Rotten Tomatoes
Cancel Movies Tv shows FanStore News Showtimes

Alien: Covenant

Play trailer 2:25 Poster for Alien: Covenant R Released May 19, 2017 2h 2m Sci-Fi Horror Mystery & Thriller Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
65% Tomatometer 407 Reviews 55% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
Bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, members (Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup) of the colony ship Covenant discover what they think to be an uncharted paradise. While there, they meet David (Michael Fassbender), the synthetic survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition. The mysterious world soon turns dark and dangerous when a hostile alien life-form forces the crew into a deadly fight for survival.
Watch on Fandango at Home Buy Now

Where to Watch

Alien: Covenant

Alien: Covenant

What to Know

Critics Consensus

Alien: Covenant delivers another satisfying round of close-quarters deep-space terror, even if it doesn't take the saga in any new directions.

Read Critics Reviews

Critics Reviews

View All (407)
Karen Han Slashfilm Even if the twists and turns in the plot aren't too hard to see coming, there's a distinct joy that [Ridley] Scott takes in setting up and setting off each of those traps. Rated: 8/10 Dec 8, 2017 Full Review Kristen Lopez Culturess Covenant works best when it's honoring Alien and massively fails when it hearkens back to Prometheus. Nov 20, 2017 Full Review K. Austin Collins The Ringer There's an air of mystery to Alien: Covenant that the movie can't live up to, because for all its interest in what it all means, it has relatively little to show for all that idle questioning. Aug 10, 2017 Full Review Justin Kim Loud and Clear Reviews Alien: Covenant aims for two birds with one stone and grazes both; perhaps actually striking one might have been better. Rated: 3/5 Jan 6, 2025 Full Review Casey Chong Casey's Movie Mania [The] story falls flat as [Alien: Covenant] cares more about exploring the familiar been-there, done-that territory rather than continuing to embrace the philosophical storytelling approach seen in Prometheus. Rated: 2.5/5 Aug 15, 2024 Full Review Peter Bell Vague Visages Another look at the power of creation and destruction. Jun 22, 2023 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (1000+)
Santiago B The movie was very entertaiment, the final plot twist was very good but the final idk i think could be better Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/28/25 Full Review Ryan H After returning to the franchise with PROMETHEUS, Scott now brings back the deadly Xenomorph to screens. A fun film that can’t match the quality of the first 2 films it’s still a worthy addition to the ALIEN franchise. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/20/25 Full Review Jordy M Alien: Covenant (2017) is a film that builds upon the philosophical and visual foundation of its predecessor, Prometheus, while returning to the horror-infused sci-fi roots that defined the original Alien saga. Without revealing key plot points, it’s fair to say that this entry dares to expand the mythos in bold and disturbing ways. The film stands out for its minimalist yet striking visual design, which contrasts beautifully with the natural landscapes and the eerie technological environments. The production design, costumes, and cinematography all contribute to a distinct aesthetic tone that mirrors the cold intelligence of one of its central characters—portrayed brilliantly by Michael Fassbender in a dual role. His performance is, arguably, the film’s greatest strength, delivering subtle yet clear distinctions between two androids with vastly different agendas. Alien: Covenant introduces a new crew and a colonization mission, providing a fresh premise that still connects smoothly with the previous film’s unresolved mysteries. While some characters feel underdeveloped or make questionably convenient decisions, the film compensates with a strong thematic focus on grief, creation, and the unintended consequences of unchecked ambition. The evolution of the xenomorphs is another intriguing layer here. Without spoiling specifics, viewers will gain a deeper understanding of how these creatures may have originated—a storyline that is as disturbing as it is fascinating. The film’s pacing shifts between bursts of chaos and moments of quiet dread, and while it sometimes follows familiar beats from earlier installments, it injects enough originality to justify its existence. Visually, the movie is a triumph. The improvements in CGI and practical effects allow for more expressive creatures and immersive environments. The design choices, sound editing, and musical composition all elevate the overall tension, even if the suspense isn't always as sharp as in earlier entries. Katherine Waterston does a commendable job as the film’s central heroine, especially during the final act. While she may not yet reach the iconic status of previous leads, her performance adds emotional weight to the unfolding tragedy. In the end, Alien: Covenant may not please every fan, especially those expecting a traditional alien-slasher narrative or a completely satisfying resolution to Prometheus's questions. However, for viewers open to thematic depth, unsettling ideas, and excellent performances—particularly from Fassbender—this film offers a compelling and visually arresting experience. Highly recommended for fans of intelligent sci-fi horror with a dark philosophical edge. Rated 4 out of 5 stars 07/20/25 Full Review Brett M Watch this movie for the first time and I overall liked it. If you are a fan of the Alien franchise, you will probably enjoy this movie. *Spoilers to follow. I overall liked the storyline. A group of colonists going to terraform a new planet for human inhabitants. They accidentally discover and uncharted planet that may be a better fit and decide to explore. It’s a good, realistic premise. I like how the action started soon after the expedition begins. I liked the concept of the monopods releasing infective spores. I thought that was creative. The action sequences with the new aliens is pretty cool. However, the incubation time of the aliens is inconsistent with previous films, which is annoying. I was also confused by the new reassembled David. Robotics and AI are not Shaws specialty, so I find it hard to believe she was capable of rebuilding him. Also, where did she get the parts. I liked the idea of David exacting revenge on the creators, having some sophisticated human emotions, and his experimentation to become a creator. Also, the symbolism of David regurgitating the alien embryos was pretty crafty. Overall, I was satisfied with the film. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/17/25 Full Review Christopher R Aliens updated. Pretty good. Seen it before with a million other names. Over it. Bad choice of antagonist. Danny McBride carries the film over the tipping point from meh to okay sure why not I guess. Better than Prometheus. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 07/02/25 Full Review Luca V A mildly decent blockbuster if it existed in a vacuum, but it falls completely flat for anyone invested in the franchise. Instead of deepening the lore, it detours into narrative contradictions and unanswered questions. What could have been an expansion becomes a thematic misstep; the once-terrifying xenomorph reduced to the result of a robot’s tantrum and misguided art project. Covenant doesn’t build on the foundation set by Alien or Prometheus, it dilutes it. I'm genuinely curious whether the core questions these prequels posed will ever receive meaningful resolution. Rated 2 out of 5 stars 06/06/25 Full Review Read all reviews
Alien: Covenant

