'That was the stupidest thing’: James Cameron slams 'Alien 3' opening

Filmmaker James Cameron has shared strong criticism of the 1992 sci-fi film' Alien 3', saying its opening moments undermined much of the work he had done in Aliens (1986), according to People.

Cameron, who directed Aliens, the sequel to Ridley Scott's 1979 classic Alien, spoke about the film during a recent episode of the 'Just Foolin About with Michael Biehn' podcast, released on December 23. Cameron, 71, described the creative decision to kill off key characters in Alien 3 as deeply disappointing.




In Aliens, Sigourney Weaver reprised her role as Ellen Ripley, who awakens from stasis 57 years after surviving the events of the first film. The sequel introduced several fan-favourite characters, including Dwayne Hicks (Michael Biehn), Newt (Carrie Henn) and the android Bishop (Lance Henriksen).

However, Alien 3 opens with the deaths of Hicks, Newt and Bishop, leaving Ripley as the sole survivor once again. Reflecting on the decision, Cameron said, "I thought that was the stupidest thing," as quoted by People.

"You build a lot of goodwill around the characters of Hicks and Newt and Bishop, and then the first thing they do in the next film is kill them all off," Cameron said. "And replace them with a bunch of convicts that you hate."

Alien 3, directed by David Fincher in his feature film debut, follows Ripley after she crash-lands on a remote correctional facility inhabited by prisoners. The film featured a new ensemble cast including Charles S. Dutton, Charles Dance, Brian Glover, Paul McGann, Pete Postlethwaite and others.

Despite his criticism, Cameron clarified that he remains a fan of Fincher's work and acknowledged the troubled production history of Alien 3. "I give him a free pass on that one," Cameron said, referring to the challenges surrounding the film's development, as per the outlet.

Michael Biehn, who appeared alongside Cameron on the podcast, also criticised the film's storyline and recalled his own dispute with the makers over the use of his likeness. Biehn said he discovered that his character Hicks had been depicted using his image without prior approval.

Biehn added that he was upset not only by the use of his likeness but also by how the character was written out of the franchise. He later negotiated to allow the use of an archival photograph instead.

While Cameron remains critical of Alien 3, he praised the recent television series Alien: Earth. However, he ruled out any future involvement with the franchise, saying, "You couldn't pay me enough money to go back to that franchise. It has almost become fan-driven at this point," as reported by People.

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