After the critical failure but financial success of Alien 3 (1992), it was only a matter of time before 20th Century Fox launched another Alien movie out of the airlocks. But what direction would they go? They needed something big. Something shocking. In fact, they needed a full-blown resurrection, figuratively and literally.
Let’s head back to the Betty and find out what happened to Alien: Resurrection.
When 20th Century Fox decided to revive their action-horror franchise, they turned to a rising writer: Joss Whedon. Fresh off Buffy the Vampire Slayer and his Oscar-nominated work on Toy Story, Whedon was tasked with writing the fourth installment. There was just one problem: Ellen Ripley was dead. She had gone out in Alien 3 in spectacular fashion, falling into molten metal while clutching a chest-bursting Alien queen. Not exactly sequel-friendly.
Whedon’s initial solution? Not Ripley, but Newt. His early concept centered on a clone of Newt, the fan-favorite child survivor from Aliens, who (along with Hicks) had been unceremoniously killed off in Alien 3, a decision fans never forgave. This new version of Newt would have enhanced DNA and elite combat skills. Whedon even wrote a 30-page treatment with five different endings, including one set on Earth.
The studio passed. They feared audiences wouldn’t accept an Alien film without Ripley.
The idea of cloning Ripley came from longtime franchise producers Walter Hill and David Giler. Ironically, both of them were hesitant about making the film at all. But there was an even bigger obstacle: Sigourney Weaver didn’t want to return. Until she received what she famously described as a “dump truck full of cash.” She was paid $11 million to reprise her role.
To her credit, Weaver was intrigued by the concept: a Ripley clone infused with both human and Alien DNA, creating internal conflict about where her loyalties truly lay.
With the script locked and Weaver on board, the search for a director began. The list of candidates was surprisingly stacked:
Eventually, the job went to French filmmaker Jean-Pierre Jeunet, known for Delicatessen and The City of Lost Children. He was shocked to even be offered the role and initially thought making a fourth film was a bad idea. Still, he accepted:
He brought in key collaborators, including:
Alongside Weaver, the film assembled a memorable cast:
Ryder later said she didn’t care if her character died in the first scene, she just wanted to be in an Alien movie.
Amalgamated Dynamics returned to design the Xenomorphs, making them:
The film’s strangest addition was the human-Alien hybrid. Originally, it looked more human, even incorporating features inspired by Sigourney Weaver, but it was scrapped for resembling the creature from Species too closely. The final version included:
Jean-Pierre Jeunet initially pushed the design much further. The hybrid was going to have:
20th Century Fox shut it down quickly. Even Jeunet later admitted it was “too much, even for a Frenchman.” Probably the right call.
Filming took place in Los Angeles from October 1996 to February 1997, making this the first Alien film not shot in England. But soundstage space was limited due to other major productions filming at the same time:
As a result, many scenes reused the same hallways dressed differently.
The film’s most dangerous sequence? The underwater escape. It required:
The sequence took three weeks to shoot and nearly cost lives.
One of the film’s coolest moments wasn’t CGI. Sigourney Weaver practiced for weeks to make a backward basketball shot. Despite skepticism from Jeunet, she pulled it off either on the first try or after multiple attempts, depending on who you ask.
Ron Perlman’s reaction? Completely genuine. He broke character laughing.
Weaver later ranked it as one of the best moments of her life.
Alien: Resurrection hit theaters on November 26, 1997.
Joss Whedon was extremely critical of the final product: “Everything I wrote was shot… just wrong.”
Jeunet fired back, saying Whedon was great at making films for “American geeks and morons.” Not exactly a friendly collaboration.
While often considered a step down from Alien and Aliens, the film has gained appreciation over time. It returned to a more action-driven, fan-service-heavy approach, especially compared to later entries by Ridley Scott. More importantly, it marked:
Love it or hate it, Alien: Resurrection carved out a strange, unforgettable place in the franchise.
And now you know what happened to Alien: Resurrection.
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