Dear FOX

dk

 To Fox,

Alien Covenant is an outstanding film in pretty much all ways. However, it suffered in some ways as with Prometheus for one big reason. Scenes that got chopped for brevity’s sake could have filled in gaps and made both movies much better. Why was this done? Oh- too long for movie theaters or perceived attention spans perhaps. Get a clue- most fans want to see the long version and are fine sitting through a 3 hour film. Quit doing this BS of releasing a blue ray with extended or deleted scenes to watch AFTER the theatrical cut. Just give us the full Monty- we can handle it. In the future, let Sir Ridley do his thing and tell his story without your worrying about competing movies and friggin’ snack sales.  

joylitt

And Fox reply is like

dk

Probably, but I stand by what I said and at least a few likely agree. 

Jonesy

3 hours maybe too long for general audience. But yes I prefer an 3 hours extended version in Blu-ray, and it will definitely boost media sales. 

Maybe Fox can consider bringing Awakening into a TV series? It will give much more space to explain all the mysteries and develop characters.

SuperAlien

It's going to be difficult 

MonsterZero

I love the extended opening David and Weyland scene! That should have been in the film.

BigDave

For a lot of people who come on sites like this, then indeed a 3 hour movie would be fine... but i think FOX are not pitching their movies to the Franchise Fans alone.... not the die hard fanbase.

As this would only account to a certain % of potential Revenue.. and so this is why FOX prefer to stick to a lower screen time so that more casual and general public would potentially invest into seeing a movie at the Box Office.

What is worse for those disappointed at a lack of longer cuts, is it appears as with Prometheus, we will get NO Extended or Directors Cut of Alien Covenant.

The Problem now comes with the Frame-work from Alien Covenant to ALIEN and how this would have been done in TWO movies... and if FOX are concerned about doing a TWO Part Prequel to ALIEN... and having the next one also disappoint... leaving them on a Cliff Hanger where they have to continue with the 3rd and connecting Alien:* Prequel movie.

Here is the Points that would be played out so we can assume, but its a case of which of these we do not need to directly cover.

*David is now in control of the Ship, he has a Plan and Agenda that involves creating a Army of Alien Xenomorph Eggs.  He only has 2 Face Huggers and nearly 2000 Colonist and 1000 Embryos (Human? or Animals?) So there has to be some Process of getting from 2 Face Huggers to Thousands of Eggs.

*David is off to Origae-6 where all clues seem to point to this place being uninhabited and the Covenant Colonist would be the first to set foot on such a World.... this Journey is 7.5 years. Does David Initiate his Plan to create a Xeno Army while on board the Covenant with all those Colonist?  But then why head to Origae-6  and then its a case of what Wheels in Motion does David start with his Plans and do we need to see what David alone is up to during the 7.5 year trip?

*David has contacted the Weyland Yutani Company, they are aware of what he is doing and where he is heading, its thus likely they will indeed send a Intercept Mission to arrive at Origae-6

*The Engineers will arrive to discover Planet 4/Paradise Decimated, the questions are how much are they aware of the LV-223 Outpost and Black Goo and we can assume they will find out the Bombardment Ship Originated from LV-223 and Humans had been involved... but do they go to Earth or LV-223?  Its likely at some point they intercept David and his Eggs he creates from the Colonist of the Covenant.. but then its a case of HOW do these Engineers know where David is heading?  And will we need to see the Engineers arrive at Planet 4/ Paradise and how much do we need to see of what they find?

*All these things must come together to drive us to a point where a Engineer Ship is loaded with Thousands of Davids Xenomorph Eggs and ends up on LV-426 and then HOW/WHY does the Engineers Ship or David end up from Origae-6 to then being so close to LV-223

Such a Series of Plot Points would need TWO movies to do Justice as there is just so much to fit into  SINGLE Direct Prequel to Alien, unless a lot is taken as a Aftermath just as we skipped past what ever happened in the 10 years between Prometheus and Alien Covenant.. and only loosely getting answers and a limited time dedicated to these.

Walter

Anyone remembering 4h 40min extended Lord of the rings 3?

cuponator3000

It's unfortunate that the attempt to force too much into Covenant will leave them with too much to force into Awakening. I mean, I think there is a chance that two movies will be made.

IF the two movies happen, then I think Awakening presents a good oppurtunity to make a well-receive movie. Covenant did have to setup a lot and introduce all those human characters (didn't do a great job of that even), mention the Eningeers, focus on David, and then also focus on the Xeno and Neo. If we receive two more Ridley films, the next one doesn't necessarily have to bog itself down with all of that. We pretty much have a stage set for what is next. If Fox can let the film breathe a little bit, it may bode well for their money and garner some positive reactions.

sherris

Michelle Johnston - Told me that part of releasing a r/18 Film is you need it a certain level due to the classification and more shows needed each night.

Fair comment about 5-10 mins that should not cause too bad a reaction.

OR ONE FULL version. last show of the night rated r - finished when it needs to. extended cut pay $ or a £ more. see how many the FULL version gets.

Timmy the ultramorph

I think that an ideal version of the film would be about 2 hours and 35 minutes. It could add almost 95% of the promotional footage into the movie Plus alot more suspense inbetween deaths more stuff with the neomorphs and have the final battle with the xenon on the cvenant more intense and alot longer.

DG

I agree with your assessment that these new movies have suffered as a result of truncating and removing key scenes that would have otherwise given viewers a more well-rounded experience. As the years go by, I think it's becoming clearer to audiences and studio execs alike that theatergoing is becoming less of a dominating format, so my hope is that once home viewing becomes the primary format for new releases (Netflix has already anticipated this trend, but it will take a while longer for theaters to go the way of VHS and UHF), directors will be under less pressure to deliver material within a certain runtime and let the story breathe. Granted, editing will always be an important facet to the filmmaking process, but with movies that are as complex as Prometheus and Covenant, it would be a game changer to watch something that hasn't been cut up to meet a time cap. One can certainly hope, of course.

dk

DG- Well said. 

BigDave

Indeed Sherris... good point regarding the Age Certification, Alien Covenant could have been made more Gory that would require a Age 18 to see it, but this then reduces a potential number of viewers... hence a Cert 15 or equivalent opened up the Movie to the 15-18 year olds..

Its all about trying to cover a larger Market Share, rather than Pleasing the Alien Fanbase.

BigDave

I had discussed before where potentially the movie could go, and i can give a broad estimated Synopsis, as i think the potential is for the next movie to end up being something a bit close to ALIENS...

Example Company sends in a Ship that arrives at a Set Up Colony before the colonist discover Davids Dark Secret and so we have a Colony Partially Built where the Colonist are trying to Barricade themselves from Davids Horrors.. Be this be the other group are on the Covenant, or are on Origae-6

The Company arrive to find the Colonist trying to Protect themselves, and in other area of the Colony or a Cave near by David has set up his own little Nursery of Eggs.

And then latter we see the incoming Engineers maybe with Walter.

It would set up a 3rd movie, where the Company and eradicated maybe the Colonist too, or captured by the Engineers and then the Engineers attempt to take Davids Creation away.

dk

sherris- extended cut pay $ or a £ more. see how many the FULL version gets

That is a great idea. I imagine even casual viewers would pay extra since they might sense they are missing out on something.

dk

 Walter

Anyone remembering 4h 40min extended Lord of the rings 3?

My daughter had that- I called it LOTR 3, The Decubitus Cut.