Alien: Awakening (The claustrophobic film)

The moment when you realize that it will go to hell (first image). Most of the times when I watch that scene I go like "oops" followed by "ouch!".

Maybe it could work as long as it is claustrophobic enough and if the characters are interesting enough/well developed. The claustrophobia was there in Alien and Alien three and is one of the reasons why these movies are good.

I think that Alien and Alien 3 were sort of realistic, if you are in a small place where there is a threat, you can feel the danger but you can't see the reason for it. Imagine if you are in a place with dangerous animals shit can happen there too (to tie it to something that could potentially happen in real life).

The spores were interesting, maybe they can do something similar in AA? I am not sure how that would work but anyways but this depends on what kind of environment that the next movie is set in.

Anything that leads us back to "In space, no one can hear you scream." And, yes, that claustrophobic atmosphere is what I miss since "Alien" (the one and only) and David Fincher's "Alien 3".

BTW, loved your ideas for the "bugs" and the rest of the family :)

All great ideas. The hunter killer/xeno tag team could make for some interesting scares.

with eggmorphing being the favoured choice of ridleys for how the species procreates id love to see the process beginning to end. once the xeno has extruded the enzymes we can get a look at what it does at a molecular level in breaking down the human tissue and reorganising it into an egg that then develops the hugger

It would have to be done well, but I sort of like the idea of the hive curator! I mean, not that design particularly, but having, maybe three variations of Xeno could be done. Ridley would have to hold himself back with limited money for special efects, but having a classic(ish) xenomorph, something more aggressive and wild (like the Neomorph, but possibly easier to kill,) and something that hangs back to start, protect, and further a hive. 

Add the facehugger idea (or something similar) and it could be pretty scary! Having this variety would mean seeing them less, but being able to capitalize on their presence in the ship (or on Origae-6, whatever goes on) to give us that monster-terror aspect. The only thing is that they have to find a way to balance David and the monsters in a scenario such as this. I mean, I feel like if the writers and Ridley went a route similiar to this, David would have to end up being the scariest thing on the ship, you know? Maybe something could happen where David's creations turn on him and it becomes a survival story for him as much as it is for Daniels and McBride. Or David even has to work with them somehow!! We would get to see a whole nother side of David, but they can still end it on a creepy/psycho moment for him, you know? He is almost always one step ahead!

They would have to, once again, try to mash Prometheus and Alien together. Which could be an amazing cinematic experience, but Covenant showed some of the issues with making the prequels and the original come together. 

Thinking about a smaller budget, more claustrophobic horror movie being the next entry, is excting for sure. I don't think it will turn out how I am imagining here at all, but it's a fun exercise. 

Last thought, imagine if we got a full on Alien horror movie, such as I laid out here, it does well in the box office and critically, and then Fox goes for ONE more. They go all out. They go give Ridley his Prometheus budget (or a bit more), Engineers come into the fold, maybe Walter gets back to try and save the day, Waterston's Daniels has progressed in her arc and is kicking ass, we have the Xenomorph back again, David gets one last psycho outting, and a believable story with great characterization. Like, dream scenario for me right there. Wouldn't happen for several reasons, but still. 

IRaptus - Thanks for mentioning my topic.

I love your ideas! Believe it or not, I think your movie would be/could be awesome as well.

Everybody knows how popular the Dead Space Universe is, but we have no a live action DS movie. (I love the first animated DS film!) I think you described a possible Alien movie using DS ideas, and it is fantastic!

And your idea can include a smaller space battle at the end of the film as well reaching Alien, no doubt.

@IRaptus

Eggmorphing and hive/curator! Yes!! That sounds like nightmare fuel! We really need some scenes with people trapped in the hive with that creepy-a** spider xeno slinking about.

ALSO! We need one scene were a well-developed character gets irrecoverably jettisoned into the vacuum of space. Probably in a botched attempt to lure the xeno out an airlock.

Like, they'll be in a spacesuit, so they'll still be alive for a while. And maybe they'll still have radio contact with the ship for a while. But, there'll be no way of saving them. That's pretty scary, yeah? We need something like that.

vivisected, or an end scene where the character in the space suit is drifting away out the air lock, cant do anything to stop themselves, spinning, slowly yet out of control. on a rotation they can still see the air lock clearly, something in the opening. an alien. as the character spins their last vision is of the alien propelling itself out the air lock, right for them. poor bugger has the knowledge of knowing every time they spin and face the ship, the alien will be that little bit closer. nowhere to go, nothing they can do. the slow agonising wait for the inevitable

@ali81

I like it! Ok, here's another take, tell me what you think:

A character has lured a xeno out the airlock (either intentionally or inadvertently sacrificing himself in the process). For a moment, he thinks he's been successful and at least the rest of the crew is saved!

