Sigourney Weaver Returning For More Alien?
Sigourney Weaver could be headed back to the Alien franchise very soon.
Sigourney Weaver has not returned to the Alien franchise in a feature film ever since her appearance as the clone Ripley 8 in Alien Resurrection back in 1997. The series has continued without her, but fans have always wondered if the original ellen Ripley could come back for one more terrifying adventure in space. Well, a new rumor says that is exactly what Disney is trying to make happen.
Insider Daniel Richtman (via We Got This Covered) is reporting that the Mouse House is attempting to bring Sigourney Weaver onboard a new entry in the Alien franchise. Disney merged with 20th Century Fox and they now have ownership over the Alien property. If this report and another one involving a similar Fox sci-fi property are true, it sounds like Disney really wants to revitalize these sci-fi/horror series and believes bringing on their original leading actors will be a big selling point to audiences.
Exactly how Sigourney Weaver would return as Ripley would be a difficult nut to crack. Ellen Ripley died at the end of Alien 3 in a moment of deliberate sacrifice to end the Alien lifeform once and for all. When she was brought back in Alien Resurrection, the character was a clone named Ripley 8 that had her DNA blended with that of the Alien Queen. Ripley 8 was a fascinating but off-putting riff on the character, and it is unlikely that audiences want to see that version of the character if she decided to return in a new movie.
It is even worth questioning if Sigourney Weaver should be a prominent character in a new Alien movie. The character of Ellen Ripley is one of the greatest in all of modern cinema. Bringing her back as the main character would bring a lot of attention to this potential new Alien film, but it could also invite a lot more criticism if it does not hit it out of the park. Would audiences be okay if Ripley was only a supporting character? And would a new movie acknowledge all the films that came before it? Or would this act as a total reboot that would ignore some of the original movies?
There is no arguing that Sigourney Weaver is one of our greatest living actresses and if she showed up in a new Alien movie – which she almost did – there is no question it would be a notable and energizing bit to the story. But, there is an argument to be made that the story of Ellen Ripley has been played out. That is not to say that there isn’t some invigorating way to bring the character back into the franchise, but it might actually make the movie a more difficult piece to accept on its own terms.
As of now, this is all just rumor. Sigourney Weaver has not officially announced any attachment to a new Alien movie, and it sounds like this is just Disney hoping they can get her for whatever project they end up getting off the ground. If we hear any more worthwhile news about this, we will report it to you as soon as possible.
