Pre-production on new Alien film will start next week

[𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯]

Weaver also officially confirmed to star in new Alien film.

After teasing his ideal Alien sequel on Instagram earlier this year, director Neill Blomkamp was finally given the opportunity to direct a brand new installment in the Alien franchise, and it looks like Sigourney Weaver has signed on to reprise her iconic role.

Weaver and Blomkamp, who both walked the red carpet at the New York premiere of their upcoming sci-fi collaboration Chappie, stopped to talk to ET's Jason Dundas, and they both teased the long-awaited project.

When asked about whether or not she was coming back to reprise her role as alien-fighting badass Ellen Ripley, Weaver said she would be retuning.

"There are two factors [Neill Blomkamp] needs: Ripley and the Aliens," Weaver said.

Blomkamp, who directed Chappie and is best known for helming the Oscar-nominated sci-fi epic District 9, confirmed her participation as well.

"She'll be in the cast," Blomkamp said. "She is the Alien franchise, to me, so yeah."

Blomkamp also confirmed that he will begin pre-production on his Alien sequel as early as next week.

http://www.etonline.com/movies/160671_sigourney_weaver_neill_blomkamp_tease_alien_follow_up/

[TimmyTurnersDad]

Wow, he's really jumping into this.

[𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯]

Which means the cameras could already start rolling in another 3-4 months.

[oduodu]

development hell 101

by

david fincher


required reading

LOL

i actually hope it rocks the joint. just dont see how thats possible.

sorry

statistically speaking anyway.

good news though

[Russ]

"She'll be in the cast" is interesting way to phrase it. Not "She's the lead" or something like that? Maybe her role will be smaller than we thought?

[TimmyTurnersDad]

"She'll be in the cast" is interesting way to phrase it. Not "She's the lead" or something like that? Maybe her role will be smaller than we thought?

Well, I'm willing to bet this will end up being a set-up to rejuvenate the Alien franchise, while also concluding Ripley's story. My guess is that they'll either position an adult Newt as the future protagonist of the series or introduce someone new for Ripley to pass the baton onto.

That said, I think it's safe to assume that Sigourney will be the main lead of this particular film.

Which means the cameras could already start rolling in another 3-4 months.

Very true. I'm not sure how I feel about that though... I hope they spend enough time preparing the script and getting that down right first.

[LittleJimmy]

I hope they give them a decent amount of time for pre-production. Too many movies these days are cut down to three months and as a result suffer from underwritten scripts and unprepared productions. It's also the reason so many movies are CGI heavy these days; they aren't given time to make the practical effects.

While we're at it, we should all email/twitter Neill Blomkamp and ask him to hire Legacy Effects or Amalgamated Dynamics to design practical Aliens for the project. If we want them to work on the project they've got to start pretty much right now.

[Corporal Hicks]

"She'll be in the cast" is interesting way to phrase it. Not "She's the lead" or something like that? Maybe her role will be smaller than we thought?

Well, I'm willing to bet this will end up being a set-up to rejuvenate the Alien franchise, while also concluding Ripley's story. My guess is that they'll either position an adult Newt as the future protagonist of the series or introduce someone new for Ripley to pass the baton onto.

That said, I think it's safe to assume that Sigourney will be the main lead of this particular film.

I expect the same. I think they'll kill Ripley off again and pass the torch. I hope, anyway. I don't want to see them annihilate the Aliens. I really want them to keep the options open for further media.

Very true. I'm not sure how I feel about that though... I hope they spend enough time preparing the script and getting that down right first.

I think we need to bear in mind that Neill has been thinking about this for sometime anyway. He must have a lot of stuff prepared to make pre-production easier for him.

While we're at it, we should all email/twitter Neill Blomkamp and ask him to hire Legacy Effects or Amalgamated Dynamics to design practical Aliens for the project. If we want them to work on the project they've got to start pretty much right now.

I expect him to use WETA. He's done all 3 of his films with them IRRC?

[Russ]

I expect the same. I think they'll kill Ripley off again and pass the torch. I hope, anyway. I don't want to see them annihilate the Aliens. I really want them to keep the options open for further media.

Maybe Hicks and Newt will wake up only to find Ripley has been killed off camera.

