Where is James Cameron? “Aliens” ranks among the other Alien films? That depends on who you ask. Some might say it’s the best, while others put it right behind the original (spoiler alert: it’s the best). Still, there’s no denying that this 1986 film changed course, moving the franchise from horror to horror-tinged one. science fiction action and pave an alternative path for the future.
As Cameron stated in a interview with lofficerthe plan was always “to make a movie that wasn’t as scary… it’s scary, but not as scary, but more intense, and I like to use the word, exhilarating. Because I think you get excited by the intensity of the kind of action that’s in this movie.”
In terms of story progression, the sequel’s restructuring makes a lot of sense. Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley survived the Xenomorph in “Foreign”but now he must overcome his fears and face the shadowy creature once again. This time, he has allies and firepower on his side, although most of those Colonial Marines turn out to be about as useful as a French kiss in a beehive.
“Aliens” exploded as a monster hit, both financially and critically, suggesting that Cameron has a Midas touch when it comes to sequels. The famous film critic Roger Ebert called is “an excellent example of cinematic art,” and it’s hard to argue that point. What’s surprising, though, is reflecting on how “Aliens” nearly fell apart several times before it actually happened.
Even though 1979’s “Alien” generated big profits on paper, Hollywood’s accounting practices are more baffling than Palpatine’s return in “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker”.
Somehow, “Alien” was considered a flop, and 20th Century Fox remained conflicted over a sequel, to the point that it almost sold the rights to the producers of “Rambo” of all people (imagine the crossover potential, though, when John Rambo gunns down a horde of xenomorphs while Jerry Goldsmith’s iconic score plays in the background).
After much oohing and aahing and hand-wringing, the studio relented and tapped Cameron to craft a treatment based on the stunning nature of his script for “The Terminator”.
In 1983, Cameron only needed three days to produce a 45-page treatment, which can be read here. The nuts and bolts of what would become “Aliens” are mostly present here, but Fox dismissed the filmmaker’s proposal. The study certainly did not escape accusations that it was looking for more reasons No make the movie than continue.
What “Aliens” needed was an internal champion: someone to convince studio executives that they were leaving money on the table by ignoring this franchise. This came with the hiring of producer Larry Gordon, who pushed for the sequel within the four walls of the boardroom.
After the success of “The Terminator,” Cameron returned to the fray as writer and director, while his then-girlfriend and future wife, Gail Anne Hurd, joined the film as a producer.
With the script presented and Cameron prepared, prepared and ready to shoot in 1985, a new problem arose: the budget. Cameron’s camp argued that “Aliens” could be made for $15.5 million, but Fox accountants feared it would be closer to $35 million, and no one considered the poor billionaires at play.
Fox offered $12 million. “We came out and said, ‘Thanks, we’ll do something else,'” Cameron told the Los Angeles Times.
Behind the scenes, Gordon managed to convince his bosses to shell out the extra money for the production. With that obstacle successfully cleared, Cameron was back in the driver’s seat and ready to head to LV-426.
But then Fox decided to suggest the unthinkable at the time: “Aliens” without Sigourney Weaver. It’s a series decision for a direct-to-video sequel, the kind of thing you’d expect a Kevin Sorbo guy to headline.
Cameron, on the other hand, was under the impression that Weaver had been contracted for a sequel, but that wasn’t the case at all. Now it was up to Cameron to convince Weaver to make the film. She met with Weaver and the meeting seemed pretty positive, but her agents wanted a big payday for her, and rightly so. Fox refused, so Cameron and Hurd resigned…again; They weren’t going to make the movie without Weaver.
Frustrated but trying to roll the dice on this shaky project one last time, Cameron pulled a sneaky stunt, as he revealed to GQ years later. Weaver shared the same agency as Arnold Schwarzenegger, so Cameron called Schwarzenegger’s agent and told him that he was about to start rewriting the “Aliens” script to remove Ripley entirely. The news traveled faster than a Xenomorph through a ventilation shaft.
“The deal was done 12 hours later,” Cameron said. “So I never wrote a word of that hypothetical story I said I was going to do, which I had no intention of writing anyway. Anyway, it worked out, and Sigourney got her million dollars, and everyone was happy.”
As far as most film productions go, “Aliens” was mostly smooth sailing when it began filming. Deadlines were met, budget was not exceeded, and the study allowed them to move forward. The biggest challenge was the final cut: Fox wanted the film to be two hours long to ensure more theatrical screenings.
Cameron relented, took out his scissors and cut a few extraneous scenes, but the film had not yet reached the magic mark. After removing everything he could, Cameron explained that any further amendments would destroy the story and damage the integrity of the film. This time, Fox did not argue and stayed with the filmmaker.
History confirms that the right decision was made here. The franchise now follows the model laid out by Cameron’s “Alien” more than “Shark in Space” by Ridley Scott base. While there is always an element of survival in these films, the action-focused approach is a fundamental part of the series’ DNA. Sure, the protagonists are still scared, but they receive the opportunity to enlighten themselves. the xenomorphs and show those ugly monsters who’s boss.
Looking back now, it’s incredible to think that Fox almost brought down “Aliens” with their studio antics. A classic emerged from the chaos of inflated egos, austerity and blood pressure-raising frustration.
It’s proof that in Hollywood no one can hear you scream (nor do they care), so it’s up to you to find a way to survive.
