This is an accepted version of this page
| Alien | |
|---|---|
_logo.png){kind=logo} Official franchise logo | |
| Created by | Dan O'Bannon Ronald Shusett |
| Original work | Alien (1979) |
| Owner | 20th Century Studios |
| Years | 1979–present |
| Print publications | |
| Novel(s) | List of novels |
| Comics | List of comics |
| Films and television | |
| Film(s) |
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| Short film(s) |
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| Television series | Alien: Earth (2025) |
| Web series | Alien: Isolation – The Digital Series (2019) |
| Theatrical presentations | |
| Play(s) | Alien: The Play (2019) |
| Games | |
| Video game(s) | List of video games |
| Audio | |
| Soundtrack(s) |
|
| Miscellaneous | |
| Character(s) | List of characters |
Alien is ascience fictionhorror andactionmedia franchise centered on the original film series which depictswarrant officerEllen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and her battles with anextraterrestrial lifeform, commonly referred to as theAlien ("Xenomorph"), and the prequel series following the exploits of theDavid 8 android (Michael Fassbender) and the aliens referred to as the "Engineers".
Produced and distributed by20th Century Studios, the series began withAlien (1979), directed byRidley Scott, and was followed by three sequels:Aliens (1986), directed byJames Cameron;Alien 3 (1992), directed byDavid Fincher; andAlien Resurrection (1997), directed byJean-Pierre Jeunet. Scott also directed the prequel series filmsPrometheus (2012) andAlien: Covenant (2017). This was followed byAlien: Romulus (2024), which is set between the first two films and was directed byFede Álvarez.
The series has led to numerousnovels,comics,video games and an upcoming television series titledAlien: Earth, developed by Scott forFX on Hulu, withNoah Hawley. It has inspired a number of spin-offs – most notably theAlien vs. Predator series, which combines the continuities of theAlien franchise with thePredator franchise and consists of two films as well as various series of comics, books, and video games.
TheAlien franchise depicts a series of deadly encounters, predominantly spanning the 22nd and 24th centuries, between humanity and theXenomorph; a hostile,endoparasitoid, extraterrestrial species.[1] Humanity is depicted as a space-faring species with an interstellar dominion; space journeys typically last months, even years, and require the use ofcryosleep.[2] Throughout the series, characters are repeatedly manipulated and endangered by the unscrupulousmegacorporation Weyland-Yutani Corp, which seeks to profit from the Aliens.[1][3]
The series fictionalizes the origin of the human race. A member of an ancient humanoid species, called the "Engineers", sacrifices himself, allowing his DNA to spark the genesis of mankind. The Engineers' other experiments, designed to exterminate the human race through the means of a deadly mutagen, pave the way for the Aliens to rise and populate through the traumatic implantation of larvae in hosts.[4][1] Incidents across several generations are chronicled throughout the franchise.
WriterDan O'Bannon, wanting to write a science-fiction action film, collaborated with screenwriterRonald Shusett on a script, initially titledStar Beast, but eventually changed toAlien.Brandywine Productions, a company which had a distribution deal with 20th Century Fox, bought the script. The writers expected it to be a low-budget film, but the success ofStar Wars inclined Fox to invest millions.[5]
In the original script, the ship had an all-male crew, though it noted that all roles could be played by men or women without major changes to the film. The Ripley character was initially to be played byTom Skerritt, but when Fox presidentAlan Ladd Jr. and the producers at Brandywine heard rumors of Fox working on other titles with strong female leads, it was decided to cast a female as Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and Skerritt became Captain Dallas.Ridley Scott came on as director.
Swiss painter and sculptorH. R. Giger designed the alien creature's adult form and the derelict ship, while French artistMœbius created the look of the spacesuits andRon Cobb provided most of the industrial design for the sets.[6][7][8]
WhileAlien was a critical and financial success upon its 1979 release, Fox did not consider a sequel until 1983. That year,James Cameron expressed his interest to producerDavid Giler in continuing theAlien story. After Cameron'sThe Terminator became a box office hit in 1984, Cameron and partnerGale Anne Hurd were given approval to direct and produce the sequel toAlien, scheduled for a 1986 release.[9] Cameron wrote the screenplay forAliens from a story he developed with Giler and Walter Hill.
Following the second film, Weaver was not interested in returning to the series, so Giler and Hill commissioned a sequel without the Ripley character. Fox's presidentJoe Roth opposed Ripley's removal, and Weaver was offered a $5 million salary and a producer credit to makeAlien 3. Giler, Hill and Larry Ferguson wrote the screenplay, based on a story from an earlier script byVincent Ward, intended to bring closure to theAlien franchise by killing off Ripley, the principal character.Alien 3 faced a mired production, with extensive script difficulties, trouble securing a director, production beginning prior to the completion of a final script, as well as profuse studio interference.[10][11]
While fans and critics initially did not receiveAlien 3 well, and director David Fincher disowned it,[12][13] the film was a worldwide success and piqued Fox's interest in continuing the franchise. The Assembly Cut, which restored many of the scenes cut from the theatrical version, would later receive more positive reviews,[14][15][16] with the film considered acult classic in some quarters.[17][18]
In 1996, production on the fourthAlien film,Alien Resurrection, began. Ripley was not in the script's first draft, and Weaver was not interested in reprising the role. She joined the project after being offered an $11 million salary and more creative control, including director approval. The script, set 200 years afterAlien 3, resurrected the Ripley character viahuman cloning.[19] The film, directed byJean-Pierre Jeunet, experienced an extended production, and screenwriterJoss Whedon later said that he thought it had done "everything wrong" with his script.[20] The film was released in 1997 to mixed reviews and modest box office returns. It has since gained fans for itscamp style anddark humor.[21][22][23]
