Neill Blomkamp's ALIEN is official!

[abake]

I'm in the camp that Alien 3 (flaws and all) was a good and proper ending to the Alien franchise and Ripley.
They want to bring her and Hicks back, fine by me, but this sounds just a little bit too much like unchecked fanboyism...

And BTW, people tend to forget how much input Weaver in Alien 3 and A:R... a lot of what fans don't really like about those movies had a lot to do with Weaver.

I'm cautiously optimistic, but I don't think we'll get another masterpiece from this franchise. Which is fine, I enjoy most of the movies in the franchise, so as long as we get a decent sci-fi thriller, and not just a fanboy's wet dream, I'm happy.

 

[Mad Old Lu]

I'm interested in how the movie will come out. Blomkamp certainly has the eye to make the greasy, drippy, dirty future of the Alien movies. For the record, I like Alien 3 although I recognize what a mess the story really is, but I don't blame Fincher at all for it. He came into it late in the game and I think he did an excellent job with what he was given and what he had to deal with on a daily basis while making it. Alien Resurrection is pretty bad, but plays slightly better when you realize it's really an episode of Firefly.

Too bad this had to happen SO many years later when Weaver and Biehn have aged too much to ignore. Twenty or even ten years ago they probably could have done it as an "inbetweequel" where the movie starts at the end of Aliens, and ends right before the facehuggers attack in Alien 3.

But I ultimately have no problem with doing an "alternate" part 3. It's not like my copy of Alien 3 will vanish because Hollywood is making another one.

 

[Rorywan]

Well, you don't have to acknowledge the film if you don't like what they're doing with it. Just like I don't acknowledge Resurrection or the aVp films. They certainly invite that perspective if the filmmakers disregard an existing film that has been treated as canon to this point. But considering that we haven't had a good Alien film in 20-30 years, I'm personally interested to see what he does with it. Could help to alleviate the bad taste that Prometheus left in my mouth, if nothing else.

If it was a totally new Alien film, I would just take it for what it is. Hope it's good.

But it's got Weaver in it. Changes things a lot for me as a lifelong Alien fan. I'm certainly interested in it, but I think it seems contrived and cynical thing to do with the franchise, each to their own i guess.

 

[a-dev]

Don't forget that "Alienz: Pooponial Marines" is the official canon.

In the pre-release hype phase maybe. But I'm sure even Fox is happy to reconsider that position now.

I care not a jot for what is considered official canon anyway. Simply, for me and for each of us really, it's canon if we want it to be canon.

If Blomkamp's sequel ends up being good I will have 2 different Alien Canon's to watch.

 

[karamazov80]

If it was a totally new Alien film, I would just take it for what it is. Hope it's good.

But it's got Weaver in it. Changes things a lot for me as a lifelong Alien fan. I'm certainly interested in it, but I think it seems contrived and cynical thing to do with the franchise, each to their own i guess.

Well it is clearly a contrived move, to capitalize on Blomkamp's nostalgia, and that of a large chunk of fans of the franchise. But then, that kind of thing, in different variations, is a huge chunk of what we see in films today. Rocky Balboa and Rambo, Mad Max, Predators, Blade Runner sequel, Beetlejuice 2, Terminator: Gynisys, etc. And as a-dev says, we all have our own canons, just as we all have our own threshold for how much of a derivative, fanboy pleasing nostalgia-fest we will be happy with, vs. something genuinely new and interesting.

I think the deck is stacked against another genuinely creative, and genuinely great Alien(s) film, because film companies are risk averse. Prometheus, as creative and different as it is from the other films, only happens because Scott wanted to do it, and I'm not sure he has another great film in him. Anything else is probably going to be very derivative of something else that worked, or it is going to be something bland and digestible to the largest audience possible. Considering that, I think a director with some real skill deciding to tackle the former approach may be the best we can hope for at this point.

 

[VintijDroidGutzz]

Stepping outside the circle is only a risk till it works.

The studio plebs will flinch once the next benchmark gets set, as they always have. Till then, it's colouring within the established franchise lines.

The real poison is the concept of the 'franchise' to begin with.. nothing new to y'all anyway of course.

