Earlier this week, Sigourney Weaver dropped some truth bombs when she said that when she learned about Fox‘s plans to make "Alien vs. Predator," that’s when two things happened: Ridley Scott dropped out of directing "Alien 3," and she decided to get killed off. However, Peter Briggs, who wrote the spec script for the project in 1991 (he was not credited on the finished film released in 2004), has responded to Weaver’s criticism.
In a lengthy statement to Bloody Disgusting, Briggs make it clear that his draft of "Alien vs. Predator" was his first project for 20th Century Fox, and his first professional sale. But he says it was so well received it launched his career (he’s a co-writer on "Hellboy") and remained Fox’s only draft of the movie until Paul W.S. Anderson came along and actually made his version over a decade later. He breaks down the timelines of how everything played out and notes that "Alien 3" had already started filming in January 1991, long before his spec script was handed in at Fox in September 1991. So something is really off in Weaver’s recollections.
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"Maybe they were in a panic about ‘Alien 3’…I have no idea. And so when I hear Sigourney Weaver recounting her killing off Ripley in ‘Alien 3’ because she’d heard Fox were talking about doing ‘Alien vs Predator,’ despite the fact our project was first spoken about and initiated well over a year (not even counting Vincent Ward’s involvement!) after her movie had gone into active production, I really have to roll my eyes at her claims," Briggs said. And then he goes even further:
I love “Alien 3”. Well; I didn’t on its theatrical release, but I find the recent extended DVD recut even more watchable than “Aliens.” I’ll also be honest that I’m less-than-wild about the two “Alien vs Predator” movies (particularly “Requiem”, about which less said the better) But I do wish Sigourney Weaver would stop beating on “Alien vs Predator” as her pet piñata in “ruining” the “Alien” franchise, and acknowledge that two standalone “Alien” movies she was actively involved with unfortunately managed that first, all on their own.
I don’t even know if Sigourney Weaver has read the “Alien vs Predator” draft I wrote. She’s never said she has. But, I was a fan obsessive of the “Alien” franchise, Sigourney. Big time. Particularly Ridley’s original, which is still unmatched. And “Alien vs Predator” — as a concept — is still killer, full of potential. Even its critically maligned first cinematic outing made $172,544,654 worldwide, compared to $159,814,498 for “Alien 3” and $161,376,068 for “Resurrection”. Hardly a financial “fail” there, Sigourney.
There’s a terrific “Alien vs Predator” movie still to be made by someone. It just hasn’t happened yet.
Damn. Briggs will certainly start more than a few arguments with his hot take on David Fincher’s "Alien 3" vs. James Cameron‘s "Aliens." And Sigourney has some explaining to do. Thoughts? Hit up the comments section.