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It used to be effortless in Hollywood. You would create one movie and if it was well-received, you would make a sequel. If the sequel was also successful, you would continue the trend and create a trilogy. However, the higher-ups in suits realized that selling movies in sets of three generated its own advertising buzz – and it was also cost-effective to film them simultaneously. So for a period of time, this became the norm in Hollywood and everything was running smoothly.
What happens when you run out of story? No worries – simply release a new trilogy that takes place before the original one, focusing on the early years of your main characters or their parents. Use the existing storyline in reverse – remember that scene where one character looked at another in a strange way? Now it can be properly explained! This gives moviegoers a fresh reason to spend their hard-earned money.
The issue arose when certain members of the audience did not enjoy the newer movies as much as the originals. What is the next step?
The Alien franchise has been dealing with this problem for what feels like centuries, starting with David Fincher’s 1992 film, Alien 3, which was taken away from him during the editing process by 20th Century Fox. This was followed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s shockingly gruesome but mediocre Alien: Resurrection in 1997, and then the terrible Alien vs Predator movies (2004 and 2007), as well as Ridley Scott’s strange and occasionally shocking Prometheus in 2012. Finally, Alien: Covenant was released in 2017, making us question if there was ever anything truly interesting about the slimy, acid-blooded extraterrestrials in the first place, or if it was all just a figment of David the android’s digital imagination.
What can be done about a sci-fi series that has been mediocre for over 30 years, but still manages to generate excitement from viewers who have seen the first two successful films, Alien (1979) and Aliens (1986)? Director Neill Blomkamp had a solution in 2015, when he took it upon himself to create his own Alien movie set after Aliens and before the disappointing Alien 3. Blomkamp’s plan was to bring back fan-favorite characters Ripley, Hicks, and Newt, despite Ripley’s death in the third film (and later resurrection as multiple clones in Resurrection).
It didn’t happen, not just because the original stars would all have been a bit ancient, but because Fox put the kibosh on the whole concept. But somebody somewhere at Disney (which bought Fox and the rights to Alien in 2017) was clearly paying attention. For what’s this we hear from a Variety report this week? The new Alien movie, Fede Alvarez’s Romulus, will be neither a sequel nor a prequel, but rather a new film set between Alien and Aliens.
During her speech at the Gotham Awards, actress Cailee Spaeny mentioned that the upcoming movie will take place between the first and second films. She also shared that the team from the James Cameron film “Aliens” was brought on to work on the new film, including the people who designed the iconic xenomorphs. Spaeny expressed her excitement and gratitude for working with the original designers who have been involved in the franchise for over 45 years.
How will this plan be executed? The two movies were separated by a span of 57 years, during which Ripley was in stasis while drifting through space. What events may have occurred during this time? It has been stated that Alvarez’s film will have no connection to previous episodes, although Scott has made misleading statements about the series in the past – such as claiming we would never see xenomorphs again. It is possible that the Uruguayan director may still include some nods to the evolution of the terrifying creatures created by HR Giger in the time between the two movies.
A part of me wishes that this is not true, as Alvarez’s film deserves the opportunity to shine without the limitations that harmed many of its predecessors. However, this franchise has always faced challenges in moving away from the haunting magnificence of its initial years. It would not be unexpected to witness David the android making an appearance with a sly, reserved expression to reveal the origins of the xenomorph queen.
Unfortunately, even though we endured the ups and downs of watching “Prometheus” and “Covenant,” it’s nearly impossible to recapture the awe of a long-running series in its later stages. However, if there was a new installment, we would likely still tune in.
Source: theguardian.com
