A brand new, extended interview with director James Cameron is the centerpiece of the groundbreaking documentary Aliens Expanded. Developed by the team behind In Search of Darkness, the documentary offers fans an exploration of the incredible film legacy of what many consider the greatest sequel ever — Cameron's 1986 classic, Aliens. Alongside interviews with actors Michael Biehn (who played Corporal Hicks) and Lance Henriksen (who played Bishop), among other cast and crew members, Aliens Expanded provides a unique scene-by-scene analysis of Aliens, with Cameron guiding the discussion. To mark the release, Collider is thrilled to show our readers an exclusive sneak peek at the film, which features an extended look at the iconic character of Vasquez, who was beloved for her strength and her zingers in putting down other soldiers. It features interviews with V. Castro, the author of Aliens Vasquez, James Cameron, Dr. Drea Letamendi, Jenette Goldstein (who played Vasquez) in the movie, and Empire journalist James Dyer, all discussing the legacy of Vasquez as a character and how she broke societal norms and transcended genders, because she was the most incredible soldier. It also features a tremendous anecdote from Cameron about how he created Vasquez's most memorable line from the movie.

Writer and director Ian Nathan, known for Alien Vault and James Cameron: A Retrospective, is collaborating with the award-winning CREATORVC to take a deep dive into Cameron’s most acclaimed film. The documentary feature serves as the ultimate tribute to an utter classic, centered on a thorough analysis and chock-full of memories, stories, facts, revelations, and previously unheard anecdotes from the set. It also discusses the significant and ongoing cultural impact the film has had.

“This is the opportunity of a lifetime,” says writer and director Ian Nathan. “I have been gripped by Aliens from the day I saw it and it has never let me go. I delved for the roots of what makes it so addictive. With a wealth of incredible, fresh insight from cast and crew, as well as experts and critics, and above all from the fans, I think this is the definitive statement on one of the greatest films of all time.”

Did James Cameron Really Do the 'Alien$' Thing?

Unbelievably, yes. Back in December 2022, when promoting Avatar: The Way of Water, Cameron confirmed the apocryphal story that he sold the idea of a sequel to Ridley Scott's Alien by adding a dollar sign to the film's title.

"I had lunch with a bigshot producer when I was about to start Aliens who said, “This is a no-win for you. If your movie’s good, Ridley will get the credit. If it’s bad, it’s all you. It’s a career ender.” I said, “Yeah, buuuuuut... I like it.” I was maybe a dumbass fanboy, but I could see it so clearly in my head that I just had to go make it. And yes, it’s true. I was in a meeting with the studio head and the executive producers, and I turned my script over and on the blank side of the last page I wrote ALIEN. Then I drew an S on the end. Then I drew two vertical lines through the S and held it up to show them. Maybe it was just Pavlovian conditioning when they saw the $ sign connected closely to the word ‘Alien’. Or maybe it was the confidence I projected. But they said yes."

Pre-sales for Aliens Expanded began on April 9, 2024, and will run until May 5, 2024.

Aliens

R

Decades after surviving the Nostromo incident, Ellen Ripley is sent out to re-establish contact with a terraforming colony but finds herself battling the Alien Queen and her offspring.

Release Date

July 18, 1986

Director

James Cameron

Cast

Sigourney Weaver , Michael Biehn , William Hope , Jenette Goldstein , Carrie Henn , Paul Reiser , Lance Henriksen , Bill Paxton

Runtime

137 minutes

Writers

James Cameron , David Giler , Walter Hill