But, as he drifts away from the airlock, the last thing he sees is that the xeno has somehow made its way back into the ship.

He has no radio contact nor any way of warning the crew. Perhaps the unsuspecting crew is in hypersleep.

Also, maybe the lost-in-the-vacuum-of-space character can be a sympathetic android, who now has a very long time to live with the knowledge of his failure, and to be just floating around in the vacuum of space.

That's pretty agonizing too, yes?

hell how would that make u feel. last thing u see is the xenos tail disappearing through the air lock and u know the fate in store for the sleeping crew. u wouldn't feel so bad if it done in a similar way to isolation where someone else blows u out into space with the alien to save their own skin lol then they deserve their fate but the poor crew.

I cant remember the script but its one of the un used alien3 (I think) drafts where a salvage crew, again I may be wrong, boards the escape pod and hicks and newts fate is different. inside their cryo pods r eggs.... imagine the thought of the alien breaking just enough of the glass to extrude the enzymes that start the egg morphing process in their sleep. mind u I don't think the person would be aware so is that as scary?

I kinda wanted to see something along the lines of what u said to be in AC. we got the proto-neo face off and the crew make it on board the lander, thinking theyv left the 2 aliens battling it out and have shut the door, but the proto makes short work of the neo and as the lander takes off, we get a wide angle view of its tail disappearing up the landing gear

@ali81

I haven't played Isolation, is there indeed a scene like that!? Lol, yes, I would feel pretty bad if I sacrificed myself in space then saw the xeno make it's way back in to attack my crew!

"mind u I don't think the person would be aware so is that as scary?"

You are right! That's a very good point! Ok, we need some fully conscious unsuspecting crew members...hmm...

don't want to ruin it if its something ud play but ripley is trying to lure the xeno into a section of the ship that can be detached from the main vessel and someone is helping her. needless to say the other person blows the compartment away with ripley still in it

yes for it to be truly horrifying the buggers have to be out of their siesta and fully aware of whats about to happen lol

just think resurrection and the abducted slumbering crew, waking up just in time to see the eggs open and they don't have a god damned clue where they r, how they got there or whats happening. but every fiber in their body is telling them ''oh man I am F****D''

Sounds great but unless Scott is attached to a simplified rock solid script that focuses on intelligent human interaction we'll get more disappointment. He just doesn't seem to collaborate with his peers as he likely feels it's his toys and his sandbox so they will just do as the great one says. If people think he can brink back the great dialogue of Alien then I have a bridge to sell you. Wish I was wrong but the characters have gone from questionable in Prometheus to space chimp stupid in Covenant. Would love to be proven wrong by RS in a follow-up by I won't be supporting it at the box office. He just too focused on symbolism and not the elements that made Alien great.

@ali81

Don't worry, I'm sure I will enjoy the video game even if I hear spoilers! I'd like to play it some time.

Oh my gosh, yes! Waking up to that would be completely horrifying.

im being serious here viv, I have been stuck in a cupboard for about 40 mins because the xeno is looking for me. I poke my head out then hear the thud of it dropping from an air vent and I go straight back in it. its a brilliant game

Oh my god, that sounds awesome. Is it on Steam? I need to get my hands on this game.

think so I just downloaded it off the xbox one store. its a bloody game and I know that's all it is and theres a save station right next to where I am but I still cant bring myself to leave the cupboard lol

Lol! Jump out of that cupboard ali81 ! It's now or never! Things aren't going to get any safer out there!

the cupboard is nice and safe for now lol

True. I spent a lot of time hiding in that game. After ten minutes, it feels safe to leave- then you hear the alien- back into hiding for another ten minutes. You will spend a lot of time looking at the alien's feet.

hahaha been under almost every table n desk in the game dk, peeking out every now and then to see if the coast is clear then thinking 'ill give it another couple of minutes' lol

thanks guys! I do hope they go with Ati's grand war movie, but I fear we are looking at a reduced budget film. So hopefully they can make the most of it.

