Feeling old yet? Today marks the 18 year anniversary for the theatrical release of Paul Anderson's Alien vs. Predator! Back in 2004 this monumental clashing of cinematic sci-fi titans was met with a mixed bag of criticism. Do fans feel the same way about it today? Is there hope for the combined franchise to find new opportunities under the Disney banner?
Back then, the PG-13 rating, questionable designs of the Predators, current day Earth setting and a number of other details were bones of contention with fans of both franchises but today, 18 years later many seem to have found a new appreciation for the movie and regard it higher than when it released initially. With the likes of AvP: Requiem and The Predator having soured tastes more recently, many fans regard Alien vs. Predator a bit higher now by comparison.
With the Alien and Predator rights now owned by Disney and their rebranded 20th Century Studios umbrella company and with multiple projects in the works for both properties, we beg the question - will another clash between these two titular movie monster icons ever be revisited under the new banner in the future?
While we don't want to get ahead of ourselves, we are noticing a significant amount of effort and consideration being given to both the Alien and Predator franchises since the changing of hands. Dan Trachtenberg's PREY has proven that there still is plenty of life in the Predator franchise and many are praising that prequel as the best in the series next to the 1987 original. Noah Hawley's Alien TV series and Fede Alvarez's new Alien movie both have acquired capable filmmakers to handle those projects. It appears Disney have every intention of maximizing profitability but also gaining audience appreciation for their handling of each franchise.
Alien vs. Predator has always been an attractive opportunity from a storytelling standpoint (the original Dark Horse comic series was perfect) and if done with the same consideration and careful planning as the current slate of Alien and Predator projects, it's possible Disney & 20th Century Studios could reinvent that franchise as well and as effectively as they've done and are doing with Prey and the upcoming Alien titles.
Would you like to see Alien vs. Predator rebooted? Let us know in the comments!
If you're a fan of Alien / Prometheus and would like to discuss Alien: Covenant and its upcoming sequel with other like-minded fans, be sure to join in our Alien: Covenant forum! Ranked the #1 Prometheus forum back in 2012 and reigning as the web's top Alien: Covenant fan site, it's a great place to discuss the upcoming Prometheus sequels, dissect details from every trailer and engage with other fans just like you.
The future of Alien
The Alien franchise is taking a dramatic turn at 20th Century Studios, now owned by Disney. Currently there are two major Alien projects in development - a new Alien TV series by Noah Hawley and a new, stand-alone Alien movie being directed by Fede Alvarez. Both of which will be taking the franchise in a new direction - moving away from the Alien prequel direction Ridley Scott set out to pursue back in 2012.
Treat yourself to some Alien Merchandise!
As we await the next Alien movie, now is a great time to build your Alien collection and expand your Alien-themed wardrobe. Check out some products below and click here for even more options!
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