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Thanks to the success of Alien: Romulus over the past couple of weeks, it feels safe to say that the beloved sci-fi franchise is very much back. One imagines that Disney will now commission further installments in the series, but what shape will that take? Well, should they so desire, it sounds like Sigourney Weaver would at least be open to returning as Ellen Ripley for one last ride. That is, assuming the script is good enough.
Weaver recently spoke with Deadline, in a wide-ranging, career-spanning interview. Naturally, that means Alien and her time in the franchise came up quite a bit. Eventually, Weaver was asked about the possibility of returning as Ripley after all these years. Even though she’s not chomping at the bit, the actress would at least consider it. Here’s what she had to say about it:
“How much does the public really need or want another Ripley movie? I don’t really sit around and think about it, but if it came up, I would consider it. It has come up a bunch of times, but I’m also busy doing other things. Ripley has earned her rest.”
Indeed, after four movies, it’s pretty fair to say that Ripley has earned her rest. Weaver starred in 1979’s Alien, 1986’s Aliens, 1992’s Alien 3 and 1997’s Alien: Resurrection. Eventually, the law of diminishing returns caught up with the films and they went in another direction removed from the adventures of Ripley. Neill Blomkamp (District 9) did try to make a more direct sequel to Aliens several years back, even though the project fell through. On that note, Blomkamp is currently making another alien movie titled They Found Us, but that is neither here nor there.
There is an argument to be made that there would be a market for another Ripley-focused Alien movie. Legacy sequels have become all the rage, with older actors from legendary franchises coming back to join a newer, younger cast that can potentially set the series up to grow beyond what came before. It’s the “pass the torch” method. Speaking further, Weaver explained that she’s yet to read a script over the years that compelled her to suit up as Ripley once more.
“I feel like she’s never far away from me, but on the other hand I have yet to read a script that said ‘you have got to do this.’ So for me, she is in this other dimension, safe from the Alien for the time being. I don’t really think about it, but you know, it’s not completely impossible, and certainly a lot of good filmmakers are inspired by the material.”
In the meantime, Disney is happy with Romulus, which is one of the biggest horror hits of the year. Director Fede Alvarez has also revealed that he already has ideas for a sequel to that film. Whether or not that happens remains to be seen but, as always, money talks. Be that a Romulus sequel or a Ripley legacy sequel, another Alien film feels inevitable at this point. We’ll just have to see what shape that ultimately takes.
Alien: Romulus is in theaters now. For more, read about Fede Alvarez’s awesome pitch for a new Alien vs. Predator movie.
