Even this species' queens, it seems, exist solely to create new generations of such organisms. And their eggs, well, those initially took the femme fatale trope even further than the facehugger. At least, according to art director Roger Christian. Alien's feminism goes beyond its iconic monster, though. Ellen Ripley, the protagonist famously portrayed by Sigourney Weaver, was originally written to be cast as a man. It wasn't until 20th Century Fox president Alan Ladd Jr. proposed the change to Scott that his film's lead became one of the most well-written women in sci-fi and horror. And I think we can all appreciate that decision. Having set a precedent within the genre, we've since seen Alien collide with another otherworldly predator. Hint: It's in the name. RELATED: Movie Review: Alien: Romulus Hypermasculinity Falls Prey to a Stronger Predator Predator (1987), dir. John McTiernan If Predator's frequent shows of hypermasculinity seem overdone, that's the point. The 1987 film's on-the-nose feminist commentary still got past viewers, though. To some, it's a cinematic love letter to all that is macho, wrapped up in a bandolier-style bow. But really, Predator is a blazing critique of the masculine stereotypes that still power the action movie industry today. And director John McTiernan will tell you all about that. Let's be real; by title alone, you can guess what kind of movie you're getting into. That said, it's not immediately obvious who's predator and who's prey. Posing this question subverts hypermasculine stereotypes in itself by undermining the alpha status of Major Alan 'Dutch' Schaefer, played by an '87 Arnold Schwarzenegger. When he's called in on a mission in the rainforest of Guatemala, Dutch and his squad of commandos have no problem infiltrating enemy bases. You, as the viewer, are met with close-up shots of bulging muscles and dripping sweat to prove it. That is, until a new enemy arrives on the scene. RELATED: The Predator Spoiler Review The Predator is an alien warrior that 'makes trophies of men,' in the words of the squad's captive, Anna. We watch as the creature stalks its prey and picks off the men one by one, a hunter and voyeur invisible to its victims. This is juxtaposed with scenes of the men preening themselves, applying Chapstick and war paint. In the end, Dutch is left to his own devices, shirtless and vulnerable like many female horror victims. That's when we finally get a good look at the Predator behind the mask, just after it extends a hand to examine Dutch's face. And what does Dutch do? He reasserts his dominance by calling it ugly, of course. Alien and Predator Today There's room to critique the 'feminization' of men to prove a point today, but the messages of Alien and Predator still ring loud and clear. Alien: Romulus saw one of the franchise's most terrifying 'birth' scenes yet following attacks on reproductive rights. Meanwhile, Predator prequel, Prey , introduced Naru, a Comanche healer who becomes her tribe's War Chief when she defeats an alien attacker. Though both have added a lot more meat to overarching plotlines, these sci-fi franchises still carry the feminist themes that birthed them, and we'll likely see this commentary evolve as their stories expand. You can stream Alien, Predator and later installments of either franchise on Hulu. ALIEN: ROMULUS Spoiler Review