Dead in the Water?

I'd say it's more about heroes with Disney. 

The main reason I loved Predator was because of the characters not the creature...I wanted to see more of Dutch. Predator2 was a non starter for me because no Arnold. 

Xenomorph is near the bottom of my list of things I want to see in an 'alien' movie...I want strong characters.

What movies star is going to want to play a Engineer?...no I think they will jettison the Engineers.

Unless a big director or well known actor wants to do their take?...then I'd say we are dead in the water.

I think it is likely dead in the water for the foreseeable future. I could see Disney making a reboot in its own image down the road after they milk their other acquisitions dry. They may also hope old fans will forget, move on and not notice their revisionist movies.

I certainly feel the same Unfortunately.

The Prequels had Polarized the Fan-base a little too much.

I do feel any continuation would likely be a SET-AFTER what ever Ridley Scott had planned.... so what we had was...

Prometheus ==>(events of Crossing)==>Alien Covenant

Then we would SKIP past Alien Covenant 2 and arrive at a Direct Prequel or TWO that take us to ALIEN.

Where maybe the Returning Engineers will be the Aggressive SOB's from Prometheus who would ask LESS Questions than the Predators.... or maybe they would introduce another Race Entirely.

But then i think its more likely we would NOT get any Continuation but either ALIEN Movies that would be SET after ALIEN but would Totally Contradict and THUS remove the Prequels from Canon....

Or maybe in 10 Years for the 50th Anniversary a Complete ALIEN Prequel Reboot... that may not even be anything CLOSE to what Prometheus was (Engineers, Human Visitation/Chariots of the Gods).

MonsterZero you raise some Good Points...

A Movie does work with Good Characters, and often any Sequel works best if at least ONE of the Characters Return.

With Prometheus some did have some Problems with Noomi Rapace and her Dr Shaw Character, but some Felt that she should have played a ROLL in the Sequel.

Instead of looking at WHAT was so wrong with the Character and attempt to FIX it in a Sequel.....

They now face the same Problem with Katherine Waterston's Character  Daniels she just never had the Impact and so if they Drop Her... then how can they keep introducing New Characters and get them to work.

They (Disney) will face the same Problem with any ALIEN Movie they make, they would have to introduce New Characters that work well, and then it would be expected a additional Movie would connect and Cary Over at least ONE of the New Characters.

With Disney they may also think its best to PLAY IT SAFE and introduce a Character the Fanbase has knowledge of, be that Amanda Ripley, or some Character Related to one of those from the first TWO Movies.... or even BRING BACK our Ripley and basically a SOFT Re-boot where only ALIEN and ALIENS are Canon..

Much like Blomkamps Alien 5, and so i do feel/fear that this is a more likely Root they would take....... and therefor we would get similar to what happened with James Camerons's Latest Offering Terminator: Dark Fate

Basically go back to Characters we are Familiar from the First Two Movies.

do you also think they would instead Continue with a ALIEN Franchise Movie Series that is set after the events of ALIEN

It's tough to see Disney deal with Scott's prequels. I can see three possibilities.

1. Continue after Resurrection. Give a brief rundown of the Quadrilogy and then continue on Earth with Call finding a WY lab somewhere. Ripley 8 would rapidly mutate and die, so no more Ripley. Call would start digging around WY and things would unfold from there.

2. Give a brief rundown of Alien and Aliens and basically continue with Alien 5 or Isolation.

3. Give a brief rundown of Alien-Alien 3 and continue with the prisoner (forgot the name) who was dragged away by the goons near the end of A3.

If I was a gambling man, which I'm not because it's a fool's game, my money would be that Neill Blomkamp's Alien Awakening is likely back in contention.

Of late, there have been certain movies trending that have been revisionist sequels such as Halloween and Terminator: Dark Fate.

Then there is also the fact that Disney have lately been contracting other production companies to make them money, such as Pixar, Marvel Studios and Lucasfilm.

