NXT Sigourney Weaver Met With ‘Alien’ Studio Execs About Bringing Ripley Back, Teases ‘Quite Extraordinary’ Idea
After Ellen Ripley’s last appearance in David Fincher’s “Alien 3,” Sigourney Weaver teased a potential return to the world of Weyland-Yutani at a New York Comic Con “Alien” reunion panel.
“[‘Alien’ producer] Walter Hill is a very good friend of mine, and he wrote 50 pages of where Ripley would be now, and they’re quite extraordinary,” Weaver on stage during a conversation moderated by Josh Horowitz. “I don’t know if it’s going to happen, but I have had a meeting with Fox or Disney…I’ve never felt the need [to reprise the role]. I was always like, ‘Let her rest, let her recover.’ What Walter has written seems so true to me, as very much about the society that would incarcerate someone who has tried to help mankind, but she’s a problem to them, so she’s sort of tucked away. I think it’s a very strong first 50 pages. I’m thinking about working with Walter to see what the rest of the story would be.”
During the panel, the audience was surprised with an appearance from Weaver’s “Alien” co-star Veronica Cartwirght, who played Joan Lambert in the 1979 film. As Weaver and Cartwright reflected on the almost 50 year legacy of the franchise, Cartwright spoke about how the film was underestimated by studio executives, and how audiences reacted to “Alien” when it initially appeared in theaters.
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“They didn’t give [the cast] a premiere,” said Cartwright. “I went down to the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood and saw it by myself, and when the chestburster [scene] happened, people were getting up out of their seats and leaving the theater. Nobody had seen anything like it. It was really super impressive.”
“Alien” recently came to the small screen with FX’s “Alien: Earth” show from Noah Hawley, which wrapped up its Season 1 last month. While Weaver awaits her “Alien” return, she’s venturing to a galaxy far, far away with next summer’s “Star Wars” movie, “The Mandalorian and Grogu.”
