More than four and a half decades after the release of Ridley Scott’s sci-fi/horror masterpiece, Alien, was released, the franchise is experiencing something of a renaissance. The summer of 2024 saw the epic Alien: Romulus terrify audiences (and scare up a sizable box office performance), and, recently, the highly anticipated Alien: Earth premiered on FX, bringing the mythology and horror of the Alien series into the homes of viewers. Considering the warm reception both projects have received, it’s safe to say that Alien is back in a big way. It’s a refreshing change for the series, considering, just a few years ago, it seemed as though its best years were behind it. Indeed, the franchise spent many years in decline, with Alien 3 largely considered a negative turning point. However, there was a time when two of the franchise’s greatest creatives, Scott and Aliens director James Cameron, nearly collaborated for a film that could have fixed the series sooner and in an epic way. So, what happened? And how could the film have re-centered the franchise earlier? Collider is here with all the details!
James Cameron and Ridley Scott Nearly Collaborated on ‘Alien’s Fifth Film
When it comes to the Alien films, plenty of great creatives have made contributions. From David Fincher to Fede Álvarez, the franchise has enjoyed a slew of talent both behind the scenes and on screen. But, for many, no directors have come close to the leadership of Scott and Cameron. There’s no question that Scott’s vision was integral to the first film’s success. His naturalistic approach to characters such as Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) and his carefully crafted scares made for a film that wasn’t just scary, but haunting and unforgettable. Likewise, Cameron’s more action-focused direction and expanded script for Aliens made for a more developed and immersive experience. In fact, it’s one of the few sequels that manages to match (if not surpass) its predecessor.
Following Aliens, though, the franchise began to decline with Alien 3, and more so, the infamous Alien: Resurrection. Following the latter, the two nearly collaborated on a picture that was designed to get the franchise back to basics. During a 2012 interview with Empire Magazine, Scott revealed that he and Cameron had been planning to collaborate on a fifth Alien film. While details are sparse story-wise, it could have seen the return of Weaver’s Ripley and would have likely remedied the issues that arose with later films. Indeed, this collaboration would have been key to turning the franchise around and giving fans something special.
Ridley Scott and James Cameron’s Collaboration Could Have Been Great for the ‘Alien’ Franchise
To date, Scott and Cameron remain two of the movie industry’s most prolific and respected directors. From Scott’s genre-defining Blade Runner to Cameron’s massively successful Avatar movies, the two have crafted experiences that moviegoers will never forget. However, a collaboration between the two could have been next level, especially if that collaboration had happened in the Alien universe. There would be no Alien without Scott, but there would likely be no Alien: Romulus or Alien: Earth without Cameron. While Alien and Aliens complement each other beautifully, their nuances are far more unique than most realize, and that is a reflection on the filmmakers themselves. Despite having great characters and a frightening atmosphere, Alien is a horror film through and through. It’s a credit to Scott that it feels so fully formed, even without a backstory and a lot of exposition. It’s Cameron’s work that actually began filling out the series’ universe by moving away from sci-fi/horror to sci-fi/action, and while adding elements like the Xenomorph queen.
That being said, the film is more tense than scary, and the same feelings of isolation that made the first film so effective are reduced. However, if Scott and Cameron had teamed up for the fifth film, we really could have had the best of both worlds. In a sense, it could have been the “perfect” Alien movie. What’s more is that the two would have likely avoided the issues that plagued the third and fourth films. In fact, Cameron told the BBC that he “hated” Alien 3. “[…] how they could just go in there and kill off all these great characters we introduced in Aliens,” Cameron said, “and the correlation between mother and daughter? It stunk.” He noted in 2003 that he hoped to “rectify that,” which could have happened had the two got to make their follow-up. So, what happened?
Why Didn’t Cameron and Scott Make Their ‘Alien’ Collaboration?
As with many of Hollywood’s best-laid plans, Cameron and Scott’s Alien picture, of course, never happened. Unfortunately, the reason for the film’s cancellation isn’t all that satisfying. Ultimately, Fox decided to follow Alien: Resurrection with the infamous crossover flick, Alien vs. Predator. Of course, the jarringly wild film was followed by an even more infamous sequel of its own, which adds insult to injury when we consider what we lost out on because of this pivot. Both Scott and Cameron have made their opinions clear regarding the offshoots, with Scott telling The Hollywood Reporter, “I think Alien vs. Predator was a daft idea. And I’m not sure it did very well or not, I don’t know.” Likewise, Cameron told Ain’t It Cool News that he thought of the mash-up as a gimmick similar to that of “Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man.” It’s truly a shame, because, while Alien: Romulus and Alien: Earth (so far) have done a lot to get the franchise back on track, it’s hard to ignore the fact that Scott and Cameron’s take could have not only done so sooner but could have done it in an epic way, and it certainly doesn’t help that AVP was made in its place.
We may never get to see what a Scott/Cameron Alien sequel would have looked like, but their contributions to the series are still palpable to this day. As we dive into Alien: Earth, it’s nice to see the beloved franchise reclaim its former glory. Still, it’s hard not to wonder what the collaboration would have brought about. Nonetheless, Alien and Aliens remain cornerstones of their genres and haunt us more than four decades later.
Alien: Earth is available to stream on Hulu in the U.S.
Alien
- Release Date
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June 22, 1979
- Runtime
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117 Minutes