| Film | U.S. release date | Director | Screenwriter(s) | Story by | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alien Anthology | |||||
| Alien | May 25, 1979 (1979-05-25) | Ridley Scott | Dan O'Bannon | Dan O'Bannon &Ronald Shusett | Gordon Carroll,David Giler &Walter Hill |
| Aliens | July 18, 1986 (1986-07-18) | James Cameron | James Cameron, David Giler & Walter Hill | Gale Anne Hurd | |
| Alien3 | May 22, 1992 (1992-05-22) | David Fincher | David Giler, Walter Hill &Larry Ferguson | Vincent Ward | Gordon Carroll, David Giler & Walter Hill |
| Alien Resurrection | November 26, 1997 (1997-11-26) | Jean-Pierre Jeunet | Joss Whedon | Gordon Carroll, David Giler, Walter Hill & Bill Badalato | |
| Prometheus | June 8, 2012 (2012-06-08) | Ridley Scott | Jon Spaihts &Damon Lindelof | David Giler, Walter Hill & Ridley Scott | |
| Alien: Covenant | May 19, 2017 (2017-05-19) | John Logan & Dante Harper | Jack Paglen &Michael Green | David Giler, Walter Hill, Ridley Scott,Mark Huffam &Michael Schaefer | |
| Alien: Romulus | August 16, 2024 (2024-08-16) | Fede Álvarez | Fede Álvarez &Rodo Sayagues | Ridley Scott, Michael Pruss & Walter Hill | |
| Crossover films | |||||
| Alien vs. Predator | August 13, 2004 (2004-08-13) | Paul W. S. Anderson | Paul W. S. Anderson, Dan O'Bannon & Ronald Shusett | John Davis, Gordon Carroll, David Giler & Walter Hill | |
| Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem | December 25, 2007 (2007-12-25) | Greg & Colin Strause | Shane Salerno | John Davis, David Giler & Walter Hill | |
| Alien story chronology | |||
|---|---|---|---|
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On its way back to Earth, the commercial towing vehicleNostromo is diverted to a desolateplanetoid by a cryptic signal from a derelict alien spacecraft. Inside the alien ship, the crew discovers thousands of egg-like objects. A creature, released from one of the eggs, attaches itself to a crewman's face, rendering him unconscious. The others break quarantine to return him to theNostromo. The parasite dies and the crewman wakes up, seemingly unaffected. Soon afterwards, an alien organism bursts from his chest and grows rapidly into a large lethal creature, which the surviving crew attempt to kill. TheNostromo is destroyed in an unsuccessful attempt to kill the creature, leavingEllen Ripley as the only survivor in the ship's lifeboat.
After 57 years inhypersleep, Ripley awakens aboard a medical space station orbiting Earth. She recounts the events of theNostromo but is disbelieved by her superiors in the Weyland Yutani corporation, which has now begun toterraform and colonise LV-426, the planetoid from the first film. When contact with the colony is lost, Ripley is persuaded to accompany a squad of marines to investigate. They discover the colonists have been wiped out after being directed by the company to secure the derelict ship reported by Ripley. There is only one survivor, a girl namedNewt. The aliens vastly outnumber and quickly overwhelm the marines, who fight for survival. Only a handful, including Ripley and Newt, escape.
Immediately following the events ofAliens, the military ship USSSulaco, carrying the survivors, catches fire. The occupants are ejected in an escape pod, which crash-lands on the refinery/prison planet Fiorina "Fury" 161. All on board except Ripley are killed. An alien facehugger is also aboard, and impregnates an animal with an alien, which soon begins killing inmates and wardens. Ripley discovers an alien queen is growing inside her, and is determined to kill both herself and the creature before Weyland Yutani can exploit them.
Two hundred years after the events ofAlien 3, several clones of Ripley, including the Alien queen she was carrying, are grown by the military aboard the USMAuriga. The military intends to exploit the Aliens, and uses humans kidnapped and delivered to them by a group of mercenaries as hosts for the queen's eggs. The Aliens escape, and Ripley 8 (a clone mixed with Alien DNA) and the mercenaries attempt to escape and destroy theAuriga before it reaches Earth.
Inspired by theDark Horse Comics series, the filmmakers ofPredator 2 (1990) incorporated anEaster egg in which an Alien skull was seen in a Predator trophy case. Expansions upon thisshared universe between theAlien andPredator franchises followed through comics and video games, leading up to the launch of a film franchise with the release ofAlien vs. Predator in 2004, followed byAliens vs. Predator: Requiem in 2007. The franchise has spawned various comics, novels, video games, and other merchandise based upon or inspired by the films. A third film has been variously rumored since the production ofRequiem.[24][25][26] In mid-2018,Shane Black, the director ofThe Predator, expressed his belief that a thirdAlien vs. Predator could still happen, indicating the studio's interest in both franchises.[27]
In 2004, a Predator mothership arrives inEarth orbit to draw humans to an ancient Predator training ground onBouvetøya, an island about one thousand miles north ofAntarctica. A buriedpyramid giving off a "heat bloom" attracts a group of explorers led by billionaire and self-taught engineer Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen), the original founder and CEO of Weyland Industries, who unknowingly activates an Alien egg production line as a hibernating Alien queen is awakened within the pyramid. Three Predators descend to the planet and enter the structure, killing all humans in their way with the intention of hunting the newly formed Aliens, while the scattered explorers are captured alive by Aliens and implanted with embryos. Two Predators die in the ensuing battle with an Alien, while the third allies itself with the lone surviving human, Alexa "Lex" Woods (Sanaa Lathan), while making their way out of the pyramid as it is destroyed by the Predator's wrist bomb and eventually does battle with the escaped Alien Queen on the surface. The Queen is defeated by being dragged down by a water tower into the dark depths of the frozen sea, but not before she fatally wounds the last Predator. The orbiting Predator mothership uncloaks and the crew retrieves the fallen Predator. A Predator elder gives Lex a spear as a sign of respect, and then departs. Once in orbit it is revealed that an AlienChestburster was present within the corpse, thus a Predalien hybrid is born.
