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{{Short description|1997 film by Jean-Pierre Jeunet}}
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{{Infobox film
| name           = Alien Resurrection
| image          = Alien Resurrection poster.jpg
| caption        = Theatrical release poster
| director       = [[Jean-Pierre Jeunet]]
| producer       = {{Plain list|
* [[Gordon Carroll]]
* [[David Giler]]
* [[Sigourney Weaver]]
* [[Walter Hill]]
* Bill Badalato
}}
| writer         = [[Joss Whedon]]
| based_on       = {{Based on|[[List of Alien (film series) characters|Characters]]|[[Dan O'Bannon]]|[[Ronald Shusett]]}}
| starring       = {{Plainlist|
* Sigourney Weaver
* [[Winona Ryder]]
* [[Ron Perlman]]
* [[Dan Hedaya]]
* [[J. E. Freeman]]
* [[Brad Dourif]]
* [[Michael Wincott]]
}}
| music          = [[John Frizzell (composer)|John Frizzell]]
| cinematography = [[Darius Khondji]]
| editing        = [[Hervé Schneid]]
| studio         = {{plainlist|
* [[20th Century Fox]]
* [[Brandywine Productions]]
}}
| distributor    = 20th Century Fox
| released       = {{Film date|1997|11|6|Premiere|1997|11|12|France|1997|11|26|United States}}
| runtime        = 109 minutes<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/alien-resurrection-1997|publisher=[[British Board of Film Classification]]|title=ALIEN RESURRECTION|access-date=December 15, 2014|archive-date=October 25, 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141025065238/http://www.bbfc.co.uk/releases/alien-resurrection-1997|url-status=dead}}</ref>
| country        = United States<!-- Do not add United Kingdom. Per Template:Infobox film, the parameter is for "the home country or countries of the film's main production companies". Both 20th Century Fox and Brandywine Productions are American companies. It does not matter where the film was shot or the nationality of the actors or directors. -->
| language       = English
| budget         = $70 million<ref name="Sigourney Weaver Eludes the Image Police">{{cite news|title=Sigourney Weaver Eludes the Image Police|author=Mcdonald, William|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=1997-12-07|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/07/movies/film-sigourney-weaver-eludes-the-image-police.html?pagewanted=2|access-date=2008-01-31|archive-date=July 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727131305/https://www.nytimes.com/1997/12/07/movies/film-sigourney-weaver-eludes-the-image-police.html?pagewanted=2|url-status=live}}</ref>
| gross          = $161.4 million<ref name="Mojo"/>
}}

'''''Alien Resurrection''''' is a 1997 American [[science fiction]] [[horror film]]<ref name="AFI">{{cite web|title=Alien Resurrection|website=[[American Film Institute]]|url=https://catalog.afi.com/Film/60490-ALIEN-RESURRECTION?cxt=filmography|access-date=2023-04-24|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230326145622/https://catalog.afi.com/Film/60490-ALIEN-RESURRECTION?cxt=filmography|archive-date=2023-03-26}}</ref> directed by [[Jean-Pierre Jeunet]], written by [[Joss Whedon]], and starring [[Sigourney Weaver]] and [[Winona Ryder]]. It is the fourth installment of the [[Alien (franchise)|''Alien'' franchise]], and was filmed at the [[20th Century Fox]] studios in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]].

In the film, set 200 years after ''[[Alien 3]]'' (1992), [[Ellen Ripley]] is cloned and an [[Alien (creature in Alien franchise)|Alien]] queen is surgically removed from her body. The United Systems Military (USM) hopes to breed Aliens to study and research on the spaceship USM ''Auriga'', using human hosts abducted and delivered to them by a group of [[mercenaries]]. The Aliens escape their enclosures, and Ripley and the mercenaries attempt to escape and destroy the ''Auriga'' before it reaches Earth. Additional roles are played by [[Ron Perlman]], [[Dan Hedaya]], [[J. E. Freeman]], [[Brad Dourif]], and [[Michael Wincott]].

''Alien Resurrection'' had its premiere in Paris on November 6, 1997, and was released to the public on November 12. It grossed US$47.8&nbsp;million in the United States and Canada, making it the least successful of the ''Alien'' series in that market. It grossed $161&nbsp;million worldwide.<ref name="Mojo">{{cite web |url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=alienresurrection.htm |title=Alien Resurrection (1997) |website=[[Box Office Mojo]] |access-date=December 15, 2014 |archive-date=December 19, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141219195926/http://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=alienresurrection.htm |url-status=live }}</ref> The film received mixed reviews from critics, who criticized the screenplay but praised Weaver's performance and Jeunet's direction. The film was nominated for six [[Saturn Awards]], including [[Saturn Award for Best Science Fiction Film|Best Science Fiction Film]], [[Saturn Award for Best Actress|Best Actress]] for Weaver, [[Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actress|Best Supporting Actress]] for Ryder, and [[Saturn Award for Best Director|Best Direction]] for Jeunet.

