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I'm not front paging this because it's nothing really new - http://www.forbes.com/sites/simonthompson/2016/08/01/michael-biehn-talks-aliens-30th-anniversary-his-production-company-and-his-alien-future/#39f5e6f41063

QuoteST: Will we see you and Sigourney Weaver on screen together again?

MB: Do you want to long version of the short version? When you think about Aliens, that final third part of the movie is about Sigourney's character, Ripley, saving Newt and my character, Hicks, helping her. To have Newt and I gone when the third one started, I think, immediately turned off a lot of fans from the franchise. To me, it didn't work and neither did the fourth film or Alien vs Predator movies so I thought the franchise was dead. I got a call a few years ago from Neill Blomkamp and my agent say he wants to put me in his new movie, he was interested in me playing the antagonist and could I film myself doing a scene for him – it didn't feel like an audition. I thought I did a pretty good job but I got a call from my agent saying I didn't get the part and I was surprised because I thought he wanted me to be in it. I was disappointed, I've been disappointed before when I didn't get a part and with things like Avatar and the third Alien movie, but the next thing I hear is that Sigourney Weaver is doing the movie. I looked it up on IMDB and she was doing the part that I guess I was auditioning for! I was like, 'Sigourney, you're killing me!'.

ST: He's working on an Alien-related project so what about that?

MB: Well, she's doing the movie, Chappie, and he pitches her an idea for another movie in the Alien franchise, which I thought was dead and gone as she probably did too as well as Fox. He tweeted out some pictures of me, he said he's going take the third and fourth film and act like they never happened and things blew up. It looked like it was all go and then Ridley Scott decided that he was going to do a second and third film in the Prometheus series, but Sigourney says they are still doing their project. I think it would be very embarrassing to Fox if they don't give Sigourney the movie that she really wants to go out on. I don't know when it's going to happen but I know it's going to happen and I know I'm going to be in it and there's going to be a new Newt, she's going to be about 26 or 27 and looks a lot like Jennifer Lawrence to me but I don't know. Maybe there'll be a passing of whatever and then the franchise can move on so they can make more money because that's what it's all about.

Thank you Michael and Sigourney for continually stoking this fire. I want the film to happen, but just can't picture where it would fit release-date wise.

Covenant
A5
Covenant Sequel
Covenant Sequel

?

That just seems so messy to me.

I could picture:

Covenant - 2017
Covenant Sequel - 2019
Covenant Sequel - 2021
Alien 5 - 2023

And by that time Sigourney would be 74, and Michael would be 67. Which is fine, because Harrison is 74 and is doing a new Indiana Jones movie. Additionally, the age thing has never been an issue with me, so it's mystifying why it's an issue with others. A) They're acting B) They don't have to be in action-heavy roles or scenes C) Enlist a young, A-list actress for Newt to accompany them, a'la Winona Ryder being paired with Sigourney on Resurrection.

The only thing is that alcohol clearly has done a number on Michael. Seems like he would have trouble reading lines. That could be awkward.

I think the second option is the more realistic at the minute. Assuming Covenant actually does well, I mean. Perhaps Weaver can make some sort of deal with Fox and Cameron so she is released to work on Alienkamp after Neill is finished The Gone World. Perhaps the best we could hope for is for them to film sometime around 2019/20 and release whenever.

I still hope this one won't happen.  Not now, not ever.

Since D9 I wanted Blokamp to do Alien film. Just not this particular Alien film.

Quote from: Master on Aug 08, 2016, 07:07:18 PM
I still hope this one won't happen.  Not now, not ever.

Since D9 I wanted Blokamp to do Alien film. Just not this particular Alien film.

Agreed!

Quote from: BishopShouldGo on Aug 01, 2016, 07:50:01 PM
Thank you Michael and Sigourney for continually stoking this fire. I want the film to happen, but just can't picture where it would fit release-date wise.

Covenant
A5
Covenant Sequel
Covenant Sequel

?

That just seems so messy to me.

I could picture:

Covenant - 2017
Covenant Sequel - 2019
Covenant Sequel - 2021
Alien 5 - 2023

No guarantee for Covenant sequels.  Alien Resurrection was supposed to have sequels but that didn't pan out (also A:R was a sequel to a movie with mixed critical reception like Prometheus).  I can see them making Alien 5 regardless, just like how they made AVP after A:R.

Glad to hear Michael Biehn is still so stoked about this movie and that he clearly believes it is going to happen.  I am actually more excited for this than for Covenant, but I'll take them all...

Prometheus didn't have a mixed reaction.
Nor did Alien3.

I would say you all could make a drinking game out of every time they say "Alien 5 Will Happen!" but you all would get alcohol poisoning. :D

Quote from: g2vd on Aug 09, 2016, 10:19:19 PM
I would say you all could make a drinking game out of every time they say "Alien 5 Will Happen!" but you all would get alcohol poisoning. :D

LOL!

So bloody true!

Quote from: SM on Aug 09, 2016, 06:15:56 AM
Prometheus didn't have a mixed reaction.
Nor did Alien3.

Yes they did.

Quote from: BishopShouldGo on Aug 01, 2016, 07:50:01 PM
The only thing is that alcohol clearly has done a number on Michael. Seems like he would have trouble reading lines. That could be awkward.

They could probably write his drinking into the script. Seems understandable someone would probably develop a drinking problem after seeing their whole squad wiped out by Aliens.

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 10, 2016, 12:26:17 AM

Quote from: SM on Aug 09, 2016, 06:15:56 AM
Prometheus didn't have a mixed reaction.
Nor did Alien3.

Yes they did.

No they didn't.  Prometheus had a positive response (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/prometheus_2012/).  Alien3 had a negative response (https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/alien3).

Quote from: PsyKore on Aug 10, 2016, 12:30:56 AM

Quote from: BishopShouldGo on Aug 01, 2016, 07:50:01 PM
The only thing is that alcohol clearly has done a number on Michael. Seems like he would have trouble reading lines. That could be awkward.

They could probably write his drinking into the script. Seems understandable someone would probably develop a drinking problem after seeing their whole squad wiped out by Aliens.

Yes, that works.  Sad as that may be.  Hicks had a drinking problem in the Verheiden series.

Quote from: PsyKore on Aug 10, 2016, 12:30:56 AM

Quote from: BishopShouldGo on Aug 01, 2016, 07:50:01 PM
The only thing is that alcohol clearly has done a number on Michael. Seems like he would have trouble reading lines. That could be awkward.

They could probably write his drinking into the script. Seems understandable someone would probably develop a drinking problem after seeing their whole squad wiped out by Aliens.

They did it in the Verheiden comics and I think that worked really well. Assuming it's not a sensitive subject for Biehn, it'd make sense and probably work really well having it in the film too. It's a completely understandable reaction.

Man now I feel bad for Micheal Biehn. Old and left hanging, it can't get worse than that.

What if Alien 5 starts off on the Sulaco and ends on Fiorina 161 with Ripley crashing?

Between all that some crazy mission actually happens with Ripley and the gang. They get boarded by a huge space ship which flies to a space station. Meanwhile an egg or 2 were on the Sulaco somehow and they start spreading around....While Ripley and the gang are in the med center alarms start going off, etc...

Or they can pretend Ripley is dreaming in the beginning,  so as to make people think A3 and A4 were dreams, but than actually escapes in the end from the space station and crash lands on Fiorina...

Quote from: Nostromo on Aug 16, 2016, 03:19:30 AM
What if Alien 5 starts off on the Sulaco and ends on Fiorina 161 with Ripley crashing?

Between all that some crazy mission actually happens with Ripley and the gang. They get boarded by a huge space ship which flies to a space station. Meanwhile an egg or 2 were on the Sulaco somehow and they start spreading around....While Ripley and the gang are in the med center alarms start going off, etc...

Or they can pretend Ripley is dreaming in the beginning,  so as to make people think A3 and A4 were dreams, but than actually escapes in the end from the space station and crash lands on Fiorina...

There are several camps on this subject and the people on all sides are very passionate with their opinions.  I am sure some will like your idea, and others will lambaste you.  Anyway, there is a great thread for people to try to figure out a way to make Aliens 5 work with Alien 3 while still bringing back Hicks, Rips, and Newt.  I can assure you though that every time somebody posts something in there, somebody unleashes vitriol on them.  It's a funny read actually at times.  Give it a go, but be warned...

AvPGalaxy Forums » Films/TV » Alien Films » Alien 5 » Topic:  A way to make Blomkamp's Alien work without retconning Alien 3 or Resurrection?


http://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=54483.0

It's futile to speculate, considering Neill and Sigourney confirmed it'll take place after Aliens, and not before A3 and A4.

Quote from: whiterabbit on Aug 10, 2016, 08:41:59 AM
Man now I feel bad for Micheal Biehn. Old and left hanging, it can't get worse than that.

I've felt bad for the guy since the Abyss.  I mean that was a stellar performance.  You could hardly even tell it was the same guy.  He nailed Terminator, he kicked royal ass in Aliens, he rocked the Abyss.  It was all net!  And then bam, he faded away.  It was all dumb luck too.  He just didn't get the good parts after that or his character was killed off in all the other films.  The guy IS a brilliant actor, he just needs that big role again.  Maybe Cameron will look at him for some Avatar thing?

I think that a lot of the people on here who are all about getting the best story by continuing after Alien Resurrection, and they're not willing to consider a retcon of Alien 3.  Mark my words, the possibility of allowing Biehn to do another Aliens film would do wonders for this man's life.  Sometimes you can't fix things that happened in life, and sometimes, heck why not?

