Despite its focus on the franchise's main story, creatures in Alien: Earth include a Xenomorph and Facehuggers, but it seems the franchise will be expanding its reach beyond those familiar monsters.

According to a voiceover from the trailer, there were at least five different lifeforms being studied by the team of the Maginot. While familiar forms of the Xenomorph life cycle could be two of them, the trailer offers a brief glimpse at a jellyfish-like creature. Introducing these monsters prior to the core movies in the Alien timeline makes the series stand out among the other films in the franchise. However, it also makes the series feel more like the divisive, 21-year-old sequel than the original movies that take place after it.

Alien: Earth's Monsters Including Multiple Different Lifeforms Is More Like AvP Than The Original Films

Alien Vs Predator Featured Its Own Dangerous Creature

A group of characters facing multiple types of monsters was originally explored in 2004's Alien vs. Predator. During the spinoff of both the Alien and Predator franchises, a team of investigators in Antarctica are ambushed by both Xenomorphs and Yautja. Because both species are unfamiliar to them, they're forced to reckon with the threat of two types of aliens they don't know anything about. Learning the strengths and weaknesses of both creatures became crucial to their survival, though also made it more difficult because of their differences.

This was carried over into its 2007 sequel, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, where humans are caught in the middle of the Predators trying to kill a Xenomorph hybrid, the Predalien. In this instance, both humans and the core Predator, Wolf, need to figure out how to take down the Predalien, which has created an army of Xenomorphs in Gunnison, Colorado. While the sequel only features one new creature, humans in the town still need to grapple with the alien threats, all of which are new to them.

While the jellyfish have been shown already, other lifeforms may also get involved, forcing the core characters to learn about a multitude of extraterrestrial creatures they'll need to go up against.

The multiple lifeforms that have been teased in Alien: Earth indicate there are going to be many more threats than just Xenomorphs in the aftermath of the Maginot's crash. While the jellyfish have been shown already, other lifeforms may also get involved, forcing the core characters to learn about a multitude of extraterrestrial creatures they'll need to go up against. This reflection of Alien vs. Predator's setup shows just how much the series will focus on the varied methods humanity must use to contain and eliminate their new enemies.

The Xenomorphs' Future Hints At Another Big Similarity Between Alien: Earth & The AvP Movies

A Battle Between Extraterrestrial Forces

Much like Alien vs. Predator, it seems likely that the species in the new show will be competing for dominance with one another. The timeline of Alien: Earth indicates this is humanity's first encounter with Xenomorphs, something that could inform the lens through which the show views the rest of the franchise. However, as has been proven over and over, the main antagonistic force of the movies can survive anywhere. This means it's possible they'll be fighting the show's other alien species, likely winning and becoming humanity's biggest threat.

While the way these concepts were handled in Alien vs. Predator was controversial, mostly due to plot holes in the larger lore of both franchises, Alien: Earth has a chance to redeem these ideas. By focusing on just the lore of the Alien movies, the series has a chance to fully encapsulate these ideas within the confines of its own story. With the show offering a callback to the crossover movies, perhaps this could be a good sign for the overall development of the series' future.

Alien: Earth premieres August 12, 2025 on FX and FX on Hulu.