Will there be a Predator Trilogy/Quadrilogy boxset? (1 Viewer)

[Sean Richardson]

Ouch, now I'm gonna seem like I'm defending 'Alien vs. Predator', but...

First off, you've got the backstory of the film wrong. I'm assuming you meant "bred", but even if you meant "prey", that's not what the movie said. They weren't there to feed the Predators, they had been bred as the ultimate prey for Predators to fight. That's a pretty big difference; aliens are the ones that eat whatever. Predators are all about the hunt. Both of these are consistent with their respective series.

Beyond that, though, one of the few things I did like about the movie was that it suggested a follow-through on Ian Holm's line in the first 'Alien', that (paraphrasing) it's as if the aliens were bred to be the perfect killing machines. While 'AvP' does not explicitly say that the Predators created the Aliens for that purpose (it's possible they captured a pre-existing species), it certainly seems likely from what the movie does say and show.

 

[Matt Czyz]

I get the feeling that the people who *would* buy this have no concerns for such matters.

 

[Steve K.H.]

This is a very interesting thread... good points from everyone.

My take...

AvP was an adequate time waster. It was also an experiment. It is deserving of a sequel to get it right. I would love to see a sequel... James Cameron would be a great choice... (Tim Burton?)

Less "Hollywood" with the "Girl kicking ass and being appreciated by aliens for it" and more effects and logical surprises with a decent storyline that has no obvious holes within the plot.

 

[TravisR]

I believe that Jim Cameron said he would never do another Alien movie if they made Alien Vs. Predator.

 

[Frank@N]

Not sure if Cameron made that statement, but Sigourey Weaver did in the later extras of Quadrilogy.

 

[Frank@N]

Wow, that would be a prequel to a prequel...

We already saw Predators using Aliens for wargames 2000+ years ago, but the original encounter between Aliens and Predators could go back much further in time.

I never got the impression that Predators created the Aliens and I think that would be a terrible idea (most people seem to hate AVP series enough already).

Without the human element, the series would also quickly loose interest.

Personally, I think the 'Chariot of the Gods' stuff in AVP was ridiculous (this point isn't even worth discussing).

The Alien lifecycle was also accelerated to the point of minimizing the Alien's perspective in the film.

The 2004 component of AVP, however, was more interesting and plugs a huge hole in the Alien series.

I always wonder how Weyland Corp (Mother and Ash) knew exactly what the Alien was in the first movie, now we know.

 

[Travis Brashear]

"I always wonder how Weyland Corp (Mother and Ash) knew exactly what the Alien was in the first movie, now we know."

Frank@N, um, we didn't need AvP for that--it's clear in ALIEN that The Company knows this because they'd already received the distress call the Nostromo gets sent to research and translated it in full.

 

[Nick T Robot]

I don't see how it's clearly part of the Predator series more than the Alien Series.

Sure, there is no Ripley (since it's chronologically placed before the Alien movies), But there is also no mention of Dutch or Harrigan and their dealings with predators. They do feature Weyland whose company will become Weyland Yutani as featured in the Alien movies.

 

[Travis Brashear]

As well as Bishop...

 

[Frank@N]

The warning beacon was in the language of the 'space jockey', assuming that it could be translated in a few hours seems a bit of a leap to me.

Unless this was going on while the crew was still in hypersleep.

We also don't know what information the warning contained: 'stay away' or 'highly valuable, super dangerous species, come quick'.

Since we now know that Weyland/Mother/Ash had in-depth knowledge from 2004 regarding the Alien, this seems like the most simple explanation for odd events like Ash immediately breaking quarantine when 'something' was attached to a crew members face at a shipwreck.

Then again, when Alien was made in 1979, there had to be another explanation, like 'the company decoded the warning'.

I prefer my interpretation because it has the Company waiting and planning for 200 years (?) before encountering the Alien again and then immediately infecting the crew.

Either way, it doesn't change the motives of the company.

 

[Frank@N]

FOX probably agrees with you; they seem to think this (AVP) is a new franchise.