Set immediately after the events of the previous film, thePredalien hybrid aboard the Predator scout ship, having just separated from the mothership shown in the previous film, has grown to full adult size and sets about killing the Predators aboard the ship, causing it to crash in the small town ofGunnison, Colorado. The last surviving Predator activates a distress beacon containing a video recording of the Predalien, which is received by aveteran Predator on the Predator homeworld, who sets off towards Earth to "clean up" the infestation. When it arrives, the Predator tracks the Aliens into a section of the sewer below the town. He removes evidence of their presence as he moves along using a corrosive blue liquid and uses a laser net to try to contain the creatures, but the Aliens still manage to escape into the town above. The Predator fashions a plasma pistol from its remaining plasma caster and hunts Aliens all across town, accidentally cutting the power to the town in the process. During a confrontation with human survivors, the Predator loses its plasma pistol. The Predator then fights the Predalien singlehandedly, and the two mortally wound one another just as the US air force drops a tactical nuclear bomb on the town, incinerating both combatants along with the Predalien's warriors and hive, as well as the few remaining humans in the town. The salvaged plasma pistol is then taken to Ms. Cullen Yutani of the Yutani Corporation, foreshadowing an advance in technology leading to the future events of theAlien films.
Development of a prequel story began in the early 2000s when both Ridley Scott and James Cameron started to develop ideas for a story that would explore the origins of the Alien. In 2002, the development ofAlien vs. Predator had taken precedence and the prequel project remained dormant until 2009.Jon Spaihts wrote the first screenplay for the project, but Scott then opted for a different direction and hiredDamon Lindelof in 2010, to rewrite the script into a story that focused on the creators of the Aliens, rather than the Aliens themselves. The film, titledPrometheus, was released in 2012 to box office success and mostly positive reviews.[28][29]
By 2014, development on the second prequel was underway, with Scott returning as director.[30] The film's screenplay was initially written by Jack Paglen in 2013, but was subsequently rewritten byMichael Green and Dante Harper, before Scott's collaborator fromGladiator,John Logan, wrote the final version.[31][32] The film, titledAlien: Covenant, commenced production in February 2016 and was released on May 19, 2017.[33][34]Alien: Covenant was a box office disappointment, grossing $240.9 million worldwide against a production budget of $97 million, while also receiving lukewarm critical reviews.[35][36] The story of the prequel series centers around the androidDavid 8, and two crews he accompanies on expeditions to meet the mysterious Engineers.
Some 30 years before the events ofAlien, scientists Elizabeth Shaw and Charlie Holloway discover a star map among the remnants of several ancient Earth cultures. Accompanied by David 8 and hoping to discover theorigins of humanity, they journey aboard the spaceship USCSSPrometheus and arrive on the distant planet LV-223 in theZeta2 Reticuli system, the same region of space in which theplanetoid LV-426 fromAlien is found. There they discover the ancient remains of an advanced civilization, called the Engineers (apparently the same race as the dead pilot from the derelict ship inAlien), who were developing biological weapons in the form of a pathogenic mutagen which could have driven the human race extinct. The horrors they encounter result in the loss of the crew except for David and Shaw.
Eleven years after the events ofPrometheus, the colony ship USCSSCovenant, carrying thousands of colonists and hundreds of human embryos in cryo-stasis, makes its way towards the planet Origae-6. The crew is awakened by a neutrino blast and intercepts a transmission sent from Shaw, which they decide to trace to an apparently habitable Engineer home world (referred to as Planet 4), devoid of all non-floral life. When several crew members are infected by the same mutagen encountered by thePrometheus crew and give birth to a new breed of Alien, the Neomorphs, the android David 8 rescues them. It is revealed that he brought Shaw to the planet, where he killed all non-floral life and began experimenting on Shaw's corpse to engineer his own breeds of Aliens. His motive to replace human life with Aliens is made apparent, and with the birth of yet another new breed of Alien, a terraforming expert named Daniels and the remaining crew are forced to flee from the world. After disposing of the Aliens chasing them, the crew members return to theCovenant and are put back into cryosleep by someone they believe to be their shipboard synthetic, Walter. Only when Daniels is put in her cryopod does she realize that Walter has been replaced by the identical David. With the crew, colonists, and embryos at his mercy, David contacts Weyland-Yutani back on Earth, stating that while the majority of the crew was killed in the neutrino blast, they would continue to Origae-6.[37]
In March 2022,The Hollywood Reporter reported thatHulu would release a newAlien film, initially reported as a standalone entry in the franchise, to be directed byFede Álvarez and produced byRidley Scott. Álvarez had pitched the idea to Scott years prior.[38] It was later clarified that the film was set betweenAlien andAliens.[39]Cailee Spaeny was announced to be in talks for the lead role from November of that year.[40] Under the working titleAlien: Romulus, filming was scheduled to begin on February 6, 2023 at Origo Studios in Budapest, Hungary.[41] In March 2023,Isabela Merced joined Spaeny in an undisclosed role.[42] The official date of filming was set for March 9.[43] It was released in theaters on August 16, 2024.[44]
In the mid-1990s, screenwriterStuart Hazeldine wrote a treatment titledAlien: Earthbound. Fox executives were impressed by the script, having read it afterAlien Resurrection had entered post-production.[45] According to Sigourney Weaver, Joss Whedon had written an Earth-set script forAlien 5, but Weaver was not interested and wanted it to be set on the original planetoid. She has remained open to a role on the condition that she likes the story.[46] Before 20th Century FoxgreenlitAlien vs. Predator, James Cameron had been collaborating on the plot for a fifthAlien film with another writer, but ceased work on learning of the crossover. Cameron stated that the crossover would "kill the validity of the franchise", and that "it wasFrankenstein Meets Werewolf" – like "Universal just taking their assets and starting to play them off against each other." Although he liked the final product, he ruled out any future involvement with the series.[47] In late 2008, Weaver hinted in an interview with MTV that she and Scott were working on anAlien spin-off film, which would focus on the chronicles of Ellen Ripley rather than on the Aliens, but the continuation of Ripley's story has not materialized.[48]
