No two ways about it: The news that director Ridley Scott is returning to the Alien franchise — which he started back with the 1979 original — for a prequel is fantastic. After all, Scott is, as Michael Mann once described him to Russell Crowe, “one of the top 2 percent of shooters in the history of cinema.” So I’m giddy to see what Scott does with such rich material. (Plus, whatever he comes up with has to be better than Alien vs. Predator 2: The Suckening.) I’ve got got two questions:
1. What genre will it be? You might think that Alien — given that it’s about, you know, an alien — is a science fiction movie. You’d only be partially right. The first film was a horror movie, James Cameron’s Aliens was a war movie, David Fincher’s Alien3 was a prison flick, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s Alien: Resurrection was, er, a basketball movie. So what’s this one going to be? I think it’d be a mistake to go back to the haunted-house-in-outer-space vibe of Alien…which leaves what? Detective story? Revenge thriller? Romcom?
2. Will Ripley be in it? Aside from the aformentioned Alien vs. Predator films, Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley has been the constant in the series. But given that this is a prequel, will she still figure into the proceedings? And if so, how, seeing as Alien documented her first encounter with those acid-for-blood beasties? If Ripley’s in it, who’ll play her? Weaver may be a stunning woman and a gifted actress, but I don’t think she can play a gal in her early 20s. For my money, if you’re going the young-Ripley route, put Ellen Page on speed-dial. She definitely looks the part, and she’s got some tough-as-nails in there.
How do you feel about this? Excited at the prospect of another Ridley Scott Alien movie? Or is this a franchise you’d like to see rest for a bit? And who would you cast as young Ripley?
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I doubt Ripley will be in it, this is a prequal after all and she didn’t run into the Aliens until the first movie.
Yes, of course. : ) But, as a colonist, Ellen Page would be spunky, wry, (gum chewing gun toting) charismatic, fresh, and “attitudinal.” She would whomp on alien chops.
That would be a joy.
However, we all know what happened to the colonists… THAT’S something i WOULDN’T want to see. So, a SEQUEL would FAR get my vote rather than a (boo) prequel.
ok, here is the scoop, so listen up…
The prequel will be set some 15 years before the first Alien film. Ripley will not figure at any point in the film. The story will revolve around a small band of scientists who are on a small research ship in the proximity of LV-426. They will be drawn to LV-426 by a by what they initially think is a meteor crashing into the surface. Landing on the planet, then finding the space jockeys ship, they will be drawn into a simple survival game as all hell breaks loose. The space jockey (singular) is already dead and plays no further part in the script. The scientists have minimal weapons, and need to escape the clutches of the Xenomorphs… No new creatures here, good old queen and drones only… One scientist does escape, only to be assinated by an android, Ash, who is later to accept a mission to re-visit the planet with a crew who are a secondary concern… Thats it… p.s. There is no lead lady… Lead man (drum roll), is going to be… (further drum roll)… Keanu Reeves.. Thats all folks…
Wow. I must comment you on your idea for a prequil to Alien. Very well done concept. I’m a huge fan of the series and I’ve been sitting here thinking about what could work and not much comes to mind. I loved the 1st and the 2nd ones, and I couldn’t imagine a prequil without Ripleys character. But I think you hit the nail on the head with your idea. Very well said.
~Devin
One more thing. I know you said Keanu? Interesting. I can see him doing it. However, I think Scott is more likely to revisit an unknown new female actor or, in my humble opinion, I think the one female that could really pull it off would be Angelina Jolie. Think about that. Cigerette in her mouth, playing the bad girl role as a science fiction officer? Could work.
Angelina Jolie? I think she’s way too hyped and tabloid exposed to take on such a dark unassuming role. I think Angelina would be toxic to the Alien franchise. No offense to Angelina, because it’s her success – caused by her talent – that makes her unavailable to me. If I were to choose someone (female)? I would probably go with someone like Laura Linny (from Mothman Prophecies) or maybe even Uma Thurman…that could be tasty! Basically, a smart and powerful woman who could be authoritative, science-savvy and attractive all in tasteful unison.
I hope the prequel tells the origin of the alien spacecraft that Ripley’s crew discovered… and there’s not a single human in the film! I wouldn’t count on that though. Not very marketable.
alien ressurrection was an action movie… underrated too… i like the Alien frachise but didnt bother with the vs Predator crap…
The natural thing would be to document the alien spaceship that sent the distress beacon the Nostromo received. However, the more probable story would be a far more previous time, still in the future, where the aliens were encountered and for some reason forgotten. It would also be a trick to tie this one to the other (non-Predator) films.
Alien vs. Predator 1 was pretty good. I didn’t much care for Alien 3. The best was Alien 2. Looking foward to the prequel and hope they don’t mess it up !!!!
I had written a short story as my college assignment (after seeing Aliens 5 times) about the lives of the colonist on LV-426, from when they departed earth until their demise when Burke sent them to investigate Ripley’s claims of an alien being. I got an A.
If this movie is anywhere similar, I will be suing my professor and the studio LOL
Willie, get your legal team together because the story of LV-426 not only sounds pretty intriguing, it’s the most natural story to tell! Not so much an “Alien 0” but an “Alien 1.5”. I’m ready to buy tickets to that one NOW!
You guys have seen the special edition of Aliens, right? There’s about 15 minutes of footage of the LV-426 colony.
I vote for Milla Jovovich.
The writer that wrote this article should be fired based on the premise of this article. A young Ripley? That makes absolutely NO sense, seeing as how this is going to be a prequel and the first time Ripley encountered the xenomorphs was in Alien. It really doesn’t take that much sense to figure that one out…
Did you even bother reading the aritcle? You should be fired, no matter what your job is. you obviously have a retention issue.
the name of the movie is Alien, not Ripley. I don’t see why she should be in it at all.
Please do not confuse people with the facts.
Perhaps Ripley’s mother had a contact with the aliens that, for some good reason, she never told Ripley about. Would that work? And then Weaver could play the older woman part.
…please don’t ever write any film scripts…please…
@Jackie Boy: you just wrote a request that should be heeded by everyone on the internet.
If you watch James Cameron’s director’s cut of Aliens, you will see that Ripley left behind a daughter on earth before she boarded the Nostromo. They could touch on that as well as how Weland/Yutani assigns Ash (the android) to betray the crew and discover the Alien colony on LV-426.
Yeah its a prequel no one wants to even hear the name ripley mentioned in the movie or any special guest apperances of sigourney weaver thank you very much
Weaver is a great actress but enough is enough with ripley, im sure whatever Ridley has in mind it is going to be great or he woukd not have signed on for a rehash
I dont think that Ripley should be in it at all. Any mention of her will cheapen the film and follow the same formula that made the last Alien film (Resurrection) so marginal and the AVP movies such a travesty. He should keep it simple and do what he does best, create stylistic film, letting not only the actors but the photography and “aura” tell the story.
Ripley should NOT be in the prequel. Period.
And the thought of Ellen Page as a young Ripley is the most idiotic idea I have ever read on the pages of EW.