In June of 2012, we were all introduced to Ridley Scott's new sci-fi masterpiece, "PROMETHEUS"... Visually stunning, ambitious story line, cool monsters and effects... I had a great time revisiting that dark, unusual universe that spawned from the original "ALIEN" film. I had such a good time in fact, I didn't want it to stop... So, for the last year or so, I've been keeping myself busy developing my own "ALIEN" screenplay.
At first, I began writing a story that involved Ripley, Newt, Hicks, and Bishop. I have always longed for a proper ending to Ripley's story arc, and although "PROMETHEUS" ranks highly among my favorite sci-fi films, I felt like it denied Sigourney Weaver a chance to reprise her classic, iconic role... I'm still hoping she'll get to play Ripley just one last time.
I had a fairly good concept on how to bring the surviving cast of "ALIENS" back, but through discussions with fellow fans and friends, I found that everyone I talked to thought my idea was a bit of a cop out. Mostly because, for it to work, "ALIEN 3" would have to be a dream... I just couldn't find a good starting place after the events of "ALIEN RESURRECTION". I thought of 1 or 2 adequate concepts but had a REALLY interesting story in place that would of wrapped things up nicely for the entire Alien series.
Don't get me wrong. I don't hate "ALIEN 3"... I think The Director's Cut has its merits. And what a gutsy move to kill all those beloved characters off at the very start... Fincher had balls, man. It was an incredibly punk move that I absolutely respect and understand from a creative standpoint.
From a more sentimental view, "ALIENS" had such potential to spawn so many more amazing movies, one couldn't help but feel cheated by "ALIEN 3". It robbed us of ever seeing Michael Biehn kicking alien ass again. It screwed us out of seeing Ripley and Newt finding some new adventure out in the cosmos...
But that's the dynamic of the "ALIEN" films. "ALIENS" was a clever departure from what the original "ALIEN" had been. Fincher's film reminded us where the heart of the franchise beat... Horror. Suspense. Moody ambiance over summer blockbuster action fare... Would the third installment have worked if it had followed in it's predecessor's format? We'll never know...
Fact is, you can do virtually anything with an "ALIEN" film. The possibilities are endless and the only boundaries lie within your own imagination. It's not like "STAR WARS", where (until recently) George Lucas controlled every nook and cranny of his fictional universe.
Yes. Dan O'Bannon, Ridley Scott, Walter Hill, David Giler, and Gordon Carroll are the masterminds of "ALIEN", but with each sequel, a new director gets to play around with their creation. Reinventing it in their own vision for the next director and writers to find an original way to further the story... It's such a great, unique franchise and one I don't feel ashamed to dabble in as a screenwriter.
So, I was about 40 or so pages into writing my Ripley-centric sequel, when an entirely new story entered my mind...
"What about Ripley's daughter?"
Check out this scene from The Director's Cut of "ALIENS"...
This was the catalyst for my new story. If I couldn't think of a logical way to bring Ripley back, why not turn to this brilliant little seed planted by James Cameron and tell the story of what happened to Ripley's daughter following the events of the original "ALIEN" film.
There was so much there to write about! Ripley's daughter, Amanda, was a perfect new heroine, filled with the desire to know what happened to her mother, thus leading her into a career that would potentially provide her with answers. The elusive Weyland- Yutani corporation could be explored in greater depth through Amanda's eyes. Ripley's absence in her daughter's life would be a good ingredient in the fabric of Amanda's character... All of this would be interesting to explore.
Then, add on what we know from "PROMETHEUS", and we have an even stronger premise.
What happened to LV-223 after Shaw and David left for the Engineer Homeworld? Did The Company ignore Shaw's message to keep away from the planet?... In all probability, they most certainly went investigating...
This led me to thinking about what kind of ramifications a team of scientists could have when trying to wield the "black goo" found in the canisters on LV-223... That, in itself, would make a hell of a sequel.
I pictured a sort of Frankenstein-esque doctor. A collector of sorts, traveling the universe, gathering up specimens and artifacts left behind by The Engineers... I always based this character on H.R. Giger, for, without his influence, the "ALIEN" films would have no doubt had a much different look and feel... "ALIEN" IS Giger, and I felt it only appropriate to pay tribute to him somehow.
Another tribute I saw fit to pay was to Ridley Scott. He's my greatest influence, and his films are, beyond a shadow of a doubt, some of the greatest ever made. I hope it's apparent that some of the characters in my script have shades of Scott's other works imprinted onto them. Especially "BLADE RUNNER".
Not wanting to rely too heavily on the Aliens themselves as the antagonists, I began thinking about the android characters from the films. Ash, Bishop, Call, David... They provide such interesting concepts that they alone could carry a film and make it worth watching. However, the themes they presented were never really fully explored, I felt.
Imagine, if you will, the group of escaped Replicants in "BLADE RUNNER"- Roy, Leon, Pris, Zhora. Instead of fleeing to Earth from one of the "off world colonies", they land on LV-426 and make a home for themselves within The Derelict Engineer space craft. There, they learn about The Engineer's culture. They learn their language. Their backstory. Their motives for wanting to destroy humanity... The androids, like David in "PROMETHEUS", become obsessed with The Engineers.
This plot device could essentially answer every question the fans have ever had about where The Engineers came from, how The Derelict came to crash on LV-426, what the relation is between the Engineers and the xenomorphs... It would also provide me with my main villains.
This screenplay, if produced, could be a new chapter in the "ALIEN" franchise. It's not polished, and it's only a first draft, but I hope you all enjoy reading what I've come up with. It's just a fan venture. A lone fan boy with dreams of following in Jon Spaihts and Damon Lindelof's footsteps, and all the writers and directors of the "ALIEN" movies.
Influenced by Ridley Scott's "Ridleygrams", I've storyboarded my script and provided the drawings at their designated scenes. Happy reading!
-Derek Christopher Grote
