After the recent announcement that Neill Blomkamp would be the man behind the upcoming Alien film, details have slowly been trickling down but there has been nothing substantial. In a Q&A session with Entertainment Weekly Blomkamp spoke a little about the new Alien film:
“ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: So how did you arrive at wanting to do this Alien movie? And did it have anything to do with having Sigourney Weaver play a supporting part in Chappie?
NEILL BLOMKAMP: It did have to do with having Sigourney on Chappie. It’s just something that I’ve always wanted to one day be a part of. Those first two [Alien] films are probably my favorite films ever made. I didn’t know if it would ever happen. I just always wanted to participate in it if I was able to.
Over the years, I came up with a story for a film in that universe that I wanted to make. And then when I talked to her about her experience making those films and what she thought about Ripley and everything else, it informed and changed the film I wanted to make into something different.
It just sort of stuck with me. A year later, when post-production was winding down on Chappie, I started fleshing out the idea for a film that would contain Sigourney. Fox never knew. I just worked on it when I could. Before I knew it, I had this really awesome film with a lot of artwork and a lot of backstory. And then I didn’t know whether I was going to make it or not. So I just kind of sat on it for a while.”
But as EW start to film, Neill ultimately tells them “I want to keep it on hyper-lockdown. It’s early yet. It’s Chappie time.” Thanks to Nightmare Asylum for the news.
How so? There's a story outline, but we have no clue if there's a script. There's a bit of concept art, but that's from a while ago and I'm sure he didn't have the entire film designed before ever even knowing for sure if it was going to happen.
LOL!!!! "Sadly, I'm sure a lot of those fans from back then have passed away??" Really? Geez. Aliens was one of my first theater experiences, and I just turned 36. People who I know that are diehards, who saw Alien in theaters at a young age, are still alive and kicking in their mid-40s.
I keep hearing that this is "pandering to the fans." I simply don't believe that. He isn't pandering. It's just his own personal opinion that the movie's should've gone forward im a different way. It's not about what the fans want really. I think he just found a story he really would like to tell with these characters.
I mean seriously how can it be pandering to the fans after 20 YEARS. Sadly, I'm sure a lot of fans from back then have passed away. Never to see this unexpected turn. Obviously the movies create new fans over the years, young and old, but still it has been 20 years. Those new fans are very likely not as vocal as 20 years prior.
So no I don't think it's pandering. More like revisiting a past idea because the franchise fell short in its later entries.
Keep it as it is.
A3 is why I'm still bothering with this franchise. ALIEN is a classic, it's a masterpiece on its own with or without the franchise. A3 is the sober reality check of the franchise, making ALIENS tolerable as it is a good segue to the final chapter and perfect "ending" that is A3.
Look, I've got nothing bad to say about the movie which was just announced. I liked Blomkamp's District 9 but that's the only movie of his which I had happened to watch. I've heard mixed things about Elysium, some of it good and some of it bad. I'm neutral since I never saw Elysium.
But I agree with SpreadEagleBeagle.. This comes off as nothing more than pandering to fans who have never gotten over that Hicks and Newt were killed off in Alien 3. Seems as if the twenty three years of complaints finally paid off and the current brass at Fox listened. Twenty three years too late. And Alien 3, for all of the undeserved hate it gets, is an unrecognized and unrealized masterpiece which was only hampered by Fox's decisions as a studio-- and now said diamond in the rough is essentially kicked to the curb. Whatever enthusiasm I had for this movie... is lowered.
Will I see it? I don't know.. But I don't think I have anything negative or positive to say. So before anyone jumps on my ass and says I'm shit-canning this movie, I'm not. All I'm saying is, I'm displeased with the decision to retcon or possibly just ignore Alien 3.
For me and my personal canon... Alien 3 is the true sequel to Aliens. All I have to say.
Fact is we don't kniw the plot. If it's an Aliens rehash then yes maybe you won't have interest. But it could still be something else as well.
I'd understand more if the retcon turns you off but right now it just sounds like you've made up your mind about how the movie will turn out and have lost interest without any info on the actual story.
Well let me ask you this:
If ALIENS never got a sequel, and Alien 3 was just finally being made today in 2015, would you have wanted it to go in the direction it did(killing off Hicks, Newt, Bishop, prison planet, etc), or go in a different direction?
Signed,
David Fincher
Trying to eradicate the saving grace of the Alien(s) movies (talking about A3) just to pave the way for uninspiring ALIENS clones is downright sad and disheartening. Movie industry is so lazy and cheap these days. Fortunately for them, ALIENS fans don't care as long as they get their dose of pulse rifles, cannon fodder aliens, mech warriors, colonial marines and of course Hix & N00t!
I'm happy for you guys! Me? Well, this will be the first Alien movie I'm not even remotely interested in watching. Even the AVP movies had me slightly curious. This one? Meh... Reboots/retcons are like a wet blanket.
When is PROMETHEUS 2 supposed to come out btw?
You might have just gotten your wish.
Lets only hope so. I hope they release Prometheus 2 and Alien 5 within a year or two of each other. I don't know though. I think the film might come out in late 2017. That would be cool.
The good news here though is that a lot of the hard work has already been done!
Whatever release plan Fox has for Prometheus 2 is bound to factor in to this as well.
They already gave Ripley proper closure in Alien 3. Then the suits and Weaver both agreed to bring her back so they could make money. They made their own mess. I hope Blomkamp's movie cleans it up by looking forward and not rewriting past mistakes. I hope he takes the mistakes and twists them into something creatively positive.
For me, giving Ripley proper closure would be by retconning Alien 3 and Resurrection. I have less than zero interest in the whole Ripley 8 fiasco...
Thanks, but I'm actually happy to go in blind. I prefer to do that with movies I'm genuinely curious about.
I'll hit up the thread afterwards though!
i am sold on the man.
hope we don t get another alien 3 - david fincher scenario !!
Your one-stop Chappie shop: http://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=47528.0
+1
I like him. I've said several times over the last few days how District 9 is my favourite movie from the last decade. Absolutely brilliant film. I also really liked Elysium, although visuals aside it was a much more of a generic action film without the extra special something that took District 9 above and beyond. I haven't honestly looked into Chappie much, but I'm planning on seeing it and I saw a trailer last night that piqued my interest.
As for him personally, he does come across as a really decent bloke.
That's what I'm hoping for. Weaver has spoke about giving Ripley proper closure for sometime now and to be perfectly honest, that's what I feel the franchise needs to most. Then it can move on to something new without having to retcon everything.
what is the consensus regarding him ?? is he a good director ??
heart seems in the right place.
That's what I am hoping for!!
Kind of jumping the gun a little bit don't you think? I mean I'm sure he had written it in mind with her to be in it but so far nothing is concrete. Kind of like how Rodriguez wrote PREDATORS in mind for Arnold but nothing came of it. I think it would be a good idea to wait until casting has been announced. But it's not unreasonable to assume she'll be in it.
Whatever was changed, we don't know but I will say this.. If the Hick comeback is something confirmed later on, well... I wouldn't know what to say to that. I really don't know.
Its confirmed ripely will be in it now, although it was pretty much a guarantee from the start. I wish he would lets some plot points drop. Those concept art images might be from his original idea of the film before he rewrote it after talking to Weaver. If that's the case then we really have no clue what the film will contain.