In 2015, Sigourney Weaver expressed her interest in returning to the role of Ripley withNeill Blomkamp's story (purportedly titledAlien: Awakening) which would tie into the first twoAlien films by taking place afterAliens and foregoing involvement with the other two sequels.[49][50] This was canceled in favor of Scott's own untitled third prequel (also purportedly titledAlien: Awakening).[51][52] In February 2019, James Cameron stated that he was working on reviving Blomkamp's project.[53] In June 2020, Brandywine Productions revealed that a screenplay for a new installment in the original series calledAlien V, centered around Ripley, had been written by Walter Hill and David Giler.[54] In an interview withThe Hollywood Reporter published in September 2022, Hill confirmed that the proposed alternative sequel involving Weaver would not be moving forward.[55] Blomkamp reused some of his proposed concepts forAlien V in his short filmRakka, also starring Sigourney Weaver.[56]
After theacquisition of 21st Century Fox by The Walt Disney Company, it was officially confirmed at the 2019CinemaCon that futureAlien films are in development.[57] In May 2019,Variety reported that the third prequel film was "in the script phase", with Ridley Scott attached to serve once again as director.[58][59] In September 2020, Scott confirmed that work on the next installment is ongoing, but whether the plot would be connectedPrometheus andAlien: Covenant was undecided.[60] In October 2024, Scott confirmed he is developing a newAlien film.[61]
| Film | U.S. release date | Director(s) | Screenwriter(s) | Producer(s) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| TED 2023 | February 28, 2012 (2012-02-28)[62] | Luke Scott[63] | Damon Lindelof[64] | RSA Films[63][65][66] |
| Happy Birthday, David | April 17, 2012 (2012-04-17)[67] | Johnny Hardstaff[65][66] | Damon Lindelof & Johnny Hardstaff[65] | |
| Quiet Eye: Elizabeth Shaw | May 16, 2012 (2012-05-16)[68] | Damon Lindelof[66] | ||
| Project Prometheus: Mission | May 30, 2012 (2012-05-30)[69] | Chris Eyerman & Evan DeHaven[69] | Ashley Crandall, James Cobo, & Nina Kauffman[69] | Ignition Interactive[69] |
| Weyland Industries Testimonial | June 27, 2012 (2012-06-27)[70] | N/A | N/A | 20th Century Fox |
| Prometheus Transmission | October 11, 2012 (2012-10-11)[71] | Johnny Hardstaff[72] | Michael Ellenberg & Johnny Hardstaff[72] | RSA Films[72][73][74] |
| Alien: Covenant — Prologue: Last Supper | February 22, 2017 (2017-02-22)[75] | Luke Scott[73][74] | Will Melton[76] | |
| Alien: Covenant — Meet Walter | March 10, 2017 (2017-03-10)[77] | Will Melton & Chris Eyerman[78][79] | ||
| Alien: Covenant — Crew Messages | April 17–20, 2017[80] | N/A | N/A | 20th Century Fox |
| Alien: Covenant — Prologue: The Crossing | April 26, 2017 (2017-04-26)[81] | Ridley Scott[82] | John Logan & Dante Harper | |
| Alien: Covenant ×Audi Lunar Quattro | April 27, 2017 (2017-04-27)[83] | Matthew Thorne[84] | Josh Hill[84] | Collider Films[84] |
| Alien: Covenant — She Won't Go Quietly | May 5, 2017 (2017-05-05)[85] | Luke Scott[86] | RSA Films[86] | |
| Alien: Covenant —Rick and Morty | May 15, 2017 (2017-05-15)[87] | Justin Roiland[88] | 20th Century Fox | |
| Alien: Covenant — Phobos | July 19, 2017 (2017-07-19)[89] | Toby Dye[90] | John Logan & Toby Dye[90] | |
| Alien: Covenant — Advent | August 15, 2017 (2017-08-15)[91] | Matthew Thorne[91] | Will Melton[92] | |
| Alien: Containment | March 29, 2019 (2019-03-29)[93] | Chris Reading[93] | Tongal Studios[93] | |
| Alien: Specimen | April 5, 2019 (2019-04-05)[93] | Kelsey Taylor[93] | Federico Fracchia[93] | |
| Alien: Night Shift | April 12, 2019 (2019-04-12)[93] | Aidan Breznick[93] | ||
| Alien: Ore | April 19, 2019 (2019-04-19)[93] | Kailey & Sam Spear[93] | ||
| Alien: Harvest | April 26, 2019 (2019-04-26)[93] | Benjamin Howdeshell[93] | Craig Dewey | |
| Alien: Alone | Noah Miller[93] | |||
| Alien: Covenant — David's Lab: Last Signs of Life | August 15, 2019 (2019-08-15)[94] | Allen Colombo[95] | Milena Westarb[95] | Effie Studios[95] |
In 2012 and 2017 respectively, fourteen short films were produced to tie in with the releases ofPrometheus andAlien: Covenant. In July 2018, it was reported that 20th Century Fox had joined forces withTongal to produce short films, intended to coincide with the 40th anniversary of theAlien franchise.[96][97][98] By March 2019, the details of the short films were released. Tongal co-founder and CEO James DeJulio stated that the joint-production is "reflective of Tongal's mission to bring creative opportunities to the next generation of talent." The shorts were released weekly onIGN, after which they were uploaded to the Alien Universe web page, as well as allAlien social media pages on May 5 of the same year. All six of the short films premiered at theEmerald City Comic Con inSeattle.[93] The 40th anniversary short films are available as aMovies Anywhere-exclusive bonus feature accompanying the digital release ofAlien.
| Series | Season | Episodes | Originally released | Showrunner(s) | Status | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| First released | Last released | Network | ||||||
| Alien: Isolation – The Digital Series | 1 | 7 | February 28, 2019 (2019-2-28) | IGN | Kinga Smith and Fabien Dubois | Concluded | ||
| Alien: Earth | 1 | TBA | 2025 (2025)[99] | TBA | FX on Hulu | Noah Hawley | Post-production | |
In 1979, 20th Century Fox considered producing a television series based upon the 1979 filmAlien and hoped that ABC would pick it up but its only media coverage was found in the June 1980Fangoria issue #6 and it ended up abandoned as the 1986 sequelAliens arrived on the scene.[100] In 1992, a now cancelled animated series inspired by the 1986 filmAliens titledOperation: Aliens was being produced along with an LCD game, board game, aSega Genesisvideo game byTHQ, and action figures.[101][102][103][104] However the brand lived on through Kenner toylines as simplyAliens and in the comics series included with the action figures as well as in theAliens/Predator Universe trading cards set.[105] In 2007, Ain't It Cool News reported that a (since cancelled) animated series inspired by the 1986 filmAliens titledAliens: War Games was being produced.[106][107]
In 2014, Sega published the video gameAlien: Isolation. In 2019, a seven-episode animated adaptation of the same name[108] was released on February 28. The series, developed by 20th Century Fox, in conjunction with Reverse Engineering Studios and DVgroup, was created using a combination of brand-new scenes animated from scratch, cinematics taken directly from the original game, and digital recreations of first-person scenes from the game.Alien: Isolation is set in 2137, 15 years after the events ofAlien and 42 years prior toAliens, followingAmanda Ripley, who is investigating the disappearance of her mother, Ellen Ripley, as she is transferred to the space station Sevastopol to find the flight recorder of theNostromo only to discover an Alien has terrorized the station, killing the vast majority of the crew.[109]Andrea Deck reprises her role as Amanda Ripley.