Come on, that's your second chance kiddo, and I think personally for you it would be the best thing in the world to get out there and face this thing.  Get back on the horse!

He's an alcoholic, and I'm guessing that stopped him getting hired.

I really hoped he'd enjoy some sort of renaissance after Planet Terror, but it never happened.  Not to say he hasn't been working solidly for years (and also sober), but Stallone at least needs to put him in an Expendables movie or something.

Quote from: Nostromo on Aug 16, 2016, 03:19:30 AM
What if Alien 5 starts off on the Sulaco and ends on Fiorina 161 with Ripley crashing?

You probably could sandwich an 'ALIEN' movie in there.  In order for the continuity to work, you would need young actors, though.  You would need a 36 year old playing Ripley and a 30 something playing Hicks.  Also, Newt would have to be played by a girl.  Obviously, Weaver, Biehn and Henn are out of the question now.   How would you explain Ripley's mysterious aging and de-aging?  Sci-fi mumbo jumbo bollocks aint gonna cut it. 

Some people will argue that these characters can only be played by the original actors but what they forget is that those portrayals are just the actors interpretations of those characters.  Any well cast actor can do it.  Other actors playing those roles are just as valid.  The real problem is America's 'Culture of Celebrity' that takes precedence over good story telling.  We've seen it multiple times already where older actors - getting beyond their ability to portray characters they excelled at - have returned.  As a result, the story is written to accommodate justifying having these actors in place - and these stories are generally shit; or mediocre at best.  Bringing back aging actors has proven time and again to be the most damaging and wasteful means of making these movies.

'Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull', 'Terminator Genisys' and 'Star Wars - Force Awakens' all suffered because of this 'Culture of Celebrity'.  Each one of these movies made it a priority for the story to fit the actor - and not the other way around.  And sure, while Ford, Fisher and Schwarzeneggar all put in great performances and were the best thing about these movies, they were each just jewels buried in a turd.  There was nothing to be gained for the greater good of these movies by using these actors in those roles because the movie was a vehicle for them rather than being a decent narrative.

We really needed a fresh actor playing Harrison Ford in a rollicking 1930's adventure.  Fans want to know more about the war between men and machines in 2029.  What exactly did happen to the Galaxy in the weeks and months following the Emperor's demise?  These would have been much better scenarios to explore in cinema, but no.  We had to choke on derivative at best cinema just so familiar (aged) faces can reprise roles they made their own. The fact is, all these actors were past their ability to do the story justice - and it showed.

It's not enough to just recast the same actors and shoe horn the story that really doesn't need to be told around them.   After all, there are many movies and TV shows like 'James Bond', 'Sherlock Holmes', 'Doctor Who' which have strengthened because they have not been constipated into oblivion by having the one actor constantly representing the character. Fresh actors have given New Life and a fresh approach to every one of these very popular shows/movies.  You will also notice that not one of these is American based.  Only does the American entertainment industry insist that alternative and worthwhile interpretations of characters be non-transferable. 

So will we see an ALIEN movie sandwiched between 'ALIENS' and 'ALIEN 3'?  Sure.  If the American film industry (and the fans) can get behind the idea that actors of appropriate age other than Weaver and Biehn can play those roles. 

But I doubt it.  It would be cool, though. 

-Windebieste.

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 16, 2016, 03:42:31 AM
I can assure you though that every time somebody posts something in there, somebody unleashes vitriol on them.  It's a funny read actually at times.  Give it a go, but be warned...

Just because your ideas weren't met with unanimous agreement, doesn't mean people "unleashed vitriol". You were disagreed with and from what I remember it was mature discussion.

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 16, 2016, 03:42:31 AM
I can assure you though that every time somebody posts something in there, somebody unleashes vitriol on them.  It's a funny read actually at times.  Give it a go, but be warned...

Hahahahaha...it's one of those threads eh..
Honestly I could care less about another Ripley Alien movie..just trying to figure out how in the world they're going to get Hicks and Newt in there without it being a dream. Throw my crappy idea in that thread for a joke let's see who throws vitriol first lol.

---

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Aug 16, 2016, 07:27:21 AM

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 16, 2016, 03:42:31 AM
I can assure you though that every time somebody posts something in there, somebody unleashes vitriol on them.  It's a funny read actually at times.  Give it a go, but be warned...

Just because your ideas weren't met with unanimous agreement, doesn't mean people "unleashed vitriol". You were disagreed with and from what I remember it was mature discussion.

Oops..just read this..perfect organism what did you do to get acid splatteted all over you.

---

Quote from: windebieste on Aug 16, 2016, 07:04:34 AM

Quote from: Nostromo on Aug 16, 2016, 03:19:30 AM
What if Alien 5 starts off on the Sulaco and ends on Fiorina 161 with Ripley crashing?

Some people will argue that these characters can only be played by the original actors but what they forget is that those portrayals are just the actors interpretations of those characters.  Any well cast actor can do it.  Other actors playing those roles are just as valid.  The real problem is America's 'Culture of Celebrity' that takes precedence over good story telling.  We've seen it multiple times already where older actors - getting beyond their ability to portray characters they excelled at - have returned.  As a result, the story is written to accommodate justifying having these actors in place - and these stories are generally shit; or mediocre at best.  Bringing back aging actors has proven time and again to be the most damaging and wasteful means of making these movies.

'Indiana Jones and the Crystal Skull', 'Terminator Genisys' and 'Star Wars - Force Awakens' all suffered because of this 'Culture of Celebrity'.  Each one of these movies made it a priority for the story to fit the actor - and not the other way around.

-Windebieste.

I don't know why people get attached to the same actors so much instead of going with a better story but with new actors. I used to think the same way though... What made me realize that a great story can be told without missing or needing the old actors was reading Star Wars comics pre and post The original trilogy. When Dark Horse started printing Star Wars comics without the trio of Han, Luke and Leia I was like there's no way this is going to work..it will suck without them. But story after story kept proving me wrong.

My whole point is I don't get why some people are Ripley fanatics. What does she do that someone else can't do better. Do you enjoy watching Ripley more than the Alien itself? In my book the Ripley and Hicks idea shipped off in the sunset 10 years ago...if not 20.

They were great for Alien & Aliens, but we need to let them go for the franchise's sake. Yes it would be fun to see them go at it again, but at the same time I just don't see what the story will be about.

It won't be as fresh and terrorizing as it will be with seeing a whole new cast and crew going in with no idea what an Alien is. I wish every Alien movie there is a fresh new set of victims actually. Better to exhaust that idea than to have humans experementing and all the crazy scientist stuff we've seen in the 90's with AR and those Aliens comics.

PS: Having said all that, to each his and her own. Everyone has their opinion. :)

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Aug 16, 2016, 07:27:21 AM

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 16, 2016, 03:42:31 AM
I can assure you though that every time somebody posts something in there, somebody unleashes vitriol on them.  It's a funny read actually at times.  Give it a go, but be warned...

Just because your ideas weren't met with unanimous agreement, doesn't mean people "unleashed vitriol". You were disagreed with and from what I remember it was mature discussion.

Thanks you, Hicks.

I would agree with him on one point, it can be a funny read at times but simply because of how passionate the fans get and some throw in funny jokes in their posts. Winde and I are probably particularly guilty of this. XD

But I don't think anyone was trying to personally insult anyone lol or you would've stepped in... after all, they say heat and conflict attracts the Mods who come to claim trophies for their Ban Wall.

And Windebieste, I agree, I think this series can benefit a lot from distancing itself from these actors. But I think the series will do much better if it distances itself from the characters too. Look at Predator, it does quite well and we had each main actor in one movie etc. The real characters here are the Predators themselves and the franchise knows and respects this. It did try to bring Arnie back a few times, but strictly for the storyline sense as well as to put butts on seats in a cinema. But if Arnie turns down the role, some people may grumble but no one will lose any sleep over it.

But with Alien, my friend even pointed it out to me, Alien has two characters - Xenomorph and Ellen Ripley while Predator only has the Predator.

Ripley has stuck to it so much that people now can't see Alien as its own thing anymore. It literally has to ride on the back of Ripley, and if not Ellen, then *insert name* Ripley will take Ellen's place. I think that's really detrimental to the story because Alien is a huge pseudo-realistic universe and this tether to RIpley makes it much smaller and less scarier not to mention way too coincidental.

Like as if the universe is alive and hates the RIpley family for some reason.

Instead of it being all a random chance and have humanity as a species go through this nightmare together. But the message here seems to be "if you're not Ripley or your destiny is not intertwined with her's, you ain't got nothing to worry about."

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 16, 2016, 03:55:47 AMI've felt bad for the guy since the Abyss.  I mean that was a stellar performance.  You could hardly even tell it was the same guy.  He nailed Terminator, he kicked royal ass in Aliens, he rocked the Abyss.  It was all net!  And then bam, he faded away.

What, WHAT?

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 16, 2016, 03:55:47 AM

Quote from: whiterabbit on Aug 10, 2016, 08:41:59 AM
Man now I feel bad for Micheal Biehn. Old and left hanging, it can't get worse than that.

I've felt bad for the guy since the Abyss.  I mean that was a stellar performance.  You could hardly even tell it was the same guy.  He nailed Terminator, he kicked royal ass in Aliens, he rocked the Abyss.  It was all net!  And then bam, he faded away.  It was all dumb luck too.  He just didn't get the good parts after that or his character was killed off in all the other films.  The guy IS a brilliant actor, he just needs that big role again. 