My Rating

Read More Read Less POST RATING WRITE A REVIEW EDIT REVIEW
Prometheus 73% 68% Prometheus Watchlist Morgan 38% 30% Morgan Watchlist TRAILER for Morgan The Thing 34% 43% The Thing Watchlist Extinction 18% 34% Extinction Watchlist Alien: Romulus 80% 85% Alien: Romulus Watchlist TRAILER for Alien: Romulus Discover more movies and TV shows. View More

Movie Info

Synopsis Bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, members (Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup) of the colony ship Covenant discover what they think to be an uncharted paradise. While there, they meet David (Michael Fassbender), the synthetic survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition. The mysterious world soon turns dark and dangerous when a hostile alien life-form forces the crew into a deadly fight for survival.
Director
Ridley Scott
Producer
Ridley Scott, Mark Huffam, Michael Schaefer, David Giler, Walter Hill
Screenwriter
John Logan, Dante Harper
Distributor
20th Century Fox
Production Co
Brandywine Productions, Scott Free Productions
Rating
R (Language|Bloody Images|Sci-Fi Violence|Some Sexuality/Nudity)
Genre
Sci-Fi, Horror, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language
English
Release Date (Theaters)
May 19, 2017, Wide
Release Date (Streaming)
Jul 10, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA)
$74.2M
Runtime
2h 2m
Sound Mix
Datasat, Dolby Atmos
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
Most Popular at Home Now