On December 10, 2020, as part of Disney's Investor Day presentation, a new TV series project based on the franchise was announced to be in development forFX on Hulu, withNoah Hawley and Scott being involved (the former as showrunner and the latter as producer). It will be set on Earth in the near future, thus marking the first of the franchise to do so without featuring Ellen Ripley.[110][111] At the 2021 Television Critics Association Press Tour, FX network's John Landgraf said that the series will probably premiere in 2023.[112] A casting sheet for characters Hermit and Wendy shed light on the show's leads.[113] Reports suggested that the TV series would start filming in March 2022,[114] but production was delayed until 2023, due to theCOVID-19 pandemic.[115][116] On April 6, Landgraf stated that the series was in "active preproduction".[117] On July 19, the production of the series began in Thailand withSydney Chandler,Alex Lawther andSamuel Blenkin being cast as the series' lead roles.[118][119]
This section includes characters who will appear or have appeared in the franchise.
| Character | Alien Anthology | Web series | Television series | Alien: The Audible Original Dramas | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alien | Aliens | Alien 3 | Alien Resurrection | Prometheus | Alien: Covenant | Alien: Romulus | Alien: Isolation | Alien: Earth | Alien: Out of the Shadows | Alien: River of Pain | Sea of Sorrows | Alien III | |
| 1979 | 1986 | 1992 | 1997 | 2012 | 2017 | 2024 | 2019 | 2025 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 | |
Main characters[edit] | |||||||||||||
| Ellen Ripley | Sigourney Weaver | Andrea DeckV | Laurel LefkowV | ||||||||||
| Aliens | Bolaji Badejo | Carl Toop | Tom Woodruff Jr. | Appeared | Andrew Crawford Goran D. Kleut | Trevor Newlin Robert Bobroczkyi | Appeared | ||||||
| Ash / Rook | Ian Holm | Ian HolmP | Ian Holm (digital effect) | Rutger HauerV | |||||||||
| Bishop II Michael Bishop Weyland | Lance Henriksen | Lance HenriksenV | |||||||||||
| Rebecca "Newt" Jorden | Carrie Henn | Danielle Edmond | Mairead DohertyV | Mairead DohertyV | |||||||||
| Dwayne Hicks | Michael Biehn | Michael BiehnP | Michael BiehnV | ||||||||||
| Anne Jorden | Holly De Jong | Anna FrielV | |||||||||||
| Amanda "Amy" Ripley-McClaren | Elizabeth InglisEP | Andrea DeckV Kezia BurrowsMC | |||||||||||
| Ripley 8 | Sigourney Weaver Nicole FellowsY | Laurel LefkowV | |||||||||||
| Annalee Call | Winona Ryder | ||||||||||||
| Elizabeth M. Shaw | Noomi Rapace Lucy HutchinsonY | Noomi RapaceP | |||||||||||
| David8 | Michael Fassbender | ||||||||||||
| Peter Weyland | Guy Pearce | Guy PearceU | Guy PearceV | ||||||||||
| Charlie Holloway | Logan Marshall-Green | Logan Marshall-GreenP | |||||||||||
Supporting characters[edit] | |||||||||||||
| Arthur Dallas | Tom Skerritt | Tom SkerrittP | |||||||||||
| Joan Lambert | Veronica Cartwright | Veronica CartwrightP | |||||||||||
| Samuel Brett | Harry Dean Stanton | Harry Dean StantonP | |||||||||||
| Gilbert Kane | John Hurt | John HurtP | |||||||||||
| Dennis Parker | Yaphet Kotto | Yaphet KottoP | |||||||||||
| MU/ TH/ UR 6000 "Mother/ Father" | Helen HortonV | Steven GilbornV | Lorelei KingV | Tom AlexanderV | Lorelei KingV | ||||||||
| Jones | Various animal performers | Various animal performers | |||||||||||
| Engineers | Appeared | Ian Whyte John Lebar Daniel James | Appeared | Appeared | |||||||||
| Scott Gorman | William Hope | William HopeV | |||||||||||
| Al Simpson | Mac McDonald | Mac McDonaldV | |||||||||||
| Jernigan | Stuart Milligan | Stuart MilliganV | |||||||||||
| Russ Jorden | Jay Benedict | Marc WarrenV | |||||||||||
| Timmy Jorden | Christopher Henn | Matt Keith RauchV | |||||||||||
| Hudson | Bill Paxton | ||||||||||||
| Film | Crew/detail | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Composer(s) | Cinematographer | Editor(s) | Production companies | Distributor | ||||
| Alien | Jerry Goldsmith | Derek Vanlint | Terry Rawlings Peter Weatherley | 20th Century Studios Brandywine Productions Brandywine-Ronald Shusett Productions | 20th Century Studios | |||
| Aliens | James Horner | Adrian Biddle | Ray Lovejoy | 20th Century Studios SLM Production Group Brandywine Productions | ||||
| Alien 3 | Elliot Goldenthal | Alex Thomson | Terry Rawlings | 20th Century Studios Brandywine Productions | ||||
| Alien Resurrection | John Frizzell | Darius Khondji | Hervé Schneid | |||||
| Prometheus | Marc Streitenfeld | Dariusz Wolski | Pietro Scalia | 20th Century Studios Dune Entertainment Scott Free Productions Brandywine Productions | ||||
| Alien: Covenant | Jed Kurzel | 20th Century Studios TSG Entertainment Scott Free Productions Brandywine Productions | ||||||
| Alien: Romulus | Benjamin Wallfisch | Galo Olivares | Jake Roberts | Scott Free Productions Brandywine Productions | 20th Century Studios (Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures) | |||
Figures in this table are not inflation adjusted. Where two different figures are quoted for box office grosses, information is taken from two different sources.
