The Big Picture
-
Aliens
was a 1986 Sci-Fi classic directed by James Cameron, starring Sigourney Weaver. - Ridley Scott wasn’t invited back to direct
Aliens
, causing initial frustration. - Despite emotional damage, Ridley Scott made peace with James Cameron and
Aliens
over time.
If there’s one thing moviegoers enjoy more than a great science-fiction flick, it’s a science-fiction series. The genre lends itself well to extended cinematic universes thanks to its diversity. Stars Wars, undoubtedly the category’s most successful franchise, is a sweeping space fantasy, while the Back to the Future series offers time-traveling comedy antics. Then, of course, there’s the Alien series, which was a result of the mega-success of director Ridley Scott’s original 1979 picture, Alien.
Often considered one of the scariest movies ever made, the film effortlessly blurs the lines between sci-fi and horror, making for a harrowing yet exciting adventure. Following the frightening adventures of Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and the crew of the Nostromo’s stand-off with the deadly Xenomorph creature, Alien was a massive hit for 20th Century Fox, which, of course, meant a sequel was nigh. That sequel would take several years to get off the ground, but, in 1986, audiences finally returned to a place where no one would hear them scream with Aliens. The film was another major success and paved the way for the franchise that followed, and in addition to a great box office return, audiences praised the follow-up. With both the studio and moviegoers pleased, it seemed like Aliens was a universal hit. However, the film had one major detractor in the way of Alien’s original director, Ridley Scott: feelings of betrayal and frustration plagued the cinematic icon for years, but as time went on, a more nuanced view of the film eventually emerged.
Aliens
Decades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.
- Release Date
- July 18, 1986
- Director
- James Cameron
- Runtime
- 137 minutes
- Main Genre
- Sci-Fi
- Writers
- James Cameron , David Giler , Walter Hill
- Studio
- 20th Century Fox
It Wasn’t Easy To Get ‘Aliens’ Made
According to BoxOfficeMojo.com, Alien grossed $78,955,806 against an estimated budget of $11,000,000. In this day and age, such a huge return would mean immediate sequels, however, several issues quickly arose and nearly derailed a follow-up from ever happening. As BloodyDisgusting.com recalls, 20th Century Fox was undergoing some major changes shortly after Alien was released, and while studio head, Alan Ladd Jr. was an early supporter of the film, he had departed to start his own production company. His successor, Norman Levy, feared such a project would be too expensive.
Further complicating matters was an impending lawsuit. IGN reports that the producers who worked on Alien served Fox with a lawsuit for their cut of the profits, and per IGN’s records, Fox wouldn’t move forward with a sequel until the issue was settled. Interestingly enough, the lawsuit ultimately helped get the sequel some momentum. According to the L.A. Times, a 1983 settlement declared that Fox would finance an Alien sequel on the producer’s behalf, but would not distribute it. That was not the end of the behind-the-scenes drama, though, as Alien’s original director had a few choice words when it came to a follow-up to his seminal film.
Ridley Scott Wasn’t Invited Back for ‘Aliens’
Typically, when a director churns out a massive hit, studios are eager to bring their champion filmmaker back for a sequel, but this was not the case for Ridley Scott. In an interview with Vanity Fair, Scott revealed that he wasn’t even asked to return. He elaborated: “Most directors in Hollywood—certainly, let’s say, at my level—don’t let that stuff go. But I did Alien as my second movie, so I didn’t have much choice. And Blade Runner was my third movie. So, I had no choice because I had very tough partners.” Scott added that he believes he “should have done the sequels to Alien and to Blade Runner,” but that, in the case of the former, he claims that he wasn’t even told that a sequel was in the works, let alone asked to participate. He added, “You can imagine, I wasn’t very happy.”
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Scott had a difficult time on the original film, with its budget having doubled during production. The shoot was also filled with challenges on the technical side, including issues with the iconic chest-busting scene. The various difficulties seemed enough for the studio to consider other directors, and as a result, 20th Century Fox’s attention was turned to relative newcomer, James Cameron. An archived article from the L.A. Times reveals that Cameron was brought onto the project thanks to Fox’s enthusiasm for The Terminator. Cameron says he didn’t initially understand why anyone would want to make a sequel to Alien, as he viewed it as a “perfect movie.”
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However, Sideshow states that Cameron turned in an outline, and when production on The Terminator was delayed, Cameron became more invested in the project and fleshed out the script. Production on The Terminator did eventually start, but once it wrapped, Cameron and Fox were ready to go on Aliens. However, before shooting began, Cameron had to make an uncomfortable call to Alien’s original director.
‘Aliens’ Caused Ridley Scott Emotional Damage
After being passed over to helm the sequel to his pivotal film, Scott received a call from Cameron on the matter, and in an interview with Deadline, Scott said that Cameron was nice but straightforward. He explained: “[Cameron] said, this is tough, your beast is so unique. It’s hard to make him as frightening again, now familiar ground. So he said, I’m going in a more action, army kind of way.” Scott described the call as a “Welcome to Hollywood” moment, but after hanging up, Scott says he was “pissed.”
He further explained that he felt like “damaged goods,” as he was trying to recover from the disaster that was Blade Runner, and to recover, Scott says he turned to exercise, tennis, and looking for his next project. Scott eventually found a plethora of projects and directed some of the most successful films of all time, including Thelma & Louise and Gladiator. His initial failure with Blade Runner has since been reassessed and the picture has become a classic, though later on, he stepped back into the world of Alien with Prometheus, and served as a producer on Alien: Romulus. In something of a happy ending, Scott’s opinions towards Aliens and Cameron have softened over the years. Of the dynamic Avatar director, Scott told Deadline, “Jim and I talk often. We’re not exactly friends, but we do talk, and he’s a great guy.”
Ridley Scott created movie history when Alien premiered in theaters in 1979, so it’s no surprise that Scott was hurt and angered by the studios’ decision to pass the torch to James Cameron without even consulting the original director. Despite Scott’s issues with the film and Cameron’s vision, he eventually made his peace with both. Now, in 2024, audiences will return to the Alien universe with Alien: Romulus, produced by Scott, bringing the story and saga full circle.
Aliens is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.
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