Summary

• Alien vs. Predator is an idea with potential, despite disappointing execution in past films.
• The franchises have rebounded, paving the way for a more intelligent and successful AVP3.
• AVP movies have a big audience, suggesting a better installment could be a blockbuster hit.

For many fans, Alien vs. Predator is a dark chapter in both franchises' illustrious history. Pre-2004, the prospect of seeing two of sci-fi's greatest movie monsters going toe-to-toe was a dream come true for all but the most crotchety traditionalists. Getting turned away from a decrepit British theater as an 11-year-old remains one of my most disappointing cinematic experiences to this day. Sadly, this excitement only made the movie's underwhelming critical performance and pariah status more dispiriting. And yet, for all the flaws of the film and its sequel, Alien Vs. Predator remains a potential treasure trove for future stories.

Although Alien vs. Predator set its respective franchises on the back foot, both have recovered to strike a new path. Predator was completely reborn with new Alien or Predator movie excites the franchises' respective fanbases, the future still seems like a missed opportunity. As counterintuitive as it may sound, Alien vs. Predator 3 is actually the best hope for both series. Here's why.

Alien Vs. Predator Is A Great Idea, Done Badly

There's no denying that both Paul W. S. Anderson's original and the Strause brothers' follow-up really dropped the filmmaking ball. Having recently rewatched the 2004 film, I can confirm that it's not as bad as you . Nevertheless, forgettable human characters, a scarcely believable story about an Antarctic pyramid, and lack of any scares or suitably crunchy action makes it feel like a far cry from either franchise's origins. Alien vs. Predator: Requiem compounds these issues with inexplicably terrible lighting, rendering the movie's more violent action scenes all-but invisible. These problems are unavoidable in any discussion about Alien vs. Predator's legacy.

Alien vs. Predator is available to stream on Hulu

Yet as limiting as they are from a storytelling perspective, the problems also obscure the fact that behind both movies is a strong concept with huge franchise potential. Not only are both Yautja and xenomorph emblematic presences in science fiction history, but they seem almost destined to cross paths with one another. One is an advanced, highly intelligent technocrat with a strict honor code and a love of the hunt. The other is the embodiment of primal fury – the "perfect organism", designed to survive any situation. It's a clash that simultaneously promises fireworks and addresses deeper themes about science vs nature.

In the right hands, these thematic undercurrents could make Alien Vs. Predator a much more intelligent movie than two monsters smashing into eachother. But beyond this potential for a more thought-provoking story, there's also the fact that the creatures have a history that goes way beyond 2004. Even before Predator 2 revealed a xenomorph skull in its Easter egg-laden trophy room sequence, Dark Horse Comics began creating a string of successful Aliens vs. Predator stories for print – highlighting the franchises' compatibility. The fact that this is yet to translate effectively to film is an indictment of the two previous attempts, rather than the concept itself.

The Alien Vs. Predator Movies Have A Big Audience

Another strong argument for further Alien vs. Predator films is that, despite the previous entries' critical failure, both were surprising commercial hits. Although my own attempt to sneak into a cinema underage ended in failure, the first movie found a sizable audience – making $177 million against an estimated $60-70 million budget. The story was similar for Alien vs. Predator: Requiem, which made $130 million on a smaller $40 million budget. Given the poor reputation of both movies, such a performance suggests that a better Alien vs. Predator movie, building on the kind of themes discussed previously, could be a genuine blockbuster success.

Even without the movies' financial record, it's obvious that Alien vs. Predator content is hugely popular. In addition to the Dark Horse Comics series (restarted by Marvel in 2021), the first Alien vs. Predator game appeared in 1993, with various additional titles releasing sporadically throughout the 1990s and 2000s. As painful as it might be for some purists to it, there is a huge appetite for anything that pits the two creatures against each other. Failing to think about the crossover's cinematic potential is just a wasted opportunity.

Alien Vs. Predator 2 Ended On An Unresolved Cliffhanger

Given how badly both movies were received, there's a strong argument for any future Alien vs. Predator movie to wipe the slate clean and start afresh. Certainly, it would avoid the potential pitfalls of having to link back to movies that are almost 20 years old. But while this is tempting, it would also risk wasting some intriguing narrative seeds sown in earlier installments. The introduction of Yutani, for example, in the Alien vs. Predator: Requiem post credits scene raises some fascinating questions about the company's history, prior to its appearance in the original Alien.

Even more intriguingly, it has already been suggested the Alien vs. Predator: Requiem's story tease is alive and well. In Shane Black's The Predator (which had its own smorgasbord of issues), Françoise Yip briefly appeared as Ms. Cullen Yutani – reprising her role from the 2007 movie. This creates a clear precedent for the franchise to continue exploring Yutani's story in future installments – potentially rehabilitating two previous failed stories in the process.

Both Franchises' Future Is Far From Certain

Like almost every Predator fan, I was hugely impressed by Dan Trachtenberg's Prey. Whereas Black's movie felt like a tired retread of once-original concepts, the 2022 thriller felt genuinely innovative and completely reset expectations for what Predator movies could achieve. However, for all Prey's success, there's a sense that Predator is not completely redeemed. Not only was the film a straight-to-Hulu release (limiting its wider cultural impact) but the next film in the series (tentatively titled Badlands) is set to take place in the future – ignoring Prey's ingenious 18th century setting. Given how successful the previous approach was, this feels like a real risk.

The picture is even more uncertain with Alien. Álvarez's Alien: Romulus is returning to the most popular point in the Alien timeline – between the first and second films – and reaction to early trailers has been positive. Yet its situation is complicated by its uncertain relationship to Ridley Scott's prequel movies, as well as the wider critical struggles that Alien films have faced since James Cameron's acclaimed sequel, 38 years ago. Of course, there's still every chance Álvarez's movie will blow everyone away. But if it doesn't meet expectations, Alien's future will be thrown completely up in the air.

There's An Obvious Way To Do AvP3

As I discovered to my cost, the entertainment landscape in 2004 meant that there was only one way for an Alien vs. Predator movie to realistically see the light of day. At the time, studios either had the option of an unglamorous DVD release (unlikely, given the scale of the project) or a theatrical run. While releasing the movie and its follow-up in cinemas was a clear revenue generator, it also increased the pressure on both projects – and arguably shone a spotlight on their failures, tarnishing the whole Alien vs. Predator concept. Now, however, there is a viable third way.

Thanks to the advent of streaming, it's easy to imagine a scenario where Alien vs. Predator 3 releases directly onto Hulu – much as Prey did so successfully. Such a plan would potentially relieve the sense of expectation and allow AVP3 to take more risks in its story – exploring bolder, broader themes instead of the lowest common denominator filmmaking that impacted the previous entries. History tells us that no Alien vs. Predator movie is risk-free. However, by learning from Prey, there's a real possibility that the franchise can deliver a story that would-be 11-year-old cinema-goers deserve.