 

[WillG]

I'm not sure I like the idea of applying backwards logic from AvP to "Alien" Personally, I feel the farther AvP stands apart from the Original series, the better. But anyway, I was never fully convinced that the company knew about the distress signal, or the Aliens beforehand. There is some suspicious activity on the part of the company, but any prior knowledge is never truly confirmed. Many people think that the original Science officer was replaced with Ash to get the Alien. Maybe, Maybe not. For all we know, maybe the previous science officer was an android as well. Maybe there is always one on board (which is something that was true in "Aliens." That rule does not have to apply to "Alien" but it's food for thought. Also of note is the fact that in the "Director's Cut, the mention of Ash being a replacement is gone. I suppose that could mean that Ridley thought that idea was inconsequential when recutting the film) Ash breaks quarantine, because he hears Dallas in the airlock speaking about "an organism" that attached itself to Kane's Face, as a company drone, he is opportunistic and lets it on the ship for the company. About Special Order 937 we're not exactly sure when it was issued to Ash. It could have been after they got the Alien and Ash had reported it.

The Ambiguity also continues with "Aliens" No one believes Ripley's story when she returns. I suppose it could have been denial, or only few people in the company have that knowledge. The company establishes a colony on the planet, seemingly with no knowledge of the Derelict. People are sent to find it by Burke only after Ripley gives her story. You could say that the whole reason the colony was set up to find the Derelict, but why wait that long to send colonist searching for it. And why spend all that time and money to establish a colony when they just could have sent search teams to the planet to retrieve specimens for return to Earth or any nearby station?

 

[Inspector Hammer!]

Oh man, i'm so late to a 'Predator' thread, I should be ashamed of myself!

31 replys, and I haven't seen anyone call the Predator's species by it's true name...the Yautja.

IMO, Yautja are far superior to the Aliens simply because they are a higher organism, they are far more intelligent than even humans, and they use weapons and tactics in their hunts. In the comics, the Yautja keep a captured Queen Alien with the express purpose of breeding Aliens to train the young, or 'un-blooded', Yautja.

I have to agree also that AVP is a more Yautja sided film, which I love, and as it should be. The only reason the Aliens got one up o those first two Yautja was because they were young and inexperienced, they were brash and brazen, in this respect, teenage Yautja have much in common with human teenagers.

Look at their behaviour in the film, they cloak themselves even though they've already been spotted and are clearly visible, the Yautja probably just thought it made them look "cool" somehow. And yes, the idea that a Yautja and a human can work together is plausable, it's happened before in the comics. Yautja gennerally look upon humans as walking trophies for the taking, but being intelligent, they can spot admirable qualities in other lesser species. When the girl killed that Alien, it must have impressed the shit out of that Yautja!

The ancient and elder Yautja don't condone this action, but they tolerate it as being highly eccentric at best. I am also convinced that the Yautja in the first film was a 'bad-blood' (name for the criminal element on their world) and i'll explain why:

Yautja have a very strict honor code, if your a 'blooded-in' or experienced Yautja, experienced enough to be out on a hunt on your own as the one in the first film was, you never, or rarely use your plasma caster (cannon) that excessively and you most certaintly don't do something as unsporty as strike unsuspecting prey from above AND while cloaked! The Yautja in the first film was guilty of all of these. It killed Blain, Mac and Poncho in a most dishonerable way.

The Yautja in 'P2' was a much more average hunter, it seemed to like the challenge offered by Harrigan, my guess is that this particular Yautja had seen a lot of action. In fact, it's more than a guess, take a look at it's trophy case on the ship, this one's been around.

I realize that's quite a spiel, but it was necessary for me to explain why the Yautja are clearly the superior species. Furthermore, in response to an earlier post, I find the Predator films to be on par with the Alien films.

Now, I like the idea of combining all of the Alien and Predator films in one package, but I can do without that high price.

Frank,
you may not care for the packaging, but these new SE's of the first two films are a must have for a Predator fan! If anything just to see the late Kevin Peter Hall posing and mugging in full Predator regalia!

 

[Travis Brashear]

Originally posted by Frank@N:
"The warning beacon was in the language of the 'space jockey', assuming that it could be translated in a few hours seems a bit of a leap to me.

Unless this was going on while the crew was still in hypersleep."

It seems perfectly obvious to me that it happened before the Nostromo was even sent out of spacedock (hence indicators like the comment about Ash being replaced at the 11th hour before they were sent out).

"We also don't know what information the warning contained: 'stay away' or 'highly valuable, super dangerous species, come quick'."

No, but from strong inference via certain plot mechanics (as referenced above), it's pretty clear the warning signal described the nature of the aliens in detail.

