Neill Blomkamp is the best thing to happen to the Alien franchise in decades

Back in January Neill Blomkamp, the director of District 9, Elysium and the forthcoming Chappie posted online some intriguing fan/concept art for an as-yet-announced project related to the now floundering Alien franchise. The art featured some very intriguing illustrations of not only Sigourney Weaver as an almost fully evolved Ripley/xenomorph hybrid but also Michael Biehn as a battle scarred Corporal Hicks. At the time nobody knew what they were for: a fifth film in the series, a comic book or just the scribbling of a devoted fan.

Now it has been revealed that Blomkamp did have an idea on how to reignite the Alien franchise and was now officially signed on to direct a fifth film that he said would be “genetic siblings” with the first two films while seemingly ignoring the lesser sequels of the 1990s. Blomkamp apparently got the idea while working with Sigourney Weaver on Chappie but was wary to follow through with the project citing a nervousness to work with a major studio on a tent pole franchise. However, it is exciting news that Blomkamp is now attached to the series which, the terrifically frightening computer game Alien: Isolation notwithstanding, has most definitely seen better days.

“You still don’t understand what you’re dealing with, do you?”

Each of the Alien films has been directed by a filmmaker with a unique artistic style. Ridley Scott set the tone with the original 1979 Alien, utilising the grotesquely beautiful art of the late HR Giger to establish one of cinema’s most iconic monsters. In 1986 James Cameron put his own action movie spin on the story with Aliens fusing his military aesthetic with Giger’s bio-mechanical designs. David Fincher’s Alien 3 was his feature film debut and he brought his music video style to the series by introducing the POV of the xenomorph to create a whole new dynamic. Finally Jean-Pierre Jeunet brought a filthier, almost steampunk style to Alien: Resurrection.

So Blomkamp is the latest sci-fi visionary to take on the Alien series with his own unique voice and his concept art provides the hard evidence that this is the case. He has a similar aesthetic to James Cameron with his fetishist’s taste for weaponry and technology, but also with an eye toward creature design that would fit well with Giger’s. Just take a look at the trailer for Chappie. The design of Chappie himself looks futuristic but well-worn. He has both the look of the uncanny but the overly familiar much like Cameron’s military hardware in Aliens. Also, his creatures in District 9 are similarly complex and detailed, not only in their appearance and movement but personality.

Another strength Blomkamp will bring is a strong political subtext to the narrative of any new film in the franchise. Elysium is about economic and social divide while District 9 tackles racism and it appears Chappie is going to look at human nature and consciousness. This makes the filmmaker perfect to bring a thematic resonance to the Alien series that fits into the groundwork laid before him but which is also unique to his own sensibilities.

The AV Club reported that Blomkamp believes the story of Ripley and the xenomorphs is a “Freudian nightmare” and even Armadyne, the villainous corporation in Elysium is undoubtedly modelled on Weyland-Yutani; hideous corporate creatures which rival the xenomorph for monstrosity. In this regard he would definitely be able to have fun drawing out these elements of corporate greed and exploitation on behalf of the human characters and the dark, sexualised body horror of the xenomorphs that have peppered the franchise since its inception.

“I can’t lie to you about your chances, but… you have my sympathies.”

However, recent revelations suggest that one of the provisos for Blomkamp signing on the dotted line was that he can re-imagine the series as he sees fit. He even says that his new film will be “genetic siblings” with Alien and Aliens, ignoring the last two films and focusing on what he believes are the elements that make the first two so memorable. This has worried some fans that Blomkamp may be trying too hard to capitalise on his own nostalgia and ignoring the fact that despite the drop in quality, the Alien films are supposed to be a vehicle for showcasing a director’s particular style (as mentioned above). Badass Digest even goes so far as to say Blomkamp’s film will be the Superman Returns of the franchise which does not offer much hope. Although let’s look on the bright side: as bad as that film was it’s still a shit-ton better than Superman IV: The Quest for Peace.

Yet something about his comments on the project and his concept art suggests that this might not be the case. He doesn’t exactly come right out and say they are ignoring the last two films only that he wants to expand on the aesthetics and tone of Scott and Cameron’s films as those are his touchstones. Weaver herself says she wants a proper ending to Ripley’s arc, which again could mean anything. Some of Blomkamp’s concept art does reflect his desire to recreate the earlier films with Michael Biehn’s Corporal Hicks even appearing, a character that was dead at the beginning of Alien 3. Could he be intending to re-cast Alien 3 and Resurrection as merely some kind of cryo-sleep nightmare? Okay, maybe that idea needs a little work…

“My mommy always said there were no monsters – no real ones – but there are.”

Then there is the concept art where Ripley can be seen to have evolved further toward a xenomorph state. This drawing clearly follows on from Alien Resurrection, and rather than downplay this aspect the art places it right up front. This design of Ripley looks fantastic and just fills our speculative minds with so many more questions as to what his plans are for our intergalactic heroine. So while he wants to recapture the feel of the first two films and even bring in elements from them, he could still be planning on following on from where the series left off. Even if he does decide to ret-con the entire thing, this is a filmmaker known for his singular vision, and the quality of his work thus far should be enough to give him the benefit of the doubt.

Neill Blomkamp making a new Alien film is the best thing to happen to the franchise in decades. His outspoken affection for the first two films and his own concept art speak to his understanding of not only how an Alien film is supposed to look, but he knows what an Alien film is supposed to be. In the best case scenario he breathes new life into the ailing series with a fresh new design plus a nuanced and fascinating political and philosophical subtext that focuses on the inherent themes that have been ever present in all four films. In the worst case scenario, well, at least it will still be a lot better than Prometheus.  

So what do you think? Is Blomkamp the best chance to reignite the Alien series, or do you think he is overrated?

If he is ignoring Alien 3 and Resurrection is that a good thing, or a giant mistake?

(top image: Alien – source: 20th Century Fox)