Ever since Neill Blomkamp posted concept art showing off his vision for a new installment in the Alien franchise fans have been speculating as to how the South-African director could plausibly resurrect not just the franchises anchor Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), but also her surviving comrades from James Cameron's 1986 sequel Aliens, Corporal Dwayne Hicks (Michael Biehn ) and Rebecca "Newt" Jorden (Carrie Henn). Considering that none of these characters survived David Fincher's Alien 3 and that Blomkamp's concept art shows that characters to have aged accordingly as though the events of Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection never occurred many fans have assumed that Blomkamp's movie would retcon the latter two installments from the franchise, despite Blomkamp's assertations that this is not the case.
While fans share Blomkamp, Weaver, and Biehn's excitement about what the former has in store for his addition to the Alien franchise, Ridley Scotts insistence that his next movie Alien: Covenant take priority over Blomkamp's hotly anticipated addition has been interpreted by many fans and critics as a greedy move by the aging British director. Scott, who helped launch the franchise back in 1979, is currently expanding the mythos behind the "Space Jockey" dead alien pilot seen in the first movie and its relationship to and with the Eggs discovered beneath his tomb. Scott's first attempt at establishing that mythology started with 2012's Prometheus, but after a divided reception from audiences can Scott really justify that his new Alien movie is more "important" than Blomkamp's.
Blomkamp's vision for the next "true" Alien movie has ignited flames of speculation among many fans with many wildly theorizing how beloved characters Hicks and Newt could possibly return to the big screen. With such rife speculation, fans have suggested far-reaching science fiction tropes such as time travel and alternate realities, while Blomkamp keeps his cards close to his chest about the movies narrative, which has been described as a fond farewell to Ripleys character while also allowing the story to continue as it should have after James Cameron's Aliens. Interestingly, however, the South African director's assurances that he will not be retconning David Fincher and Jean-Pierre Jeunet's less favored installments has fans somewhat perplexed.
For months we have all postulated the possibilities of how Blomkamp's Alien movie will fit within the franchise as organically as he claims, although in all honesty none of these theories hold any weight under even the slightest scrutiny - until now. Blomkamp has released concept art showing Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, and Carrie Henn, as they look today, as though their characters have aged 30 years along with the rest of us. This is the most obvious clue to what I choose to believe (sorry) are the secrets behind Blomkamp's narrative, hidden in plain sight. If these characters have aged 30 years and are still alive in what would be circa 2209 then ergo none of these characters died on Fiorina "Fury" 161. Of course, this flies against the evidence of what we saw in Alien 3 unless the events of that movie were not as they seemed.
Where am I going with all this? The answer, the secret behind the "on hold" Alien movie is actually quite simple and in its simplicity quite ingenious of Blomkamp to have imagined this outcome. Alien 3 was not a bad dream, and Blomkamp's movie is not the result of mankind's meddling with the space-time continuum - if Ripley, Hicks, and Newt are to have survived and have aged then they did not die on Fiorina 161. Those that did die on the derelict penal colony were not the characters we believed them to be because they were... clones.
I believe that the events that occurred on Fiorina 161 were an elaborate ruse by a third party to make the Weyland-Yutani corporation believe they had lost access to the Xenomorph. Throughout the narrative of the first three movies, there is a sense of cloak-and-dagger, of subterfuge, in which the Weyland-Yutani corporation are attempting to acquire specimens of the deadly alien creature covertly. Such covert actions suggest that Weyland-Yutani has been disallowed direct action by a superior body or organization one of which watches all of Weyland-Yutani's dealings, exchanges, and transports.
One would imagine that such a powerful force, possibly governmental would have become aware of Weyland-Yutani's repeated interest in Acheron LV-426 and the surviving member of the USCSS Nostromo, Ellen Ripley, possibly forcing their hand into taking direct action to ensure that Weyland-Yutani never acquires a specimen of the Xenomorph by elaborately staging the untimely death of Ellen Ripley while securing the source of the deadly alien creature, as evidenced in some of Blomkamp's concept art.