"Since we now know that Weyland/Mother/Ash had in-depth knowledge from 2004 regarding the Alien, this seems like the most simple explanation for odd events like Ash immediately breaking quarantine when 'something' was attached to a crew members face at a shipwreck.

Then again, when Alien was made in 1979, there had to be another explanation, like 'the company decoded the warning'."

Precisely.

"I prefer my interpretation because it has the Company waiting and planning for 200 years (?) before encountering the Alien again and then immediately infecting the crew."

Why do you find this preferable? Because it makes the Company's specious plans more "epic" in scope?

Originally posted by WillG:
"Personally, I feel the farther AvP stands apart from the Original series, the better."

Word.

"But anyway, I was never fully convinced that the company knew about the distress signal, or the Aliens beforehand. There is some suspicious activity on the part of the company, but any prior knowledge is never truly confirmed. Many people think that the original Science officer was replaced with Ash to get the Alien. Maybe, Maybe not. For all we know, maybe the previous science officer was an android as well. Maybe there is always one on board (which is something that was true in "Aliens." That rule does not have to apply to "Alien" but it's food for thought."

The world is full of maybes, but why go there in this case? Again, any careful attention paid to the plot makes it crystal clear that the Company knew about the aliens and sent out the Nostromo with creepy Ash aboard for no other reason but to find the source of that signal.

"Also of note is the fact that in the "Director's Cut, the mention of Ash being a replacement is gone. I suppose that could mean that Ridley thought that idea was inconsequential when recutting the film)".

I would be more inclined to think he feared the mention telegraphed Ash as a bad guy too soon.

"About Special Order 937 we're not exactly sure when it was issued to Ash. It could have been after they got the Alien and Ash had reported it."

Yes, but it makes much less sense in terms of other plot details, such as what I've previously referenced.

"The Ambiguity also continues with "Aliens" No one believes Ripley's story when she returns. I suppose it could have been denial, or only few people in the company have that knowledge. The company establishes a colony on the planet, seemingly with no knowledge of the Derelict. People are sent to find it by Burke only after Ripley gives her story. You could say that the whole reason the colony was set up to find the Derelict, but why wait that long to send colonist searching for it. And why spend all that time and money to establish a colony when they just could have sent search teams to the planet to retrieve specimens for return to Earth or any nearby station?"

This is a much more salient concern; my theory is basically that the company's left hand (the people/lawyers at Ripley's inquisition--Internal Affairs?) did not know what its right hand (the bio-weapons division) was doing. In other words, as you said, "only few people in the company have that knowledge".

 

[Dwayne]

Personally, I thought AVP was worth the rental as a decent popcorn flick, which is what the Predator series of films are themselves. The Predator films have always been action-oriented. The Alien films, however, differ from film to film. While they both fall under sci-fi, I watch each for different reasons depending on what I am in the mood for.

That being said, I would definately consider AVP more of a sequel to the Predator series. But I think Fox considers it a new franchise all-together so no, I don't suspect that they will put out a box set of those three films.

I do have one question about AVP...

It has been established since Predator 2 that the Predators (or Yautja) can see lifeforms growing inside a body. Since this is the case, shouldn't the Yautja been able to see the chestburster inside their fallen comrad. I figured that due to their familiarity with the Alien species, they would have been more careful when they brought his body on-board.

 

[TravisR]

I don't think they were that concerned about continuity.

And Dwayne about your sig, there's only two total seasons of Twin Peaks

 

[GuruAskew]

Fox's 2001 version of "Planet of the Apes" broke a few box office records and would definitely be considered a "solid hit". Still, it was critically trashed and "Apes" fans turned their back on it. A quick trip to Box Office Mojo might make it see as though it would be a perfect candidate to recieve a sequel but Fox has wisely decided not to produce one. I see the same thing happening with "AvP".

 

[Dwayne]

True.

But they'll divide the second season into two different sets whenever they decide to release it. There is a method to my madness.

 

[Frank@N]

I have two theories 1) the Predators have strict death/burial rights and must collect the body regardless of circumstances 2) They are bored with the human/Alien hybrid and wish to create a true killing-machine, the Predator/Alien hybrid.

Can you say 'sequel'?

 

[Nick T Robot]

When do they mention this? If it's not in a Predator movie, I don't think it's offical. At least in my book.

And is that what they call themselves? or do humans or some other aliens call them that?