Sigourney Weaver Might Do Another Alien Movie - But There's A Condition

Since "Alien: Romulus" did an exceptional job at blowing audiences away at the box office, it's worth remembering what started it all and, more importantly, the woman who helped kick off the decades-long sci-fi horror series. We haven't seen Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley (or even a variant of her) since 1997. But now, with Fede Álvarez prompting a resurgence in the franchise, would the former space trucker pick up a pulse rifle and go on another bug hunt? Well, according to Weaver, she'd be willing to do so, as long as the right script to send her back to the place where no one can hear you scream came along.

Looking back on the role during an interview with Deadline, Weaver said, "I feel like she's never far away from me, but on the other hand I have yet to read a script that said 'you have got to do this.'" Nevertheless, the star of four of seven chapters in the ever-expanding "Alien" story doesn't deem the prospect totally off the table. "So for me, she is in this other dimension, safe from the Alien for the time being," she explained. "I don't really think about it, but you know, it's not completely impossible, and certainly a lot of good filmmakers are inspired by the material."

Of course, plenty of stars have dared to take on the xenomorphs since we last saw Ripley 8 barely survive her close encounter in "Alien: Resurrection," leaving the star to wonder if fans would even want to see her return at all.

There's no doubt that, given some of the small details in "Alien: Romulus" and one iconic line from the franchise, there's still a lot of love from the franchise's current creatives for Ripley and her one-woman war against the murderous lifeform that's haunted audiences for over 45 years. But "want" and "need" are two very different things, which Sigourney Weaver is quick to acknowledge when it comes to the idea of heading back to the franchise.

Weaver, who earned an Oscar nomination for her performance in 1987's "Aliens," a level of recognition that remains a rarity in the sci-fi horror genre, discussed her doubts in her Deadline interview. "How much does the public really need or want another Ripley movie?" she asked. "I don't really sit around and think about it, but if it came up, I would consider it. It has come up a bunch of times, but I'm also busy doing other things. Ripley has earned her rest."

That might be the case, but plenty of franchises have been given a second life thanks to legacy sequels providing a surprising jolt. The question is, how on Earth could Ripley get set up to go another round with the horror that has followed her for over 200 years? Well, there was one film considered the runt of the franchise's litter that was so disliked on its release that it came close to being nixed from the timeline. It's also an installment that the star feels is still a misunderstood monster even today: David Fincher's "Alien 3."

As far as threequels go, "Alien 3" is up there as one of the most hated and misunderstood to ever hit the big screen. The rockiest of stepping stones for first time director David Fincher, Sigourney Weaver recalled just how much of a horror show it was behind the camera, telling Deadline that her heart went out to the young filmmaker who would go on to become a Hollywood great.

"They had the great idea to put David Fincher aboard for his first film, but then not to support the guy was very idiotic," she explained, backing her former collaborator. "I heard recently that David has disowned the project and I'm sorry about that because I loved working with him, and I think we made a good film. I'm glad he got a chance to do his version. It was a great ensemble."

There was a time back in 2016, however, when the idea of an alternate third film was considered. In an"Alien" movie we never got to see that would have retconned Fincher's failed effort out of continuity, Ripley would have returned along with Michael Biehn's Hicks, who had previously survived the fallout of "Aliens" only to die off-screen in "Alien 3." "District 9" director Neill Blomkamp worked up the pitch, and even had concept designs of what he had in mind, but the project didn't get the green light. Now, with the likes of Laurie Strode rewriting the history of "Halloween" and even James Cameron's own "Terminator" franchise's continuity getting tweaked, there could still a path for Ripley to return and make lethal contact with her old bug buddies one more time.