On the outer reaches of the galaxy a seven-member crew is returning to Earth. When the ship's computer receives a distress signal from a nearby planetary system, it wakes the crew from their cryo-sleep. It isn't until after the ship has landed on the planet named LV-426 and three crewmembers have gone out to investigate a huge derelict spacecraft the signal is found to be a warning. One crewmember has already experienced a shocking encounter with an alien creature while inspecting an egg-shaped pod. And so a horror begins which will alter the lives of the crewmembers forever.