Yesterday, it hit the press that Ridley Scott, director of Alien, Prometheus, and the upcoming Alien: Covenant (among many other films), is entirely cool with continuing to make more Alien films on a regular basis. Some fans were overjoyed, some flipped out, and others just rolled their eyes. Me? I’m entirely fine with it. Here’s why…
Fox regularly cranking out Alien movies every two or three years will ultimately result in some more weirdness seeping into the series. That or the run will ultimately be tepid and flame out quickly. Either, we’re good. We, as fans, need to come to the realization that nothing that will come out of this franchise is likely to ever reach the heights of Alien and Aliens. Sure, there’s always the chance that someone, be it Scott or another filmmaker, will hit that stratosphere of quality, but at this stage it isn’t likely to happen.
So why look forward to future installments anyway? The weirdness factor. If we can’t perfect an Alien sequel any further and continuing to xerox the formula will only lead to further dilution of the brand, then weirdness is our savior. Weirdness keeps Alien: Resurrection and Prometheus from being as bland as the Alien vs. Predator films that came between them. Weirdness is what kept the Dark Horse Comics so interesting and it is what still makes me curious when I see an original Alien novel on the shelf at a bookstore. Because, let’s face it, a lot of ancillary extended universe Alien stuff is SUPER weird and strange.
So yes, the concept of two or three more Alien films being pushed out over the next six years is inherently ridiculous. Yes, the fact that a Covenant follow-up already having a completed script and potentially shooting next year is pretty wild. I say let Ridley Scott go hog wild, however. Let him indulge every last strange and offbeat science fiction whim that he has within the framework of this pretty weird franchise. After all, if it’s going to keep going, at least such a path will make endless sequels far more interesting than many of the other on-going franchises that we have on the big screen right now.
