The first “Species” movie, airing this month on SYFY (click here for schedule), was reminiscent of a 1990s successor to the science fiction horror genre that had made the “Alien” series such a renowned horror franchise at the time of its release, with an alluring yet terrifying alien theme generating much anticipation.
Incidentally, it’s no coincidence that the iconic Alien creature artist H.R. Giger was also the mastermind behind the design of the alien half of the shapeshifting alien-human hybrid character in Species, a ruthlessly strategic killer named Sil, portrayed by Natasha Henstridge in her high-profile film debut.
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Born with her species’ survival inherent within her genetic makeup, Sil arrived on Earth with an unwavering purpose: reproduction. In terms more fitting for an R-rated movie, this meant numerous chances for Henstridge’s extraterrestrial character to embody the cunning seductress, the black widow, when interacting with her unsuspecting human prey during mating. However, beyond its erotic and adult-themed appeal, the original Species film was further distinguished by a star-studded cast featuring well-known celebrities. Consequently, the conclusion of the first movie left viewers intrigued about where this franchise might take them next.
Initially, Species may have seemed destined to become a major sci-fi horror series. However, as new installments were released, the franchise’s popularity began to wane. Despite this, it might surprise some that there are four full-length Species movies in total. Here’s a brief overview of each one!
A deep-dive into all four Species films
Species (1995)
The scientific community, constantly searching for signs of extraterrestrial life in the cosmos, are intrigued by an unusual interstellar signal reminiscent of the film “Species“. This supposedly benevolent signal appears to introduce a new extraterrestrial entity. Inspired by the DNA data they receive from their alien counterparts, they strive, with some skepticism, to engineer a human-alien hybrid named Sil (Henstridge). Rapidly maturing from infancy to adulthood, she becomes a woman (or half-woman) and embarks on a relentless quest for reproduction.
Humanity becomes aware of Sil’s relentless (and ominous) objective of reproducing, but she manages to elude them and starts searching for a partner in Los Angeles, hoping to do so before her inventors can implement a strategy to eliminate her. As she goes, she leaves a series of casualties behind. Eventually, she locates a male companion — an unexpected and ironic turn of events as he happens to be Dr. Stephen Arden (Alfred Molina), one of the project’s founding scientific minds.
Despite Species seemingly concluding with Sil’s demise, the film subtly suggests that the larger alien menace may not have been entirely vanquished. Interestingly, Species II doesn’t explicitly follow up on the unresolved plot points from the first movie, but it does bring back three of its original cast members: Michael Madsen, Marg Helgenberger, and Natasha Henstridge, reprising her role as Eve, a clone of the original alien character. Reflecting on it 30 years later, Species boasted an impressive roster of celebrities for its era: Besides the aforementioned actors, it also starred Forest Whitaker, Ben Kingsley, voice artist Frank Welker, and a young Michelle Williams, who played Sil in her evolving teenage form.
Species II (1998)
In the sequel titled Species II, they opted to abandon the eerie suggestion from the first movie’s conclusion that Sil’s scattered remains could potentially introduce extraterrestrial DNA on Earth. Instead, it weaves an underappreciated science fiction horror narrative. This tale commences on Mars, where a group of scientists unearth Martian soil containing — as expected — extraterrestrial genetic material.
In the sequel to “Species II,” just two years have elapsed since the events of the first movie. It might not be wise for the film’s human characters to create another genetically-altered alien life form in a lab. However, when one of the Martian astronauts (Justin Lazard) contracts an infection from soil samples and wreaks havoc on Earth by violating quarantine rules and reproducing, they are compelled to disclose their top-secret project, codenamed “Eve.” This Sil-cloned being, engineered to be less dangerous than her predecessor, assists the team in managing the mayhem as more and more humans infected with alien contaminants start giving birth at an alarming and lethal pace.
Species III (2004)
Debuting on the Sci-Fi Channel (which later became SYFY) and going directly to DVD, “Species III” bypassed theaters entirely and jumped straight into a sequel that provided the “Species” series with a moment similar to “Jurassic World Dominion”. The alien race led by Sil has become too numerous to manage, and they have breached containment. It seems they’ve made Earth their permanent home, which means humanity must now adapt to their presence… or risk extinction.
In Species III, Henstridge’s character as Sil/Eve takes a backseat early on, allowing for the introduction of a new alien character named Sara (played by Sunny Mabrey), who is secretly Eve’s offspring from Species II. An initial attack and some undercover work make the humans appear as the true antagonists in this film. Sara works to prevent an internal power struggle among us mere Earthlings, all while trying to fit in with the increasing number of alien “half-breeds” on the planet. She walks a tightrope between helping the good guys and suppressing her species’ aggressive tendencies, ultimately averting a disaster at an experimental power plant by sneaking off at the end with a genetically engineered mate created by humans (allegedly) to prevent reproduction. Sounds familiar? Haven’t we heard that plot twist in a Jurassic movie before?
Species – The Awakening (2007)
In the gaming world, stepping into the shoes of Miranda in “Species: The Awakening” feels like embarking on a fresh adventure in the Species universe, separate from any prior storylines. As a half-alien hybrid, I’m endowed with unique powers, but it takes me a while to grasp that there’s something not entirely human about myself.
In a surprising turn of events on her birthday, Miranda discovers the secret alien characteristics hidden within her after an unexpected medical crisis. Her physical transformation leads to chaotic behavior, causing her guardian Tom (Ben Cross) to escort her to Mexico in an attempt to preserve her human identity. There, they cross paths with another hybrid named Azura (Marlene Favela). Azura, along with her human companion, reveals that the only method to restore Miranda’s humanity is by taking the life of a fellow human and using their fresh DNA. This scenario offers both characters unique choices and directions, as their inner alien nature risks spiraling out of control. The finale provides a conclusive response to the question of whether there’s potential for another connected sequel in the Species universe.
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2025-07-09 22:47