For the first time in what seems quite a few years, 20th Century Fox has issued a cease and desist order to Alien Identity, the Alien fan film that was in the works by Sonnet Realm Films and would have starred Elle Sonnet as Newt, Carrie Henn (the original Newt) as Anne Jordan, Ricco Ross (Pvt. Frost from Aliens) as Richard Frost.
Sonnet Realm Films issued this statement earlier today: “When we decided to make this Alien tribute film we anticipated from the beginning that this could happen. We were hoping that since Fox allowed other fan films in the Alien/Predator universes to be made that they would allow us to do so likewise. Although we wanted to make a tribute film spin off in the Alien universe reuniting original cast members to play new roles, we understand that this is Fox’s intellectual property and we want to respect their wishes. Therefore we peacefully withdraw from any further production of ALIEN IDENTITY, and will pursue our own original content, which I think is best anyway. We realize some of the fans will be disappointed by this, but we are happy that our talent from the tribute film will be coming on board taking the roles of original characters in our other Sci-Fi adventure TRIBORN, that we’ve been developing. We thank all the fans for their support and invite them to join us on another adventure.”
It’s a huge shame to hear that this has happened to Alien Identity and it has been a long time since we’ve heard of Fox issuing a cease and desist order to a fan project. In our experience this generally happens when a fan product is becoming too similar to an official production in the works, in this case Alien 5.
This is further emphasized by a comment made by the Alien Identity team on their Facebook: “They were worried our storyline would confuse the fans for Alien 5.”
The current cast and crew of Alien Identity are moving forward with a new science-fiction project called Triborn. If you’re interested in that make sure you pop on Facebook and give them a Like to follow the project.
They haven't pulled it, just moved it to their own site. They said they just need preproduction costs and they'll get the rest via private funding.
They're hoping to raise $2million with a minimum of $150,000.
In case some of you missed this, Alien Identity eventually morphed into Triborn with the same cast and crew: https://www.facebook.com/tribornmovie?fref=ts
Their Kickstarter campaign starts this week so if folk were interested, we might be seeing more details soon.
(Fake)
https://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fpre08.deviantart.net%2Faf28%2Fth%2Fpre%2Fi%2F2015%2F199%2F6%2F6%2Fneil_blomcamp_aliens_5_by_nelostic-d91t4yd.png&hash=490b7fc362cb6a4a0712fd2248da7e5928728ade
yeh, copyright laws suck
Why would they think that? It's doubtful actual footage has even begun to be shot yet.
^^^I agree with this. For instance, we know Hicks is back, and FOX is likely intending to use that fact as a talking point for publicity, as the masses consume the information. We still don't know if Newt is back, so imagine you are searching for info on the new official Alien film, which will have a "with characters surviving after Aliens" dialogue surrounding it, and then you start to see this info regarding these actors from Aliens, showing up in this other UN-official Alien film, which also has a "with characters surviving after Aliens" dialogue surrounding it,.. It's just bad timing on their part.
As a filmmaker, I have a hard enough time trying to get excited about fan-films. A number of colleagues of mine are involved in the making of some of the bigger ones as of late. What I really don't get, is wanting to make fan-films that exist outside of the continuity...
I fully get the idea of making a fan film that exists as a side-quel or some other story you didn't get to see that doesn't tread on the continuity. It irks me, especially with the Alien franchise, because this series' continuity lends itself perfectly to new stories and unseen stories, so I can't understand from the storytelling side of filmmaking, why fans insist on returning to things that already happened, or didn't happen the way they liked, or some alternate version of something that they liked...
I'm not judging really, not at this point, but with the recent apparent omission of Alien 3, from the official continuity, and the fan films that keep focusing on these characters having not died,.. I guess I'm just trying to understand the motivation or how someone finds that motivating. I just don't understand why people are MORE excited to revisit and revise, than they are to create wholly new additions to the mythology - something fan films can absolutely do. Ive seen many people post fascinating new ideas... So while I'm specifically asking: Why do we remain so fixated on Newt and Hicks? To me it's more an issue of wondering why this is so motivating to fans in general. Wouldn't you rather make a fan film that could potentially be considered part of the franchise by fans?
With respect to those characters, I get that we never got to see them do more, and that seems unfair or something, but you know... what's done is done? As a storyteller, it seems more exciting to be liberated from the constrains of interupting continuity, than to keep retooling it.
Someone will no doubt tell me what we got after their deaths occurred was never as good... But honestly, that's not because those characters died, it was just because the soup wasn't made well. It wasn't that they moved on from them, it was just the specific decisions made, once they decided to. So that isn't an argument for bringing them back, instead of moving on. In fact, its why I don't mind deleting A:R, because that film also refused to move on, after killing off Ripley, even if I like some of the new content... They were in the perfect position to move on to something else and they didn't. Why?
Well, and I've been dancing around this point, but the reason why is because they feel like the "characters surviving who previously died" has built-in publicity. Do you see? Because it instantly gets people blogging and typing and hyping and guessing and so on, and that is why it happens.
As for ALIEN: IDENTITY, I would love to see those filmmakers ask Fox for permission to tell a separate ALIEN story with no connection to the continuity and still use the same talent. That's much more exciting to me as a fan.
