Alien and Predators decline: Franchise ownership being to blame?

[jimmylace]

oh and £10 says that the strauses would have much rather done a standalone than an AvP.

[SM]

I have to say, If Mel can make such controversial movies, there IS a way to be pretty dam free of studio meddling and have them play the financing role for the most part.

Stuff like Passion of the Christ has a built in fan base though.  Add that to the controversy it was always going to make a shitload of money.

they've really only ballsed it up with Alien:Resurrection and when they made the decision to turn the Alien Vs Predator idea into a movie.

No, it started back with the long f**ked up production history of Alien3.

I agree that these franchises need to go to a different studio seeing as Fox  has no idea what to do with them.

Fox isn't making creative decisions.  They make business decisions and make them pretty well in the case of the Alien franchise.

[gameoverman]

All franchises decline eventually.  They just run out of ideas.  Though I think the alien series still has some life left in it - they just need a good script.  I can't see another Predator movie being made though, unless it's a remake/rehash.

No, you just stop before it gets stupid.

Name one long running franchise that didn't turn into self-parody..  Actually, I can think of one that did the reverse - started with self parody and ended up with a more serious tone - the House series.

[Foundationman2]

AVP R is gonna get non-fans hyped up about the originals, and make them want to see where it all started.

[Xhan]

I can name several franchises that stopped at three or four, ergo my point.

[Space Disc Jockey]

While we are on the subject of Fox....we can thank John Davis, for helping giving us the Predator franchise, and we can also thank him for pushing Anderson's "vision" of AVP to Fox.

[Anomaly]

I think gale anne hurd and jim owned Terminator. A marriage destroyed the harmony there.
That was Jims concept, like Lucas and star wars, and it got loose TOO. 

These noir franchises need to get it together. Its really getting bad. So excuse me for being a bit irritated with this situation.

[SM]

Last I heard Andrew Vajna owned Terminator but that was some time go.

Actually, I can think of one that did the reverse - started with self parody and ended up with a more serious tone - the House series.

How was the first House film a parody - let alone self parody?

[Anomaly]

Last I heard Andrew Vajna owned Terminator but that was some time go.

Yes after Cameron sold his half of the rights away to him.

And those 2 producers tossed the rights to new guys AGAIN...   

This isnt a rummage sale.. wtf.

[wolfboy]

Whine all you like but Predator is nowhere near as worthy a film as Alien and as such the AvP movies are doing alot of damage to the mythos of the Alien whilst seriously boosting the Predator.

...


AvP has cheapened our beloved creatures...and I don't think AvPR is going to do enough to redeem them.

Aliens were already cheapened when it became a franchise, way before AvP was even released. If Alien never spawned any sequels, it may even be as iconic as Blade Runner is today. Hell, imagine what would happen to Blade Runner if it became a franchise. To a lesser extent, Saw was pretty original when it was first released too. Now a new one comes out every year and each new installment makes it less special.

The only franchises that probably work are the ones where the same director directs all through-out.

[SM]

Alien always has been and always will be iconic.  It's more part of popular culture than Blade Runner.

[Space Disc Jockey]

Alien always has been and always will be iconic.  It's more part of popular culture than Blade Runner.

That quote is going to get some arguments, from people. Blade Runner is a BIG deal to A LOT of people, as it should be, since it is known to be a science-fiction classic. And I totally agree that it is a classic. Ridley's second best film, IMO.

[SM]

That quote is going to get some arguments, from people.

It's just fact.

Alien is simply more memorable as a part of popular culture with the hugger and the burster and "Here kitty".  Aliens possibly moreso with the the "Get away from her you bitch!" thing.

Most people couldn't cite a specific scene from Blade Runner and remember Deckard's name.

This isn't a quality thing - just popularity.

[Xhan]

Alien has been fueling video game and japanese monster design for thirty years.

Blade Runner begat Blind Justice. and Wipeout.

Not really a tie.

[gameoverman]

I can name several franchises that stopped at three or four, ergo my point.

I think as soon as you make a VS movie, the franchise can never recover.