Alien vs. Predator (stylized on-screen as AVP: Alien vs. Predator) is a 2004 science fiction action film written and directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, and starring Sanaa Lathan, Raoul Bova, Lance Henriksen and Ewen Bremner. It is the first installment of the Alien vs. Predator franchise, adapting a crossover bringing together the eponymous creatures of the Alien and Predator series, a concept which originated in a 1989 comic book written by Randy Stradley and Chris Warner. Anderson, together with Dan O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett (both of which previously worked on the Alien films), wrote the story, and Anderson and Shane Salerno adapted the story into a screenplay. Their writing was influenced by Aztec mythology, the comic book series, and the writings of Erich von Däniken.
Set in 2004, the film follows a group of archaeologists assembled by billionaire and self-taught engineer Charles Bishop Weyland (as the original founder and CEO of Weyland Industries) for an expedition to Antarctica to investigate a mysterious heat signal detected by his satellites. Weyland hopes to claim the find for himself and be remembered for it, and his group discovers an ancient pyramid below the surface of an old and abandoned whaling station. Hieroglyphs and sculptures reveal that the pyramid is a hunting ground for young Predators who kill Aliens as a rite of passage. The humans are caught in the middle of a battle between the two species and attempt to prevent the Aliens from reaching the surface.
Alien vs. Predator was released on August 13, 2004, in North America. In spite of receiving negative reviews, the film grossed over $172 million at the worldwide box office. A sequel, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, was released in 2007.