David Fincher’s Alien 3 has long been a contentious entry in the Alien franchise, failing to live up to the high expectations set by its predecessors, Alien and Aliens. Despite the return of Sigourney Weaver, the film’s direction and storyline left many fans disappointed. Recently, filmmaker Renny Harlin has opened up about his original vision for Alien 3, which could have taken the franchise in a dramatically different direction.
In an interview with /Film, Harlin revealed his unique pitch for Alien 3, which he developed back in 1989. His concept was to bring the terrifying xenomorphs to Earth, a setting that had not been explored in the previous films. Harlin explained, “I was working on Alien 3 in ’89, which was before Jurassic Park and all those movies. So, the concept of having these creatures on Earth for the studio, it felt scary and unattainable. For me, it was the natural evolution. We’ve had the Alien [movie] with the truck drivers in space, we’ve had Aliens with the Marines in space, and where do we go next? Let’s bring the aliens on Earth and have them going through the cornfield.”
Harlin’s vision included a striking poster image that he had already imagined: a farmhouse and a cornfield under moonlight, with aliens lurking in the shadows. “I had the poster already in my mind with the farmhouse and the cornfield in moonlight, and they are going through the cornfield. To this day, I think it would’ve been a ginormous hit movie because it would’ve been the first time anything like that was done. But for whatever reason, the studio felt like, ‘Ah, the audience won’t buy that,'” Harlin shared.
The studio ultimately rejected Harlin’s pitch, citing concerns that audiences would not find the concept believable and that the technical challenges would be too great. This decision led to the Alien 3 that fans know today, which has been met with mixed reactions over the years.
Harlin’s idea for Alien 3 is not the only intriguing concept that has been scrapped in the history of the franchise. Neil Blomkamp’s proposed Alien 5, which would have seen the return of Sigourney Weaver, also never came to fruition. However, the upcoming film Alien: Romulus, directed by Fede Álvarez, offers a glimmer of hope for fans eager to see new and exciting developments in the Alien universe.
Harlin’s Earth-based Alien 3 could have been a groundbreaking addition to the franchise, offering a fresh and terrifying perspective on the xenomorph threat. The idea of aliens invading a familiar, terrestrial setting like a farmhouse and cornfield is both intriguing and chilling, and it’s easy to imagine how this concept could have captivated audiences.
As fans continue to speculate about what could have been, Harlin’s insights provide a fascinating glimpse into the creative process behind one of sci-fi’s most beloved franchises. While his vision for Alien 3 may never have made it to the big screen, it remains a tantalizing “what if” scenario that sparks the imagination.
With Alien: Romulus on the horizon, there is renewed excitement about the future of the Alien franchise. Fans can only hope that this new installment will capture the magic and terror that made the original films so iconic. In the meantime, Harlin’s revelations about his scrapped Alien 3 pitch serve as a reminder of the many creative possibilities that exist within this rich and terrifying universe.
Do you think Harlin’s idea for Alien 3 would have been a worthwhile follow-up to Aliens? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.
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