Major roles (one of which the male lead) in three big films (two of which are bona fide classics) is not bad at all.

QuoteMaybe Cameron will look at him for some Avatar thing?

Unlikely with Siggy around. She was after all the reason he lost out on the first Avatar.

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Aug 16, 2016, 07:27:21 AM
...and from what I remember it was mature discussion.

No it wasn't, you had to delete quite a few posts.  :laugh:
http://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=54986.msg2130618#msg2130618 (http://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=54986.msg2130618#msg2130618)

Quote from: The Eighth Passenger on Aug 16, 2016, 05:44:40 PM
No it wasn't, you had to delete quite a few posts.  :laugh:
http://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=54986.msg2130618#msg2130618 (http://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=54986.msg2130618#msg2130618)

Wow, I didn't see that.  :laugh:

I was thinking of the thread Perfect Organism started, the one where he tried to explain how to make both timelines fit.

I remember it being mostly a civil discussion... mostly....

Biehn lost out on Chappie too. He was supposed to have Weaver's role.

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Aug 16, 2016, 07:27:21 AM

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 16, 2016, 03:42:31 AM
I can assure you though that every time somebody posts something in there, somebody unleashes vitriol on them.  It's a funny read actually at times.  Give it a go, but be warned...

Just because your ideas weren't met with unanimous agreement, doesn't mean people "unleashed vitriol". You were disagreed with and from what I remember it was mature discussion.

I am not even referring to my own ideas.  It seemed like most ideas that people put out there were met with a lot of this is stupid, this is stupid, this is stupid!  Rather than exploring ideas to see where they could go, people were just knocking everything.  I don't know, maybe vitriol is too strong a word, but it's tongue in cheek anyway.  I mean at the end of the day, it's just a movie for Pete's sakes.  But the way some people react to ideas which are all in fun anyway is beyond me.  ::)

I have to say though that I was pushing for a retcon of Alien 3 and Resurrection with a Facebook page dedicated to the subject even before Blomkamp's first sketches and announcement came out.  But out of respect for the fans of those films, I started a thread to see if there was a way to connect the ideas of bringing back Hicks, Newt, and Ripley while still making Alien 3 and Resurrection work in-canon.  Ultimately any of those ideas, whether mine or someone else's were thoroughly shot down, by people who actually seemed angry at the ideas.  Maybe the discussions didn't fully go overboard in that thread, but things were definitely teetering on the verge of civility.  And what for?

But there's a way to test the waters of course.  Post your ideas in the thread Nostromo.  Let's see if we can stir up an intelligent convo this time.

Quote from: The Alien Predator on Aug 16, 2016, 06:23:15 PM
Wow, I didn't see that.  :laugh:

I was thinking of the thread Perfect Organism started, the one where he tried to explain how to make both timelines fit.

I remember it being mostly a civil discussion... mostly....

Oh yeah, that one! Yes, that thread wasn't too bad, I think we only brought out the knives and sharp sticks for that one.  :laugh:

Quote from: The Eighth Passenger on Aug 16, 2016, 05:44:40 PM
Unlikely with Siggy around. She was after all the reason he lost out on the first Avatar.

Was she really? Is that story online somewhere?

Quote
No it wasn't, you had to delete quite a few posts.  :laugh:
http://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=54986.msg2130618#msg2130618 (http://www.avpgalaxy.net/forum/index.php?topic=54986.msg2130618#msg2130618)

That was nothing to do with folk attacking each other. That was due to some schoolyard "Alien 3 rocks", "No it doesn't", "Yes it does" posts.

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Aug 17, 2016, 07:48:31 AMWas she really? Is that story online somewhere?

Unintentionally - after she was cast Cameron decided having Biehn as well would make things too Aliens.

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 16, 2016, 09:17:29 PMI am not even referring to my own ideas.  It seemed like most ideas that people put out there were met with a lot of this is stupid, this is stupid, this is stupid!  Rather than exploring ideas to see where they could go, people were just knocking everything.

Because every suggestion I've seen for how things could be worked around is inherently logically flawed to the point of being ridiculous. There's no point exploring anything if it doesn't make sense on even a basic common-sense level.

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 16, 2016, 03:55:47 AMI've felt bad for the guy since the Abyss.  I mean that was a stellar performance.  You could hardly even tell it was the same guy.  He nailed Terminator, he kicked royal ass in Aliens, he rocked the Abyss.  It was all net!  And then bam, he faded away.

He didn't fade away. As SM said, no one wanted to hire him because he was an alcoholic.

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Aug 17, 2016, 07:48:31 AM
That was nothing to do with folk attacking each other. That was due to some schoolyard "Alien 3 rocks", "No it doesn't", "Yes it does" posts.

"My Alien is better than your Alien!"

:laugh:

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Aug 17, 2016, 07:48:31 AM
Was she really? Is that story online somewhere?

He mentioned it in a video interview. He also kind of obliquely suggests it in your original post.

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Aug 17, 2016, 07:48:31 AM
That was nothing to do with folk attacking each other. That was due to some schoolyard "Alien 3 rocks", "No it doesn't", "Yes it does" posts.

Well, I never saw the original posts. It just looked liked the aftermath of a gunfight. Things can get real nasty, real quick on the Blomkamp Alien board.  :P

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Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Aug 17, 2016, 07:48:31 AM
Was she really? Is that story online somewhere?

He mentioned it in a video interview. He also kind of obliquely suggests it in your original post.

Found that video interview Corporal. From 3:00.

https://youtu.be/hmUH_eA9VGE (https://youtu.be/hmUH_eA9VGE)

Quote from: The Eighth Passenger on Aug 17, 2016, 03:54:44 PM
He also kind of obliquely suggests it in your original post.

That quote makes it sound like he was going for the same role as Weaver (I can't even remember the character names, I only watched it one and a half times. I wasn't a fan.) I always thought he'd have gone for Lang's part if any.

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Quote from: The Eighth Passenger on Aug 17, 2016, 03:54:44 PM
Found that video interview Corporal. From 3:00.

https://youtu.be/hmUH_eA9VGE (https://youtu.be/hmUH_eA9VGE)

Yeah, Lang's part. Fair enough! Makes some sense. Thanks for sharing.

http://linkis.com/dailydead.com/ihM4V

Nothing new again.

QuoteWith Aliens recently celebrating its 30th anniversary, Michael discussed his desire to reteam with Sigourney Weaver and reprise his role as Cpl. Dwayne Hicks in the new Aliens sequel that filmmaker Neill Blomkamp wants to make.

Michael Biehn: I was with Sigourney [Weaver] recently and nothing was officially announced that they were going to make it. Sigourney was going to star and Neill was going to direct, Ridley was going to be the executive producer. Then something happened and Ridley decided he wanted to do Prometheus 2, which is now called Alien: Covenant, so he's doing that. Supposedly he's got a third one that he wants to do also. The question is, are we going to do [the new] Aliens next? I was with Sigourney two weeks ago in front of an audience and we were just hanging out and talking to the audience and she said, "We're making it, we're doing it."

I'm really proud of that [Aliens]. If they make another one I would love to be involved with it. I was hurt when they killed off Hicks and Jim Cameron, when they killed off Newt, I think that just broke his heart because his whole movie was about saving Newt.

[Alien 3 director] David Fincher at that time was young and they gave him a script that was not very good and he's gone on of course to become the director that he's become, so we'll see. I'm happy with what I have. I hope to do another one, it'd be great.

You know what I would really like it to be, perfectly honest, I'd love Sigourney to be happy with a send-off, a good movie to end her participation in that franchise. We're all getting a little too old to be chasing around aliens. Maybe she wouldn't say that, she likes to work [laughs].

Just keep stoking the fire, Team Alienkamp. We want the movie too.

This one won't happen. They'll let Blokamp make Alien film, just not that particular Alien gilm.

Go Blomkamp go!  You can do it!

Honestly though I admit I am rather interested in the project. not only because of it being a Alien movie but because it does feature those three, even if it will retread old ground.

But if the project was canned and Blomkamp moved on to a new story I really wouldn't mind (Outside of also feeling bad for the actors). as a new story is what is needed for this franchise to survive and grow.

This whole thing does just make me wish even more that Hicks and Newt had survived the crash landing in Alien 3. and the story had followed them from than on like in the original EU, so that way this whole ret-con business would not exist and we could have moved on to new stories.

The best they could do,  best impact those two could achieve to enrich Ripley's story is to die. That was great in A3.

The effect of this whole dumb fan service will be disappointment. If it's made that is.

They should just continue after the events of Alien³. Just have someone dump some of that good ole black goo on the planet and badda-bing badda-boom, resurrection without the bullshit cloning. The gangs dna is splattered all over the place so it is more than possible. pffft :P

This movie is so on life support.

Quote from: whiterabbit on Aug 22, 2016, 09:25:26 PMresurrection without the bullshit cloning.

"Imma gonna Clone this person called Ripley with a 200 Year old dirty blood sample I found on the floor of a dirty fiery Prison Planet which was un-undoubtedly trampled on by several dozen Commandos and Michael Weyland with my magic Clone stuff!"

I'm MD. It is entirely possible to clone something from 200 years old blood. DNA is very resilient.

