Aliens (film)
Sequel to the 1979 film Alien, released in 1986.
In 1986, James Cameron wrote and directed *Aliens*, a science fiction-action film that continues the story of the 1979 horror film *Alien*. It is the second installment in the *Alien* franchise. The movie takes place in the distant future and follows Ellen Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver, who is the only person to survive an alien attack on her spacecraft. When contact is lost with a human colony on the moon where the original alien encounter happened, Ripley agrees to go back there with a group of Colonial Marines to find out what went wrong. Supporting roles are filled by Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen, and Carrie Henn.
Even though the first movie was a hit, getting a sequel made took years because of lawsuits, lack of interest from 20th Century Fox, and frequent changes in management. James Cameron, who was still fairly new to directing, was hired in 1983 to write a story for *Aliens* after impressing the studio with his script for *The Terminator* (1984) and his story contributions to *Rambo: First Blood Part II* (1985) (though the screenplay was written by Sylvester Stallone, and Cameron is not credited as a writer on the final film). The project stalled again until producer Lawrence Gordon was brought in to oversee the project and pushed for the sequel to move forward. Filming began in September 1985 on a budget of about $18.5 million and wrapped up in January 1986. The production was chaotic, with frequent clashes between Cameron and the British crew at Pinewood Studios. The difficult schedule also affected composer James Horner, who had very little time to record the film’s music.
*Aliens* came out on July 18, 1986, and was praised by critics. Many liked the action, though some found certain scenes too intense. Sigourney Weaver’s performance was widely celebrated, as were those of Bill Paxton and Jenette Goldstein. The film earned several awards and nominations, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for Weaver—a rare honor for a science-fiction movie at the time. During its theatrical run, it made between $131.1 million and $183.3 million, placing it among the highest-grossing films worldwide in 1986.
Today, *Aliens* is regarded as one of the best films of the 1980s and a top example of science fiction, action, and sequels, often considered as good as or better than the original *Alien*. It is credited with expandi
- director
- James Cameron
- release_year
- 1986
- budget
- approximately $18.5 million
- box_office
- $131.1–183.3 million
- runtime
- Not specified in article
- genre
- Science fiction-action
Lore & Background
Despite the success of Alien, its sequel took years to develop due to lawsuits, a lack of enthusiasm from 20th Century Fox, and repeated management changes. James Cameron, relatively inexperienced, was hired to write a story for Aliens in 1983 on the strength of his script for The Terminator (1984) and his story contributions to Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) (though the screenplay was written by Sylvester Stallone, and Cameron is not credited as a writer on the final film). The project stalled again until producer Lawrence Gordon was brought in to oversee the project and pursued a sequel. On an approximately $18.5 million budget, Aliens began principal photography in September 1985 and concluded in January 1986. The film's development was tumultuous and rife with conflicts between Cameron and the British crew at Pinewood Studios. The difficult shoot affected the composer, James Horner, who was given little time to record the music.
Reader's Guide
Aliens was released on July 18, 1986, to critical acclaim. Reviewers praised its action, but some criticized the intensity of certain scenes. Weaver's performance garnered consistent praise along with those of Bill Paxton and Jenette Goldstein. The film received several awards and nominations, including an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for Weaver at a time when the science-fiction genre was generally overlooked. It earned $131.1–183.3 million during its theatrical run, making it one of the highest-grossing films of 1986 worldwide. Aliens is now considered among the greatest films of the 1980s, and among the best science fiction, action, and sequel films ever made, often deemed equal to or better than Alien. It is credited with expanding the franchise's scope with additions to the series' backstory and factions such as the Colonial Marines. It inspired a variety of merchandise, including video games, comic books and toys. It was followed by two sequels: Alien 3 (1992) and Alien Resurrection (1997), an interquel film, Alien: Romulus (2024), and a TV series, Alien: Earth (2025).
Did You Know?
- The film's budget was approximately $18.5 million.
- Principal photography ran from September 1985 to January 1986.
- Sigourney Weaver received an Academy Award nomination for Best Actress for her role.
- The film earned $131.1–183.3 million during its theatrical run.
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