| Film | Release date | Box office revenue | Budget | References | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| North America | Foreign | Worldwide | ||||
| Alien | May 25, 1979 | $64,324,049 | $122,631,433 | $186,955,482 | $10.7 million | [120] |
| Aliens | July 18, 1986 | $85,160,248 | $98,131,645 | $183,291,893 | $17 million | [120] |
| Alien 3 | May 22, 1992 | $54,927,174 | $103,572,826 | $158,500,000 | $55 million | [120] |
| Alien Resurrection | November 26, 1997 | $47,802,866 | $112,904,982 | $160,707,848 | $60 million | [120] |
| Prometheus | June 8, 2012 | $126,477,084 | $275,971,181 | $402,448,265 | $125 million | [120] |
| Alien: Covenant | May 19, 2017 | $74,262,031 | $164,259,216 | $238,521,247 | $97 million | [120] |
| Alien: Romulus | August 16, 2024 | $105,313,091 | $245,552,251 | $350,865,342 | $80 million | [120][121] |
| Total | $558,266,543 | $1,123,023,534 | $1,681,290,077 | (E) $444.7 million | ||
| Film | Critical | Public | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rotten Tomatoes | Metacritic | CinemaScore[122] | ||
| Alien | 93% (203 reviews)[123] | 89 (34 reviews)[124] | — | |
| Aliens | 94% (143 reviews)[125] | 84 (22 reviews)[126] | A | |
| Alien 3 | 44% (126 reviews)[127] | 59 (20 reviews)[128] | C | |
| Alien Resurrection | 55% (161 reviews)[129] | 62 (21 reviews)[130] | B− | |
| Prometheus | 73% (312 reviews)[28] | 64 (43 reviews)[131] | B | |
| Alien: Covenant | 65% (408 reviews)[132] | 65 (52 reviews)[133] | B | |
| Alien: Romulus | 80% (381 reviews)[134] | 64 (57 reviews)[135] | B+ | |
TheAmerican Film Institute rankedAlien as the sixthmost thrilling American movie andseventh-best film in the science fiction genre, and in theAFI's 100 Years... 100 Heroes and Villains list, Ripley was ranked eighth among the heroes, and the Alien was fourteenth among the villains. IGN listedAlien as the thirteenth best film franchise of all time in 2006.[136]Alien was also inducted into theNational Film Registry of theLibrary of Congress for historical preservation as a film which is "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant."[137][138]
| Award | Alien | Aliens | Alien 3 | Prometheus | Alien: Romulus |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Actress | Nominated | ||||
| Art Direction | Nominated | Nominated | |||
| Film Editing | Nominated | ||||
| Original Score | Nominated | ||||
| Sound | Nominated | ||||
| Sound Effects Editing | Won | ||||
| Visual Effects | Won | Won | Nominated | Nominated | Nominated |
"Alien Day", April 26, has become the fan celebration day for theAlien franchise. The date derives from LV-426, the "426" converting to "4/26" or "April 26".[139] On Alien Day 2016, Neill Blomkamp released new art for his concept ofAlien 5,[140] and theAudible Original audio play adaptation ofAlien: Out of the Shadows was released. On Alien Day 2017, 20th Century Fox released "The Crossing" prologue short film forAlien: Covenant,[141] and the Audible Original audio play adaptation ofAlien: River of Pain was released.
From March 19 to 22, 2019, North Bergen High School (New Jersey, US) staged an adaptation ofAlien entitledAlien: The Play, which was widely praised and granted seals of approval byRidley Scott,James Cameron,Sigourney Weaver andWalter Hill. In the aftermath of the play's popularity and approval, North Bergen Mayor Nick Sacco's non-profit foundation pledged funds for more performances.[142]
The Bishop character has been the subject of literary and philosophical analysis as a high-profile android character conforming toscience fiction authorIsaac Asimov'sThree Laws of Robotics and as a model of a compliant, potentiallyself-aware machine.[143] The portrayal of androids in theAlien series—Ash inAlien, Bishop inAliens andAlien 3, and Call (Winona Ryder) inAlien Resurrection (1997)—has been studied for its implications relating to how humans deal with the presence of an "Other", as Ripley treats them with fear and suspicion, and a form of "hi-tech racism and android apartheid" is present throughout the series.[144][145] This is seen as part of a larger trend oftechnophobia in films prior to the 1990s, with Bishop's role being particularly significant as he redeems himself at the end ofAliens, thus confounding Ripley's expectations.[146]
| Title | U.S. release date | Length | Composer(s) | Label |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alien: Original Motion Picture Score | 1979 | 33:37 | Jerry Goldsmith | 20th Century |
| Aliens: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | October 25, 1987 | 39:57 | James Horner | Varèse Sarabande |
| Alien 3: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | June 9, 1992 | 47:58 | Elliot Goldenthal | MCA |
| Alien Resurrection: Complete Motion Picture Score | November 11, 1997 | 45:13 | John Frizzell | RCA |
| Prometheus: Original Motion Picture Soundtrack | May 15, 2012 | 57:07 | Marc Streitenfeld | Sony Classical Fox Music |
| Alien: Covenant (Original Soundtrack Album) | May 19, 2017 | 58:57 | Jed Kurzel | Milan |
| Alien: Romulus (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack) | August 16, 2024 | 56:56 | Benjamin Wallfisch | Hollywood |
There have been dozens of stand-alone releases of the individual films on various formats, includingBetamax,VHS,Laserdisc,DVD, andBlu-ray. The multiple single releases on VHS were generally the original theatrical cuts of each film.