"I thought you were dead"  "Yeah I get that a lot"

Quote from: Master on Aug 22, 2016, 10:02:32 PMI'm MD. It is entirely possible to clone something from 200 years old blood. DNA is very resilient.

More to the point, the sample had to have been collected soon after the events of the third film and has presumably been in cold storage ever since. It's not like it's just been lying around in the open all that time.

But extracting Alien out of cloned Rip is entirely new level of S-F  ;D

Depends how a Chestburster is made. The old Aliens magazine said a Facehugger merely implants a cancer that forces the host's body to "build" the Chestburster from it's own cells. That kind of messing with the host's DNA would make it at least somewhat plausible to clone them both.

Not saying it's impossible. Just, as you well noticed, that it would require embryo to change it's host on mollecular level. Which always seem to be the case, cause growing Alien featus is not causing GVHD. Minor dehydration, fatigue and some internal discomfort are the only symptoms. Until the inevitable happens.

Several sources (not just that God-awful game ACM) have stated that even if you get the thing out before it explodes from your chest, you'll be full of cancers that will kill you in short order anyway, so obviously it's doing something very unhelpful inside.

Yet A:R seem to contradict with what ACM shown. Ripley 8 is doing just fine. I quite like the idea that removal of chestburster can be only salvation from certain doom.

Ripley 8 isn't human :)

Don't worry, Cancer isn't picky.

Quote from: Master on Aug 24, 2016, 02:55:20 PM
Don't worry, Cancer isn't picky.

Unless you are a Shark. :D

Ripley 8 isn't Shark. I think. Is she?

So yeah, hopefully Biehn will keep stoking the fire.

Quote from: BishopShouldGo on Aug 24, 2016, 04:08:23 PM
So yeah, hopefully Biehn will keep stoking the fire.

Deadpool was stuck in Development Hell for years upon years despite tons of people bringing it up.

Personally the way I see it the thing that will end up getting this movie made is A:C's Box Office and critical performance.

Yes, Biehn, Weaver, and Blomkamp need to keep pushing for this.  There is clearly a strong vision for what this film should be.  It is just like with Deadpool actually.  Alien 3 was basically "the wrong film" and the window to fix the story of the Alien series is closing with the passage of time.  Who knows?  It could be another hit like Deadpool that we're waiting for.  Most of the things we've seen so far are exactly what many fans have been clamoring for for decades.

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 24, 2016, 04:35:00 PMAlien 3 was basically "the wrong film" and the window to fix the story of the Alien series is closing with the passage of time.

Nothing's broken and nothing needs fixing, except in the eyes of people who are somehow still adamant resurrecting Hicks and Newt is the only way to move things forward, despite evidence pointing to the contrary.

I just want a new original story in the Alien Universe that's not a prequel to Alien (1979)

I mean the original movies are utterly fantastic and broke the mold on their respective genres. but I just feel the Ripley storyline has just gone on long enough it's time to end it where it currently is and focus on someone new I mean what more can you do with the character?

I mean they have literally done every possible thing you could do with the character.

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 24, 2016, 04:35:00 PMand the window to fix the story of the Alien series is closing with the passage of time.  Who knows?

You mean a specific part of it.

@Huda Agreed.

Quote from: HuDaFuK on Aug 24, 2016, 04:39:59 PM

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 24, 2016, 04:35:00 PMAlien 3 was basically "the wrong film" and the window to fix the story of the Alien series is closing with the passage of time.

Nothing's broken and nothing needs fixing, except in the eyes of people who are somehow still adamant resurrecting Hicks and Newt is the only way to move things forward, despite evidence pointing to the contrary.

That's just your opinion.  My opinion and countless fans is that it is broken and needs fixing.  I recognize your perspective but don't agree with it.  Even Prometheus and the other sequels are basically building up to the Ripley story.  Ripley and co. are at the center of the Aliens universe.  There's no need to fit her in awkwardly like in Alien Res.  Just ignore Alien 3 ever happened, and proceed to a better story.

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 24, 2016, 05:33:17 PM

Quote from: HuDaFuK on Aug 24, 2016, 04:39:59 PM

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 24, 2016, 04:35:00 PMAlien 3 was basically "the wrong film" and the window to fix the story of the Alien series is closing with the passage of time.

Nothing's broken and nothing needs fixing, except in the eyes of people who are somehow still adamant resurrecting Hicks and Newt is the only way to move things forward, despite evidence pointing to the contrary.

That's just your opinion.  My opinion and countless fans is that it is broken and needs fixing.  I recognize your perspective but don't agree with it.  Even Prometheus and the other sequels are basically building up to the Ripley story.  Ripley and co. are at the center of the Aliens universe.  There's no need to fit her in awkwardly like in Alien Res.  Just ignore Alien 3 ever happened, and proceed to a better story.

So what I am garnering from this is that once Weaver, Biehn and Henn are no longer able to act, Fox might as well abandon the franchise, correct?

Because the Alien and humanity's struggle against it are clearly not the centre for some fans. Alright, I guess that's fair enough, you are free to enjoy this franchise just for Weaver, Biehn and Henn, nothing's stopping you from doing that.

But they are most definitely not, nor will they ever be the centre of this franchise. Once those actors retire, Alien will live on for a very long time with very new talent on screen to face the cosmic terror.

I'm sorry to say this, but the centre was, is and will always be the Xenomorph. Look at the vast amount of merchandise just on the Alien, the Kenner toys, the NECA toys, the games, the comics, the films, the pinball game, the board game, the Facebook game, the freakin' trading cards and other card games and so much more! Ripley is only in some of these, everything else is the Xenomorph.

Many fans wanted Aliens in Prometheus, and want Aliens in Covenant and will be getting them. Last time I remember, some people were disappointed when they announced a Ripley connection in Covenant. So no, it's you opinion, Ripley and co. are the centre of your enjoyment of this franchise (and that's perfectly fine as you are free to enjoy it as you wish), not the actual franchise itself. I could care less for those characters, I'm here for the Alien!  :)

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 24, 2016, 05:33:17 PMRipley and co. are at the center of the Aliens universe.

The over-reliance on Ripley is the single worst thing affecting the franchise at the moment. They really need to move on.

It's sad some so easily shit on work of others.

Quote from: The Alien Predator on Aug 24, 2016, 06:22:37 PM

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 24, 2016, 05:33:17 PM

Quote from: HuDaFuK on Aug 24, 2016, 04:39:59 PM

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 24, 2016, 04:35:00 PMAlien 3 was basically "the wrong film" and the window to fix the story of the Alien series is closing with the passage of time.

Nothing's broken and nothing needs fixing, except in the eyes of people who are somehow still adamant resurrecting Hicks and Newt is the only way to move things forward, despite evidence pointing to the contrary.

That's just your opinion.  My opinion and countless fans is that it is broken and needs fixing.  I recognize your perspective but don't agree with it.  Even Prometheus and the other sequels are basically building up to the Ripley story.  Ripley and co. are at the center of the Aliens universe.  There's no need to fit her in awkwardly like in Alien Res.  Just ignore Alien 3 ever happened, and proceed to a better story.

So what I am garnering from this is that once Weaver, Biehn and Henn are no longer able to act, Fox might as well abandon the franchise, correct?

Because the Alien and humanity's struggle against it are clearly not the centre for some fans. Alright, I guess that's fair enough, you are free to enjoy this franchise just for Weaver, Biehn and Henn, nothing's stopping you from doing that.

But they are most definitely not, nor will they ever be the centre of this franchise. Once those actors retire, Alien will live on for a very long time with very new talent on screen to face the cosmic terror.

I'm sorry to say this, but the centre was, is and will always be the Xenomorph. Look at the vast amount of merchandise just on the Alien, the Kenner toys, the NECA toys, the games, the comics, the films, the pinball game, the board game, the Facebook game, the freakin' trading cards and other card games and so much more! Ripley is only in some of these, everything else is the Xenomorph.

Many fans wanted Aliens in Prometheus, and want Aliens in Covenant and will be getting them. Last time I remember, some people were disappointed when they announced a Ripley connection in Covenant. So no, it's you opinion, Ripley and co. are the centre of your enjoyment of this franchise (and that's perfectly fine as you are free to enjoy it as you wish), not the actual franchise itself. I could care less for those characters, I'm here for the Alien!  :)

These are all individual opinions.  These are yours, and mine are mine.  It really is ok.  No need to lose sleep over it.

The truth is, those actors are still working, so why not give them a chance if this is something they are all ready and willing to do?

Once the actors retire or are no longer around, then maybe we will have other Alien films.  We could still have them even now.  But there is a human story with Hicks, Ripley, and Newt that deserves exploration.  It is an opinion for sure, but believe me there are many, many more people who share this opinion.

Yeah, we'll all just have to agree to disagree. I do think Ripley, Newt and Hicks deserve a correct sendoff.

I don't mind what anyone's opinion is. But acting like the franchise was "broken" by the death of Hicks and Newt is silly, because it's been going for nearly 25 years since then.

It's been underperforming for 25 years.  Nobody is belittling you for thinking that everything is ok, but I, along with many others do think the franchise is broken.  It could have been so much better.

I could have been so much worse. Look at A:CM. You`ve got lots of Aliens vs Marines. Fans always wanted more of those right? It turned out to be the shitiest game entry in A/P franchise on pair with AvP-R.

It`s thirty years since Aliens. Hicks, Newt and Rip as you loved them are long gone. There is no going back for them. They`ll be just sad reminder of times long gone. Just look at Harrison in Indy IV and Carrie Fisher in Ep VII.