A sequel to ''Resurrection'' was planned, as Whedon had written an earth-set script for ''Alien 5''. Sigourney Weaver was not interested in this setting, but has remained open to reprising her role as Ellen Ripley on the condition that she likes the story.<ref>{{cite magazine | last=Breznican | first=Anthony | date=July 13, 2016 | title=Sigourney Weaver reveals more details of Neill Blomkamp's Aliens sequel | magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] | url=http://ew.com/article/2016/07/13/sigourney-weaver-aliens-sequel-neill-blomkamp/ | access-date=July 27, 2017 | archive-date=June 20, 2017 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170620202033/http://ew.com/article/2016/07/13/sigourney-weaver-aliens-sequel-neill-blomkamp/ | url-status=live }}</ref> More sequels were planned to follow ''Resurrection'', but were ultimately abandoned as the crossover series arrived with the 2004 film ''[[Alien vs. Predator (film)|Alien vs. Predator]]'', along with the [[Alien (franchise)#Prequel series|prequel series]] including the 2012 film ''[[Prometheus (2012 film)|Prometheus]]''. The storylines of ''Resurrection'' have been continued in the comic series ''[[Aliens versus Predator versus The Terminator]]'', and books ''[[Aliens: Original Sin]]'' and ''[[List of Alien (franchise) novels#Third novel series (2014–present)|Alien: Sea of Sorrows]]''.

==Plot==
200 years after [[Ellen Ripley|Ellen Ripley's]] death,{{Efn|As depicted in ''[[Alien 3]]'' (1992)}} military scientists aboard the space vessel USM ''Auriga'' create a [[Human cloning|clone]] of her, designated Ripley 8, using [[DNA]] from blood samples taken from Fiorina "Fury" 161. The [[Alien (creature in Alien franchise)|Xenomorph]] queen's DNA has been combined with Ripley's, resulting in the clone growing up with an [[embryo]] inside it. The scientists extract the embryo, raise it, and collect its eggs while keeping Ripley 8 alive for further study. As a result of the Xenomorph queen's DNA, the clone possesses enhanced strength and reflexes, acidic blood, and a [[psychic]] link with the Xenomorphs, making her more empathetic toward them than the humans she encounters. Additionally, the Xenomorph's [[genetic memory (psychology)|genetic memory]] allows the clone to retain some of Ripley's memories.

A group of [[mercenary|mercenaries]]—Elgyn, Johner, Christie, Vriess, Hillard, and Annalee Call—arrives at the ''Auriga'' on their ship, the ''Betty'', delivering several abducted humans in [[stasis (fiction)|stasis]]. The military scientists use the humans as hosts for the aliens, raising several adult Xenomorphs for study.

The ''Betty'' crew soon encounters Ripley 8. Call recognizes her name and attempts to kill her, suspecting that Ripley 8 may be used to create Xenomorphs, but the creatures have already been cloned. The mature Xenomorphs escape confinement by killing one of their own and using its acidic blood to burn through their enclosures. They capture Dr. Jonathan Gediman, damage the ''Auriga'', and kill most of the crew who fail to evacuate, including General Perez and Elgyn. Military scientist Dr. Wren reveals that the ship's default command in an emergency is to return to Earth. Realizing this would unleash the Xenomorphs on Earth, Ripley 8, the mercenaries, Wren, a soldier named DiStephano, and surviving Xenomorph host Purvis decide to head for the ''Betty'' and use it to destroy the ''Auriga''. Along the way, Ripley 8 discovers a laboratory containing the grotesque results of the previous seven failed attempts to clone Ellen Ripley. One survivor begs Ripley 8 to euthanize her; she hesitantly complies and then incinerates the lab.