But most interestingly is the timing. Neill released his concept art and got the fans excited about his project, similar to what Tim Miller did with the Deadpool test footage way back when. As a result, Fox seriously considered the prospect, with Ridley Scott even saying he would produce the movie after the release of Alien: Covenant. But then Scott and Fox cock-blocked Blomkamp's movie, with Scott throwing shade saying there was no script (despite both Sigourney Weaver and James Cameron claiming otherwise) before taking the name of Blomkamp's movie as his own for the, in dead water sequel to Alien: Covenant...

But this was all before Disney grabbed Fox. Though many of us would argue that the ship has sailed there is no denying that Ripley is an icon and an icon that aligns with ceratin 'trending' agendas. Then there is the popularity of James Camerons Aliens. And then finally is the fact that now that Disney own Fox that Neill is no longer attached to RoboCop Returns, but has not announced as to why.

I think you raise Great Points Gavin......

I mean NO Disrespect by this, but there is a Large Fandom of ALIEN Fans who are more into the Popcorn Canon Fodder Xenomorph Aspect that is seen in ALIENS and Alien Resurrection and a Majority of the Games, Comics and Movies.

Aliens, Guns, Run and Shoot and Hide with Bigger Alien or Queen revealed and a Hero/Heroine Saves the Day are what i think a lot of those who enjoy and would associate the ALIEN Franchise with.

I respect Ridley Scott for trying something different, as the BEAST was kind of Cooked... but Sadly its a FACT that the Franchise is more Associated with the ALIENS and Various Comics and Video Games adaption of the Xenomorph and the Action Style, and so going for a Prequel Project that would NOT be about the Beast or Explain its Origins was a BANE of contention for Fans who would have expected in PART these to be Answered.

Ridley Scott wanted to go deeper than this, he felt the Space Jockey Race was the way to go, and also there were other Important Aspects of the Franchise that had not been covered in Depth, such as A.I and the Company History and Agenda....

Sadly Prometheus became something that was a bit too FAR Disconnected to what a Majority of People would have seen that a ALIEN Franchise was about, and while the Prequels was attempted to tackle the Space Jockey and Steer Away from the Xenomorph and ALIEN... a lot of Fans would have felt the Franchise had to be about the BEAST....

That then lead us to the PICKLE that was Alien Covenant... that seemed to KILL of the Aspect of Exploring our Engineers Deeper and the Proxy to get those Answers (Dr Shaw), it decided to give us a Xenomorph Origins by a MAD Robot and Force the Origins to appear to be something that was NEVER there say 25 Years prior to the Events of ALIEN.

While some Fans may have liked the Prequels and some of those are NOT a Fan of the Cook the Beast Popcorn Formula, i think even those Fans would agree that Alien Covenant was a Mistake!

They have Dangled the Creation Carrot of the Xenomorph to the Fans, a Carrot that the Fans are not keen on, and so a Continuation of this route would DISPLEASE most Fans... a Sequel that would NOT be about the Xenomorph but would be about A.I and what ever Creative Shenanigans that David gets up to would NOT interest as many Fans.

A Majority of Fans would hope the Sequel would NOT be solely about David or even bypass him, and that the Sequel would introduce us to the Xenomorph and SHOW that it is NOT something that had existed for THOUSANDS of years and NOT a Creation by David....

Then some Fans would have wanted to see our ENGINEERS but i am not sure Most would want to see a DEEP History about them, or see Scenes like those Engineers in Alien Covenant, they would likely be wanting to see the Prometheus Engineers back who will just KICK ASS and not take NAMES!

Some Fans would want a Revelation that those Engineers are working for something more ALIEN and some Fans would plain ans Simple just WISH the Engineers never existed.

What i am saying is the Franchise Past ALIEN had evolved really into a Parasitic Organism that would become a Invasive Species, and that this would be something that other Species (Space Jockey, Humans) could use to their Advantage as a Biological Weapon..... but Ultimately at their Hubris.

So i feel most of the People who know what the ALIEN is would associate it with ALIENS and the Comics, Games and so the Route that RS was taking to Explore the Space Jockey is something that they would NOT really be 100% into or care about in Comparison to the Xenomorph itself.

