(Image source: 20th Century Studios)
Back in January, renowned entertainment journalist Daniel Richtman reported on his Patreon page that 20th Century Studios was considering bringing back original protagonist Ellen Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver, for an untitled new "Alien" film, potentially utilizing de-aging technology. Now, in a surprising turn, Weaver herself has confirmed discussions with 20th Century Studios about a potential return, revealing the news during her appearance at this year's New York Comic Con.
At the Comic Con panel, Weaver stated, "Walter Hill (producer of the 'Alien' series) is a very good friend of mine. He wrote 50 pages of story material describing what Ripley might be doing now, and it's fantastic. I don't know if it will ever be made, but I've already... was it Fox? Or Disney? Anyway, I've met with the people in charge now. Aside from Neill (Blomkamp)'s 'Alien 5' that he wanted to make, I never felt the need to play the character again. I always thought, 'Let her rest and recover (laughs).'"
Weaver continued, "What Walter wrote, I think it's very realistic. It talks about how a society would imprison someone trying to help humanity because society sees her as a problem, so she goes into hiding. I think these 50 pages are very solid, and I'd like to work with Walter to brainstorm what comes after these 50 pages, to see how the story could develop."
(Image source: JustJared)
Weaver also noted that Hill's story concept is vastly different from previous installments. "This wouldn't be about aliens scurrying through air ducts; it's a completely different, wonderfully written 'Alien' film. It will still be scary, and the aliens will certainly be there. But I love Walter's interpretation of the character. He truly understands her strength, her rage, and her humor. Writing Ripley well is surprisingly difficult; everyone else makes her seem like a gym teacher barking orders at students, but Walter really captured her essence."