Prompting fist pumps from Alien fans everywhere, Neill Blomkamp—who recently decided that he should put all that geeky concept art to good use—says in a new interview with Sky News that his upcoming Alien sequel will take place after James Cameron’s Aliens, ignoring Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection.
Even the staunchest defenders of all four Alien films (discounting Prometheus due to its shortage of Xenomorph money shots) would admit that the first two movies are the best in the franchise. Ridley Scott’s original film is a landmark in sci-fi horror, and Cameron’s follow-up is a terrific pulse-pounding action thriller. However, many fans also consider Alien 3 too sloppy and nihilistic and Alien: Resurrection too French.
Now, Blomkamp and star Sigourney Weaver say they want to give Ripley the “proper finish” she was not afforded hurtling herself into a giant furnace in Alien 3 before making out with her alien cousin in Resurrection. The writer-director said, “I want this to feel like it’s literally the genetic sibling of Aliens. So it’s Alien, Aliens, and then this movie.”
When discussing the tone of the new film, Blomkamp said, “It’s a Freudian nightmare. That element to me is what is so appealing. To try to put the audience on the edge of their seat, in a traditional ‘monster stalking you in a dark corridor’ way.” That actually sounds more like a genetic sibling of the original Alien, which was much more about playing hide and seek with an enormous beast that somehow looks like every single pipe and bulkhead on the ship. But whatever, if the man says we don’t have to serve time on that prison planet, then sign us up.
The only question now is what to call this new film, as both the singular and plural forms of the noun are taken. Perhaps Blomkamp should look to the possessive (Alien’s) or to modifiers (Hungry Alien, Alien Posse). Whatever the movie is called, James Cameron probably will be thrilled with the project, as he’s long voiced his displeasure with how Alien 3 treated the characters he created. However, Ridley Scott might be a bit confused, as he recently declared that the “beast is done.” Meanwhile, David Fincher, who started his directing career with Alien 3, doesn’t care and prefers to be left the hell out of all this, and Jean-Pierre Jeunet would like to point out that everyone still likes Amélie.
Blomkamp’s next film, Chappie, hits theaters March 6. The release date for Alienaissance is still undetermined.
[via IGN]