One of the standout performers from arguably the most iconic sci-fi movie of all-time may not be done with the franchise yet. While speaking to Deadline, Sigourney Weaver spoke about a potential return to the Alien franchise as the famous Ellen Ripley. Weaver previously starred in the 1979 Ridley Scott-directed hit, Alien, as well as the James Cameron-helmed sequel Aliens, and even Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection. Her last foray with the franchise came more than 25 years ago in 1997, but Weaver won’t rule out a return. When asked if there was any future for Ellen Ripley on screen, Weaver had this to say:
“I feel like she’s never far away from me, but on the other hand, I’ve yet to read a script that said ‘you have got to do this.’ So for me, she is in this other dimension, safe from the Alien for the time being. I don’t really think about it, but you know, it’s not completely impossible, and certainly a lot of good filmmakers are inspired by the material.”
She certainly isn’t wrong that the original Alien is still inspiring new movies now, nearly 50 years after its release in 1979. Outland, the 1981 classic starring Sean Connery, the Vin Diesel-led Riddick movies, as well as modern entries in the Alien franchise such as Prometheus and more recently, Romulus, are clearly inspired by the original Alien. Earlier in the interview, Weaver also quoted James Cameron in saying that “no one is ever really dead in sci-fi,” and although Ripley met her end in Alien 3 while jumping into a lava pit to sacrifice herself to kill a Xenomorph, that didn’t stop scientists from cloning her and bringing her back in Alien: Resurrection. While it may be unlikely, it’s certainly impossible to rule out Weaver’s return to the Alien franchise, considering other major performers have returned for legacy sequels many years after the fact (Linda Hamilton in Terminator: Dark Fate, Tom Cruise in Top Gun: Maverick).
What Else Has Sigourney Weaver Been in Lately?
Sigourney Weaver is one of the top 50 highest grossing movie stars of all-time, with her collective box office haul being more than $10 billion. Much of this comes from starring in two of the top three highest-grossing movies of all-time, Avatar and Avatar: The Way of Water, the James Cameron sci-fi epics. She also played herself in another film which grossed more than $1 billion at the worldwide box office, the legacy sequel Finding Dory. Her roles in the Ghostbusters franchise have also helped her accumulate box office glory, as she starred in both the originals and the Paul Rudd-led sequels.
Sigourney Weaver has starred in Alien, Aliens, Alien 3, and Alien: Resurrection, but it is unknown if she will return to the franchise and reprise her role as Ellen Ripley. Stay tuned to Collider for future updates and watch Weaver in Alien, now streaming on Hulu.
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