QuoteRipley and co. are at the center of the Aliens universe.

No they are not. Hicks and Newt are only at the center of Aliens and Ripley is only at the center of the films because she's the only recurring character in the franchise.

It's like saying that Jurassic Park is beholden to Grant or Ian Malcom (Though in the case of the latter it's debatable whether that's for the best) when it's not, they are a very, very tiny part of the Universe the same as Ripley.

This franchise is called ALIEN not RIPLEY. when people watch Friday The 13th they watch it to see a new group of characters have to deal with Jason and the situations that unfold, contrary to a series like Spider-Man where they specifically go to watch a character called Peter Parker or some variation fight a bunch of villains. Alien is like Friday The 13th where the only constant is the mythology and the Alien NOT RIPLEY.

QuoteYeah, we'll all just have to agree to disagree. I do think Ripley, Newt and Hicks deserve a correct sendoff.

And what does this correct thing end up being? oh yes, a happier ending...THAT'S IT! that's the whole reason anybody wants the ret-con! that is what it always boils down to in most cases that I have seen (Not saying you just generalizing) it's not a legitimate real critique, where the film was mediocre or forgettable but simply because they died...

QuoteBut there is a human story with Hicks, Ripley, and Newt that deserves exploration.

But Ripley has been explored through FOUR MOVIES! how much more exploration do you need?

Quote from: Master on Aug 24, 2016, 07:46:07 PM
I could have been so much worse. Look at A:CM. You`ve got lots of Aliens vs Marines. Fans always wanted more of those right? It turned out to be the shitiest game entry in A/P franchise on pair with AvP-R.

It`s thirty years since Aliens. Hicks, Newt and Rip as you loved them are long gone. There is no going back for them. They`ll be just sad reminder of times long gone. Just look at Harrison in Indy IV and Carrie Fisher in Ep VII.

The Master has pretty much made a good point.

---

Quote from: g2vd on Aug 24, 2016, 07:48:30 PM

QuoteRipley and co. are at the center of the Aliens universe.

No they are not. Hicks and Newt are only at the center of Aliens and Ripley is only at the center of the films because she's the only recurring character in the franchise.

It's like saying that Jurassic Park is beholden to Grant or Ian Malcom (Though in the case of the latter it's debatable whether that's for the best) when it's not, they are a very, very tiny part of the Universe the same as Ripley.

This franchise is called ALIEN not RIPLEY. when people watch Friday The 13th they watch it to see a new group of characters have to deal with Jason and the situations that unfold, contrary to a series like Spider-Man where they specifically go to watch a character called Peter Parker or some variation fight a bunch of villains. Alien is like Friday The 13th where the only constant is the mythology and the Alien NOT RIPLEY.

QuoteYeah, we'll all just have to agree to disagree. I do think Ripley, Newt and Hicks deserve a correct sendoff.

And what does this correct thing end up being? oh yes, a happier ending...THAT'S IT! that's the whole reason anybody wants the ret-con! that is what it always boils down to in most cases that I have seen (Not saying you just generalizing) it's not a legitimate real critique, where the film was mediocre or forgettable but simply because they died...

QuoteBut there is a human story with Hicks, Ripley, and Newt that deserves exploration.

But Ripley has been explored through FOUR MOVIES! how much more exploration do you need?

OH. MY. GOD.

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Aug 01, 2016, 08:04:16 PM
I think the second option is the more realistic at the minute. Assuming Covenant actually does well, I mean. Perhaps Weaver can make some sort of deal with Fox and Cameron so she is released to work on Alienkamp after Neill is finished The Gone World. Perhaps the best we could hope for is for them to film sometime around 2019/20 and release whenever.

The fact Ridley said that most of the Alien Stages are in the movie gets me pumped. I'm gonna watch one trailer for this movie, and after that i'm gonna avoid all reviews and spoiler articles and go into this movie fresh and clean. (Kinda what i did for Warcraft)

I've never actually watched an Alien movie in a Theater before.

I actually wonder if there is a term for all this... Protagonistic Centrism?

The problem with something like Alien, which was made to be a nightmare fuel thriller, was it created an iconic character. That sounds like a good thing, and it totally is, but it also causes people to get dragged into that character's orbit and the escape velocity for that is quite high. I don't think Alien would have had the cinematic impact it did have if Ripley had failed to survive, but it probably would have removed this case of Protagonistic Cetrism.

Ripley won, she has become a heroine, people latch onto that because screw the world, there has to be a winner and it damn well better be the heroine. Her survival was her victory, overshadowing the fact that she was royally screwed over by the events of the first Alien.

Aliens compounded on this Protagonistic Centrism by removing the real fear factor and replacing it with action and adding another awesome hero to orbit around as well as a cute and capable semi-damsel in distress which when added to the Ripley gravity well made a neat system with varied characters for fans to orbit around to their delight.

In comes Alien 3 and literally murders those characters without so much as a moments notice. The fans orbiting around Hicks and Newt were sent off into the abyss as their Centric Protagonists were snuffed out like a light. This is perfectly understandable, as one or two of the most important factors for some of the fans and the victory and stability carried over from the previous movie was shaken up violently from the get go.

The problem with the Protagonistic Centrism is that people often lose sight of the truly centric part of the whole franchise, which is the Alien itself. Ripley, Hicks and Newt, or any combination thereof, totally eclipsed the Alien and that's one of the reasons why the Alien is little more than zombie canon-fodder today.

The Alien is a body horror nightmare fuel space rapist that destroys everything everyone around it cares about or cutting them off from it. The Alien could be considered the perfect incarnation of the common concept of the Judaeo-Christian Hell, cutting off the main characters from all that is good in their world. It's cold, uncaring and, if going by the first movie, animalistically calculating and cocky.

Protagonistic Centrism can't thrive in a universe where the very franchise is the darkest and most violent creature in that universe. Fans of the humans are cast out, floating alone in space, screwed over by these creatures as much as Ripley, Hicks and Newt.

Protagonistic Centrics are out there, aimlessly drifting in their own Narcissus. Sucks, doesn't it? That's what the Alien does. Maybe the corporation will pick you up again, but what you'll get is a cold reminder of how cruel the universe is before being chucked right back into the nightmare.

Ah, Nicely said, Sir.

I like the idea of walking into a new 'ALIENS' movie and not knowing what's going to happen next.  I like being engaged with a new story, fresh characters with as yet undefined motivations.  I'd like to explore the movie from as many different angles and themes as the film maker throws at me. 

I'm not interested in retreading the same ground with the same faces, over and over again.  The first movie was never solely about Ripley and was not called 'E L L E N'.  All the characters appearing in 'ALIEN' have their balanced amount of screen time and the movie is about their collective experience as a group.  It's all about their encountering something they have no hope of escape. 

Ripley only becomes the focus of the story once she is alone, about 80% of the movie is over by then.  It's nonsense these movies are only about her.   In this regard, her survival was never an act of heroism - it was desperate survival.  She was lucky to escape.

Right now, she's been elevated to untouchable status.  Almost Godlike in her ability to overcome one Alien or an entire nest of them.  Even 'ALIEN: Resurrection' gives her near super powers.  I understand some people have trouble coming to terms with  the fact that Ripley gave her life to prevent Aliens from becoming a corporate interest of the worst kind.  It was a meaningful sacrifice.  How on Earth is she supposed to get "the ending she deserves?" and still make Blomkamp's current proposal anything more than shallow fan service of the worst kind?  HOW? ? ? ? ? ?

"Oh, but it wasn't fair.  Hicks died, too.  ...and Newt.  ...boo-hoo." You say.   In case you haven't noticed, life isn't fair. 'Fair' is for children.  If you want to go watch children's entertainment - please, don't let me judge you for that.  I also do so on occasion as well.  As it is, there's very little in the way of good, solid ADULT genre entertainment at the moment at the cinema.  It's all young adult and superhero content.  I don't need to be walked through another 'ALIEN' movie with Ripley safely holding my hand.  I want to be confronted with a difficult to watch, relentless and unmerciful experience to remind me how valuable, precious and fragile human life can be.  These movies are a great platform for that experience and some fans want to turn it into a familiar and safe Saturday morning cartoon show. 

Well, "F*ck that!" I say.  ...and so does Dillon.


LOL.

-Windebieste.

Life isn't fair, but movies aren't life. Movies are an escape from life.

Saying people who don't like Alien 3 just want Saturday morning cartoons is being condescending.

How?

-Windebieste.

Winde also specified in the same post that he likes Saturday morning cartoons and that there's nothing wrong with liking kid's shows. In no way was he being condescending.

His point is not to confuse the tropes from a cartoony franchise where everything's fair and dandy, to a dark and gritty adult oriented pseudo-realistic franchise like Alien which sends the message of how unfair and vulnerable life really is.

Not a lot of film series kill off their main characters. The Predator franchise has yet to kill off a main protagonist lol. Alien had the guts to do it even after several films to say "hey guys, this is how real life basically works... when you give it nightmare steroids."

Bringing back dead characters is just lazy writing. Why not make new ones? Why not make them similar to Hicks and Ripley? A lot of people in real life have similar personalities and skills etc. Why not do that? There's seven billion humans as of 2016, who knows how many there are in 2122 and then 2179 and whenever Alienkamp is set.

You guys ever meet someone and think "oh my God, we are SO alike!"

