aliens-vs-predator-req.jpg
Alien Reboot is Not a Reboot

It's a Prequel / Dustin Rowles

Trade News | June 1, 2009 | Comments (28)

Late last week we reported that the Scott Bros. (Ridley and Tony) were putting together an Alien reboot with commercial director Carl Rinsch on board. Correction: Carl Rinch will be the director, but Tony Scott has confirmed now that it’s not actually a reboot. It’s a prequel.

And why is the worse? In my opinion, a reboot would’ve at least separated a new Alien franchise from the flagging existing franchise. A prequel means Carl Rinsch will be working in the same universe. And while that universe does include the phenomenal Alien and Aliens, it also includes Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection and, in spirit anyway, the two Alien vs. Predator films. A prequel — an idea first floated by James Cameron and Ridley Scott earlier this decade, was abandoned, appropriately, when the studio decided to milk the series with the AvP movies.

All of which is to say, in both scenarios, it looks like they’re still trying to milk the franchise, with a prequel, the fate of the Alien is predetermined: It will eventually face off against the Predator and, eventually, Ripley. With a reboot, at least they could start all over from scratch and pretend like the AvP movies never existed.

Plus, I’m sick to death of origins stories, unless they are also part of a reboot (like Batman Begins).

Anyway, that’s the status. In either case, the Scott Bros. aren’t leaving well enough alone.


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Comments

Am I the only person in the world that liked Alien 3?

Posted by: Withnail at June 1, 2009 11:07 AM

I have never seen any of the Alien movies. I've tried to watch the first one at least 4-5 times, but the kooky computers they use mean I just straight up can't make it past the 10 minute mark.

Posted by: Chugga at June 1, 2009 11:13 AM

You are not. Charles S. Dutton is the motherfucking MAN.

Posted by: ahamos at June 1, 2009 11:14 AM

Withnail,

Clearly you didn't read my multi-paragraph essays espousing the greatness that is the Alien 3 extended cut in the most disappointing sequels list.

It's a sore topic around here apparently, I almost got cut, so watch yourself.

Posted by: Some Guy at June 1, 2009 11:18 AM

With this being a pre-quel and all, does that mean that JarJar is going to be in it?

I can't wait to see the alien burst from his chest!

Posted by: UncleJR at June 1, 2009 11:20 AM

So, a prequel would have NO humans in it, right? It would just be aliens vs. more aliens, because the first Alien movie is the one where humans first encounter the aliens.

Posted by: BWeaves at June 1, 2009 11:32 AM

Alien franchise. Looks like it's been dead a long time. Fossilized. Bones are bent outward, like the franchise exploded from inside.

Posted by: branded at June 1, 2009 11:37 AM

Prequel my obese ass, it’s a goddamn reboot, if the word “Alien” is used anywhere in the goddamn title then in my book it’s a stinkin’ reboot. On a side note I'm sick and tired of the Ridley brothers fucking up Denzel’s career.

Posted by: Guess Who! at June 1, 2009 11:39 AM

It would just be aliens vs. more aliens, because the first Alien movie is the one where humans first encounter the aliens.

Or the crew of the Nostromo do their jobs, get paid, have a beer, end of movie.

We really, really need to have some set terms for 'prequel,' but more importantly, 'reboot' and 'remake'.

... Ridley Scott? Really? You're better than this!

Posted by: twig at June 1, 2009 11:58 AM

Game over, man! As long as the Paxton returns, I'm in.

Posted by: logar at June 1, 2009 12:05 PM

Withnail, you're not alone.

Maybe it'll be a love story. You know, Aliens and Predators were all friendly, maybe a little jungle fever after consuming too much liquor, and the rest of the original series and the AvP movies is just a really awkward morning after. Then they reconcile and make cute little Pralien babies. *sigh*

Posted by: admin at June 1, 2009 12:19 PM

I also liked Alien 3. I really liked how they introduced the "different host, different kind of alien" into the movies.

Anyone remember the toy line? Oh man those things were sweet. I had the original queen, and that bitch was bigger than my head. They released a whole slew of "different species" toys, too, like the bat aliens and the gorilla alien. I had the gorilla one, you could make it grab stuff.

Posted by: Snath at June 1, 2009 12:33 PM

Just looked up the action figures to see if anyone had pictures, and I found a pretty good amount at this site. Some of the pictures are missing, but they have my gorilla alien and deluxe queen that I had. I kind of want them again.

Posted by: Snath at June 1, 2009 12:37 PM

What the crap, my HTML was right! The preview was even correct, I checked!

Posted by: Snath at June 1, 2009 12:37 PM

BWeaves, Twig:

I seem to recall my co-worker talking about the pre-story recently. I'd have to ask him, but I believe the Alien eggs are in a human ship, no? Anyway, there is another ship involved, I believe. Alien isn't necessarily the first time humans came into contact with the aliens, it's just the first time anyone survived it.