To clarify, and to elaborate for those wanting more detail, the theory I am suggesting is as thus...
After the events of "Aliens" the USS Sulaco is boarded and Ripley, Hicks, and Newt are woken from hypersleep. While they are still groggy a team of "white coats" take blood samples before drugging our survivors. The trio is taken aboard another vessel, with Ripley accompanying the whitecoat's whom, using advanced technology (possibly Engineer in origin) use the collected blood samples to produce clones, with Ripley's brainwaves and memories being imprinted onto her clone. These three clones are then taken aboard the USS Sulaco were a team is finishing up reprogramming the remains of the ships Bishop android.
Two Xenomorph eggs (taken from the derelict on LV-426) are then brought on board the Sulaco, one placed in the hypersleep room, the other in the EEV. Newt is drowned and Hicks is otherwise killed, ensuring one of the Facehuggers will use Ripleys clone as a host and the Sulaco is sent on its way to Fiorina 161 with no record or evidence of the secret boarding. The events of Alien 3 occur with the Weyland-Yutani corporation thinking they have lost all access to the Xenomorph.
Who would go to such lengths and why? W-Y's actions thus far suggest they are not allowed to pursue Engineer technology, probably because of the events of Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. With Engineer tech being so inherently dangerous it has been ordered by powers greater than W-Y, such as a governmental body (possibly Korean or Japanese from Blomkamp's art), that the discovery of any such tech must be reported to this body to be destroyed. Having originally discovered this tech on LV-223, and already smitten by the possibilities it offers W-Y have acted covertly to obtain the tech instead of reporting it (Alien - Alien 3). Thus this governmental body uses clones of the Sulaco survivors in an elaborate ruse to make W-Y believe they have lost all access to the Xenomorph creature they are so desperate in obtaining.
In Short (as there seems to be some confusion) The Ripley, Hicks, and Newt that will appear in Blomkamp's movie are the same characters as those from Aliens, just older. The clones mentioned in the theory above where planted aboard the EEV. This is why Hicks remains were so unrecognizable, it saved the perpetrators the trouble of recreating his facial scar. The Hicks in the concept art has the facial scar because it was burnt to his face during the events of Aliens. The clones were planted on the EEV in an elaborate ruse explained in more detail above by whoever is the human "power that be" in the Alien universe.
Of course, Blomkamp's concept art suggests that this governmental body has no intention of destroying Engineer technology and wants to obtain it for themselves and is successful in doing just that. Though how and why this leads to Ripley becoming part Xenomorph I have yet to imagine a viable theory. The possibilities of Blomkamp is bringing to the table has rekindled by faith in this franchise. But does my theory stand up to your scrutiny?
@Gavin
Yeah i understood that those on EEV are clones, i was saying if they was to perform such a thing professionally they would or could add a burn to the clone. Its a interesting theory and idea.. but i am not sure its what we would see as i dont see why would they need Ripley, Hicks or Newt if they have access to the Xeno Eggs.
"It shows they were aware of something on LV-426. Not the Xenomorph specifically (according to Ridley Scott). The Company was simply being opportunistic"
We have to remember the Franchise Evolves with every movie that is added, it effects maybe how we see the previous movies.
From Alien then yes i can agree with this comment, they must have known something as Order 937 is no accident and with Ash being assigned to the Nostromo i feel at that point they had the Agenda of Order 937
But indeed they never really knew 100% what they was dealing with, it seemed they never had much Intel on the details.
Aliens again we have to ask why wait so many years.... if they knew about the Derelict, why invest so much time in having a Colony set up many years latter for the purpose of getting the Bio-Weapon.. its seems totally NON-LOGICAL..
And so supports that they must not have been aware rather than it some kind of long term Agenda.... but we dont know 100% who's pulling the strings...
I think future movies like AC and A5 could provide expansions to the Plot that could let us know really how much they knew or did not know.
