Why the AVP films are set on Earth

Started by Scorpio, Jan 23, 2018, 07:46:33 AM

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Why the AVP films are set on Earth (Read 5,281 times)

Scorpio

Scorpio

This has to do with studio politics, nothing to do with fan fiction.

On the Making of AVP documentary they mentioned 'warring producers'.  I assume this is John Davis (producer of Predator) VS David Giler/Walter Hil (producer of Alien).

We all know Peter Briggs script was rejected.

I am wondering if it was David Giler/Walter Hill who vetoed AVP in space, to avoid stepping on the toes of the Alien series, and they reached a compromise where they can set on Earth and make it more of a Predator movie.

Any opinions on this? 

SiL

SiL

#1
Davis' justification was saying making it on Earth would be scarier.

Corporal Hicks

As SiL says. I think Davis says that on the DVD? Also, Briggs' script was rejected, it just sort of all went to nothing due to the in-fighting which seemed to be primarily around percentage of profits.

SM

SM

#3
Much the same as everything after Alien 3, I don't think Giler, Hill and Carroll had much to do creatively with AvP.

Scorpio

Quote from: SiL on Jan 23, 2018, 08:31:18 AM
Davis' justification was saying making it on Earth would be scarier.

He talks like a salesman.

SiL

SiL

#5
That's how a producer do.

But still, there's never been any indication that setting it on Earth in present day was a contractual obligation, just what the producer wanted.

Wweyland

Wasn't it Anderson's idea to set it in Antartica all along? I doubt he planned the temple on an ice planet and was forced to set it on Earth.
I remember being described how he arrived in the studio all giggly with his sketches and storyboards and the producers being impressed.

SiL

SiL

#7
That was Anderson's idea, yes, but Davis had been commissioning scripts set on Earth prior.

Corporal Hicks

Aye. The story that was doing the rounds prior to Anderson being attached sounded like an adaptation of Eternal which was Earth-bound.

Scorpio

Setting it on Antarctica makes no difference to setting it on another planet.  You still have to build the sets, as you can't actually film it in Antarctica.  They built the model for the boat as well, that could have been a spaceship easily.

There are plenty of movies with a lower budget than AVP that are set on another planet.  Screamers for example.

So it's not money that is the issue here, they could have set it on another planet but didn't.

SM

SM

#10
Does anyone say it was money?

Davis wanted it set on Earth as SiL said.

SiL

SiL

#11
It was probably a money thing for AvPR, admittedly.

SM

SM

#12
You'd think so, considering the extensive use of existing locations.

OpenMaw

OpenMaw

#13
Though, to be fair, I swear I remember Biggs mentioning money being a concern with his AVP script. It was going to be super expensive.

Corporal Hicks

Indeed. I believe he wrote out a few set pieces in the second draft to reduce the cost of that attempt.

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