We talked about Into The Spider-Verse 2 last week, this week, we’re going to be talking about the Alien franchise.
After Disney bought 20th Century Fox there were rumblings as to what Disney would do with Fox’s more mature franchises, such as Alien and Predator. While both franchises have had relatively recent entries, Disney is wanting to capitalize on both, but primarily Alien. It’s said that many of the executives at Disney see value in Alien as a franchise, and are hoping to have a new film out every year or two.
New Writers, Fresh Start For Alien
Disney originally wanted Ridley Scott for the rebooted film. But the script they got from him was convoluted and incoherent. Far from the ‘refresh’ that the executives wanted from a reboot. We can exclusively report that a new script is in development with new writers.
This new script is going to be a completely fresh start for the Alien franchise, and will not feature any previous stars. So no Sigourney Weaver, no Michael Fassbender. I’ve also learned of many details from this script. Do keep in mind this is an early draft, and elements of this script can and likely will change although many core elements will end up in the final script. Even for an early draft, it’s one that Disney is confident in. Unlike Ridley’s script, they see this one as having long-term potential.
The Plot Beats And Characters
The story will follow a group of transient colonists who had to flee a world they had lived on that was free from any control of any galactic governments or companies. In trying to find a new home, they stumble upon a new world that is habitable and is seemingly free of life.
The female lead is Fiona, and the notes described her as a ‘Mary Elizabeth Winstead type’.
She has been a survivor her whole life and is very much a realist amongst a group of idealists who are desperate for a world to call home. The people on board her craft have been searching for a home for far too long and are getting desperate, but Fiona is the ships science officer, and knows that procedures and protocols need to be followed. This puts her at odds with the rest of her group.
As with any and all Alien movies, eventually, the alien eggs come out to play. Someone eats a facehugger, Xenomorphs show up. Standard stuff.
The Plans For Sequels And The Predator
What’s going to be different about this film is that Fiona in an attempt to study the Facehugger and manages to capture and incubate one of the face huggers and manages to create an alien in a tank. However, the Alien she grows has an attachment to her and has a chance to kill her but doesn’t. Fiona sends her “created” Xenomorph after another one that attacked previously. There’s said to be some amazing Alien on Alien action and will be unique for the series.
The movie will end with the friendly Alien sacrificing itself to kill the other. Of course, there will be set up for a sequel. With an Alien egg being attached to Fiona’s ship with it’s fate (and allegiance) in question.
This is again, a very early draft; but Disney is said to like the simplicity of the plot but also the ways that the script is different. If the film does well, the film could launch multiple installments coming every 1-2 years. While there’s no work on a new Predator script (we still have this film to look forward to), it’s been said that we’ll get an Alien and Predator movie every year alternating.
I hope this is different, in the way that “Rogue One” and “The Mandalorian” are different from the Disney Star Wars sequels. If there’s no blood and gore in this, so they can sell toys and get a more kid-friendly rating the diehard Alien fans will let their feelings known. Ridley’s world of Alien had grungy ships, with steam and a realism to every detail. You believed every part of that world. This reboot will hopefully capture that.
So it sounds like they’ve taken one of the Dark Horse comic plots & are twisting it so instead of a friendly Predator, it’s now a friendly Xenomorph?
It’s a shame that Disney is going to reboot, instead of continue. Disney clearly has a problem adopting the legacy that built the franchises they purchase. It’s a very clear sign of weakness on their part.
As soon as I heard Disney was taking over this franchise, I knew it was doomed. Everytime Disney has been handed a series like this, they have screwed it up. The best thing that could’ve done was give fans what they wanted, which was a sequel to the 1986 Aliens film done by Neill Blomkamp and James Cameron. They were originally working on it together and then Disney decided to scrap that idea. Since when has Cameron made a bad film? Never. That’s what fans in all these Alien blogs kept saying. We want an Alien 5 to carry on a part 2 from Aliens. It would’ve been perfect. It was too early to bring in a new cast and reboot the franchise. They should’ve made at least one more film.