It seems that Neill Blomkamp take on ALIEN that we saw concept art for is becoming a reality.
Variety confirmed that the next ALIEN film will, indeed, be the director’s next after the upcoming CHAPPIE.
We can only assume this film will incorporate the various story ideas that have been hinted at in Blomkamp’s concept art: the return of Ellen Ripley. A surviving, acid-scarred Hicks. A new, bigger, badder type of Xenomorph. A look inside the headquarters of “The Company”, a.k.a. Weyland-Yutani. And, most intriguingly, Ripley in the Space Jockey getup.
How Mr. Blomkamp intends to practically converge all these elements into something that fits within the existing canon, I have absolutely no idea. To get Hicks in there, but alive and kicking requires some very specific retconning (or cloning gimmick), and ALIEN RESURRECTION made it abundantly clear that Weyland-Yutani was no longer a thing at that point in the timeline. Plus, even if she’s still a looker, Ms. Weaver is noticeably older than the last time she faced off against a face-hugger of any sort, and there’s no easy out like Arnold’s T-800’s naturally aging organic flesh.
Still, the idea that someone of Blomkamp’s talent is on the project is exciting enough, even without the art that’s been conceived (of which the director promises we have only gotten a small sampling of). ELYSIUM was problematic, but CHAPPIE is a weird, unique oddity of a sci-fi flick that should still prove to be more crowd-pleasing than possibly even DISTRICT 9. His films’ flaws aside, he’s shown a talent for depicting interesting tech and injecting class-related, anti-corporate subtext not unlike what’s found in the first two ALIENs, and his action scenes tend to have energy and a clear sense of choreography. We all know that a cool director does not a great ALIEN film make (though I’ll defend Fincher and Jeunet’s takes on the material any day), but given what we’ve already seen of his plans and the potential for a return of Ellen Ripley AND Hicks, I think we already have the right to get excited.
Crazy to think that Blomkamp’s lobbying for the gig on social media very well might’ve been what landed him the job. His social media game is on point!
