Exclusive: Alien Nation Remake Is Happening Now
Alien Nation is finally getting a remake.
Update: This Giant Freakin Robot exclusive has been confirmed that the Alien Nation remake was, in fact, in development.
Alien Nation has managed to remain a cult classic ever since the original film hit theaters back in 1988. It managed to spawn a television series, five made-for-TV movies, comic books, and novels that have all expanded the lore of this unique sci-fi concept in which an alien race has become integrated into modern Earth society. There have been rumblings of a new version of the property for ages, and the last news we had heard was that the franchise would be returning as a television series from Midnight Special director Jeff Nichols. However, Giant Freakin Robot has obtained some exclusive info that says this project is going to come about in a different form.
One of our trusted and proven inside sources has given us a scoop that the Alien Nation remake is a go and that it will be in the form of a feature film. We were not able to confirm if this would be theatrically released or will be headed to streaming. The property was originally owned by Fox but the intended remake film that was set to be made got canceled during the merger of Disney and Fox. Jeff Nichols was despondent that his $100 million dollar new take on the property was being permanently shelved, but now it looks like the Alien Nation remake – or “reimagining” as it has been called – is back on track under the auspices of the Mouse House.
It will be interesting to see just how Nichols decides to update Alien Nation for this new era. The premise was originally a buddy cop story but Nichols could be doing something very different with the structure of his version. The idea of an alien race that has become integrated into society and how that would affect humans, their relationship to the aliens, and the overall structure of society opens up the doors for so much intriguing and thought-provoking commentary. Just exactly what Nichols has in store with the story is still being kept under wraps, but we understand it will be more of an inspiration than a direct remake.
The last Nichols had spoken about the project, he had changed the Alien Nation remake into a 10-episode series and presented it to Disney. Now, our tipster is telling us that the project has reverted back into a movie and is being given the greenlight over at Disney. Again, we don’t know if this is being developed as a film for a streaming platform or will be intended to release theatrically. The property is definitely niche enough that it might not be recognizable enough to a new generation of moviegoers. The movie might have a better chance on a streaming platform like Hulu or whatever Disney has in store for an adult option like their international service on Disney+, Star.
Whatever arena it ends up being displayed in, it is great to hear that Alien Nation is finally going to be introduced to a new generation of potential fans. Here’s hoping it is as impactful and insightful as the original film that started it all.
