Sigourney Weaver Defends the ‘Alien’ Franchise’s Most Controversial Sequel

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This article reveals plot details from Alien³. David Fincher’s Alien³ is often considered the most divisive film in the Alien series. The movie was a difficult experience for Fincher, as the studio significantly altered his original plans. It’s become a well-known example of a franchise losing its way. Despite this, Alien³ still has fans, and Sigourney Weaver, best known for her role as Ellen Ripley, is reportedly one of them.

According to a recent article in *People* magazine, Sigourney Weaver discussed her career at New York Comic Con. Surprisingly, she also spoke out to strongly defend *Alien 3*, a sequel often criticized by fans. While she admitted being initially surprised by the director David Fincher’s choice to kill off her character, she explained that’s just the nature of stories set in space – characters don’t always survive. Weaver continued to champion the 1992 film.

I appreciate how distinct it is from the initial two films. I think 20th Century Fox made a good decision by consistently selecting talented directors who each brought a unique vision to the Alien franchise.

I completely trusted David Fincher’s vision. The movie involved monks in space, set in a unique, garden-like environment. My character basically crash-lands and then spends most of the film in a coma, which I wasn’t thrilled about. I think David would have really benefited from having more time to refine the script before we started filming. We did postpone shooting, but not for long enough for him to fully address the issues he saw with it.

Sigourney Weaver Could Return to the ‘Alien’ Universe, But Is That a Good Thing?


20th Century Fox

At the same event, Sigourney Weaver shared an unexpected detail about a possible future *Alien* film. She mentioned that producer Walter Hill had written a 50-page outline detailing what Ripley would be doing now, calling it “extraordinary.” While not a definite commitment, Weaver indicated she’d discussed the idea with representatives from Fox and Disney and seemed hopeful about revisiting the role.

It’s hard to deny that Ellen Ripley is the most iconic and compelling character in horror, consistently standing out in every film she’s been in. While seeing Sigourney Weaver reprise the role would definitely excite fans, it’s not necessarily the best move for the future of the series.

The new film, *Alien: Romulus*, like *Prometheus* and *Alien: Covenant* before it, shows that the *Alien* universe can deliver exciting stories even without Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley. While it’s tempting to bring her back for brief appearances or smaller roles to appeal to fans, the complicated timeline makes it tricky to do so convincingly. The focus should remain on *Alien: Romulus*’s new lead character, Rain, but there’s definitely room for Ripley to return—as long as it makes sense for the story.

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2025-10-19 18:34