Lol the Hunter-Killer facehugger is exactly my solution to the Isolation hiding in the air-duct closet for 40 minutes! That won't be an option for long if the xeno sends in the little beasty. More terror, less hiding places!! muhahaha

Perhaps RS could do the claustrophobic thriller with a focus on the Neomorphs for Awakening, just for something new?

I would like to see the Spore Cadaver scenario played out on the Covenant. Imagine killing a Neomorph on the bridge or in the engine room and then the body producing spores contaminating that area. It leaves you with 2 options, either avoid that area at all costs and lose access to vital parts of the ship, OR risking it and potentially give rise to even more Neomorphs and infected crew.

@ali81

Did you ever make it out of that cupboard?? Did you survive??

@ali81 and VivisectedEngineer

Nice ideas, certainly some good ways to bring back that more Alien Isolation game feel (which i have only played about 15-20 min worth).

Back to OT and those points..

1) I think its a nice suggestion but i think the idea regarding the role of the Face Hugger and Xenomorph already work so well, and so while a Face Hugger could help to lure a Host for a Xenomorph i would still like to see the Face Hugger role as simply to Impregnate a Host.

2) Certainly, i think this would provide a very horrific situation and make the Organisms Life Cycle very interesting and Deadly, i had speculated on here before, what if the Xenomorph's end their Life Cycle by dying but the Xenomorph then breaks down and Morphs into a Egg, thus Repeating the Cycle...

This is not ideal for a Perfect Organism though, but as a custom Engineered Weapon it would be ideal.  So yes the Neomorphs body breaking down and more Spores Developing from the Remains would indeed be very good.

3) Egg Morphing is something i think RS could re-introduce for certain, and how this is done could be changed slightly from the Original, since we have had Prometheus and Alien Covenant, it could show a Xenomorph can infect a Host with a Virus that then breaks down and changes Human Matter into Egg Matter.  So indeed i think the Egg Morphing is something that should be explored. 

However Egg Morphing would kind of conflict with Aliens and the Queen, unless the Queen is a Evolution?  I had considered that the Egg Morph Scene could Logically lead to a Queen or a Queen Face Huger, i have explained reasons for this a number of times before, but would gladly point out why Logically it explains the look of the Scene and the Xenomorphs intentions and actions on the Ship.

4) I think this is interesting, maybe not the design but who knows, if these are Perfect Organisms as far as Procreation then building a Hive would be required and its a nice idea to suggest maybe a slightly different design of Xenomorph is created for this purpose.

For both 3+4 we have to remember Potentially Alien Directors Cut is not considered Canon, we clearly see in the Directors Cut that the Xenomorph in Alien can Egg Morph Hosts but also secret the substance required to build a HIVE

So if they explore how a Hive and/or Egg Morph occur they could go the ideas you have put or similar, or indeed explain the Egg Morph was done by the Drone Type Xenomorph in Alien, and maybe even suggest the Runner in Alien 3 had the same purpose?  To Egg Morph

As far as the Hive, again it could go the route that a Drone is the one that does this, but them their was no Drones seen in Aliens but they could have long past their usefulness... and only Warriors are required from that Stage.

Or they could show that all Xenomorphs include Warriors can secrete Resin like Substance to Produce the Hives etc.

viv, decided to have a snack in there before I work up the courage to make a dash for it lol

BD, I get a lot of ur points especially the connection between hugger and xeno. id def be open to seeing some form of different hugger, say a king hugger, but I am of the opinion the xeno is there simply to necessitate the hugger by catching and immobilising the hosts.

I for one don't agree with this 'its one or the other' theory regarding morphing and egg. I really don't get why some people have such a problem with both existing. the queen is what a healthy hive would have as it would shorten the egg producing process for say a largely populated area such as a city where many eggs are required in a short space of time. a drone can evolve into a warrior which in turn can evolve into a queen but only when the basis of the hive is healthy and has sufficient numbers to defend the hive. this could take weeks even months to happen.

egg morphing takes time but is a plausible method for lone xenos to increase their numbers but once those numbers are large enough and the hive well established, and given a decent supply of hosts are available, only then would a warrior of sufficient maturity molt and evolve into a queen which would then speed up the process of egg production and leave the drones and warriors to focus on gathering hosts and defending the hive. the queen then secretes a pheromone that prevents any others from becoming queens themselves, similar to queen bees in a bee hive. I can easily accept both existing

Onto the Budget Points....

