The Original Alien 2 (Before James Cameron's Aliens)
James Cameron's Aliens might be the official second entry of the series, but the Italian ripoff Alien 2: On Earth beat it to cinemas. In the aftermath of Alien's success in 1979. talk quickly arose of a potential sequel or TV series, but the franchise lay dormant for years due to a legal dispute between the producers and 20th Century Fox. When it finally moved ahead, Ridley Scott wasn't even approached about returning, with producers David Giler and Walter Hill instead hiring James Cameron to write and direct. History has proven what a smart choice this was, asAliens is considered a classic in its own right and a perfect example of how to follow a hit movie without repeating the same story.
Later entries in the Alien movie franchise series have largely drawn mixed responses. Alien 3 has been disowned by director David Fincher due to his miserable experience making it, though the film has its staunch defenders, including Christopher Nolan. Scott eventually returned to the director's seat for prequel duology Prometheus and Alien Covenant, and while this ambitious saga has its merits, the movies were also criticized for their unlikeable heroes and screenplays littered with plotholes and poor character decisions. Both Alien Vs Predator movies paired the titular sci-fi monsters together, but while they made money, they were also largely considered terrible.
Related: How Earth Is Different In The Alien Movies’ Future
The franchise is gearing up for some new chapters, which include Fede Álvarez's Hulu Alien movie and the Noah Hawley TV series. One film that will definitely never be packaged with the rest of the Alien movies is 1980's Alien 2: On Earth. This American/Italian co-production follows a group of friends who go
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