Kidding.

No, you and Timmy are right, I'm reading too much into it, I'm just so excited by this film, it's the most hyped I've been since I saw the first trailer for Man of Steel - I'm buzzing right now.

[meshuggah]

Jesus, he's not wasting any time! The news has been relentless. I honestly think taking an established franchise will be good for him, creativity wise. As good as Chappie might be (I'm unsure about Die Antwoord) he needs a change of scenery. Seriously, all his films thus far could all easily take place in the same universe (ignoring the fact that Copley voices Chappie, however).

Oh yeah and Copley is Kruger too lol I think I recall Blomkamp saying Copley won't be in Alien 5 though?

[𝔗𝔥𝔢 𝔈𝔦𝔤𝔥𝔱𝔥 𝔓𝔞𝔰𝔰𝔢𝔫𝔤𝔢𝔯]

I hope they give them a decent amount of time for pre-production. Too many movies these days are cut down to three months and as a result suffer from underwritten scripts and unprepared productions. It's also the reason so many movies are CGI heavy these days; they aren't given time to make the practical effects.

Depends on the budget. Time is money as they say.

But yeah, I agree the more time spent on pre-prod the better. Blade Runner was in pre-prod for 9 months and just look at it!

[oduodu]

how long was prometheus in pre production ?

it felt rushed.

[T Dog]

Long enough for some genius (Tom Rothman) to strongly suggest (insist) that they remove the xenomorphs from the alien movie.

[Corporal Hicks]

It was Lindalof, not Rothman...?

[TimmyTurnersDad]

I expect the same. I think they'll kill Ripley off again and pass the torch. I hope, anyway. I don't want to see them annihilate the Aliens. I really want them to keep the options open for further media.

Definitely. There's something oddly fitting about Ripley dying as an ultimate conclusion to her story that I really like. It took me awhile to get used to what sort of story Alien 3 was and how it kicked off, but I personally have never had an issue with the ending. It makes a lot of sense.

Hell, the concept art of Ripley wearing that bomb vest could easily be an indicator that she'll end up having an encounter with a Facehugger at some point in the film and then decides to strap a bomb onto herself so she can keep going with the mission as long as possible until the chestburster comes along so she can take it out with her. That could be a pretty badass and emotional ending for her character, if executed properly.

The big question for me is whether or not they're aiming to have Newt take over from here or introduce someone else instead? If the latter, what sort of character would they be?

I think we need to bear in mind that Neill has been thinking about this for sometime anyway. He must have a lot of stuff prepared to make pre-production easier for him.

I don't doubt that. However there's still a pretty notable difference between having a fleshed-out and detailed story treatment and a proper script. Blomkamp has already admitted recently that he focused too much on the visuals and basic concept of Elysium when he made that film, rather than focusing on the script and story, and a lot of the early reviews for Chappie are indicating that he might have done so again. I know he's more than capable of making a kickass Alien film and I have a good feeling that his story concept is terrific, but he needs to make sure that his script matches the quality of everything else involved.

Jesus, he's not wasting any time! The news has been relentless. I honestly think taking an established franchise will be good for him, creativity wise. As good as Chappie might be (I'm unsure about Die Antwoord) he needs a change of scenery. Seriously, all his films thus far could all easily take place in the same universe (ignoring the fact that Copley voices Chappie, however).

Oh yeah and Copley is Kruger too lol I think I recall Blomkamp saying Copley won't be in Alien 5 though?

I haven't heard anything about whether or not Copley will be in the film. I'd personally love to see him in it. Die Antwoord though... not so much. I definitely agree that Blomkamp needs a change of scenery. In fact, I'm hoping that he'll try his hand at a genre other than sci-fi after he finishes making this Alien film. It's good to mix things up a bit and can help stretch one's creative muscles.

Long enough for some genius (Tom Rothman) to strongly suggest (insist) that they remove the xenomorphs from the alien movie.

It was Lindalof, not Rothman...?

I'm far more inclined to believe that it was Lindelof who suggested removing the xenomorphs. For all of Rothman's missteps, I don't think he'd be inclined to want to suggest removing the titular aliens from an incredibly hyped up Alien prequel film.