Despite Ridley Scott’s desire to continue on with theAlienfranchise, even he’s slowly admitting that the longstanding sci-fi series may be in some trouble. Though, he doesn’t think it has anything to do with the lackluster box office fromAlien: Covenant. For Scott, it’s all about the implications of Disney purchasing most of 21st Century Fox, including their 20th Century Fox movie studio, which houses theAlienmovies. Despite the fact that Disney usually treads on PG-13 ground, it’s his belief that the studio should continue on withAlien, since it’s still quite popular with fans.
During a recent interview,Ridley Scottwas asked about theAlienfranchise, which has been in doubt ever sinceAlien: Covenantwas released. Despite that, Scott wants to do at least one more movie to round out his prequel trilogy, which was originally going to be shooting this year. However, Fox decided to pump the brakes onceCovenantbombed and, with the Disney/Fox merger set to go into effect in about a year, that means, theAlien: Covenantsequel, and the franchise overall, may be finished. Here’s what Scott had to say about the sci-fi thriller’s ability to keep moving forward.
“It looks to me that the Fox deal is certainly going to go ahead with Disney, and I’ve been with Fox for a number years now. I’m hoping I’ll still probably be there so whether or not they go ahead with such adark subject, being Disney, as aliens remains to be seen. I think they should because I think, when people have ahard and fast franchisewhich has ongoing interest, it’s crazy not to do something with it.”
Sure, there’s interest inAlien. The hype surrounding theAlien: Covenantmarketing was evidence enough of that. The problem is, people aren’t responding to the direction the franchise is heading. Case in point,Alien: Covenantmade just $240 million worldwide working from a $97 million production budget. That’s probably not the level of interest Disney is looking for in a franchise. They’re in the business of making movies that have the potential to bring in $1 billion. And, as Ridley Scott also says, it’s not their business to make R-rated movies.
“That’s why they’re so successful. And theydraw the lineat anything that crosses PG-13. [If] they find that they’re so successful with that that they want to cross the line and do something a little darker, and if they do that, do they want to do that under Disney or do they want to do that under the Fox banner? I think there’s a business plan afoot definitely.”
It’s been said thatDeadpoolcan remain R-rated once Fox is absorbed into Disney. So the Mouse House doesn’t seem totally closed off to the idea of other R rated movies. ButAlienis pretty off-brand for the studio. For now, Fox is allowed to operate as they always have. So if they decided tolet Ridley Scott make Alien: Awakeningbefore the Disney/Fox merger takes effect, then we still could see at least one moreAlienmovie. Then again, if Disney sees money in it, he also says in this interview withDigital Spythat he would be happy to make moreAlienmovies with them as well.