Alien Covenants Production Budget was reportedly $97M now if we assume they was going ahead to shoot the next movie within 18 months from now, with Inflation a $97M Budget from 2016 would be about $102M if they shoot in 2018

The Budget for AC may had included Pre-Production too, which would include any unused concepts, designs, props and models etc.  We can see where a extra budget would have helped Alien Covenant as the Creature Effects department did suffer, the time schedule and budget effected the quality and ability to had given us the Actual Practical Effects kind of Xenomorphs, and a likely change of plan during Production to Post Production meant a majority change to CGI... which again we could see some of this was not Finished in time for even the Trailers in December 2016

Reducing any Budget for a Sequel would mean sacrifices would have to be made. Lets look at some of the more Expensive Elements of Production that would have to be Cut if a Tighter Budget was announced.

1) Large Set Pieces, especially exterior and large scale interior shots.  Every Shot of the Engineers world in Alien Covenant from the Buildings, the Dead Bodies, Statues and even lighting effects etc, would use a Large Budget.

2) Concepts and Ideas exploring new designs for both Ships and Creatures take up some extra budget... If they keep the Creature Design down to just sticking to the Xenomorph from Alien Covenant, this would save money, and even if they give us a slightly different version for some scenes again keeping a design close to the AC Xeno and 1979 Xeno would not required massive concept work.

The same applies to keeping with the Covenant ship and not really having to show many new ships...   So this means a movie that will only have The Xenomorph, the Covenant and maybe one other not to detailed or large incoming Human Ship would require less concept/production work

2b) Expanding on this, keeping as much Production Sets and Props etc and going off the concept/art department for AC for use in the Sequel... if we are set aboard the same ship with the same Xenomorphs.. would SAVE $$$$$

3) Sticking to basic Locations or keeping it in space, would limit the Budget Needed... for example if some scenes are on the Covenant Ship, and other Scenes are on a very Earth like World again, like in Covenant only this time this World has NO Previous Civilization would greatly reduce Production costs.  Again filming in Australia and New Zealand, but a World that has no Intelligent Life or ever had, plus if they kept a lot of the Covenant Ship Sets would SAVE $$$$$$

4) Using new and upcoming actors and not using a large cast would SAVE $$$$ Yes they would have to use Fassbender, but if you look at the Covenants Cast, and you take out TWO from Waterston, McBride, Bichir and Crudrup and replace them with lessor known Actors like the rest of the cast, or like many of Prometheus cast (not inc, Elba, Pearce and Theron) then yes this would SAVE $$$$$ but then would casting Not well known cast with no A or B Lister's be a Mistake?  As sometimes Names draw the viewers.

5) Engineers..... they would have to limit their appearances and looks if they wish to cut the Budget Down... and so showing them on Paradise could add some $$$ to the Budget, but showing a distance shot of a Engineer Ship leaving Paradise with the City in the very distance could reduce Spending.

surely they have the CGI Models for the Juggernaught and Set? If they keep these, especially the Set or even if not, they would have on record all the Digital Models and exterior shots for the Juggernaught/and Docking Ship and so simply re-use the Digital Models would Save some $$$$

Having these Engineers Turn up robed and looking like the Alien Covenant Design would also Save $$$$$

6) Practical Effects... re-using the designed Props and effects from Alien Covenant as far as Eggs, Face Hugger and Xenomorph would  Save $$$$$ and limiting the Screen time and views of the Xenomorph would save $$$$$

However... Applying the Above limits the Movie.. and so there would be NO Alien War Type Movie...

@ali81

Indeed and i will grant you a reply next, after this as indeed this is where my conclusion to the Egg Morph and Drone/Warrior fits in.

Back to my Previous Post and the OT....

Smaller Budget means things are cut... but does not mean we cant get a VERY GOOD Movie....

Now it seems RS may be taking us to Origae-6, this is what he has hinted at, its also seems like David would be playing the Role of Walter to the Unsuspecting Colonist.  We have to ask why would David need to go to Origae-6 and remember this journey takes 7 years.

Ridley Scott hints at a number of parties... which the Engineers are one, after they return to Paradise/Planet 4 and find it decimated.

Now Alien Covenant got criticized a bit, because of the lack of detail and connections to many aspects, both Questions/Connections to Prometheus and more detailed explanation of the Xenomorph Origins and Xenomorph Screen time.