There's TONS of RIpleys and Hicks and Newts in Alien era humanity... they have yet to find an Alien first. Some people forget that the human race is comprised of many individuals, some of which are totally badass.

This is Mankind vs Alien, not one person constantly finding and surviving a civilization ending monstrosity.

Prometheus showed that, Covenant will show that, Isolation showed that, the mountains of books, comics, games have showed that, even the Predator has showed that with the amount of humans that have faced monsters from other worlds.

What if some director in the future came forth and said he will retcon Aliens because "it has too much of a different theme and didn't give Ripley a proper ending and turned her into an action heroine instead of a survivor?" Then I bet some would finally understand the struggle.  :laugh:

Yeah,f**k Ripley,Hicks and Newt.Let's see some new characters and situations.

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 24, 2016, 07:37:46 PM
It's been underperforming for 25 years.

In the last 25 years there have been 5 Alien films Alien 3, Res, The AVP films and Prometheus

Alien 3 ultimately ended up grossing the same amount if not more than the first two though it did it slower and in different territories compared to the first two as one can see in these Box Office Mojo pages.
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=alien.htm (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=alien.htm)
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=aliens.htm (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=aliens.htm)
http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=alien3.htm (http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=alien3.htm)

And factoring in all the production problems, the film's very downbeat storyline, The Theatrical Cut being the weaker version and itself being radically different from Aliens I say the film did very good, the main problems that lead to Fox considering it a Box Office disappointment are due to it barely surpassing it's listed Budget domestically (Though to be fair several Marvel movies have had that happen to them, it's the Worldwide gross that matters) and coming after Aliens Fox was hoping for a financial home run just like what they had with Aliens, which simply just wouldn't have happened because it's a different genre from Aliens

A:R is definitely more of a financial disappointment. grossing just $47M with a budget of $70M so yes, it did flop hard domestic, but it did end up becoming the highest grossing Alien movie until AVP thanks to some great success overseas and it ended up being a slight improvement over the BO gross of A3, which considering all the weird stuff in A:R is pretty good.

And AVP ended up being the most successful Alien movie released until Prometheus. and a interesting thing is neither AVP films had Ripley in them but yet they were incredibly successful (Especially considering how awful they were).

Quotebut I, along with many others do think the franchise is broken.

So the apparent answer is to...just bring back Ripley and that will solve all the franchise's woes? why? how would that fix it? if anything that would only prove the franchise has no legs or financial viability if it can't live without a certain character that means it should just be ended now if that's true.

QuoteIt could have been so much better.

Agreed. if Fox had just let go of the Ripley character after A3 and didn't try and bring her back with some ridiculous clone stuff and made a new story. we may have already had a Alien 5 maybe we would even be on a 6th, but of course this is just future speculation mumble jumbo.

Quote from: Elmazalman on Aug 24, 2016, 11:37:20 PM
Yeah,f**k Ripley,Hicks and Newt.Let's see some new characters and situations.

You've had AVP, AVPR, Prometheus.  Now you'll have Covenant.  All new characters.  The fans who want new characters got more than a fair treatment.  I say bring these characters back.  And it's not about wanting a kind children's style universe.  Simply put, what happened in Alien 3 and then even more so in Alien Resurrection was so improbable that it is bona fide dumb.  There is no way Ripley wouldn't have gone through the entire are where the Queen was to check and disinfect any signs of the alien.  I mean she didn't even want a dead face-hugger on board the Nostromo.  I am not suggesting that these characters all survive in the next film, but let's have a film which reflects a more likely scenario.  Hicks becomes an alcoholic.  Ripley disappears because she knows too much.  Maybe Hicks disappears too.  Newt ends up in an asylum.  And then we find the home world of the aliens, and the trio regroups for a chance at redemption.  That would work, and it's not contrived, and it's not childish.  It is the natural progression of the series.

Yeah, that's a natural progression. We've invested four hours! Build upon this world! Build upon the characters! I have a relationship with these characters now. An investment. I've built relationships with Indiana Jones, Riggs and Murtaugh, Jason Bourne, etc. I want more of their adventures. Put them in thrilling peril but don't kill them off; or if you're going to kill them off do it correctly! Show us WY headquarters. Delve into the space jockey. Show us a Mr. Weyland. Go bigger. Give us beautiful landscapes, planets, weaponry and ships.

Nah? None of that sounds good? You're just gonna give us choppy film about brown corridors and sadness? Ah ok.

Well said Bishopshouldgo.

This film will bring some balance.  The old canon will continue to exist for fans of that sort of thing.  And of course we are getting a plethora of non-Ripley Alien films coming out soon by Ridley Scott.  It only makes sense to make one measly film that the fans have wanted for 30 years and see where things go.

For the record, I don't want to see any Ripley wearing alien head-gear.  This could all go so wrong still, but I do have hope...

Aliens is lauded for expanding the the world of the series but all anybody's wanted since then is to rush back to the safe confines of Aliens' world. People don't give a flying f**k about expanding or developing anything, they just want more of the same with bigger set pieces. Alien Resurrection opened up a whole new world of possibilities and opportunities and nobody wants to touch any of it with a ten foot pole.

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 25, 2016, 01:42:14 AM

Quote from: Elmazalman on Aug 24, 2016, 11:37:20 PM
Yeah,f**k Ripley,Hicks and Newt.Let's see some new characters and situations.

You've had AVP, AVPR, Prometheus.  Now you'll have Covenant.  All new characters.  The fans who want new characters got more than a fair treatment.  I say bring these characters back.  And it's not about wanting a kind children's style universe.  Simply put, what happened in Alien 3 and then even more so in Alien Resurrection was so improbable that it is bona fide dumb.  There is no way Ripley wouldn't have gone through the entire are where the Queen was to check and disinfect any signs of the alien.  I mean she didn't even want a dead face-hugger on board the Nostromo.  I am not suggesting that these characters all survive in the next film, but let's have a film which reflects a more likely scenario.  Hicks becomes an alcoholic.  Ripley disappears because she knows too much.  Maybe Hicks disappears too.  Newt ends up in an asylum.  And then we find the home world of the aliens, and the trio regroups for a chance at redemption.  That would work, and it's not contrived, and it's not childish.  It is the natural progression of the series.

I'll take PROMETHEUS and it's sequels.AVP films i don't need.

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 24, 2016, 07:37:46 PMIt's been underperforming for 25 years.  Nobody is belittling you for thinking that everything is ok, but I, along with many others do think the franchise is broken.

So the quality (or lack thereof) of the films Alien Resurrection, Alien vs. Predator, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, Predators and Prometheus is directly related to the deaths of Hicks and Newt?

Bold claim.

Alien 3 didn't break anything, and the fact the films haven't been much since is hardly the third instalment's fault.

I don't think anyone on this forum has an issue with 3 ending Ripley's arc. That was brilliant - great, that's exactly how it should have ended. The Hicks and Newt characters were important - I don't think anyone would have complained if THEY'D have been killed in some kind of meaningful way instead of handwaving them to fit the plot.

I'm not having it that "it's supposed to be nihilistic..." Yes it it is, but these characters were - at that time - as important to the franchise as Ripley herself. She survived. They survived... ok, great, we're going to be nihilistic and kill them in 3 - brilliant. But their deaths have to have some meaning ... magic facehugger and two major characters killed off in the first minutes of the film? Not for me We know the Queen tore her own egg sac off - it was a major set piece of Aliens - ECU of the egg-sack being ripped off. And now you're telling me that she put a facehugger in her back pocket just in case she got blown out the (goddamn) airlock?

Its so annoying, because that aside, the Assembly Cut is brilliant. But its utterly flawed because of the magic facehugger and the handwave - so from the get go, its a bad movie that many people (at the time) just didn't invest in. Audiences need to invest in the characters don't they? And in 3, you lost the majority of the audience before the film even got started.

I'm all for killing off major characters - but its kind of like starting the next season of Game of Thrones with Danyeris' funeral and the dwarf saying "Its a bit shit that she fell of the boat and drowned."

It's not like that at all. Hicks had served his purpose by the end of Aliens. He could've died in the elevator and not a damn thing would change about the last act of the movie except a throwaway line between him and Ripley that was cut from the theatrical cut anyway.

Newt had also done her job. Ripley's mission was to save her. She did. Then dying gave her character a new role in the whole mess.

Then why have Hicks survive? If he dies saving Rippers and Newt in Aliens  ace. No problems with that at all.

How does Newt's death give Rippers purpose though - there's nothing there (that I can remember - I watched it a year or so ago now).  As I recall, they make sure that there's no embryo in her and that's it. Her dying has no impact on the plot at all (save that she'd have been an inconvenience). I honestly don't remember it being key to Rippers motivation (but stand to be corrected on that).

Of course, it occurs to me that if Rippers had been too late and Newt had ALREADY been impregnated and a chest burster come out and causes the pod to eject.... Alien escapes before the bloke in the Emperor outfit arrives on the scene... that works for me.

Now we have Ripley wanting to end it even more cos she THOUGHT she saved Newt only to find that the pesky Alien had already killed her... so Newt killed in the first reel has some meaning to the rest of it.

(though, if that HAD happened, we'd be saying - 20 years after the event - "There's no way that the hypersleep chamber scan wouldn't have picked up on the embryo...")

Cameron wanted his happy family at the end. Hicks died at the end of the original treatment, but plot wise he'd served his purpose.

