Joss Whedon Reflects On What Went Wrong With ALIEN: RESURRECTION

Joss Whedon Reflects On What Went Wrong With ALIEN: RESURRECTION

The Alien franchise hit a real low point with 1997's Alien: Resurrection. What may surprise you is that The Avengers writer and director Joss Whedon had a writing credit on the film. "There is always going to be a shitty Alien movie out there. A shitty Alien movie with my name on it."

By JoshWilding - Apr 18, 2013 06:04 AM EST
Filed Under: Sci-Fi
Source: Total Film Magazine


Geek God Joss Whedon has done very little wrong over the course of his remarkable career as a writer and director, but Alien: Resurrection was definitely a hugely disappointing addition to his résumé. In a recent interview with Total Film Magazine, Whedon was asked to share his thoughts on Prometheus and to reflect on his own contribution the franchise. "Yes, I did see Pro-meaningless," he joked. "In all seriousness, Alien: Resurrection was, I thought, the lowest I could ever feel. And then they cancelled Firefly. 'Yup, there you go. That's me feeling even lower.' Let me quote King Lear - 'The worst is not, so long as we can say, "This is the worst.'"

"Casting is storytelling," he added when asked about what his experience working on the Jean-Pierre Jeunet helmed movie taught him. "I wrote two characters for Alien: Resurrection and their arc was that you would not know what way they were going to go. One of them turned out to be insane - and what do they do? They call Brad Dourif. So there is no plot twist. Brad is a very good actor but he has been pigeonholed into these roles. Then they case J.E. Freeman as a thug - and his character was also supposed to be a mystery. So there you go again - the mystery is gone. Those are just a couple of examples because there are thousands of them when it comes to Alien: Resurrection."

As for whether or not how Alien: Resurrection turned out continues to bother him, it turns out that despite the huge level of success he has since achieved, he won't forget it any time soon. "Yeah - you don't ever get over it. When you are making a movie you are making something that is going to last forever, especially now with the internet. So there is always going to be a shitty Alien movie out there. A shitty Alien movie with my name on it." However, he must at least feel a bit better knowing that the terrible Alien vs. Predator movies would eventually prove to be THE perfect example of a bad Alien film. Right? "I actually like the first Alien vs. Predator. I'm a Paul W. S. Anderson fan."


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Canon108
Canon108 - 4/18/2013, 6:17 AM
He likes AvP? There goes some of his credibility. Both Cameron and Scott thought it was [frick]ing terrible...
ndwwrestler2
ndwwrestler2 - 4/18/2013, 6:18 AM
I would feel bad for him...but...


nach1wan
nach1wan - 4/18/2013, 6:19 AM
agree with him, the first avp is awesome... the second... ugh
i actually like alien 4, but it could have been so much better
MisterNiceGuy
MisterNiceGuy - 4/18/2013, 6:20 AM
Could have been worse IMO. I wouldnt call it the worst of the franchise. Alien 3 was pretty bad. AVP was even worse.
thewonderer
thewonderer - 4/18/2013, 6:20 AM
The first AVP is actually decent mindless fun.
nach1wan
nach1wan - 4/18/2013, 6:20 AM
@Canon108 cameron recanted, he ended up liking the first avp, the second is not worth mentioning
scott practically hated every alien thing that came after the first, save aliens
RamonSuarez
RamonSuarez - 4/18/2013, 6:21 AM
LOL @ Pro-meaningless. The more I read and hear Joss Whedon the more I appreciate his wit, artistic sensibilities, and candor. Dude is so on the money with his dig at that peice of shit movie. I guess he hates Lindelhof as much as I do.
ndwwrestler2
ndwwrestler2 - 4/18/2013, 6:21 AM
@Canon108 People like different stuff, doesn't mean they would use it in their own films.

For example, I'm probably the only user here that didn't hate the prequels. If I were to write a movie of my own, would I use one of the prequel movies for inspiration? Hell no.

But will I pop in Episode 3 into my Blu-Ray whenever I want to watch a movie. Yeah.
MisterNiceGuy
MisterNiceGuy - 4/18/2013, 6:22 AM
The AVP franchise has to much freakin potential though. I wish they would do it justice
TerminalVoyd
TerminalVoyd - 4/18/2013, 6:23 AM
Yeah, he's not had much luck playing in the studio system, particularly with Fox. Of his X-Men, three scenes survived but with the tonal context all but gone. Two worked (the metal detector scene with Wolverine, the scene where Wolverine returns from his fight with Mystique and Cyclops wants proof that he's who he says he is, and the scene between Storm and Toad. That last one, sadly, didn't work out as well as the others. Not even a little.
RamonSuarez
RamonSuarez - 4/18/2013, 6:23 AM
@Canon108 -

Cameron and Scott would - they aren't fanboys. Both probably wouldn't get a show like Buffy the Vampire or a movie like the Avengers. And Alien vs. Predator is one of the ultimate fanboy movies based on a fanboy concept that merges two incredibly popular 1980s monster franchises together in an epic clash for survival. Whedon gets it because he can appreciate the sheer popcorn enjoyment of such a flick.
nach1wan
nach1wan - 4/18/2013, 6:24 AM
@ndwwrestler you are not alone
RamonSuarez
RamonSuarez - 4/18/2013, 6:25 AM
Who is the greater Geek god?