The movie simply had to try and cover to much for such a short Run-time, now if this was a stand alone movie where the Covenant Crew just happen to arrive at that Planet on the way to their destination and detect a more suitable one, and they arrived at the aftermath of Davids Bombardment but they are not introduced to David until the end...  so if AC was split into TWO Parts.... so the most of the movie covers the Neomorphs instead, then they could have given more detail etc.

So Alien Awakening...

If Part of the Plot is to show the Engineers arrive on Planet 4 and discover what has happened, its a case of how much time do they dedicate to them going down and exploring the aftermath of Davids Actions, how long they spend on this place will take into account off the RUN-TIME.... also even if we dont spend long there... they would still have to Build Sets etc again.. Unless they kept them but still setting them back up for a Small amount of Run-time is expensive.

Covenant Journey.. if we assume we arrive at Origae-6 at some point, how do they showcase the 7 years and what David has done in 7 years?  They cant surely introduce us to Daniels and McBride again as Daniels knows.. and so we cant see these Character awake and awaken more Crew and then see a bit of a struggle between them and David and unleashing the Xenomorph etc....     Not if then we get them land on Origae-6  and then show us scenes set on Origae-6 with colonist, David and Xenomorphs never mind the other parties.

This will again take up a lot of Screen Time...

The more Screen time devoted to Humans and Xenomorphs the more we get into ALIENS and like AVP movies territory and Ridley Scott was not a Fan of the Shoot-em ups as he called them?

THE SOLUTION?

Sadly has to be a Aftermath Flick again... which Alien Covenant was the Aftermath to David and Shaw arriving at a Engineer Populated World.

But this means we could indeed give a very ALIEN type movie, with a Bit of ALIENS thrown in?

HOW?

I think we have to have it that most of the Movie takes place Long after David has arrived on Origae-6 i also think if they are on a Budget we cant have it that Origae-6 is set up as a Colony as David has to deal with Daniels etc and the Colonist, which he could do and have him give some excuse to Daniels Death and then have it show us that Origae-6 is set up as a Outpost and Colony as they start to build it up.... Then David unleashes Hell on them..

But this makes no sense for Davids agenda... why go along with the Colonist, help them start to set up the colony and after they have partially set it up, then unleash the Xenomorph?

Nope a Aftermath Movie set prior is much greater, unless Origae-6 has a Colony set up, maybe a smaller starter one and David unleashes Hell on them?

so its tricky for how to cover this....

Here is how i would TACKLE THIS..

We can at the start or near, or as a flash back have David Narrate to us what he has been up to, show him and have him explain his continued work on Genetically Engineer the Xenomorph and have him in a Lab with Specimens, and Bodies, and maybe Show Daniels with her Chest Opened up like Dr Shaws was... If they want to add more to Budget and Shooting time then also cover in a few scenes what happened to Daniels.

But we are then shown what David was up to to a degree... which could be him talking about continuing his experiments.

Then we get to a Scene.. where Accidentally some Cryo-Pods in the other Parts of the Ship open up, and a few Colonist awake and try to contact MUTHUR who is not responding they explore their Section and all seems fine until they explore another Section of the Ship, where they then discover it is in a more Derelict looking shape like how Hadleys Hope did in ALIENS... They then explore deeper and find the Xenomorphs like Cocooned Resign Hive like Material and wonder what the Hell has happened... before they discover some Dead Bodies and then another group goes off and discover a Egg and gets Face Hugged

They latter find this Person out cold and rush them back to the other Section and Seal off the Doors to the infected part. Maybe the only persons to discover the bodies are the other group whom two become ill. And are discovered passed out, while others are missing... but show the viewer the finding of the Egg and Face Hugger Scenes and a Xenomorph attack from the Dark Scene.

We can then get to a Chest Bursting and have the Survivors Frantically try to Fend off the Xenomorph, while also awaken other Crew.  Then they make a drastic attempt to escape to the surface of Oriage-6

Where they then find the Colony Partially set up, and find David all alone, or better with a few Colonist going about their business as David informs them there was a infection and outbreak and explain the Covenant Mission from a point of view that gets him off the Hook...

The Colonist Told that some of the crew was ill and taken into Cryo-sleep, some died... And Walter (which David pretends to be) managed to Quarantine and Rid of the infection.

Head to Origae-6 and begin the Colonization, only for a few more to be infected from the first Batch of Colonist.  and that Walter (who is David) managed again to contain and rid the infection which he would say was a Virus and find a Cure.

