According to insider reports on the Perfect Organism Podcast, the upcoming Alien film from Fede Álvarez, Alien: Romulus, is set to take place during the 57 years Ellen Ripley is in cryosleep. That news, of course, sent fans of the franchise into a frenzy wondering what the plot of the film might explore. Most notably, many have wondered if fan-favorite Amanda Ripley, daughter of Ellen and star the critically acclaimed video game Alien: Isolation, might in fact be the protagonist of the film.
During the events of Alien: Isolation, Amanda Ripley boards the Sevastopol space station in search of information regarding her mother’s disappearance. Her search is cut short and quickly devolves into a desperate struggle for survival as the station is overrun by a Xenomorph infestation. Amanda’s courage, ingenuity, and unique skill sets allow her to survive the dreadful encounter.
Ever since the game’s 2014 release, fans have wanted to see more content about Ellen Ripley’s daughter. Dark Horse Comics even featured her in several story arcs; Titan Books references her repeatedly in a number of the Aliens novels. But Amanda Ripley has yet to be featured in a canonical film (outside of the photograph in the special edition release of Aliens).
Perhaps that’s a good thing, however. Many long-time fans of the franchise feel desperate for something new, a change that would breathe life into the nearly dead series. After Alien: Resurrection, it became very clear that the various writers had “gone to the well” too many times with Ellen Ripley, a notion further supported when Sigourney Weaver made it clear she was done with the Aliens films.
Still, a film starring Ripley’s daughter could create an emotional connection to a protagonist that fans have largely lacked since the second film. What made the first two installments so powerful was the well-developed characters that almost immediately drew in the audience. They were working-class, parents, soldiers; viewers recognized themselves on the big screen and that made the events that followed all the more potent. The more recent releases have relied too much on special effects, action, or a flood of unresolved story threads.
What if Álvarez decides to feature Amanda Ripley in Alien: Romulus? Does he run the risk of turning off viewers already tired of remakes and retreads? Would developing new protagonists and new story arcs benefit the Aliens expanded universe?
Tell us what you think! Share your reactions in the comments below or join the discussion on Boss Rush Network’s Discord and Facebook.
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