It’s the Booze Talkin’; A new Alien from Disney/Fox? We aren’t sold!

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

You know when you are on Twitter or Facebook and you get that request to list your favorite films of all time? That’s generally a tricky thing to narrow down, because it’s damn hard to come up with one film that stands out for most cinephiles. However, it’s safe to say that we each have a number of films that tend to always show up when asked about what movies we loved the most. For me, ALIEN has always been one of my favorites on every level. I’ve seen Ridley Scott’s original countless times, and frankly, it still holds up as a masterful gothic mystery set in the furthest reaches of space. It’s an unforgettable masterclass in genre filmmaking, and it’s still damn terrifying… because in space, no one can hear you scream.

While I personally prefer ALIEN, there are many fans who tend to enjoy the brilliant follow-up more. James Cameron’s ALIENS is an exceptional action thriller, and it smartly brings Sigourney Weaver back helping secure her character Ripley as one of the most iconic figures in modern cinema. And while the actress continued to play the role in both ALIEN 3 and ALIEN: RESURRECTION, the following two films didn’t even remotely live up to what Cameron and Scott brought audiences. And while I actually enjoy certain aspects of both part 3 and 4, neither film expanded the mythology in the best of ways. After ALIENS, the franchise began to run out of steam leaving audiences hoping for a return to form. And now, with the recent Disney and Fox merger, the ALIEN legacy may very well continue.

As far as the continuation of ALIEN after the subpar ALIEN VS. PREDATOR films – and yes I know that AVP has a few fans – it appeared that this scary space creature wasn’t coming back terribly soon. And then it happened, in 2012 Ridley Scott returned to take on what he calls a “prequel” to the original film. PROMETHEUS had more than a few detractors, and there are a couple of really cringeworthy moments to be fair. Yet I still enjoyed the hell out of this feature, which for me worked on nearly every other level. Sure the characters did dumb shite, but the atmosphere and the insane on-screen happenings ultimately brought me back hope that we could finally get another great ALIEN movie. Unfortunately that didn’t happen.

There are probably more than a few that may have enjoyed Scott's ALIEN: COVENANT (2017) – but I wasn't one of them. The follow-up to PROMETHEUS was a bizarre mix of everything that came before, with a hint of a slasher flick. The first time I watched it, I almost felt like I was forcing myself to enjoy another scary space horror story. Ultimately though, when you have to convince yourself that it isn’t THAT BAD, it usually is. And for me, COVENANT was a mess of a film with Michael Fassbender as its only saving grace – he was absolutely fantastic as “David.” Unfortunately, this is a forgettable film that really made me question whether or not a new ALIEN was worth trying for at this point. As much as I love these frightening beasts, it felt as though their time on the big screen had passed.

With the previously mentioned merger, there’s word that Disney will revive the space horror saga. In fact, Ridley Scott opened up about the promise of yet another movie. And as I’ve said in this very column, it wouldn’t be at all surprising if it does happen and they revive Ripley in some way, shape or form. With the success of Jamie Lee Curtis returning for last year’s HALLOWEEN, and the possibility of Linda Hamilton helping to renew interest in “Sarah Connor” with the upcoming TERMINATOR: DARK FATE, there isn't a snowballs chance in hell that they aren’t plotting the return of Weaver – as Neill Blomkamp's cancelled ALIEN 5 did. Yet, is a Disney produced ALIEN movie something that any of us would even want? Is there anything new that the franchise can offer at its new home?

While Disney has managed to bring back STAR WARS, made a massive juggernaut out of the Marvel Universe and given fans a live action look at some of their classic animated films, they could certainly do something with the classic 1979 horror flick. Sadly, that is something that I’m not sure I’d want to see. The idea of an overly polished ALIEN sequel – or perhaps reboot – doesn’t thrill me like it once did. And considering most of the films that are successful for the studio are miles away from anything you'd get in Scott’s original film, I have serious doubts as to whether this is something that would work. Even if it had remained a Fox feature I wasn’t necessarily excited for a few film. And now, I have even less faith that this is something that will work at all.

Maybe it’s the booze talkin’, but we don’t love the idea of a Disney/Fox Alien sequel. It’s hard enough that the original two films are so good, yet we’ve never had a sequel even remotely on par with that greatness. Even still, I had hopes of what a new sequel would be with Sigourney Weaver returning in the past. But all that has changed. I’m not convinced Disney is the right place for a return to ALIEN.

And frankly, say they manage to make something legitimately great with a brand new chapter… what then? Are we going to see an ALIEN movie every year, with a few side routes as they have done with STAR WARS? Only time will tell, but frankly, I have zero doubt that a new ALIEN is coming. Here’s hoping that it will be far better than my current expectations. What do you think? Is it time to retire the Xenomorph and move on? Or will Disney make these creatures scary again? Let us know what you think in the comments below.