Alien Franchise Producer Walter Hill Teases His Alien 5 Concept

June 18, 2020

Walter Hill Teases His Alien 5 Concept

In a recent interview with SyFy Wire, producer Walter Hill revealed that he has put together a 50-page treatment for Alien 5 which would see the return of Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley, last seen battling the famed Xenomorph in 1997’s Alien: Resurrection. Of course, Weaver maintains that she isn’t likely to return to the franchise anytime soon, though Hill believes she could still deliver in the role that made her famous.

“Sigourney, as she has from the very beginning, is being too modest about her proven ability to pull off the idea — which is to tell a story that scares the pants off your date, kicks the ass of a new Xenomorph, and conducts a meditation on both the universe of the Alien franchise and the destiny of the character of Lt. Ellen Ripley.”

I’ll be honest. As much as I adore Ripley, and consider the first two Alien films to be friggin’ masterpieces, I’ve never understood why the series always felt the need to involve her in every adventure. There are so many ways you can take the Alien franchise, and shoe horning Ripley into each entry was a device that felt weak by Alien 3. Let’s see more space marines; or something larger in scale.

Weaver made her debut as Ripley in Scott’s original Alien film in 1979 and reprised the role in three sequels. Although the films declined in quality after James Cameron’s Aliens hit theaters in 1986, it helped Weaver to establish herself as one of Hollywood’s top action heroines. Weaver last portrayed Ripley in Alien: Resurrection, which bowed in 1997. She also provided Ripley’s voice in Sega’s Alien: Isolation video game in 2014.

Weaver’s remarks actually echo Scott’s comments about how the franchise needs to “re-evolve” in order to continue. Presumably, this rules out a comeback for Ripley. But in the meantime, Weaver will revisit another one of her most iconic characters when she returns to play Dana Barrett in Ghostbusters: Afterlife next year. She’ll also reprise her role as Grace Augustine in Cameron’s Avatar sequels.

Do we need an Alien 5 with Ripley? Let us know what you think in the comments below.

Jeff lives and breathes all things sports and entertainment! As a die-hard Seahawks fan and devoted Utah Jazz supporter, you'll often find him cheering his heart out for his favorite teams. Jeff's passion for movies is unrivaled, and he has channeled that enthusiasm into a successful stint at ComingSoon.net. When he's not immersed in the world of media, Jeff loves spending quality time swearing at his favorite sports teams with his family. He also loves hats.