The Alien Chronicles

As excitement levels start to reach fever pitch in anticipation of Ridley Scott’s new film, ALIEN: COVENANT, it’s worth reminding ourselves that, remarkably, it’s almost forty years since he first introduced us to that creature of countless nightmares, the Xenomorph.

- Robert Martin

In that time there have been sequels and prequels of varying quality, a separate ill-fated spin-off, plus countless books, comics, and at least one absolutely stunning game in Alien Isolation. In terms of scope, ambition and longevity, only the Star Wars franchise comes close, with neither it nor the Alien series having fallen to remakes or re-imaginings like, for example, Star Trek. Whether or not Covenant takes Alien into a new direction will have to be seen but, for now, let’s rewind and go back to 1979 and where it all began…

In Space No One Can Hear You Scream 

In 1997, Sigourney Weaver’s salary for Alien Resurrection was $11 million. She’d come a long way since her starring role in the first film of the series in 1979. Back then, $11 million could get you a whole lot more for your money. In fact, it was Alien’s entire production budget (although some reports have it as $9 million - bargain!). And for that, we got Ridley Scott making only his second feature after The Duelists (1977), we got a brilliant cast of superb character actors, we got the birth of a new star in Weaver, some Oscar-winning design and effects, a hauntingly effective music score from Jerry Goldsmith, one of cinema’s most terrifying creatures and one of the most talked about scenes in cinema history. Oh, and a hero to rival any before or since in Ellen Ripley.