Aliens
James Cameron ’s empty threat of make a Ripley - free version ofAliensmay have worked during contract negotiation , it never would have worked for the continuation . Despite being a major success , it took seven year for anAliensequel to make it . Ridley Scott was n’t even asked to directAliens , with the wand being passed to James Cameron . The music director was a huge fan of the original but wanted to take a different attack . When Cameron first signed on , he had been reassure Sigourney Weaver had already signed to reprise Ripley , and he wrote his screenplay ground on this . However , he later found this was n’t the case .
Cameron tell toGQthat luckily , Weaver loved the story but her agents play hardball during negotiations , putting her involvement in doubtfulness . Cameron then pull a ruse , calling Arnold Schwarzenegger ’s agent and claimingAlienscould ferment with just the marine characters and he was just depart to indite Ripley out . He knew this information would quick get back to Weaver ’s agents ; they sign up her a day later . Of course , Cameron was n’t serious about this revision , but even if he had been , Sigourney Weaver ’s Ripleyis the heart ofAliens . Without her , the sequel would have been a play action pic , but it would n’t have come across in the same elbow room .
Related : Alien : Every Actress Who Almost toy Ellen Ripley
Aliens Probably Would Have Been Canceled Without Weaver
A hypotheticalAliensstory without Weaver may have promoted Michael Biehn ’s Hicks to the chief character . In the movie , Hicks is forced to rise to the occasion when most of his squad is pass over out , and despite being seriously injured is one of the film ’s few survivors . Again , this could have made for a good sequel , but every story thread inAliensties back to Ripley . Had his ploy not work , Cameron likely would have exited the continuation , as he knew how important Ripley was . More than that , Fox may have just put up the project outright .
WhileCameron ’s sci - fi horrorAlienshad a somewhat modest budget by blockbuster standards , it was n’t a cheap movie either . The studio apartment ( and hearing ) were counting on Weaver ’s Ripley return , as she became one of the few distaff icons of the literary genre . remould the role would have been a controversial move while cutting the character completely would have removed the core ofAliens ' account . Of course , studio are n’t above pumping out a gratuitous follow - up to a smasher movie , so Fox may have fundedAlienseven if both Cameron and Weaver leave - but it ’s gruelling to see it reaching the same level of success .
Aliens Gave Ripley Her Best Ending
In fact , Alienswas so good it derange the rest of the franchise . Alien 3andAlienprequelCovenanthave their defenders , but none of the subsequent follow - ups have gain the same level of quality . Aliensalso pose a story of a character who faced her trauma point - on , revenge her crewmates , banished her literal and personal devil and found a Modern family . The final shot of her and Newt in cryosleep was a perfect last to Ripley ’s story - one that was cruelly ripped away inAlien 3’sopening . While the latter sequel had many merits , Aliensreally did give the eccentric her best - or at least most hopeful - ending .
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