The Marvel Cinematic Universe is easily Disney’s most popular movie franchise based on a comic book series, but the comic adaptation Disney needs to bring back most is one that has already failed. Movie studios obviously are hesitant to revive movie franchises that have failed in the past, and despite it happening twice for this series, the third time could be the charm for Alien vs. Predator.
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Beginning in 1989, Dark Horse Comics published Aliens vs. Predator, a comic book series that acted as a crossover for the Alien and Predator franchises. The series has run intermittently since its debut, and it has been published by Marvel Comics since 2021. However, Alien vs. Predator is more popular for its big swings on the big screen, both of which failed miserably.
Now Is The Perfect Time To Bring Alien vs. Predator Back
In 2004, the Alien and the Predator franchises were at their lowest. The former was still reeling from the critical failure of Alien: Resurrection, and nothing had been done with the latter since the release of 1990’s Predator 2. Big crossover movies like 2003’s Freddy vs. Jason were all the rage at the time, and in lieu of trying something more creative with either franchise, 20th Century Fox decided to release Alien vs. Predator. The movie made $177 million on a budget of $70 million, which was enough to warrant a sequel despite its critical failure. 2007’s Aliens vs. Predator: Requiemdid worse commercially and critically, and since then, the movie series has been dead.
It took years for both franchises to overcome the damage that the Alien vs. Predator films did. The Prometheus prequels took Alien in an entirely new direction, bringing prestige back to the franchise, while movies like Predators and Prey turned the franchise into an anthology series. Nowadays, Alien and Predator are in a better state than they’ve been in decades. Alien: Romulus has brought Alien back to its roots, while Dan Trachtenberg’s Prey, Predator: Killer of Killers, and Predator: Badlands trilogy are the best films in the franchise.
Interestingly, these recent films have begun to . The fictional Alien company Weyland-Yutani appears in Predator: Badlands, where Elle Fanning plays a synthetic, and the Grendel King in Killer of Killers wears armor composed of Xenomorph parts. Trachtenberg is clearly interested in expanding on the idea of a shared universe, and it seems that fans are eager to see more as well. Both franchises have bright futures and interesting creatives, and now that they are back on top, this is the perfect time to bring back Alien vs. Predator.
Instead of feeling like a cheap crossover of two flailing franchises, a modern Alien vs. Predator would feel like the epic payoff of a shared universe that has been set up for years now. Rather than focusing on uninteresting human protagonists, Badlands has proven that a Yautja protagonist can work, something that could also be implemented in a future crossover. Plus, Predator has become a franchise that is interested in seeing how many interesting settings a Yautja can be thrown into, and a space setting where a Yautja hunts a Xenomorph would perfectly fit into this trend.
The Biggest Hurdle For The Franchise Is Its Tainted Name
Image Courtesy of 20th Century Studios
Both Alien vs. Predator films are the lowest points of each franchise, so bringing the series back is a huge gamble. Rather than being exciting, the name could now serve as a reminder of the cheap crossovers, destroying the momentum that both franchises have gained in recent years. Overcoming this hurdle will be the biggest challenge for a third film, as even if it tells an entirely independent story from its predecessors, the name will be impossible to ignore.
However, using the Alien vs. Predator branding could also be a major asset for the potential film. It would show immense confidence to use such a tainted brand, immediately drawing the attention of audience members who are familiar with the history of both franchises. It only makes sense for Disney to distance itself from the brand, so wholeheartedly embracing it would make a third film a must-see. There isn’t nostalgia or an existing fanbase for the Alien vs. Predator films, meaning that Disney would have to be bringing it back for a different reason. So, based on how well both franchises have been doing under Disney’s control, the Alien vs. Predator series could have a similarly positive trajectory.
Who would win in the iconic movie duo’s third outing? Let us know what you think on the ComicBook Forum!
Alien vs. Predator: Ranking Every Film in Both Franchises
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