Ripley thinking she'd saved Newt only for her to die is exactly what happened in the film we got.

Quote from: SiL on Aug 25, 2016, 12:50:42 PMCameron wanted his happy family at the end. Hicks died at the end of the original treatment, but plot wise he'd served his purpose.

Actually, that's an interesting point I'd forgotten about. Originally he didn't even survive the second movie.

Quote from: SiL on Aug 25, 2016, 12:50:42 PM
Ripley thinking she'd saved Newt only for her to die is exactly what happened in the film we got.

Yes. But meaninglessly. Its not even a plot point - its just getting rid for convenience's sake. As I say, I could - at a stretch - buy a chestburster... because we didn't actually see Newt the whole time she was cocooned (as I type I realise that I'd really be reaching if that had of happened) and it would have least have given resonance to the tragic death.

But as it is, its just poor. For me, Alien3 has right ending in the wrong film.

I think I'm in the minority here...

I wasn't a fan of Alien 3, but I hate partial retcons even more.

I understand exactly why some want the retcon and if back in the day, before Alien 3 was released, we had an option between the two I'd have totally been a strong advocate for Blomkamp's idea.

But Alien 3 was released and now I'd prefer new content continuing the story we have which, regardless of how weird it may be, is quite cool and can include Ripley[8].

Spoiler

From what we can tell from the novels, Ripley 8 even has a kid eventually so family idea in tact! :D

[close]

That said... Think of it like a group of popular novels that have fallen into the public domain. Someone is bound to write THEIR sequel to one of the books and it may even lead down a totally different path. Alien 5 can be written off as glorified Aliens fanfiction, which it honestly is, not in a derogatory sense but in the sense that Blomkamp is a fan of Aliens and wants that to be his foundation regardless of the future movies.

Ripley 8 said it best in the Aliens vs Predator vs Terminator comic:

"They stole my soul. They took away my death. They have the desire and ability to torture me endlessly...
Lifetime after lifetime after lifetime!
I will not risk that again! I will not risk what little peace I've found down here!"

That sums up my feelings on retcons and Blomkamp's Alien 5 in particular.

Quote from: SiL on Aug 25, 2016, 07:57:58 AM
Aliens is lauded for expanding the the world of the series but all anybody's wanted since then is to rush back to the safe confines of Aliens' world. People don't give a flying f**k about expanding or developing anything, they just want more of the same with bigger set pieces. Alien Resurrection opened up a whole new world of possibilities and opportunities and nobody wants to touch any of it with a ten foot pole.

Alien Resurrection had great ideas but poor execution. And it also didn't do anything with its ideas.

And Neill's xeno suit for Ripley is pretty A:R-y.

Quote from: HuDaFuK on Aug 24, 2016, 06:44:13 PM

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 24, 2016, 05:33:17 PMRipley and co. are at the center of the Aliens universe.

The over-reliance on Ripley is the single worst thing affecting the franchise at the moment. They really need to move on.

This. 100% this. It's restricting to the story and the scope of the universe. The Ripley-less films have been brought up in a pointed way of looking at their quality but the lack of Ripley isn't tied into the quality of Prometheus or the AvPs. Neither is the quality of Alien 3 or Resurrection's quality based on a lack of Hicks or Newt. They need the right people behind these films, the right team. Alien is more than just Ripley and more than just Weaver.

Perhaps this whole passing of the torch thing that Biehn keeps talking about (and I've heard it elsewhere too) might finally be the move on from Fox's relance on that name. It's just a shame it takes a retcon to get there.

Quote from: BishopShouldGo on Aug 24, 2016, 10:30:32 PM
Life isn't fair, but movies aren't life. Movies are an escape from life.

True enough but the Alien films feel very grounded in reality. They aren't fantastical. They don't make a big deal out of the futuristic technology. They're about a giant space bastard who eats, kills and rapes people! Alien 3 felt very much in tone with that.

To be fair, it's this that has me most hesitant about the retcon. An alternate timeline just doesn't feel right to me. It doesn't feel like it belongs to the Alien films.

---

Quote from: HuDaFuK on Aug 25, 2016, 01:00:42 PM

Quote from: SiL on Aug 25, 2016, 12:50:42 PMCameron wanted his happy family at the end. Hicks died at the end of the original treatment, but plot wise he'd served his purpose.

Actually, that's an interesting point I'd forgotten about. Originally he didn't even survive the second movie.

I think that was just the treatment. I think when they went to scripting, he made it out.

The Alien films used to be grounded in reality.  But Alien Resurrection brought us a clone who has all her memories intact from just a few droplets of blood.  Then there is Prometheus which allows the reading of dreams and the reactivation of dead people with a syringe doo-hickey.  I mean that was basically what that technology was which they used to reanimate the Engineer who was essentially human.

Retconning Alien 3 will do away with the madness of Alien Resurrection.  The only reason why the whole resurrection-device is tolerable in Prometheus is because overall the movie is just so damn good.  It actually gets better with age.

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 25, 2016, 05:24:16 PM
The Alien films used to be grounded in reality.  But Alien Resurrection brought us a clone who has all her memories intact from just a few droplets of blood.  Then there is Prometheus which allows the reading of dreams and the reactivation of dead people with a syringe doo-hickey.  I mean that was basically what that technology was which they used to reanimate the Engineer who was essentially human.

Retconning Alien 3 will do away with the madness of Alien Resurrection.  The only reason why the whole resurrection-device is tolerable in Prometheus is because overall the movie is just so damn good.  It actually gets better with age.

A:R's clones are fairly easily explained by the binding of Alien DNA within Ripley, multiple sources from the expanded universe have put forward, before A:R, that the Aliens have a genetic memory and a hive mind, so that's perfectly believable. On a scientific side, there is research going into whether phobias are sometimes passed down genetically, so there's that.

Genetic Memory:
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/genetic-memory-how-we-know-things-we-never-learned/

Genetically Inherited Fear:
https://www.rewireme.com/insight/can-phobias-be-inherited-genetically/


As for Prometheus and dream reading, there is again research going into that sort of thing these days with some successes, though the idea of perfectly edited and shot dreams may be a bit far fetched. :P

The reanimation of the Engineer head was thanks to the Synapse Reestablisher.
http://avp.wikia.com/wiki/Synapse_Reestablisher

Basically they did what people have been doing for centuries just in a more advanced fashion. They're sending electrical impulses to the various synapses to cause muscle movement and activity in the head. Many experiments have done similar things going all the way back to the time public beheadings were legal in Europe.

http://gizmodo.com/5504746/how-a-real-life-dr-frankenstein-reanimated-the-dead-with-electricity

Quote from: Kurai on Aug 25, 2016, 05:54:57 PM

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 25, 2016, 05:24:16 PM
The Alien films used to be grounded in reality.  But Alien Resurrection brought us a clone who has all her memories intact from just a few droplets of blood.  Then there is Prometheus which allows the reading of dreams and the reactivation of dead people with a syringe doo-hickey.  I mean that was basically what that technology was which they used to reanimate the Engineer who was essentially human.

Retconning Alien 3 will do away with the madness of Alien Resurrection.  The only reason why the whole resurrection-device is tolerable in Prometheus is because overall the movie is just so damn good.  It actually gets better with age.

A:R's clones are fairly easily explained by the binding of Alien DNA within Ripley, multiple sources from the expanded universe have put forward, before A:R, that the Aliens have a genetic memory and a hive mind, so that's perfectly believable. On a scientific side, there is research going into whether phobias are sometimes passed down genetically, so there's that.

Genetic Memory:
http://blogs.scientificamerican.com/guest-blog/genetic-memory-how-we-know-things-we-never-learned/

Genetically Inherited Fear:
https://www.rewireme.com/insight/can-phobias-be-inherited-genetically/


As for Prometheus and dream reading, there is again research going into that sort of thing these days with some successes, though the idea of perfectly edited and shot dreams may be a bit far fetched. :P

The reanimation of the Engineer head was thanks to the Synapse Reestablisher.
http://avp.wikia.com/wiki/Synapse_Reestablisher

Basically they did what people have been doing for centuries just in a more advanced fashion. They're sending electrical impulses to the various synapses to cause muscle movement and activity in the head. Many experiments have done similar things going all the way back to the time public beheadings were legal in Europe.

http://gizmodo.com/5504746/how-a-real-life-dr-frankenstein-reanimated-the-dead-with-electricity

A well researched, and interesting response.  Thanks.  These were a good read.

I am not sure I would buy the wholesale storage of completely detailed memories in drops of blood.  I can understand phobias, and certain life and death scenarios being hard wired into our genetic memories, but a language, and specific event memories?  Come on.  It was a desperate ploy on behalf of the writers to find a way to bring Ripley back.  It made the movie somewhat cheap, but I will still enjoy this film as an alternate reality attempt.

The reanimation of the Engineer's head in Prometheus indeed made no sense to me until the article you pointed out.  I guess that could work, and there was no implication that the engineer actually "came back to life".

Resurrection didn't present wholesale storage of completely detailed memories in drops of blood.

Yes it did.  How did it not?

Ripley 8 was very much her own character, she learned things far faster than normal and she had some latent memories but nothing too out there. The fork scene comes to mind. XD

The rest was just filled in by the army people.

She had a complete grasp of the English language with accent.  As time went by, more and more was coming back to her.  That's wholesale.

If by "wholesale" you mean "it's made quite clear there are large gaps in her memory".

