Neill Blomkamp's (cancelled?) Alien 5 project

Started by Jenga, Jan 02, 2015, 02:42:40 AM

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Neill Blomkamp's (cancelled?) Alien 5 project (Read 147,644 times)

Russ

There is, but I think that Blomkamp's point is that "people" felt that the Ripley / Hicks thing was poorly handled in A3 and a new film should "Superman Returns" A3 and A:R.

Also, Fox's mandate seems to be that the Alien story involves the Ripley clan (a pure Alien story, I mean, not an AvP). I think it was HuDa that pointed that out before re: the Sea of Sorrows?

I can't see anything new in the AlienVerse without them being involved. They tried that with Prometheus...  I don't know if you guys have seen it, but they had the original script writer talking to Empire magazine, and the Prometheus story was all about Xenos - "our" Xenos not those new shit ones that they had in the movie. It was an "Alien" story which became something else in the end.


HuDaFuK

Quote from: Russ on Jan 05, 2015, 11:37:21 AMThere is, but I think that Blomkamp's point is that "people" felt that the Ripley / Hicks thing was poorly handled in A3 and a new film should "Superman Returns" A3 and A:R.

Well then I put it to these "people" that there are far more constructive and inventive was of propelling the franchise forwards without flogging that old dead horse. Except they won't because it's easier to just slap "Ripley and Hicks!" on it than come up with something new and inventive.

I mean, do people really want a 60 year-old Michael Biehn running around blasting Aliens from his wheelchair? (No disrespect to him, but he looks seriously old and haggard these days.)

Russ

I think that they do, though it's pointed out here that the only way it can really end for those two characters is "badly." Look, I agree, I think new stories with new people would be great, but (this is a really big) if there's any traction for Blomkamp's idea, then Weaver and Biehn will be back.

Maybe they'd get the happy ending many wanted for them (but the truth is that Fincher's horrific opening was pretty true to the tone of the series and serves the arc of the character).

I'll admit - I want a happy ending for them *lol*

HuDaFuK

Quote from: Russ on Jan 05, 2015, 12:18:47 PMMaybe they'd get the happy ending many wanted for them (but the truth is that Fincher's horrific opening was pretty true to the tone of the series and serves the arc of the character).

That's exactly why I don't want them to re-do it. Happy endings just aren't realistic, least of all in the Alien universe. Alien 3, for all it's faults, made a pretty ballsy move killing off it's characters, I can't think of a single other franchise film that has done so. And yet it fit perfectly with the tone of the series.

But people seem to want a fairytale ending with Ripley, Hicks and Newt, the happy Alien-killing family. Tonally, it's completely inappropriate, and kinda daft if you ask me.

Bunyon Snipe

Bunyon Snipe

#169
It's a nice idea, but never going to happen...

Unless they do it as a TV series with a new cast!


I quite the the (preposterous) idea of a TV series set alternate future 30 years later, based around General Hicks who has been forced into semi retirement by Weyland-Yutani (who are now fully in charge of the military) and his expedition to find Ripley and Newt who are fugitives...

Weaver could do a brief cameo and Biehn could return as Hicks who along with Newt  are going to bring down WY.

Yeah I know it's dumb, but it could be dumb fun!

Russ

Quote from: HuDaFuK on Jan 05, 2015, 12:29:56 PM

But people seem to want a fairytale ending with Ripley, Hicks and Newt, the happy Alien-killing family. Tonally, it's completely inappropriate, and kinda daft if you ask me.

I agree as I say above, but we (the forum we) are probably in a minority. Tonally, the deaths were right on, but many people felt it was a "punk" way for those two characters to go out.

However, if we explore this further, are we really resurrecting Hicks and Ripley only to have them killed again, but this time more heroically, (taking out the "ultra-hive" or something).

That said - Aliens did have a happy ending. They slept all the way home and the nightmares were no-more ("Can we dream"/"Yes I think we both can" - remember Ripley's motivation for going there were to deal with her nightmares - she'd never be free of them till she'd finished it).

I think in the final analysis, the bloomkamp thing won't happen as much as some (even me) may want it to. Then again, this is a great franchise / shared universe for Fox (Disney and WB have theirs - does Fox have anything else - genuine question, I don't know. Star Wars went to Disney which I forgot about).

As Bunyon says above, I'd really love it if they did a TV show.

windebieste

Ignoring 'ALIEN 3' and 'ALIEN: Resurrection' and bringing Hicks back is just woeful.  There's no guarantee that such a movie would be any good, anyway, so I'm glad this is more or less just glorified fan art.

A reboot is not needed either. 

What is needed is fresh characters and situations within the established Universe to give it much needed push in the right direction. I am hoping that 'Prometheus 2' can deliver in this regard.  After all, if someone like Ridley Scott has trouble re-inventing this series, what promise is there that someone who proposes that a 60+ year old Sigourney Weaver in bad xenomorph cosplay would be any good?

Is that what fans really want?  Just more of the same with aging actors, retreaded ideas and no guarantee it will be any good?

I shudder that this licence is heading down the same slope that 'The Terminator' is sliding down. 

-Windebieste.

Xenomorphine

Quote from: tmjhur on Jan 02, 2015, 10:16:51 PM
I meant that he wasn't actually dead after 3 and that the company took him and put him in some sort hibernation stasis. I'm not going to bother ironing out potential plot holes but just a thought on how they could link Hicks up with the Ripley clone from Resurrection.