I don't think it's necessarily anything to do with the stories being the same. Fox thinking potential audiences would feel 'confused' by it, is just their typical view of fans. It's more likely to be because of the timing similarity, having a couple of actors who are officially linked with the series and taking the same road of trying to directly lead on from 'Aliens' (if recent speculation is to be believed).
I suspect those were the only elements Fox needed to start feeling justified in the 'would-confuse-the-public' stuff.
I'm in no rush to go to see Genesys.
Its no doubt it'll be financial win, but it won't be for the fans base, its bound to build an expectation that can't be meet.
These semi reboot/ retcon sequel have to be vastly superior to their failed predecessors to justify their creation and the never entirely succeed in pulling that off.
As as we've seen with Terminator Genisys, it may claim to be a more true sequel but apparently critics and movie goers have not been that impressed and its no performed so well Domestically. Sure it may just recoup finances internationally, but it seems that if a fan base has been burned enough times they'll avoid it.
For once, we agree.
Not really.
There's far more Aliens fans out there than Alien 3 fans. And while they are quite vocal, the hardcore Alien 3 fans are really only a very small minority.
Fox and Blomkamp will simply cater for the larger fanbase which will likely make it a financial win for them.
Yeah, this. While I certainly don't want them to write off any of the existing films, if they insist on doing it I'd rather they just ignored them than come up with some convoluted workaround. Because every workaround I've heard suggested is just ridiculous.
Its a no win situation. If it still connects to Alien 3 fans of Aliens aren't going to be interested due to the event of that film killing off their favourite characters. And if it only follows Aliens fans of Alien 3 are going to be disappointed that they coped out.
One other approach that could be taken is that we see fully grown up Newt, it centres on her facing off against the Xenomorphs, taking over the mantle of Ripley as it were.
However by the end of the 3rd act it turns out not to be the real Newt, she's a synthetic replica of her, programmed with implanted fabricated memories, believing herself to be human on aware of her true being. Ist a form of trial run experiment for Extermination of Xenomorphs, so in this twist its still ties to Alien 3 with Newt being dead.
Though an odd flip of expectations I'm really not keen on the idea of "The events of this film turn out to be a dream all along so it ties into the cannon of Alien 3"
It would also come across as a big waste of time for fans wanting Newt back, it'd be completely misleading.
I hope that Alien 3 isn't going to be given the Bobby Ewing or Roseanne treatment. That would be the LAST thing the franchise needs. If that happens, if the dream explanation is used in the official product, that would do more harm than good.
Much like that gritty Power Rangers fan film, the owners of Power Rangers Saban have constantly attempted to have it removed, but it still can be traced online for fans to see if they wish.
Wonder if Fox will file a cease and desists to the maker of Predator Dark Age and have that removed, he should be able to get away with it owing to it being a non profit fan film.
Can I ask the other members here. Concerning the upcoming Neill Blomkamp Alien sequel. How do you think they'll approach the continuity. Will it follow after Alien Resurrection? "I highly doubt it will" or is it likely to discount the vents of Alien 3 following Alien and Aliens. Owing to Blomkamp's comment this is most likely route they're taking.
What approach its the more pleasing?
KEEP IT AS A STRAIGHT UP SEQUEL?
Following Alien Resurrection with Alien 5 but make up for the last movie being a let down by making this new one immensely satisfying and redeeming the series that we'll accept it. "Which a tall order and near to impossible to accomplish."
RETCON ALIEN 3 AND 4 ALTOGETHER?
Or Outright ignoring Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection in the approach of Superman Returns ignoring the vents of Superman 3 & 4.
INTRODUCE TIME TRAVEL? ;:/
Or introducing Time travel and altering timelines, going back to a certain event around the time of Aliens and change the circumstances altering history leading to a whole new timeline.
This would allow an opportunity to retcon Alien 3 and Alien restore the status quo of Aliens, keeping the dynamic of Ripley, Hicks and Newt, something many fans would be satisfied with. But at the same time it comes across as contrived fan wank, essentially a lazy writing cliche.
Although it worked in X-Men Days of Future Past, while not a perfect movie its one of the more well recevied X-Men movies of the series and was a solid blockbuster that also rectified events of the 3rd movie where several characters were killed off. But on the other hand it could turn out like Terminator Genisys and really irritate the fans who are so intrenched with the continuity they don't want to see it messed with.
Which or these options would be the most satisfying.
i hate PR excuses.
Just tell the truth.
I imagine this is the big thing here. The retcon and survival of the Aliens characters.
Fox would know Blomkamp's script and I assume they got hold of the Identity script (or a summary) as well.
Ignoring Alien 3 and Newt surviving is already a shared trait between the films.
All such a shame. Predator Dark Ages, if anything, had a positive effect on Predator, bringing the character back into people's minds. It's all free promotion for Fox.
Yeah, this fan film must have cost quite a few quid so far. So either they should have done like you said, create their own original IP or otherwise have gotten express written permission from Fox before proceeding too far.
I actually thought this might cause confusion and was wondering if they were going to stall the project until after Alien 5's release or whether they were just going to plough ahead with their own story.
While I wasn't exactly waiting on bated breath for this, it's never nice to see guys who are clearly passionate about a project get shut down.