Laserdisc saw single releases of all theatrical versions, as well as two so-called "box sets" which only contained one film (there were two single releases, one each forAlien andAliens) but had multiple discs and a large amount of supplemental material with a high retail price tag (around US$100). TheAliens set included a new "Special Edition" cut of the film completed byJames Cameron just for this release, which was a significantly extended version of the film.
The films made theirDVD debut in 1999, both as part of a boxed set (seeAlien Legacy below) and as separate single-disc releases of each film (Aliens was only available in its "Special Edition" cut, not its original theatrical cut, which did not make it to DVD until the next boxed set). Following theAlien Quadrilogy set (see below), each film received individual two-disc releases containing the content of each film from that set. Since then, there have been multiple issues and reissues of the films, in both their theatrical or extended version, though some single releases include both.
In addition to the single releases, there have been seven completebox sets of the series at various points in its history. With the exception of the DVD version of theAliens Triple Pack, each release contained all films that had come out at the time the sets were released. The seven box sets each had unique characteristics and features which were then sometimes reused in later sets or single releases in one form or another, most notably the Blu-rayAnthology, which includes a detailed archive of many previous releases, including the rare Laserdisc box sets.
There exists a great number ofspin-offs in other media, including a large number ofcrossovers with thePredator franchise.
Alien print media has been published since shortly before the release of the original eponymous film, in 1979. The full library of these literary works include novelizations of the films, original content that expand upon the fictional universe, comics and companion books for both the cataloging of in-universe elements and supplemental works concerning the development of the franchise. These include works by special effects companyAmalgamated Dynamics Incorporated (ADI), which assisted with the effects inAlien 3 andAlien Resurrection.
Several novelizations of each of the six films and some comic books as well as original canonical novels based on the franchise have been released. The original novels includeAlien: Out of the Shadows,Alien: Sea of Sorrows,Alien: River of Pain, marketed as the "CanonicalAlien Trilogy" and the short story collectionAliens: Bug Hunt.Out of the Shadows andRiver of Pain were adapted intoaudio dramas in 2016 and 2017 respectively released on theAlien Day of the respective year.Alan Dean Foster publishedAlien: Covenant – Origins, a novel set between the events ofPrometheus andAlien: Covenant.
In addition toAlien: The Illustrated Story, a graphic novel adaptation of the original film, there have been numerous limited series set in theAlien universe, as well as non-canonical crossover appearances of the Alien. In addition toAlien vs. Predator comics featuring the Alien andPredator battling, Dark Horse Comics publishedFire and Stone between 2014 and 2017, crossing over the continuities of theAlien prequel series with theAlien vs. Predator franchise.
Dark Horse Comics also published a number of other miniseries crossovers, featuring the Alien species as an enemy pitted against prolific characters from other continuities. In 1995, the miniseriesSuperman/Aliens featured Aliens fighting againstSuperman, while his powers are diminished.[159] Between 1997 and 2002, a two-part miniseries calledBatman/Aliens was published, depictingBatman fighting against a horde of Aliens in a jungle borderingMexico andGuatemala.[160] In 1998,WildStorm, (now a part ofImage Comics), and Dark Horse Comics published anintercompany crossover event calledWildC.A.T.s/Aliens, featuring theWildcats battling the Aliens.[161]Green Lantern Versus Aliens, an intercompany crossover event between Dark Horse andDC Comics, features a plot beyond either continuity, where the Aliens residing on the Green Lantern planetMogo get out of control and must be exterminated.[162] In 2003, Dark Horse publishedJudge Dredd vs. Aliens, depicting an Alien invasion inMega-City One, necessitating forJudge Dredd to intervene, to destroy the infestation.[163]
In July 2020,Marvel Comics announced that it had acquired the comic book rights to theAlien franchise, in addition to the rights to thePredator andAlien vs. Predator franchises.[164] Marvel announced theAlien series in December 2020, with Phillip Kennedy Johnson writing andSalvador Larroca illustrating it. Issue #1 was released in March 2021.[165]
Jonesy: Nine Lives on the Nostromo is a 2018 picture book that retells the plot ofAlien (1979) from the perspective of Jones, theship's cat from the film.[166]
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Since the launch of theAlien franchise, there have been numerous video games released over the years, spanning a variety of genres. In addition to appearances in crossover video games, including those from theAlien vs. Predator franchise,Mortal Kombat X, andDead by Daylight, the four films from the original series were adapted into video games, typically multiple times.[167] The first release wasAlien (1982) for theAtari 2600, inspired heavily byPac-Man. A second adaptation of the first film was released in 1984. The sequel,Aliens was adapted into four different video games: two different 1986 games titledAliens: The Computer Game, a collection of minigames byActivision and afirst-person shooter bySoftware Studios; as well as two different games titledAliens, a 1987MSXplatformer bySquare and a 1990arcadeshoot 'em up byKonami.Acclaim Entertainment released three different games based onAlien 3; two differentrun and gun platformers - one for consoles in 1992, another for theSNES a year later - and aGame Boyadventure game in 1993.Sega also released alight gun arcade gameAlien 3: The Gun in 1993. Acclaim's first-person shooterAlien Trilogy was released in 1996 and their adaptation ofAlien Resurrection was released in 2000 as aPlayStation first-person shooter.
OtherAlien games includeMindscape's adventure gameAliens: A Comic Book Adventure (1995), the first-person shooterAliens Online (1998), theGame Boy Color action gameAliens: Thanatos Encounter (2001), the mobile phone gameAliens: Unleashed (2003), and the arcade gameAliens: Extermination (2006). In 2014, Play Mechanix and Raw Thrills releasedAliens: Armageddon, a rail gun first person shooter that hit arcades soon after.[168] Between 2016 and 2017,Zen Studios releaseddownloadable content packs in a product line called"Alien vs. Pinball", featuring threevirtualpinball tables based around theAlien andAlien vs. Predator franchises forZen Pinball 2,Pinball FX 2 andPinball FX 3.[169]
In 2006, Sega made a deal with Fox Licensing to release twoAlien video games forsixth generation consoles.[170] The first wasAliens: Colonial Marines, a first-person shooter byGearbox Software that was released in 2013 for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3 and Windows.[171][172] The game is set betweenAliens andAlien 3, following a group of marines sent to investigate theSulaco who wound up crash-landing on LV-426.[173][174]
The second wasAlien: Isolation, a survival-horror game byCreative Assembly that follows Ripley's daughter,Amanda, who is stranded aboard an Alien-infested space station. The game experienced a long development cycle, with it finally being released in late 2014 forseventh generation consoles.[175] During the prolonged development ofAlien: Isolation, Sega also released aNintendo DS gameAliens Infestation in 2011.[176] Furthermore, a spin-off featuring Amanda Ripley calledAlien: Blackout was released for mobile devices in 2019.[177][178]
Aliens: Dark Descent, areal-time strategy game developed by Tindalos Interactive in collaboration withDisney's20th Century Games and published byFocus Entertainment was announced during theSummer Game Fest in June 2022[179] and was released on June 20, 2023.[180] The Dark Descent story is set 19 years after the events of the original trilogy films. It received generally positive reviews from critics.
