When/where/should should the series end?

I liked the setting of Alien 3, nothing else. I liked the motley crew in Alien: Resurrection, nothing else. But if Blompkamp pulls a Bobby Ewing dream (Dallas), and brings back Hicks and Newt, then at the very least my interest is piqued -- what's the worst that can happen (we've already had AvP:R)?

What you refer to as the 'series', I take to mean the Ripley storyline. And I think we should give the keys to Blompkamp because we have nothing to lose.

But I think the success of Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, is the ideal blueprint to apply to plot points in the 'Alien Universe'. I mean the Space Jockey would have been an ideal candidate (of course, we're already getting a 4-part pre-quadrilogy).

Another example is the background to Ash. We only know he replaced the usual science officer 2 days before the Nostromo left Thedus. A film could give us an account of that; perhaps he killed the original science officer? Etc. Etc.

I'm not advocating an 'Alien Extended Universe'. Far from it. I don't particularly want to see new/other aliens. I just wouldn't mind side-stories that feed into the main series in the same vain as Rogue One: A Star Wars Story.

I agree. Was satisfied greatly with what Rouge One achieved.

I also agree with your feelings on the setting of 3, though I did like two other things about the film.
1. The undoing of the happy ending we got in Aliens while allowing Ripley to finally confront her ultimate fear (being a host herself and to a queen of all things)
2. Introducing the alien taking on the traits of a different host species.

Other than that, a lot of the dialog needed work, some of the editing was poor, and the gore/language were excessive.

In a similar vein to Rouge One, I was also very happy with the story in Alien Isolation (mostly only if you read all the optional stuff available through all the computer terminals spread throughout the game.) It gave a ton of life to the 50 years between Alien and Aliens as well an pretty robust look at the corporate landscape of space mining and terraforming.

Back to the topic at hand, I am completely disinterested in watching aliens get the Godzilla treatment (which is how I felt about both AVPs) and I while it was fun to watch Resurrection as a 12 year old kid, it was way over the top.

I am happy with the Isolation and Prometheus expansion style and would be bummed if we did another nosedive back into AVP quality. Ending things on a highnote would be great and having the pre-quad and the Aliens offshoot be the end would be fine by me.

My greatest concern is that Ridley will no longer be with us soon and he really is what has revitalized the franchise. I fear passing the torch along could end in disaster. Though these concerns could be unfounded.

@QES

Interesting and engaging insights.

I think it might not be a bad idea to let the franchise end on a bad note- we lost and we are doomed- we had a hand in doing it to ourselves. Tragedies aren't new. People want to see that we rise above and everything works out and we will be okay. That is why ending on a downer would be original and daring in my opinion. 

dk

Totally agree. I should have been clear on what I meant by high note. I was referring to the quality of the final film. I do prefer things end in tragedy and there's no happy ending. I just don't want the final film to be as craptacular as either AVP. Blom's project seems promising given his previous films. I also can't imagine being disappointed with the final conclusion to Prometheus. AVP and AVP2 were just so boring and focused on typical tropes. Having the final film follow this style would just be a bummer.

@QES

I liked AVP as a stand alone entertaining popcorn film. AVPR was possibly the worst scifi movie ever made. Over Drawn at the Memory Bank (MST3K version) was a superior scifi movie to that. I think it would be both bold and original to end a franchise on loss and doom. I think that doesn't sell though. We want to be happy and triumphant. I admit to being old and raised on Twilight Zone and Outer Limits when things almost always ended badly- with great stories and acting- in 60 minutes or less.

dk

I will say I liked AVP more than AVPR for what that's worth, but yea again I'm right there with you. Doom and loss is a big part why I like Alien Isolation so much. Then end was absolutely dark. In fact the end of Isolation was probably darker than the end of any of the films. I've you've never played it, go read the full plot summary. You might love it.

Another example of a fantastic movie with an incredibly dark twisted ending was Ex Machina.

I agree it's definitely frustrating that we get so many films tailored to audiences who demand happy endings. One thing I'm hoping for (and I think it's fair to expect) is that each sequel to Prometheus is probably not going to have a happy ending. And considering the opening of Alien 3, we will be able to know with confidence the ending to Blom's project is dark regardless of where the film leaves us.

Here's to more films with endings that plunge the soul into despair :)

QES-

I completed Isolation. It was an exhausting, tedious and brutal masterpiece! There are several movie titles I have seen on this site that I need to see.

As much as I love old franchises, I kind of think they should die out and end. The Alien, Star Trek and Star Wars franchises continue. On one level, it is good to see them continue and let younger generations know what a good sci fi movie is. On the other hand, I see it as a way for companies and writers to be lazy, use over the top effects and ride on the coat tails of greatness without creating original ideas of their own. I have stumbled onto youtube short films by amateurs that are more enjoyable than what gets crapped onto the bigger budget screens. Thanks for indulging my geeze!  

dk,

Glad to hear you have experienced Isolation as well.

Also, I agree, it's fun to see these classics expanded but it's obnoxious when it's for the sole purpose of exploiting a creative work as a brand to make money off of. I'd like to believe this trend will cease but for some reason I feel that in 20 years we will still be getting new Star Wars movies. I have a friend who won't even watch them out of disgust with the Disney/Marvel money factory.

QES-

I have nothing to say when anything Star Wars related is stated on these threads. I watched and loved the original 3. I hated E1 and never returned. I have no idea what that franchise is doing. I don't want the Alien series to do that.

dk

All I'll say is Rouge One felt more like the original 3 than any of the other ones. If I say anything more I might upset others so I'll shush.