Ignoring that it wouldn't serve any ourpose for them to do so, he wasn't a Weyland-Yutani employee and the ship wasn't their property, either.

The concept art looked nice, but we have no idea what the story was going to be about. No point in voicing support for the project to be made, unless we know more.

Remember, 'Colonial Marines' had some nice concept art, too.

Xenomorphine

Xenomorphine

#173
A television show was rumoured in the nineties, but from what I remember, was abandoned because of the projected budget. It's much more plausible for something like that to be done right, though, these days.

The concept art looks nice. No idea what the story could be, but judging from the injuries, that's the original Hicks, no question about it.

I wouldn't be averse to retconning the third and fourth movies as dreams. The third, expecially, has some fairly dream-like qualities about it and we might even get a continuity explanation for the magically appearing egg and why the cryotubes look like those on the Nostromo, instead of Sulaco.

The problem is, it's a huge gamble. If the writing's there, brilliant. If it's off, then all you're doing is replacing one sub-standard branch of continuity with another.

I liked 'District 9', but it wasn't devoid of problems. Unfortunately, 'Elysium' showed what he'd do with a decent budget and it just felt like a bland vanity project. Even the central theme made no sense: If you're keeping the citizens of Earth as a manual labour force and have the ability to heal them of all diseases/injuries, then you do that. The two things you want in a work-force are for them to be both physically healthy and not having every reason to launch a rebellion. The story abandoned that logic as an excuse to do a cheap class warfare narrative.

So, I suspect the story might be as vacuous as that, but I'm open to being pleasantly surprised. After all, 'Isolation' had a story which was paper-thin and was all about the atmospheric presentation.

windebieste

They should retcon 'ALIENS' out of the series. 

That would be fantastic!

-Windebieste.

RakaiThwei

Alright, fine.. So the whole "Ripley's Nightmare" angle can work if people really want Alien 3 and Resurrection retconned. I don't mean hand waved by simply ignoring as they doesn't really negate something PROPERLY. The dream angle is a way to do it but I just feel like it's just a cop out. Sure, some of us want Newt and Hicks back along with the real Ripley. But I don't think retconning would do much good otherwise we'd end up with retconned crap.. which if you ask me.. we already have thanks to Aliens: Colonial Marines.

Someone wanted Hicks back, well they somehow managed to pull him from the great beyond, come up with a bullshit explanation or lack there of. So in my opinion, I think Alien 3 and Resurrection should be left alone. I think the series has been retconned enough as it is. Too many retcons will just further screw things up.

Quote from: windebieste on Jan 06, 2015, 02:45:04 AM
Is that what fans really want?  Just more of the same with aging actors, retreaded ideas and no guarantee it will be any good?

Sometimes I wonder if the whole nostalgia feeling is what is making people clamoring for the return of Michael Biehn and Sigourney Weaver. Then again this is a common thing for ALL franchises, so there are no exemptions. Even Predator has the same issue as we have people still clamoring for Ah-nuld to return when I believe Dutch's story is told and needs to be left alone. Nostalgia is a double bladed sword.. it can be wonderful to recapture the past, but it can also be blinding.

I mean when I last spoke to Biehn at Monstermania 2009, he said he was done with the franchise, dusted his hands and left it out. Did he even really want to do Aliens: Colonial Marines? Because I've heard that from interviews, he didn't sound too enthusiastic about doing the whole project and didn't care.

HuDaFuK

Quote from: Xenomorphine on Jan 06, 2015, 03:20:38 AMI wouldn't be averse to retconning the third and fourth movies as dreams.

Every time I hear this I'm genuinely stunned anyone would think it's a good, enjoyable idea.

Seriously, it's just ridiculous.

Russ

Quote from: windebieste on Jan 06, 2015, 02:45:04 AM

Is that what fans really want?
-Windebieste.

Fans don't know what they want - look at this forum. We can't agree on anything.

Which is why I think that "Hollywood" sometimes just plays lip-service to the "the fans" and does what it thinks best. We always forget that at the end of the day, turning out something creatively satisfying is second fiddle to turning out something that makes a lot of money.

I think the TV show angle is probably the way to go with this thing - I really don't think that Neil B's stuff will ever see the light of day-- I didn't think much of Elysium either to be honest (compare with Edge of Tomorrow - the latter was superior in every way). Then again, he's young, new and fresh - let's give him a chance before writing him off!

Yes - TV show. I started watching that Halle Berry thing on Amazon last night and with all these other shows (Shield, Game of Thrones, Walking Dead etc) it seems that the REAL creative action is actually happening on TV these days, where as the "Big" movies have to be safe bets.

szkoki

Quote from: HuDaFuK on Jan 06, 2015, 08:43:25 AM
Quote from: Xenomorphine on Jan 06, 2015, 03:20:38 AMI wouldn't be averse to retconning the third and fourth movies as dreams.

Every time I hear this I'm genuinely stunned anyone would think it's a good, enjoyable idea.

Seriously, it's just ridiculous.
::)
agreed

Xenorgue

I don't understand people who regret the death of Dwayne Hicks. These people tell you that they love Alien 1 for its dark side. But they are going to cry for the death of Hicks.
The death of Hicks reminds to everybody that the universe of alien is cold and cruel.
I love Hicks but his death even more makes me appreciate the saga Alien. Alien is not a stereotypical movie, the kind guy of does not survive necessarily the end of the history. It is not fairy's movie.

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