Neill Blomkomp Says Sigourney Weaver Wanted His ‘Alien’ Movie To Happen But Fox Did Not

The Alien franchise hasn’t been doing so hot, despite valiant efforts. Though a Noah Hawley TV series version is still a go, Alien: Covenant, the prequel that was also a sequel to the universe-building Prometheus, dramatically underperformed back in 2017. But there was also another Alien film — a fifth in the main storyline, concerning Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley, to be helmed by District 9’s Neill Blomkamp. That seemed to be dead a few years ago, but there was someone who always had its back: Sigourney Weaver.

In an interview with The Independent (by way of IGN), Blomkamp — promoting his new film, Demonic — opened up about the aborted project, which would presumably concern the surviving clone of Ripley, who emerged in the fourth outing, Alien: Resurrection (which also underperformed, once upon a time). He didn’t seem to have much optimism about it ever being exhumed.

“I don’t know, to be honest. I’m not sure that I would do that project,” he said. “My assumption is that it’s completely dead.” But he had nothing but warm thoughts about its almost-star.

“Sigourney was unbelievably supportive and amazing. I have nothing but the best things to say about Sigourney,” Blomkamp said. “I’m such a fan of hers on every level. She was always into the project, but Fox just clearly doesn’t want it. I haven’t had anything to do with that for years.”

Weaver had been interested in returning to the role that made her name since at least 2004, when she talked about doing a “small, spooky movie” that would “take Ripley to whatever the next stage may be.” But that obviously never happened. But given how much Hollywood loves reboot/revivals — and how much press the high school stage version of the original Alien received a while back — maybe never say never.