There are a lot of things that need covering..... such as LV-223 and why chase the Xeno especially after Alien when LV-223 could have more to offer...
The Weyland Website however speculated that they was aware that LV-426 may offer greater reward at a greater risk than LV-223 that Shaws maps point to..... this was prior to them even knowing what was in store on LV-223
So there is a lot of potential uncovered history that could have bearing on the Plot of the Franchise.... but its a case of how much of this information gets lost before it can be of any use.
For example the Nostromo and Order 937... but the same could be said with Prometheus.... would the company not send out rescue missions well discovery ones to find out what happened to those ships....
R.I.P Sox 01/01/2006 - 11/10/2017
Even if they did send out a search and rescue for the Nostromo, they'd be looking in the wrong place due to it being off course when it was destroyed.
Covenant may touch on any potential rescue missions for Prometheus.
"We have to remember the Franchise Evolves with every movie that is added, it effects maybe how we see the previous movies."
Agreed. However the first three Alien films as they stand, support the notion that the Company had no idea what they were dealing with until the events on Fiorina (or possibly when they got wind of what Burke was up to), and sent a specialised team accordingly. There was no big Company-wide effort to obtain Xenomorph specimens prior to this - just the opportunism of Burke and people like him who issued SO 937.
Indeed SM
I was just left thinking, would the company simply not follow up what happened to the Nostromo.... there is a lot that has not been covered or ever would be covered and maybe you have some insight into more than i can think.... We cant assume Ashes findings and study on the Face Hugger was passed onto the company... someone must have known about Special Order 937 and then knew maybe the ship had been re-routed to investigate and then Question why did they not hear nothing back..... Did they not wish to investigate what happened and wander had anything to do with Order 937 led to the Nostromo never reporting back..
Until Ripley was recovered on the Narcissus some 50 years odd latter?
I dont know what the Games and Comics add to the canon, but i think since Prometheus there has to be a bit more known..... Its a case of how much do we consider the Weyland Site as Canon and how much the bonus material.
Maybe the company only got information of the Black Goo, or something and never knew fully the effects of this or that they was expecting anything related to the Xenomorph.
I certainly think there is potential for a lot of information to become Canon from the future movies and once Ridley has finished... what ever we dont get on screen... i think once its a wrap as far as Alien and its origins and agenda goes i think and i am looking forwards to them bringing out a now fully comprehensive resource book that can give a lot of depth to the Xenomorph and other things.
I liked the look of the Book you worked on SM and i may get a copy some day.... but i am kind of holding out as it seems their are pieces of the puzzle missing but once Alien Prequels are done and Alien 5 then these pieces can be added to a new book.
So i was in the same position with buying the Terminator Box set, and Prometheus to Alien Franchise one..... as i would hate to get a big box set and then see after more movies released so its not COMPLETE.....
I do however own the old Box set of all the Alien and AVP and Predators movies prior to Predators.... I have the Star Wars EP-1-6 Box sets Blu-ray and DVD...... I was brought SW EP7 and i said to the person who got it me, there was no need but thanks but i wont buy another i will wait until SW EP9 is done and get the Trilogy.
R.I.P Sox 01/01/2006 - 11/10/2017
I fully agree with regards to the company as far as movie Canon goes..... unless there was a lot of covert behind the scenes stuff..... the company did not go out of their way to go back to investigate LV-426 after SO 937 and you have to wander by coincidence did they set up Hadleys Hope.... we have to assume they never knew or was not interested and thought there was nothing to be gained after 2122
Because if there was then as you hint at, why would the company not send down a mission to investigate etc (this is where the latest Games set their Plots) but as far as movie Canon, all evidence seems to show that even Burke did not know 100% what they was going to find until he got there and then he saw the potential and tried to exploit the situation..... this is maybe when the company got more concrete information as far as Canon and then the pursuit of Ripley as the only means to obtain a Specimen.
R.I.P Sox 01/01/2006 - 11/10/2017
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