On October 7th, 2024, the 10 year anniversary of the aforementionedAlien: Isolation's release,Sega and Creative Assembly announced that asequel to Alien: Isolation was in early development.[178]
DespiteAlien being widely considered a mature and non child-appropriate series, merchandise - includingaction figures,board games androle-playing games - has been manufactured and marketed to a wide range of age groups. Prior to the release of the first film, 20th Century Fox executives signed a deal withKenner Products, for the production of a board game calledAlien Game, as well as action figures, marketed for beingfamily-friendly. Following the release of the film and the outcry from parents about its nature of being a graphic and mature horror film, the product lines were abruptly cancelled.[181] The merchandising efforts for the franchise remained largely stagnant until the release of the more action-based sequel,Aliens, seven years later. From thereon out, merchandise has been produced on a rolling, ongoing basis.[182]
From the franchise's inception until Kenner's closure in 2000, the company was a major manufacturer ofAlien action figures. From 1992 to 1995, Kenner produced a line of action figures dubbedAliens, initially intended to promote a cancelledanimated series calledOperation: Aliens.[182] In 1996,Galoob released the Micro MachinesAlien line of miniature toys, but ceased production the following year, due in large to the violent and graphic nature of its packaging art.[183] Following the founding of Hong Kong collectible toy companyHot Toys, one of the first lines the company began producing wasAlien.[184] In 2014,Funko released a line of action figures heavily inspired by the original 1979 Kenner line called ReAction.[185] In the 2010s, theNational Entertainment Collectibles Association (NECA) took a prominent role in the manufacturing ofAlien action figures, with the majority being largely inspired by the Kenner line of action figures, as well as new additions depicting the prequel films and crossover continuities, such asAlien vs. Predator andSuperman/Aliens.[186][187]
Following Kenner's ill-fated first foray into the board game market withAlien Game, merchandising efforts in the medium were stagnant, untilLeading Edge Games released the cooperative gameAliens in 1989.[188]Leading Edge Games releasedAliens Adventure Game in 1991, to mixed reviews and commentary that states it functions closer to a board game than a traditional tabletop RPG.[189][190] In 1993, British toy companyPeter Pan Playthings Ltd released a board game calledOperation: Aliens — Combat Game, in which up to four players play as Colonial Marines and compete to reach the center of the board and self-destruct the Alien-infested facility.[191] In December 2019, Swedish publisher Free League Publishing released a tabletop role-playing game calledAlien: The Role-Playing Game, featuring two game modes.[192] An upcoming licensed board game titledAlien: USCSS Nostromo is set for release in 2020. However, in 2018, a French board game designer named François Bachelart accused the game's publisher, Wonder Dice, of theft of a game concept he pitched to them years prior. Wonder Dice published a press release, in which they threatened to sue anyone who would question their legal practices.[193]
AnAlien-themed attraction debuted at theGenting SkyWorlds Theme Park in Malaysia in February 2022.[194] The Park, previously known as '20th Century Fox World', has faced significant delays during construction, however, a licensing deal with Fox and new parent companyThe Walt Disney Company was reached. Pre-show footage of the ride was released online, and appears to detail a Weyland-Yutani themed drop tower attraction.[195]
Alien was also previously represented inThe Great Movie Ride atDisney's Hollywood Studios atWalt Disney World from 1989 until the attraction's closure in 2017.[196] The attraction featured a scene based on the first film, in which riders were taken through theNostromo, encounteringAudio-Animatronic representations of Ripley and a Xenomorph.
Inspired by theDark Horse Comics series, the filmmakers ofPredator 2 (1990) incorporated aneaster egg in which an Alien skull was seen in a Predator trophy case. Expansions upon thisshared universe between theAlien andPredator franchises followed through comics and video games, leading up to the launch of a film franchise with the release ofAlien vs. Predator in 2004, followed byAliens vs. Predator: Requiem in 2007. The franchise has spawned various comics, novels, video games, and other merchandise based upon or inspired by the films. A third film has been variously rumored since the production ofRequiem.[24][25][26] In mid-2018,Shane Black, the director ofThe Predator, expressed his belief that a thirdAlien vs. Predator could still happen, indicating the studio's interest in both franchises, withFrançoise Yip then reprising her role as Cullen Yutani fromRequiem in a silentcameo appearance inThe Predator, after her speaking scenes were cut.[27]
Stuntwoman Breanna Watkins, in scenes that were filmed but not used, portrayed a maskedEllen Ripley in onealternate ending ofShane Black'sThe Predator (2018), and an unmasked adult Rebecca "Newt" Jorden in a second alternate ending, meant to tie the mainPredator franchise to theAlien franchise in which the characters first appeared, in a manner separate from the pre-existingAlien vs. Predator franchise and incorporating the plot element oftime travel; Watkins later elaborated that of the two roles portrayed, while she was serving as astand-in for Ellen Ripley ahead of a failed attempt at aSigourney Weaver cameo, that she had actually portrayed Newt Jorden in the original ending, and had been in early discussions about potentially reprising the role in a potentialAlien vs. Predator-focused sequel toThe Predator.[197][198]
Fassbender will do this one with me, and it's meant to start production in February.
Happy Alien Day! Today is LV426, the day we celebrate the Alien franchise and its awesomeness.
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