The Alien franchise is in a very good place at the moment.
FX and Hulu’s Alien: Earth television venture has received universal acclaim, and a sequel to Alien: Romulus is in the works.
So, with all this new activity in the franchise, people are curious about one character in particular. Ellen Ripley became immediately iconic, and fans have supported and adored the character through four films.
Although she hasn’t been seen on-screen since 1997’s Alien: Resurrection, audiences still long for actress Sigourney Weaver to reprise the role. Surely now, with the Alien brand on fire, would be the perfect time for Weaver to return, right?
Well, hold on to your hats folks, as Weaver has disclosed that she’s had talks with Disney about an Alien return.
Speaking at the recent New York City Comic-Con, Weaver spoke of a fifty-page treatment she’d received from Alien producer Walter Hill:
“Walter Hill is a very good friend of mine, and he wrote 50 pages of where Ripley would be now, and they’re quite extraordinary.”
So, what would Ripley be up to if we were to meet her again? According to Weaver, Hill’s treatment has Ripley exiled, hidden away, as she’s seen and knows too much:
“What Walter has written seems so true to me, as very much about the society that would incarcerate someone who has tried to help mankind, but she’s a problem to them, so she’s sort of tucked away. I think it’s a very strong first 50 pages.”
But will this happen? Weaver continued, confirming she’d met with Disney about a potential Alien return, given the franchise’s current renaissance:
“I don’t know if it’s going to happen, but I have had a meeting with Fox/Disney. I’m thinking about working with Walter to see what the rest of the story would be.”
So, although nothing has been set in stone, Weaver is entertaining the idea of reprising the role of Ellen Ripley. With a potential script in the works, the possibility of Ripley returning to the screen seems closer to becoming a reality than ever before.
We’ll let you know as soon as we have any further updates on a potential Alien return for Weaver’s iconic character.