 

[Rorywan]

Well it is clearly a contrived move, to capitalize on Blomkamp's nostalgia, and that of a large chunk of fans of the franchise. But then, that kind of thing, in different variations, is a huge chunk of what we see in films today. Rocky Balboa and Rambo, Mad Max, Predators, Blade Runner sequel, Beetlejuice 2, Terminator: Gynisys, etc. And as a-dev says, we all have our own canons, just as we all have our own threshold for how much of a derivative, fanboy pleasing nostalgia-fest we will be happy with, vs. something genuinely new and interesting.

I think the deck is stacked against another genuinely creative, and genuinely great Alien(s) film, because film companies are risk averse. Prometheus, as creative and different as it is from the other films, only happens because Scott wanted to do it, and I'm not sure he has another great film in him. Anything else is probably going to be very derivative of something else that worked, or it is going to be something bland and digestible to the largest audience possible. Considering that, I think a director with some real skill deciding to tackle the former approach may be the best we can hope for at this point.

Great post. I concur.

 

[Rorywan]

Stepping outside the circle is only a risk till it works.

The studio plebs will flinch once the next benchmark gets set, as they always have. Till then, it's colouring within the established franchise lines.

The real poison is the concept of the 'franchise' to begin with.. nothing new to y'all anyway of course.

Mediocre post. I concur.

 

[VintijDroidGutzz]

Mediocre post. I concur.

Sweet talker.

 

[karamazov80]

LOL

Stepping outside the circle is only a risk till it works.

It's higher risk to do something genuinely novel, but also potentially a higher reward. There are natural, diminishing returns when you go to the well over and over again. But if it's a well that's given you lots of water before, then you keep going there before drilling a new well.

 

[Rorywan]

Sweet talker.

...

 

[Deckard]

"I *****ed It Up": Neill Blomkamp Says He Wants To Go Back To 'Elysium' And "Do It Correctly"

"I F*cked It Up": Neill Blomkamp Says He Wants To Go Back | The Playlist

 

[karamazov80]

This comment reinforces my feelings about him, and suggests he acknowledges some of his weaknesses and is willing to try and improve on them.

"Concepts are just as interesting to me as stories are. Where, to normal people, stories are more interesting"

You've got to respect that from a public figure like this.

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

"I *****ed It Up": Neill Blomkamp Says He Wants To Go Back To 'Elysium' And "Do It Correctly"

"I *****ed It Up": Neill Blomkamp Says He Wants To Go Back | The Playlist

He will hate Chapie 2 years from now too

 

[GasparZizou]

Very self aware that Neil guy, I hope he has learned enough for this movie.

 

[YankeesFanboy]

Pretty sure Sharlto Copley and a mech/robot will appear in this newfangled Alien film. Besides segregation, class conflict and all of that other stuff.

 

[The Clown Prince of Crime]

Pretty sure Sharlto Copley and a mech/robot will appear in this newfangled Alien film.

Yes, and they will be hunted because they are a threat and very valuable, just like the Alien from D9, Matt Damon, or the robot in Chapie For the first time ever, the alien creature in Alien 5 will be the victim.

 

[YankeesFanboy]

Yes, and they will be hunted because they are a threat and very valuable, just like the Alien from D9, Matt Damon, or the robot in Chapie For the first time ever, the alien creature in Alien 5 will be the victim.

If the alien makes a flower out of scrap metal, I'm gonna burn down the theater.

 

[Unclechopchop]

"I *****ed It Up": Neill Blomkamp Says He Wants To Go Back To 'Elysium' And "Do It Correctly"

"I *****ed It Up": Neill Blomkamp Says He Wants To Go Back | The Playlist

Hollywood had its hooks in that one. He only did it so he could eventually fund something else he really had charge of. George Clooney talks about how he does this all the time so he can do his own projects.

 

[sgt.reese]

Besides casting Michael biehn to reprise his role as Hicks, who would you pick to cast as an older newt? I'd say Emily blunt or Lauren Cohen would be great. I would also like to see Stephen Amell or Chris Evans play a colonial marine or pilot and square off against the alien,
Also, if they continue the alien tradition than an android needs to be cast and his or hers name should start with 'E.'
Who could play an android to match all the others before whom I thibk did an amazing job.