It’s the Booze Talkin’: Why has it taken so long to make another Alien movie?

Last Updated on July 23, 2021

One of the greatest sci-fi / horror franchises ever is the ALIEN franchise. There. I said it. EVER. From the fantastic creature design of H.R. Giger, its use of some of the biggest and brightest up-and-coming directors (Ridley Scott, James Cameron, David Fincher), and the creation of the one of the strongest female lead characters in history (Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley), the franchise has single-handedly changed the shape of sci-fi alien monster movies as we know it. Scott’s PROMETHEUS hits theaters this Friday, and while it’s a more-than welcomed theatrical event for the summer of 2012, I’m faced with one question: why the hell has it taken so long to add another entry to the ALIEN franchise???

Given, the franchise (at this point) is over 30 years old, but it’s going as strong as ever, with ALIEN still remaining as one of the best sci-fi / horror films ever made. From its use of music to its creature design, the film continues to hold up today—hell, it’s still better than most of the crap that’s being released. Some could call it the grandfather of sci-fi / horror films, and to that I couldn’t argue with. Because let’s face it: is it a sci-fi flick or a horror flick? It’s a bit of both—and for some it’s more horror than sci-fi and vice versa, making it one of the few films that sits oddly in the middle. And let’s not forget the chest-popping scare sequence that shook audiences upon its release, a sequence that to this day is as solid and as effective as ever before.

Cut 7 years later with Cameron at the helm and what was once a sci-fi/horror film franchise rapidly turns into a sci-fi/horror/action flick of the likes that no one had ever seen before. Not to take anything away from ALIEN, but ALIENS may be the greatest sequel ever made, as it captured the essence of the original but did its own thing and was entirely differently, moving away from scares to heart-racing action (while giving us those creepy face-hugging f*cks in face-sucking action). Ripley was even more of a badass than ever before, and the musical score by James Horner was even more memorable than the first. And the Alien Queen may be the ultimate in movie villains.

How can one possibly follow-up ALIEN and ALIENS? Arguably an impossible task, and one that Fincher was more than likely up to take on with ALIEN 3, but… let’s face it… the movie sort of sucked. I haven’t revisited it in a while, but I don’t remember liking it so much. It had a lot of cool things going for it: an abandoned prison planet, despicable characters, and a lot of shaved heads. But only one badass Alien to take on? And they kill Ripley at the end in a self-sacrifice of fire and explosions? What the hell? I’ve been told a re-visit is in order as it’s not as bad as we all remember it being, but seriously… what the hell?

Joss Whedon is hot and heavy now with THE AVENGERS, but in 1997 he was known for writing ALIEN RESURRECTION, a film that was somehow worse than ALIEN 3. Whedon has gone on to say that his script was mutilated and he’s probably right. Resurrecting Ripley from the dead? Ron Perlman and Wynona Ryder in the house? It sort of felt like ALIENS with the whole military at war aspect, but sweet Jesus what were they thinking? And this, to the horror of Alien fans everywhere, is most likely the reason why we haven’t seen a true return to the ALIEN franchise in 15 years, the longest break between movies in the history of the series. Sure, some could argue 2004’s AVP and 2007’s AVP: REQUIEM are apart of the series, but to that I give a big ol’ flaming middle finger to. No, they’re not. They’re a hybrid, not a true sequel. Even Fox knows it, as not one of their ALIEN box sets include the AVP movies (even the ALIEN ANTHOLOGY, which has a billion discs and hundreds of hours of features doesn’t include the AVP movies).

But is a single bomb enough reason for such a dry spell? And when I say “bomb” I say that likely as on a financial level, ALIEN RESURRECTION made more money worldwide than any of the previous ALIEN films before it. Sure, there’s inflation to consider there, but still… it made a ton of money! And yet here we are some 15 f*cking years later, and it’s just now that we’re finally getting another ALIEN film—or so they say. Because for the longest time, Fox and Scott and everyone involved hadn’t come out and said that PROMETHEUS had anything to do with the ALIEN franchise—they practically outright denied it. Why? Wouldn’t calling this puppy ALIEN: PROMETHEUS draw in more interest and more people, using the name of the ALIEN franchise in the title? It’s almost like they’re ashamed of the ALIEN name at this point, and for that… I thank ALIEN VS PREDATOR.

Maybe it’s the booze talking, but what the hell has taken them so long to make another ALIEN movie? By the tempo they set with the previous 4 films, we should have gotten one in 2003, then another in 2009, and maybe even another this year (2012) if the 2009 release did gangbusters. But no—we were given the shaft for 15 f*cking years, and a couple of crappy AVP movies to hold us over. Not that I’m complaining now, as PROMETHEUS looks effing AMAZING, and the word on the street is that it’s about as close to greatness as ALIEN and ALIENS. Maybe that’s been the hold up all along: getting Scott back in the director’s chair has taken a while, but sweet Jesus, now that it’s finally happened we can all rejoice in its glory. Let’s just hope the next one doesn’t take as long… and that Cameron has a bit of free time to come back for the sequel.