I think its proved that this should have been kept a MYSTERY.

So i would say a Higher % of Fans would preferred something thats more like Novels, Comics and Games over exploring the Race Behind the Space Jockey, regardless of how ALIEN they made it.... the Majority of Fans would want to have the Xenomorph playing a Larger Role.

And so i think that SADLY that YES the Engineers Plot Idea is DEAD IN THE WATER..

Disney would know what most people and especially Fans would associate the Franchise with, and they would also want to Re-Introduce the Franchise to a Newer Generation where they can EXPAND that Franchise.... which we see done in Novels, Games and Comics...

I feel Disney would want to Expand it to TV and maybe Movies but they would cater for the Newer Generation who would prefer such more Action Popcorn Horror, than anything that is Deep Thinking or Thought Provoking and  also such a Move would please the Die-Hard Aliens Fans....

Disney have to think about the  MAJORITY as this is what makes MONEY and this is what Disney are in it for.

So to Continue.. Gavin...

This is exactly the points that you had given...

It could be more HARDER to Rescue the Prequels than to just IGNORE  them.... a FIX could be to Reboot Alien Covenant.... but then they would think its Easier to just IGNORE the both of them.

How many people who saw or would see the Prequels and Alien Franchise who were NOT Born prior to say 1986.. how many of those would be DISAPPOINTED if the Prequels became something that Disney would want us to Pretend that never happened?

These Generations that they can Market and Make more Money out of as far as to EXPLORE and Evolve the Franchise, and the Generations Prior who were around when ALIENS came out or ALIEN, i would say a Higher % would not be as Displeased if the Prequels were THROWN into the None-Canon Bin..... if the other Option would be Swallow the Hard Pill that Alien Covenant had delivered.

HOWEVER....................

This does not mean any NEW Movies should be Confined to BUG WARS... although there is a Market for that, you can STRAY a little away from the QUEEN, and Eggs especially as far as Aesthetically similar to what we had in the Franchise.

So you can Evolve and Change the Beast, you dont have to have it that there are these Eggs, with These Arachnid looking Face Vaginas and they are Laid by Queens and Produce our Xenomorph's we have seen all Too Often.

*Did they Originate from someplace else or Process (which is what the Prequels attempted to do).

Or do we go and take them as a Ancient Alien Organism and look at WHY would some People want to OBTAIN them and Question is this similar to what the Space Jockey had attempted to their DOWN-FALL.

Because the QUEEN ==> Egg Formula

Then the IF we can obtain Eggs and we use them to Destroy/Kill People we want to Get Rid Of, just as we could do with Chemical Weapons...  then i feel THIS route is LIMITED and Eventually would get STALE..

Unless you like to see Aesthetically the Xenomorph going around Laying Eggs, Face Hugging Chest Bursting and Killing Folk and then seeing them POPPED off by Marine Types or Heroine/Hero....

There is only so much of this and so much Run, Hide and Shoot that can be done.....

It would have to be about the Back Ground Plot and Agenda more than the ALIEN or MARINES... it would require GOOD CHARACTERS...

But more so..... it would be about WHO/WHY would someone want to go after such a Horrific Organism, to what END and what Agenda (which has been done) and so then its more so about WHAT happens if they Succeed? And what else can they use the Organism for?

Alien Resurrection kind of indicated this, and it appears Blomkamps Alien 5 also may have tackled similar.

Because i feel you cant go around and have it that Eventually the Company/Humanity manage to find a way to Extract and Store the Xenomorph Safely.... then WAIT to use them as a Eradication Tool on any Enemy or Threat they would want to use them on... instead of NUKE/BOMB them!

Then show them use them as such and it gets out of HAND or that they suffer a Outbreak while trying to do this... as this has been COVERED over and over really... well also as well as Failed Attempts to Obtain the Organism...

You can go a FEW more Rounds with such... but then you have to Freshen it up...

The other OPTION would be a Revelation that the Xenomorphs themselves can EVOLVE to be able to Traverse Space and Build Stuff.... or Reveal that their Creators can do this and Introduce them..... but this is what the Prequels attempted to do...