Basically, I've added nothing for sure. Congratulations, me. Can anybody back me up?

Posted by: pissant at June 1, 2009 12:50 PM

Snath: Saw the merch line.
"Alien Queen Hive Play Set"? Whoever had that toy had some seriously fucked up childhood....And I think I saw "Night Cougar Alien" at the bar last night.....
(grats on the HTML btw.)

Posted by: Odnon at June 1, 2009 12:58 PM

Aaaaah, WRONG! "in spirit" my firm Caribbean ass.

The abomination AvP *IS* the motherfucking prequel for all intents and purposes, it basically explained the whole thing. What the hell are the going to pull out of their asses now?

Although considering what YOU morons have done by sucking on the reboot/prequel cock this summer I guess all bets are off.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at June 1, 2009 1:13 PM

Although considering what YOU morons have done by sucking on the reboot/prequel cock this summer I guess all bets are off.

*points at The Phantom Menace*

We were fucked LONG before this day, sir.

Posted by: twig at June 1, 2009 2:30 PM

My god BSlim, you are determined to not just beat that dead horse, but to destroy all of its constituent atoms, aren't you?

We get that you hated Star Trek, and that you feel that you are the foremost authority on the subject, but give it a rest already. You're incessant whining about it has gone way beyond the point of being old. Please, enough already.

Posted by: CptCrckpot at June 1, 2009 3:24 PM

Thank you CptCrckpot for calling it like it really is, for whatever reason BarbadoSlim is given a wide berth around here. He’s under the mistaken impression that his farts don’t stink, finally someone here has the balls to call him on it. But be careful, many of his sycophants here will come after you because you refuse to call his unmistakable stench, potpourri.

Posted by: Guess Who! at June 1, 2009 7:25 PM

Blah blah blah.


Like Lincoln was overheard saying:

Mail it... to my Gettysburg address.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at June 1, 2009 8:14 PM

Oh, and slam on me ALL YOU WANT, it still don't change the fact that *YOU* idiots, were slobbering all over the shitty "reboot" that started this avalanche, now get ready to have reboots rammed-up your butts for at least the next 3 to 4 years.

Posted by: BarbadoSlim at June 1, 2009 8:18 PM

it still don't change the fact that *YOU* idiots, were slobbering all over the shitty "reboot" that started this avalanche,

Okay, you are being ridiculous now. You know quite well that stuff like this would be coming even if ST tanked. It didn't stop them when all the remakes previous to it tanked, and it will never stop. So you can't blame them or us for every crap idea coming out of Hollywood. You want to be a whiny bitch, fine, but stop acting like we are guilty because we like ONE movie out of, like, 20 or so in the past few months.

Seriously, do you do anything here except lock on one subject and bitch and moan about it? And don't try that "Scathing and Bitchy" crap either, because quite a few folks do that and manage to enjoy the non-bitchy parts. When is the last time you participated in a Comment Diversion? Or anything that didn't give you the chance to somehow insult the site that offends you so much, yet you can't seem to let go?

And to think I honestly thought you were going to be reasonable after the Matrix thing.

Posted by: Vermillion at June 1, 2009 9:53 PM

I took the AVP films as gimmicks, not canon. I reserve some hope that they will pretend they never happened, an origins story doesn't have to involve any other fictional species. My guess is it will be a bio-engineering experiment gone horribly wrong.

While I am mostly lairy when it comes to origins stories, there is the capacity for a good film here. Ridley's involvement gives me some faith, hopefully he retains enough pride in his original creation to do it justice.

Posted by: RandyPanTheGoatboy at June 1, 2009 10:20 PM

I spent 5 years running a school computer lab, and in all that time, I never had one student, not even one of the kindergarteners, who was so whiny and petulant as BabySlim. Get over it already, and quit being such a little bitch.

Posted by: CptCrckpot at June 1, 2009 11:29 PM

It's fairly obvious that Ridley Scott has entered the George Lucas/Steven Spielberg part of his career. I.E., go back to the franchise that made you a star and make that prequel/sequel that you always wanted to make back in 1982 but couldn't bring everything together enough to accomplish in 1982.

Make a prequel, make a sequel, whatever. Just give it good writing and good directing and avoid the word 'Vs' in the title. Is that too much to ask?

Posted by: Some Guy at June 2, 2009 1:07 AM

The idea that Alien was the first encounter between humans and aliens might not hold water. Ash seemed there for a reason, and it always seemed like the Nostromo was sent there on purpose in order to get the xenophobe. Ripley screwed their plans.

Posted by: Protoguy at June 2, 2009 2:45 PM

I'm quite excited about this... I've always wondered about that big alien ship from the start of Alien, and where the Aliens originated from. Do they inhabit their own planet? How did they get off? Can they survive without a host species?

Posted by: Banshee at June 2, 2009 6:31 PM