When Alien was released in 1979, it quickly became apparent that we had a bona fide cinematic icon on our hands. Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley – played by Sigourney Weaver – became the figurehead of what evolved into one of the most beloved science fiction franchises ever committed to celluloid. Indeed, she’s such a powerful character that even a drop into a furnace while her chest exploded could not kill her off. So, it stands to reason that every time Ridley Scott adds to the franchise with a prequel, he’s asked if we’re ever going to see Ripley again.
This is the question that was posed by an Instagram user recently, who then posted the interview snippet online for all to see. His query was based on the idea that Sigourney Weaver could be digitally de-aged – just as Marvel did with Robert Downey Jr in Captain America: Civil War – allowing her to return to the big screen in events prior to her 1979 debut. Scott’s response suggests that this is something he’s perhaps already considered.
“We’re heading toward the back end of the first Alien so [using CG] may be feasible,” said the director. “I don’t think it’ll… but Ripley’s going to be somebody’s daughter. Obviously. We’re coming in from the back end. The time constraints, of what’s the time between this film, where we leave David going off heading for that colony, I think you’re probably two films out from even considering her.”
Scott returned to the Alien franchise in 2012 with Prometheus – setting out in ambitious fashion to chart the rise of the Xenomorph species far in advance of the storyline of Alien. Using the character of Peter Weyland (played by Guy Pearce), the story put a range of associated characters into play that would be responsible for setting a process in motion that would ultimately lead to the Nostromo incident of Ripley’s era.
With the recent Alien: Covenant, it becomes clear that the returning character of the synthetic android David (Michael Fassbender) is essentially the architect of the Xenomorph species, though it’s difficult to predict where the next instalment will take the Alien franchise narrative. It’s confirmed by the comments of Scott, however, that there are at least two more instalments to come, before Ripley could be introduced.
What’s distinctly not apparent, however, is who Ripley’s parents will be. Is she the daughter of someone we’ve already met, or someone yet to be revealed? Could it be that she is, in fact, descended from Peter Weyland himself, and finds herself having to destroy the creation of her ancestor’s creation (Michael)? Hopefully, this will be the card that Ridley Scott keeps closest to his chest for the time being.