And to revel the Space Jockey as a Slave to a Different Race or a Different Race Entirely (reboot Engineers) may offer as many PIT-FALLS as the Prequels Faced.

Likewise to explore the Origins of the Xenomorph as a Race that could Build and Create Ships that can then become a Threat to Humanity, could be making them more so a STARSHIP TROOPERS like Explanation.

PAST IS THE PAST.... it should not be touched upon.... left alone!

After we go a Few more Rounds of the same old, same old, we need to look at what becomes of WHEN someone decides to Experiment on those Eggs beyond using them as they are... or a Event that causes those Eggs/Organisms to Evolve, or even some Mutation of them or Infected Hosts.

Ripley 8 and the Clones was a Good Start.

In CLOSING....

The Franchise does-not have to be about Ripleys, be it Ellen Ripley, Amanda Ripley, or say Amanda's Off-Spring or any other relation.

But i do think again these kind of Connections is WHAT it is that Disney would GO FOR!

I think we would just be in store for... Ripley, Queen and Eggs...  Lets Hope that Disney prove me WRONG!

No Alien Films On Disney+

We have been provided with updates from Fox, Disney rumors, and more rumors.  I have consumed this bread and am left wanting.

There are no Alien movies on Disney+ the last time it was checked and didn't realize that "in the vault" meant not on Disney+.  And, the Alien movies are available to buy/rent on other outlets.

Why can you rent it digitally and not have it in the Disney+ subscription?  

Wanting and pissed.  

Think about that.  Buy a subscription to Disney+, no Alien films but you can pay to watch them on cable and satellite outlets, rent on YouTube, Amazon...that sucks.  

Dead in the water is a compliment.  

The Disney strategy above is garbage for Alien fans unless you wish to pay elsewhere to watch Disney content.  

The Film franchise has been somewhat dead in the water during the past couple of years only to lift up for air for short periods of time with the release of novels, video games, and the short films.  

All very good but a bit chaotic in regards to where the films are headed.  The novels offer so many great stories to pull from for film.  Alien: Resurrection grew on me over time and was better to watch after reading the novelization.  A continuation from there or in an area in the other novels would be just fine for film.  

Really, anything would be just fine because we got squat now and the Disney+ strategy to send you elsewhere to watch an Alien film SUCKS.

It SUCKS!!!!

Ingeniero That is one big reason to own the DVDs/BRs. Buy once and watch at one's convenience.

double tap

Ingeniero Disney+ is oriented towards family friendly stuff, so it is pretty obvious why a series about the rape monster is not there. Don't forget that Hulu is fully controlled and majority-owned by Disney. That would be a more logical place for the series to be. 

Over the past few weeks, at work, I hear people going ga ga over Disney+ and how they binge watch stuff. Then they look at me like a deer in the headlights when I ask if any Alien movies or Ash vs Evil Dead are on there (I know it is a Netflix exclusive series, but a lot of them have Netflix too). It seems very clear that the audience has zero interest in anything that appeals to darker subject matter. Whatever.

That's right dk.  I have my cherished Blue-Ray Alien set and I bought the DVD set again too when it was announced they were going in the vault.  I (a spoiled person) needed to upload my digital pout because I couldn't pull up Alien in one of the various ways I "can" watch it.

A good point you make above ignorantGuy.  

I hope so (Hulu).  Disney took out more long-term leases at Pinewood studios (source) and that gives them the room to film many things at once and pipe it to somewhere to watch.  

dk, the Alien series might only be noticed by the astute intellectual.  We, here, might take that for granted but it is hard to find in the real world.  

Ingeniero I gave the 8 disc Quadrilogy to my grand daughter when I upgraded to the Anthology. She really wasn't into that kind of movie at the time but might grow into it. At any rate, it is nice to have a physical copy since you can never be sure when things in the cloud will just disappear.

That is awesome dk.  We have to raise them right.

I guess its a case of wait and see for Disney.... they did indicate they had a Interest in the Franchise as indeed there is a Market for the Product.....  But who is to say if thats only going to be as far as Merchandise, Toys/Games, Video Games and Comics/Novels.