Joss Whedon or JJ Abrams.

I say Whedon! He has comic book writing experience.
nach1wan
nach1wan - 4/18/2013, 6:26 AM
@RamonSuarez whedon all the way. success doesnt make abrams a greater geek, although the avengers finally gave whedon some long awaited success
Greengo
Greengo - 4/18/2013, 6:28 AM
It was better than Serenity.
RamonSuarez
RamonSuarez - 4/18/2013, 6:28 AM
@nach1wan

Plus Avengers >>>>>> anything Abrams has produced, written or directed.
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 4/18/2013, 6:30 AM
See there ya go, there just is no accounting for taste. Alien Resurrection was INFINITELY better than Alien VS Predator IMO..I mean a completely different league. The movie had BIG problems sure, but I thought it was at least watchable.
ndwwrestler2
ndwwrestler2 - 4/18/2013, 6:33 AM
I think Joss Whedon could write one of the best Star Wars movies ever.
RamonSuarez
RamonSuarez - 4/18/2013, 6:34 AM
@RorMachine

Iron Man 3 > TDKR

Fact.

C'mon, you can say it.
RamonSuarez
RamonSuarez - 4/18/2013, 6:36 AM
@ndwwrestler2

Whedon should name Han Solo's son Mal Reynolds and his ship the Serenity.

Then all shall be right once more.
RamonSuarez
RamonSuarez - 4/18/2013, 6:37 AM
Who knew Cameron had some fanboy in him?
thebearjew
thebearjew - 4/18/2013, 6:38 AM
AVP requim was waaay better 3 dudes heads got blown off in that! Lol

yes they ARE bad movies! But ill watch anything with monsters in it
Canon108
Canon108 - 4/18/2013, 6:39 AM
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aKnS7CGWNmU&feature=youtube_gdata_player
ndwwrestler2
ndwwrestler2 - 4/18/2013, 6:39 AM
@RamonSuarez Joss Whedon Han Solo movie starring this guy:
RamonSuarez
RamonSuarez - 4/18/2013, 6:46 AM
@indigobolt956


Here!

KillerTomato
KillerTomato - 4/18/2013, 6:47 AM
And director James Cameron's name is plastered all over a terrible movie about flying Piranhas (Part 2)...so obviously to have one of the top grossing movies of all time, a prerequisite is a terrible film...
thewonderer
thewonderer - 4/18/2013, 6:50 AM
Ramon

Asserts fanboy comparison

Calls other people names

Genius

MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 4/18/2013, 6:51 AM
RamonSuarez, not seeing it until 2mo and if it is better I'll have no problem admitting it..because I'm not a stubborn, childish, petulant fanboy:)
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 4/18/2013, 6:52 AM
Gusto, what! I made that jump dammit.
RamonSuarez
RamonSuarez - 4/18/2013, 6:53 AM
@thewonderer

Well, we agree on one thing.

I am a genius.
RamonSuarez
RamonSuarez - 4/18/2013, 6:55 AM
@RorMachine

"RamonSuarez, not seeing it until 2mo and if it is better I'll have no problem admitting it..because I'm not a stubborn, childish, petulant fanboy:)"

I know right? Don't you just hate those type of people? They ruin this site. Too bad they make guys like you money for every post they bring.
shadearts
shadearts - 4/18/2013, 7:02 AM
Yeah I fell asleep on pro-meaningless
TheOneAboveAll
TheOneAboveAll - 4/18/2013, 7:02 AM
Finally a confession!
MarkCassidy
MarkCassidy - 4/18/2013, 7:04 AM
Never said I hated them..just said I wasn't one of them.

Oh, I do hate them though.

And are you implying that they're the only type of fanboy there are? The only type of people who visit this site? Thankfully they're actually in a minority.
TheOneAboveAll
TheOneAboveAll - 4/18/2013, 7:07 AM
RamonSuarez - 4/18/2013, 6:23 AM
Report Comment
@Canon108 -

Cameron and Scott would - they aren't fanboys. Both probably wouldn't get a show like Buffy the Vampire or a movie like the Avengers. And Alien vs. Predator is one of the ultimate fanboy movies based on a fanboy concept that merges two incredibly popular 1980s monster franchises together in an epic clash for survival. Whedon gets it because he can appreciate the sheer popcorn enjoyment of such a flick."

Are you forgetting that James Cameron made a little show called Dark Angel? and he made Avatar which was visually great but ultimately terrible?

Ridley Scott on the other hand was/is a sci-fi nerd so of course he understands a fanboy concept.
TheOneAboveAll
TheOneAboveAll - 4/18/2013, 7:13 AM
@Fettastic thank you for recognizing my comment Fett
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