Fox Kills Aliens & Predators

At the risk that I'm the only one that really cares about this, I'm going to post it anyway.

According to - EXTERNAL LINK - Fox has given up on both the Alien and Predator franchises. With the advent of the upcoming sequal to AVP, AVP2 is set to release this coming December 25th, with the much welcomed LACK of director Paul W.S. Anderson at the helm. The new brother directors, Colin & Greg Strause, only have special effects and music video experience, however, the directors do promise a throw back to the original visions of directors Ridley Scott and James Cameron (videos available at - EXTERNAL LINK - ).

The Strause brothers' experience, however, is not entirely lacking, with special effects experience on such films as "Terminator 3", "X3", and "Fantastic 4". While we're starting from scratch (yet again) in this new amalgamation of franchises, with Fox giving up on them, I don't know that any of the franchises have much hope of ever being resurrected to the acclaim and cult following they once did.

It's truely a sad day for Alien & Predator fans.



- Josh

[Post edited by Nachtkriechen on Mar 14, 2007]

Hey Josh .. good to see you here :-). Unfortunately, I don't feel your pain of closure on the Alien - Predator series. Fox has been feeding us crap after crap in the Alien series. The series stopped making sense after Alien vs. Predator. In fact the series sucked after Alien 3 and 4. I am glad Fox has closed this series officially as they will have time and money to invest in something worthwhile.

--Ranjan

Hey Ranjan,

It's good to see you're still around as well. I hear your pain on the Alien series, but, don't necessarily agree. If you bought the 9 disc special edition of the Alien series, you know there are directors cuts of the movies therein. Judging purely on the theatrical releases, I'd agree with you that Alien 3 was the worst of them. However, after watching the behind the scenes interviews, and bonus material, as well as the director's cut of Alien 3, the story made a lot more sense than the theatrical release, and is a better cut version, in my opinion.

I liked Alien 4, (or Resurrection), but for me, it was the most disturbing of the films, and as such, I watch it the least. I thought it was a fairly creative way to bring Sigourney Weaver back into the picture, though.

If you ever read the comic books "Aliens Vs. Predator", AVP (for the fans) was a long time in the coming. Unfortunately, with the director of such box office hits (sarcasm intended), as "Mortal Kombat", "Soldier", and "Resident Evil", we couldn't expect much, and got even less from Paul W.S. Anderson. The comic book series is rather good, if you're into comics at all, and the story line is head and Shoulders above what Anderson came up with in his 2004 flop. What's even worse, is Anderson calls himself a fan of both franchises. Maybe he should leave directing to the directors, and just stay a fan?



- Josh

I realise I'm resurecting this thread, but now that AVP2 has a title "AVP2: Requiem", I find it appropriate. Requiem: "<i>a. Also called Requiem Mass. the Mass celebrated for the repose of the souls of the dead.</i>" - Dictionary.com One can only assume the title refers to the fallen Predators in the first AVP. Though, I think "AVP Episode II: The Predators Strike Back" might get a better response with sci-fi nerds, like myself.

As a fan, I can only hope that the Strause brothers will bring the franchise back into the scary sci/fi genre. In interviews the Strause brothers have not only promised an "R" rating, but a movie closer to the look and feel of the "Alien" and "Aliens" movies.

At the end of AVP we saw an Alien burst from the dead Predator's chest as a hybrid of the two, further following the story of the AVP franchise. Weather the Strause brothers keep this hybrid "Predalien" or "Praetorian" as part of their movie, remains to be seen. We're only 3 months away from the release of "AVP2: Requiem", and I know I probably shouldn't get my hopes up, but, I think its too late.



- Josh

If I were running Fox, I'd give up on the franchise, too. It lost its edge years ago, and instead of getting any originality added to the story, we simply get the same antics of gross-outs and horror movie clichés. In fact, we've become so accustomed to the monsters that they're not even scary, thus we have nothing to frighten us which is what made the early films successful. Face it, Alien, Aliens and Predator are about as good as it gets and it should have ended there. Everything following has been nothing more than the same mediocre thrills seen in teenage-slasher flicks. Nevertheless, Hollywood needs to keep those kids at ILM employed, so quick and dirty work is always a good way to support that dental plan.

alien really has run its course. what else is there to do? Alien 4 felt tired. Only thing to do is a remake of Alien. Same with Predator. It's a novelity. I doubt AVP2 will clear 20 million at the box office. It will do well on DVD and BD, but I have low expectations. Unless someone comes along with a new idea I think it's same to say RIP for both franchises.

!!!! T R A I L E R !!!!

Well, I can't disagree with both of you on your points, but, after watching this trailer, WOW, it seems to have gotten it's EDGE back! This thing looks intense! Or at very least, the trailer was intense!

Check it out - EXTERNAL LINK -

- Josh

Not for me, Josh. That preview screams rental, if even that. Looks like the same old antics, as I pointed out earlier, that we've seen a million times. Youngsters being chased by the bogyman has run its course years ago, if you ask me. Why can't they come up with something fresh and original? Perhaps have our monsters chase old WWII vets in a retirement community or make a lunch out of Attorneys at a Lawyers convention. Point is, give us anything else besides the same ol'-same old. And this is what I mean by losing its edge -- the franchise has nothing new to offer us. They know this yet they'll throw one more bone at us to fill that cash cow because they know there'll be enough suckers out there to buy into it. In my opinion, I wish people would get off their @ss and protest Hollywood for garbage like this. I wish it was like the 60's when people would march in protest when they were tired of being taken advantage of. All this movie deserves is straight to video then to the trash can . . . I'll pick the trash can first.

[Post edited by Tim Raynor on Sep 24, 2007]

i was never too crazy about the alien films or predator films, but i did enjoy AVP.. after watching the trailer, it does not attract my attention that much...

and i give.. pretty mutch anything a try.

Oh well. I guess I'm the last surviving Alien & Predator fan, here at DVDTown. I'm starting to feel like Kurt Russell in "Big Trouble In Little China", talking on the C.B. Radio to himself.... "You know what ol' Jack Burton says..."



- Josh