Where he then had to awaken the other Clean Colonist to continue the Colonization and then infected Sections, Walter/David said he Quarantined the Ship and Sadly most of the Colony Cryo-Bays are on Lockdown.  But he managed to Get a Clean Section Group to carry on the work on Origae-6... these Colonists Buy Davids explantions.

In reality David infected and experimented on the Crew, Section by Section, he then put some infected Crew into Cryo-Sleep and then he began moving the Colony Resources to the Surface, and took a few Colonist he kept in Cryo-sleep and awoken and gave them some similar excuse... these Colonist he used to start to Build the Colony.

Then he used them to create Xenomorphs... where he then set up a Area either on the Planet or the Ship to host them, and then bring down a New Batch of Colonists to work on the Colony feeding them his excuse and story.

But its when the escaping Colonist who land on Origae-6 to discover David/Walter and a group of Colonist working on the Colony, that those on Origae-6 get a bit fishy about Walter/Davids Story..

In reality David had began experiments but then due to deploying to Many Infected Hosts the Xenomorphs ran rampant and infected a whole Section changing it to a Hive...  David had then Quarantined that Section and Locked it down then continued to deploy the Colony Resources and  awaken groups to do his work.

But now the colonist find out what Walter was up to, and maybe discover a storage of Embryos where some do not look right...

David then has to Fight them off, and leaves for a Cave System, and they follow him, only to then come across Eggs.  Maybe David instead captures some of them... (colonist) or they only get fishy and those on Origae-6 believe David and maybe he makes out those other Colonist from the ship are up to no Good and the Bad Guys.... but then during a conflict between the Colonist, some discover the Cave and get infected.

Towards the End, David and the Xenomorphs get the upper hand and but then a Engineer Ship arrives....

David could then Face Some of them... and Talk to them and we get Translations... where they inform him they had arrived at Paradise/Planet 4 and know what he did and are here to Stop him....could even go as far as to David ask how they knew where he would be and the Engineer could say we managed to activate your brother and he informed us of your destination.....  Then  just as they are about to kill David he could be protected by some Xenomorphs.

I THINK this could Work.... we would see the Xenomorphs attack from the Dark and not show them too much.... We would not need to visit Planet 4 in order to find out the Engineers had come from there after discovering the damage David had done.

This would logically have to lead to a sequel unless the movie runs for a extra 40 Minutes...

This would indeed uncover 3 Parties... but to uncover a 4th would maybe in a way have it instead of the Colonist Awaken on the Covenant have a Company Ship come in and dock with the Covenant, maybe some dock with the Covenant while another Section head to the Surface.

And have this incoming Human Ship crew be the ones who then discover the horrors on the Covenant?

@ali81

Indeed i think there is a way we could have both Egg Morph and Queen Exist, i felt that what if the Egg Morph leads to a Queen that is birthed from the Egg (No Face Hugger) or it becomes a Royal Egg and produces a Royal Face Hugger.

This explains why the Xenomorph only captured TWO Hosts, if the Xenomorphs intention was to Egg Morph then why not capture Lambert and Parker too?

Then there would be either 2X Eggs, 2 X Host and so Potentially TWO new Xenomorphs plus Kanes son.  Or 4X Eggs that would await the discovery by some unfortunate explorers?

But if the Egg Morph leads to a Queen, then sure enough  Single Egg and Host would be all thats needed to create the Queen that then can lay Egg after Egg.

But indeed maybe instead of a Queen we create more Xenomorphs but if this was the case in ALIEN then surely why not capture Lambert and Parker too and then you have 3 Xenomorphs that can then start to change the Ship into a Hive.

But we have to look at it from the Aliens POV, to my knowledge there was only a Single Victim from a Egg on the Derelict.

But what we have to see here is once a few Xenomorphs come to be, which could mean they capture Hosts and take them to the Derelict to create more Xenomorphs, and continue until there is enough to set up a Hive on Hadleys Hope.

Or they Egg Morph Hosts and once this route again, creates enough Xenomorphs to set up a Hive....  There is something these Xenomorphs can do that then creates a Queen.

Once the Queen is in place, she will then lay all the Eggs and so then only Warriors to protect the Hive and capture Hosts are required.

I have often pondered if there is something like Phermones or something else that a Hive Gives off that once one is established a certain size, then all Xenomorphs birthed within a radius of this are Warriors.

But should a Host be infected while some distance away, then a Drone is Gestated instead to start the whole Cycle again.