Pre-production has already begun, and with filming set to begin on this Dark Horse Comics adaptation in a matter of weeks, AvP news is exploding out of Prague faster than a chestbuster ripping through Kane's ribcage.
The first bit of news is that we're hearing 20th Century Fox plans on introducing a teaser for Alien vs. Predator on the new Alien Quadrilogy DVD set coming out in October. Following up that information, Variety and Comingsoon.net filed this report on the new F/X team that will bring both Alien and Predator to life next summer:
"Amalgamated Dynamics will design and create the creature effects for Alien vs. Predator, 20th Century Fox's upcoming matchup between two cult characters. The company, headed by Oscar-winning f/x vets Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr., have created effects for previous installments of Fox's "Alien" franchise, including Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection.
For Alien vs. Predator, Amalgamated Dynamics will design and perform the animatronic versions of the "Alien" and "Predator" creatures, as well as makeup and other on-set effects for the film.
Company's staff of 88 has been working on the film since July, readying for an October start date in Prague. Shooting will wrap sometime in February.
Gillis and Woodruff plan to use an enhanced motion control system to improve the movement of the film's animatronic characters, enabling the creatures to be more powerful and move faster than was previously possible and allow for more intricate performances.
"We're going to use a lot of technology and new techniques that haven't been used before," Gillis said. "There will be a new look to these characters." Woodruff added, "Audiences will see the characters in 'AVP' perform in a way they haven't seen before."
The company will also design the creature suits when an actor is needed to perform certain moves.
The film revolves around human scientists who go on an expedition to Antarctica to lure Predator hunters using Alien eggs as bait. The plan quickly goes awry, and the humans find themselves in the crossfire between two warring alien species."
And from Dark Horizons.com comes this gem:
Aliens vs. Predator: A must remain anonymous source sent this in, validity is unsure though timing wise it sounds about right. "Last Thurs (9/11), there was a promo shoot for the teaser trailer or teaser poster(s) for the new Aliens vs. Predator movie. Now, I don't know when it will be released but what I saw was totally cool. Here's what I saw: A caucasian male, 6"2, in complete Predator suit/make-up getting ready for some still shots. When I saw him, he wasn't wearing the helmet but the costume pretty much was reminiscent of the last two Predator films. The only difference was that the mask (or helmet) looked more metallic than I remember it being (sorry to say it, but, it reminded me of the metallic finish on the Jason mask in Jason X, when he is turned into the SUPER JASON! BUT cooler). Anyway, the suit was only air-brushed from the waist down, which leads me to believe that the shoot was for a teaser poster. But otherwise, the tendrils of "hair" on the predator were AMAZING. I wasn't ballsy enough to see up close but the crew was shooting the Predator first in "attack" position, perfect for a sneak peak poster. Once all photography/ filming(?) was complete, the crew dumped a bucket full of see-through green slime/goo on him and took more pictures. This was either meant to be predator blood, or alien blood--couldn't tell, too far away. Later in the day, it was the aliens turn. What I CAN tell you (about this specific Alien shoot) is that it was NOT the Queen Alien; rather a more human-like alien who walked on two feet. It looked amazing because he was walking like PUMPKINHEAD (remember that one?) and he too--a middle aged geeky caucasian dude)--was not wearing his helmet. (The alien head itself is very faithful to the drone aliens in the "Alien" videogames and the ones in Alien 3, with the elongated head going back, behind the body, round in shape; NOT the flared out helmet of the Queen. I found it odd though that the alien had NO tail. It made me wonder if they would add it later in post, or if it was part of the story, where it gets cut off. Here too, pictures of it were taken in "attack" position, kneeling down w/head intact. This was by far the most exciting part of the day, although the Predator was "gargantuan" in size compared to the Alien"