Aliens Script - May 28th 1985

[Corporal Hicks]

I've seen physical copies of this draft shared on the various collector groups but it's not one that seems to be out there on the net. I came across this supposed write-up of that particular draft. I've not had a chance to read through it yet.

[SM]

I've seen the one with the May 28 date online for a long time.

[Corporal Hicks]

I've only seen the Feb and September drafts that I can remember. Fair enough, though. Here it is for those of us who haven't! 

[Whiskeybrewer]

Seems quite close to the Directors cut from what Ive read so far

[SM]

The initial treatment had some significant differences, but once it got to the screenplay stage Aliens didn't change very much.

[FenGiddel]

Thanks, Hicks. 

[oduodu]

Haven't read this one yet .

Thanks

[Whiskeybrewer]

The initial treatment had some significant differences, but once it got to the screenplay stage Aliens didn't change very much.

That's true. I remember reading an earlier treatment where Dietrich survived for a lot longer

[Scorpio]

Some of the dialogue for this first draft is actually pretty bad.  Like The Room type bad.

[SiL]

Typically on your first draft you're just trying to get the story nutted out, so you write whatever dialogue drives the plot and moves on.

The original treatment has some very significant differences -- Bishop is actually untrustworthy, Hicks dies, Hudson gets grabbed earlier and communicates his death over the 'comm channel, etc. -- but once the first draft was done I don't think I've ever seen a script change so little from page to screen.

[Scorpio]

Bishop is actually untrustworthy

How so?

[SiL]

He doesn't pick up Ripley, Newt and Hicks (and even says to Ripley "You were right about me!") when he gets the dropship, but that's also explained that his programming wouldn't let him pick them up for whatever reason.

Ripley, Hicks and Newt then take a sedative to let themselves be taken into the hive, because there's a colony escape shuttle but the Aliens have built their hive over it. When they wake up Hicks has been impregnated; Ripley gives him the grenade to kill himself with (Burke in the finished script) and she and Newt take off in the shuttle with the Queen in tow.

[SM]

Typically on your first draft you're just trying to get the story nutted out, so you write whatever dialogue drives the plot and moves on.

The original treatment has some very significant differences -- Bishop is actually untrustworthy, Hicks dies, Hudson gets grabbed earlier and communicates his death over the 'comm channel, etc. -- but once the first draft was done I don't think I've ever seen a script change so little from page to screen.

Same.  Apart from some very minor changes to dialogue and switching all of of Wierzbowskis dialogue largely to Frost, it's incredibly close.

[Corporal Hicks]

He doesn't pick up Ripley, Newt and Hicks (and even says to Ripley "You were right about me!") when he gets the dropship, but that's also explained that his programming wouldn't let him pick them up for whatever reason.

IIRC it's to do with not allowing the Aliens to spread.

[oduodu]

The original treatment has some very significant differences -- Bishop is actually untrustworthy, Hicks dies, Hudson gets grabbed earlier and communicates his death over the 'comm channel, etc

I have read this don't where though.