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 26, 2016, 02:50:18 AM
She had a complete grasp of the English language with accent.  As time went by, more and more was coming back to her.  That's wholesale.

Not right from the start, we get given scenes where she doesn't understand fully but is catching on very fast, such as asking what a fork is and then calling it a f**k. :P

We also don't know the various time gaps between scenes before the Betty arrives.

Also, Language Savants are a thing:
https://www.wisconsinmedicalsociety.org/professional/savant-syndrome/resources/articles/the-polyglot-language-savant/

Quote from: Corporal Hicks on Aug 25, 2016, 04:28:22 PM

Neither is the quality of Alien 3 or Resurrection's quality based on a lack of Hicks or Newt. They need the right people behind these films, the right team. Alien is more than just Ripley and more than just Weaver.

Perhaps this whole passing of the torch thing that Biehn keeps talking about (and I've heard it elsewhere too) might finally be the move on from Fox's relance on that name. It's just a shame it takes a retcon to get there.

The quality of Alien3 - no, I'd have to agree, but as I've been banging on about is that the characters and situations were just poorly handled in 3. But as you say, you need the right people behind the films.

The passing the torch thing I agree with - I'm sure neither Ripley or Hicks will make it out of 5 - they shouldn't (or if they do have it made clear that they're not coming back in anyway shape or form).

It IS a shame that it has to be retconned, though. I think my point is - if Hicks and Newt were handled properly in 3, Rippers died in 3... I don't think that A:R matters so much in the continuity because that's in the future and much more easily retconned or just... not dealt with.

But to go back a step - right people / right team is essential. Blomkammp has all the right credentials - as did, I have to say, Paul WS Anderson. He gave a shit. Blomkamp gives a shit. It's really now what Fox will let him do.

Say what you will - Event Horizon might as well sit along side Outland as "unofficial alien verse movie" - it was brilliant. But Fox wanted a cheap movie made in a Prauge warehouse that they KNEW WS could turn in. I wish AvP had been R-Rated, I wish that Anderson's original concepts (which from the Special Features seem far more wide reaching than what the studio actually approved) were borne out - I think he's a great Alienverse candidate. Or would have been, given some latitude.

Enter Blomkaamp, a chappie (see what I did there) with similar credentials and similar fannish love for the series. So - on circumstantial evidence... the right man for the job. BUT... will he be allowed to write the story he - and many - want to tell?

My guess is that with Covenant admitting that the "real" Alien is back, perhaps the success of that film will have a bearing on 5 (am I right in thinking its Covenant - then Covenant sequel - THEN Alien 5). If the audience desire for Alien movies is proven, he may be given the budget and the levity do what he wants.

But I'll eat my metaphorical hat if the 3 and A:R aren't hypersleep dreams as we've discussed many times. It's shit, I agree... but for me, its the only way to be sure.

QuoteI think my point is - if Hicks and Newt were handled properly in 3, Rippers died in 3...

But why? isn't there something else you can actually critique about the movie other than the fact it hadn't handled a character right? I mean anything? anything at all?

QuoteI wish AvP had been R-Rated

Indeed though it was almost ridiculous how sanitized AVP was, I mean the Chestburster didn't even have any blood on it The Chestburster!. which is pretty ridiculous considering the PG-13 Horror-Comedy Tremors Series had some pretty gnarly Human gore effects at times even the TV Series had quite a bit of nasty gore.

Quote from: g2vd on Aug 26, 2016, 10:33:00 AM

QuoteI think my point is - if Hicks and Newt were handled properly in 3, Rippers died in 3...

But why? isn't there something else you can actually critique about the movie other than the fact it hadn't handled a character right? I mean anything? anything at all?

Sure. Tell me how the facehugger got there that isn't fan extrapolation. From the get go, the whole thing is balderdash. Which is a shame because 3 is a horrid, bleak, depressing, grey, morbid, nasty movie. As it should be. It's SO good in parts - the tone is spot on.

To the characters: Like I said, its bit like the new Game of Thrones starting with the dwarf saying "It's a bit shit that Danyeris fell off the boat and drowned."

I've no gripes with killing them - I'm all FOR killing them. But these were characters that had survived, were invested in etc etc. Kill them by all means, but kill them off in a way that has some meaning and resonance and actually fits with the previous story. That's all. As SIL says, it would have been better to kill Hicks in Aliens - have him talking to Rippers and he's the one that gets stabbed by the Queen.

Interesting - as I type, I realise that if THAT had happened, I don't think that finding out in 3 that Bishop had been crushed up when the pod crash lands is a big an issue as the Hicks thing to me at any rate.

Newt, on the other hand, was central to Rippers arc. And ceases to be anything meaningful when "she drowned."

So, if you're going to have a sequel, for me at any rate, you need to pay some sort of attention to the previous movie. Not have things happen that are impossible. They don't even bother (as far as I remember) to explain anything about the facehugger getting on board. Now, as I say above, if we see a chestburster exploding out Newt when she's in cryosleep and that causes all the mayhem we can at least have a line about "I thought I'd saved her in the Hive... I thought she was safe. But they got to her already. She was dead already and none of us knew it..." Then we can think "Ah, right. That's a bit bollocks but I see what you did there."

As it stands... it doesn't make any sense. Which is tragic because - despite all the troubles - the Assembly cut especially - ticks ALL the boxes. 

Quote from: g2vd on Aug 26, 2016, 10:33:00 AM

QuoteI wish AvP had been R-Rated

Indeed though it was almost ridiculous how sanitized AVP was, I mean the Chestburster didn't even have any blood on it The Chestburster!. which is pretty ridiculous considering the PG-13 Horror-Comedy Tremors Series had some pretty gnarly Human gore effects at times even the TV Series had quite a bit of nasty gore.

I guess its of its time, right? Predator was 18. Blade was 18. Hell, Aliens was 18. Looking at them now, they're not even 15s. So Tremors (i've not seen) is for a more modern audience.

Honestly, of all the "celebs" I'd want to chat with off the record, Anderson is right at the top of my list. I'd really love to know what he wanted to do, why it wasn't done that way and so on. He'll never go on record, the dude is a jobbing director who moves from genre franchise to genre franchise with some panache, flying in the face of horrid reviews to nearly always turn in profitable movies.

But yes... i'll always think it was a missed opportunity. But as I read often on this and other forums - its the movie business. More bums on seats for a 15 movie, more ability to market it, sell the toys and the comics (teens read comics was I'm sure the conventional wisdom at that time) - they'd have to censor the blood to get the rating approved.

On the whole, though - its still one of my favourites in the franchise (I love that they're watching "Dracula vs Woflman" in the opening scene. Anderson was well aware of what he ended up making and this is a really funny nod / dig I think).

Quote from: Russ on Aug 26, 2016, 08:30:55 AM
It IS a shame that it has to be retconned,

This is a bit of a fallacy that I see being thrown around a lot, nothing HAS to be retconned, things would be simpler and more logical without the retcon. It is pure choice of the director/writer/Weaver.

Another thing to think about is that nothing is set in stone...

Fox have been taking a very hands on approach with the canon lately and one of the main things included in four of the recent canonical novels? Alien Resurrection continuity.
Dark Horse hasn't quite reached far past Aliens yet so there's no way to tell if they're going that way as well.

But all we have to go on is words that will most likely have to be changed since we, the public, know too much about them already. Movie companies aren't too big on that pre-trailer usually.

I feel that this may just end up in a bait-and-switch for poor Blomkamp if Fox hasn't learned a lesson from recent partial reboots.

Quote from: Perfect-Organism on Aug 26, 2016, 02:50:18 AMShe had a complete grasp of the English language with accent. As time went by, more and more was coming back to her. That's wholesale.

She only has memories at all because of the Alien DNA mixed up with hers, because the Alien apparently has genetic memory. Even the scientists are like, "Dafuq?" when they discover she can speak and remember things from Ripely's life, because that shouldn't be possible.

Some should rewatch A3 and A:R instead of bitching about Hik n Nuts. More facts less imagination.

Quote from: Kurai on Aug 26, 2016, 01:44:38 PM

Quote from: Russ on Aug 26, 2016, 08:30:55 AM
It IS a shame that it has to be retconned,

This is a bit of a fallacy that I see being thrown around a lot, nothing HAS to be retconned, things would be simpler and more logical without the retcon. It is pure choice of the director/writer/Weaver.

Another thing to think about is that nothing is set in stone...

Fox have been taking a very hands on approach with the canon lately and one of the main things included in four of the recent canonical novels? Alien Resurrection continuity.
Dark Horse hasn't quite reached far past Aliens yet so there's no way to tell if they're going that way as well.

But all we have to go on is words that will most likely have to be changed since we, the public, know too much about them already. Movie companies aren't too big on that pre-trailer usually.

I feel that this may just end up in a bait-and-switch for poor Blomkamp if Fox hasn't learned a lesson from recent partial reboots.

I read the first novel, I didn't get around to the others to be honest. I thought the Ash thing was neat though - and getting another Ripley adventure PRE-Aliens was pretty clever thinking.

You're right - no one knows how its going to play out, there are a tonne of different guesses. I'm in the conservative "it was all a cryodream" camp, but on here I've seen some way out stuff about clones and all sorts. But for me, that's the one that makes the most sense ("Can we dream?" "Yes - we can dream all the way home...") .

https://www.facebook.com/alienidentity/videos/1792018031037767/

A little piece of none-news from Biehn at a Q&A following a showing of Aliens at the weekend.