Sigourney Weaver Shares Unexpected Update on Her Possible ‘Alien’ Franchise Return

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Fans were surprised to hear Sigourney Weaver suggest she might return as Ellen Ripley in future Alien movies. While Weaver is a highly respected actress, she’s still widely recognized for her iconic role in the Alien franchise, which earned her an Oscar nomination for Aliens. She last played Ripley nearly 28 years ago, in the 1997 film Alien: Resurrection, which received mixed reviews.

Sigourney Weaver shared at New York Comic Con on October 10, 2025 (as reported by *The Hollywood Reporter*) that there’s a potential new story for her character, Ellen Ripley, in the *Alien* universe. According to Weaver, producer Walter Hill has already written 50 pages for it. She also mentioned having discussed the possibility with Disney and 20th Century Studios, but didn’t share details. Weaver suggested the story might involve someone – possibly the Weyland-Yutani corporation – attempting to silence Ripley after she revealed the danger of the Xenomorphs.

Walter Hill, a close friend of mine, drafted an amazing 50-page outline for what Ripley’s life could be like now. I haven’t decided if we’ll actually do it, but I’ve spoken with the people at Fox and Disney about it. I always felt Ripley deserved peace and recovery after everything she went through. However, Walter’s writing really resonated with me – it portrays a society that would isolate someone who tries to do good. They see her as a threat, so they’ve essentially hidden her away. I think his first 50 pages are incredibly strong, and I’m considering collaborating with him to develop the full story.

How Could (and Should) Ellen Ripley Return?


20th Century Fox

Sigourney Weaver’s potential return to the *Alien* franchise is a surprising turn, especially considering she stated in 2023 that she wouldn’t reprise her role as Ripley. Everyone is now wondering how this could happen, given that her character died in *Alien 3*, making the ultimate sacrifice to prevent the company from obtaining the Alien Queen’s embryo. While Weaver did appear in *Alien Resurrection*, it was as a clone of Ripley, set centuries later. Although the new story could theoretically follow the events of that film, its negative reception makes it improbable the filmmakers would choose to build upon it.

In 2015, director Neill Blomkamp planned a fifth *Alien* film that would have continued the story directly after *Aliens*. This meant ignoring the events of *Alien 3* and *Alien Resurrection*, effectively rewriting them out of the timeline. The film was intended to bring back Sigourney Weaver and Michael Biehn as their iconic characters, Ripley and Hicks. However, the project was canceled when Ridley Scott decided to make *Alien: Covenant* instead. Now, with talk of Weaver returning as Ripley, the studio might reconsider the idea of discarding those later films and instead create a sequel focused on Ripley’s return.

Bringing Sigourney Weaver back as Ripley feels forced. The film aims for the impact of a long-awaited legacy sequel, similar to what Jamie Lee Curtis did in *Halloween* or Linda Hamilton in *Terminator: Dark Fate*, but the *Alien* series doesn’t really need that kind of nostalgic appeal. The franchise is actually doing very well, arguably better than it has since the 1980s, thanks to films like *Alien: Earth* and *Alien: Romulus*, which have introduced compelling new characters separate from Ripley’s storyline. While legacy sequels were fresh a decade ago, the idea now feels a bit tired. Weaver’s contribution to *Alien* is undeniable, but both she and the franchise might benefit from exploring new directions.

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2025-10-11 03:05