When it comes down to Movies its a case of MONEY as they are a BIG Investment, and the Prequels have not been to every fans Cuppa-Tea!...... and Alien Covenant and the Direction it sets up is a Bitter Pill to Swallow.

There would be a HIGHER interest in ALIEN movies that gets back to what the Original 4 had done, more so the Action Element.  And this is kind of more UP their ALLEY (Disney), at the Moment it seems they are more interested in the likes of the Marvel Franchise, the Avatar.....

And we also have to know that Disney may not be so keen on R/18 Rated Material and they see more Profit in Franchises that are Action Based and are available to Wider Audience such as Star Wars.

We had TV Series Rumors... but again with a TV show it depends what Budget that Disney would INVEST!

The Madolorian is reported to cost $100M for 8 Episodes, but that could rise to $120M.  With that kind of Budget then YES you could do a ALIEN Series Justice, if its a 6-8 Episodes.  However STAR WARS is HUGE and the Alien Franchise just does not have the Wider Appeal and so i doubt they would invest HALF of that.

With a lower budget you would be limited to Special Effects, now some would say that ALIEN was great because you did-not see the Xenomorph much and you may-not need to show the Beast in Full....

But would the Mainstream Fanbase, and potential other Fans really want to see a TV Series with just 1-2 Monsters that are Hardly shown?  Or would they expect Multiple and Queens, and sadly if thats the case then a Xeno Count like between Aliens and Alien Resurrection would require a HIGH Budget or Below Standard Special Effects.

A OPTION could be to License out the Franchise like they do with the Games.... where they dont INVEST in the Project but they receive a SET FEE or/and a %

In Context to that last post and the OT...

Then any Movie or TV Series that would cover the Engineers would be something that Disney would maybe feel would NOT make them much Interest and Money.... more so if we dont have the Prometheus Engineers and Bio-Mechanical Aesthetic look.... but this would COST more Money.

The Engineers and World like we saw in Alien Covenant would cost LESS... especially if we have a Limited use of the HR Giger Inspired Aesthetic or Technology thats Advanced...

Would a Stargate with Bald 7-8ft Humans looking like in Alien Covenant really attract the Fans?  I doubt it.

So any use of the Engineers would just be as a Limited Appearance where they would rock up in a Small Number in their Ships and Suits and basically just ACT like the Predators... so we would have like a AVP but replace the Predators with LV-223 Engineers.

But it would be expected that the Humans and Xenomorphs would take the PRIORITY.....

So i think regardless.... the Engineers are Dead in the Water.... apart from maybe a Cameo and would be to the Disney ALIEN Franchise..... just as important and shown as the EWOKS from Star Wars lol

Sorry Im late to the party but ditto what MonsterZero said :) 

Has the success or failure of Terminator: Dark Fate influenced Disney's position in any way?

I Raptus i also agree with MonsterZero.

I think there was so much you could do with the Standard Xenomorph, once you have explained where they come from its a case of THEN WHAT?

MonsterZero goes on a lot about Characters being the main thing, i think that the PLOT is the Main thing and then its a case of getting the Characters to Portray the Plot and Execute it and the Scenes and so Poor Characters/Execution would be a Problem... so Getting them Right is Important.... in FACT.... Very Important, Special Effects, Plot all wont matter if the Characters and Portrayal/Execution is POOR.

And so the other Point they raised is Valid.... for a Series to work, be that TV or Series of Movies, especially as far as Sequels..... to Continue a Route of having to RESET and Start with NEW Characters in Each Movie is something that can Effect Fans...  it works best when a Strong Character/Characters Survive for the Sequel... but that does-not have to be the case as along as a Sequel has Characters we can connect with....  just (and i think MZ point) that you can get Invested in a Character in a Movie and then in the sequel you already have that Connection to Build Upon, instead of STARTING again with NEW Characters, because then you would have to wait until 40-60% of the Movie to get that Connection... were as if you carry a Good Character over from a Previous Movie you already have a Heavy Connection with them from the Get Go!