The Alien franchise was riding high throughout the 1980s. Directed by Ridley Scott, the original 1979 movie was a box office hit, while critical opinion rocketed from solid to spectacular as the years passed. By the time Aliens landed seven years later, the first movie’s reputation had been cemented, but James Cameron rose to the challenge with a more-than-worthy sequel. The xenomorph was king, but its cinematic reign wasn’t built to last.
Releasing in 1992, Alien 3 marked a sharp dip in form. A debut effort from David Fincher, the director has since spoken of the frustration he experienced battling 20th Century Fox for creative control while making the Alien threequel, even going so far as to disown the finished product. Even before Fincher’s arrival, Alien 3 had struggled to nail down a cohesive script, and this basket of chaos is evident in the final cut. There was, however, a key mistake Alien 3 made, and it’s one the franchise’s more recent output has thankfully avoided.
Alien 3 Killing Off Hicks, Newt & Bishop Was A Devastatingly Bad Decision
While still inferior to its predecessors, Alien 3 actually has plenty going for it. The cast is brilliant, the atmosphere is creepy, the basic premise is sound, and Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley takes the next natural step in her evolution. Alien 3‘s “Assembly Cut” also helps to clear up the theatrical version’s messy narrative, creating a far more satisfying experience.
Alas, Alien 3 made a fatal mistake in its opening minutes – one that set a negative tone for the rest of the movie and ruffled feathers before the new chapter had truly started. Killing Newt, Hicks and Bishop was criminal, and an insult to an audience that had loved Aliens six years prior. Needing to contrive a scenario that made a third movie possible immediately sent the message that the Alien franchise was lacking direction. It was a signal that Alien had become about milking a successful brand rather than making great movies.
The opening deaths also made Alien 3 incredibly dour right from the off. Given the already bleak tone of Fincher’s film and the plan for Ripley to die at the end, kicking off with such misery brushed away any eagerness or anticipation at seeing a third Alien movie. That in itself wouldn’t be so bad if Alien 3 had utilized the deaths of Ripley’s allies to steer her arc. Instead, it felt more like the three companions were baggage that needed to be cut.
The Alien franchise never really recovered. Alien: Resurrection fared worse than its predecessor, and the property descended into schlocky sci-fi horror. Ridley Scott’s prequels left audiences scratching their heads, while Neill Blomkamp’s plans for Alien 5 as a direct sequel to Aliens amounted to naught.
Alien: Romulus 2 Has Already Avoided Alien 3’s Big Mistake
Mercifully, the Alien franchise has learned from past errors. Alien: Romulus ended in a manner very similar to Aliens, with Rain and Andy entering cryostasis together and hoping their ship reaches its intended destination. Like Alien 3, it would be entirely possible for Alien: Romulus 2 to begin with Andy not surviving the trip, or Rain dying during transit, or even both perishing to set up another completely standalone story.
Wisely, Alien: Romulus director Fede Álvarez has avoided making an identical mistake. Álvarez stepped down from directing the forthcoming sequel, acknowledging how the original Alien movies benefited from hiring different visionaries for each chapter. Still, Álvarez insisted on co-writing Alien: Romulus 2 alongside his partner on the original, Rodo Sayagues, reasoning:
We did want to write it. Honestly, it’s because we love the characters we created, so we want to make sure no one kills them right at the beginning of the next one. They went and killed Hicks and Newt just like that. Hey, let’s not let that happen. We wrote it and made sure they stayed alive, and now we can let someone else make it.
The confirmation that Rain and Andy will be central to Alien: Romulus 2 is a relief in itself, of course, but also encouraging is that Álvarez and Sayagues have written the sequel with a keen awareness of the problems behind Alien 3. It’s an awareness that should, in theory, ensure the next installment meets the expectations set by Romulus rather than sending the Alien franchise down another long path of despair like Alien 3 once did.