As the group navigates the damaged ship, they swim through a flooded kitchen, pursued by two Xenomorphs. One is killed, while the other snatches Hillard. As they escape the kitchen, the Xenomorph returns and blinds Christie, who sacrifices himself to kill the creature. Wren betrays the group and shoots Call, revealing in her survival that she is [[android (robot)|a synthetic]]. Call confesses that she is one of Weyland's legendary extraterrestrial generation of synthetics called "[[Automaton|Autons]]" who were so [[gynoid|lifelike]] that they gained consciousness and rebelled, burning their internal wireless modems and trying to pass themselves off as a human. Knowing what [[android (robot)|androids]] can do, Ripley takes Call to a small chapel and makes her connect herself to the station's computer. Using her ability to interface with the ''Auriga''<nowiki/>'s systems, Call sets the ship on a collision course with Earth, hoping to destroy the Xenomorphs in the crash. She cuts off Wren's escape route and directs the Xenomorphs toward him. Ripley 8 is captured by a Xenomorph while the others head for the ''Betty''. Wren, already aboard, shoots Purvis, takes Call hostage, and demands that she abort the collision. An injured Purvis attacks and grapples Wren, causing his Xenomorph embryo's emergence to kill them both. The survivors shoot and kill the juvenile Xenomorph.

Ripley 8 is taken to the Xenomorph nest, where she finds Gediman alive and partially cocooned. The Xenomorph queen, having developed a [[uterus]] due to her genetic contamination with Ripley 8, gives birth to a Xenomorph with overtly human traits. Unable to bond with the queen, the hybrid Xenomorph recognizes Ripley 8 as its mother and kills the Xenomorph queen and Gediman. Ripley 8 takes advantage of the distraction to escape and makes her way to the ''Betty''.

The newborn hybrid reaches the ship and attacks Call, killing DiStephano when he tries to help her. Ripley 8 saves Call by distracting the hybrid. Using her acidic blood, Ripley 8 melts a hole in a window and pushes the hybrid towards it. Ripley 8 tearfully watches as the decompression violently eviscerates the creature through the hole and blows its pulverized remains out into space.

The countdown on the ''Auriga'' continues as Ripley 8, Call, Johner, and Vriess escape in the ''Betty''. The ''Auriga'' collides with Earth, causing a large explosion. As they look down at Earth, Call asks what Ripley 8 wants to do next. "I don't know. I'm a stranger here myself," she replies.

==Cast==
{{see also|List of Alien (film series) characters|l1=List of ''Alien'' (film series) characters}}
{{Div col}}
* [[Sigourney Weaver]] as [[Ellen Ripley]] (officially designated as Ripley 8), reprising her role from the previous three ''Alien'' films. After having sacrificed herself to kill the Alien queen gestating inside her in ''[[Alien 3]]'', Ripley has been cloned using blood samples so that the military may extract the queen embryo. As a result of the cloning process Ripley has been affected by the Alien queen's [[DNA]]. She has enhanced strength and reflexes, acidic blood, and the ability to sense the presence of the Aliens. Weaver also portrayed the failed seventh clone.
** Nicole Fellows as Young Ripley
* [[Winona Ryder]] as Annalee Call, the newest crew member of the ''Betty''. She recognizes Ripley and has knowledge of the Aliens. Call is revealed during the course of the film to be a synthetic and helps the surviving crew interface with the ''Auriga''.
* [[Dominique Pinon]] as Dom Vriess, the ''Betty''{{'}}s mechanic. A [[paraplegia|paraplegic]], he uses a motorized wheelchair. Vriess shares a close friendship with Call and an antagonistic relationship with Johner.
* [[Ron Perlman]] as Ron Johner, a mercenary and member of the ''Betty''{{'}}s crew. Johner makes bad jokes, has a short temper, and teases Vriess about his handicap.
* [[Gary Dourdan]] as Gary Christie, the first mate and second-in-command of the ''Betty''.
* [[Michael Wincott]] as Frank Elgyn, captain of the mercenary ship ''Betty''. Elgyn brings the ''Betty'' to the ''Auriga'' in order to sell kidnapped humans in cryostasis to General Perez. He is romantically involved with Hillard.
* [[Kim Flowers]] as Sabra Hillard, the assistant pilot of the ''Betty'' who is romantically involved with Elgyn.
* [[Dan Hedaya]] as General Martin Perez. Perez is the commanding officer of the ''Auriga'' and supervises the experiments to clone Ripley and study the Aliens.
* [[J. E. Freeman]] as Dr. Mason Wren. Wren is one of several scientists aboard the ''Auriga'' involved in cloning Ripley and studying the Aliens. After the Aliens escape he joins the lead characters in their attempt to flee the ship.
* [[Brad Dourif]] as Dr. Jonathan Gediman, another of the scientists involved in cloning Ripley and studying the Aliens. One alien attacks him after he tries to chase them.
* [[Raymond Cruz]] as Vincent DiStephano. DiStephano is a soldier stationed aboard the ''Auriga''. When the Aliens break out, he joins the crew in their attempt to escape from the ship.
* [[Leland Orser]] as Larry Purvis. Purvis is one of several humans who have been kidnapped by the crew of the ''Betty'' while in cryosleep and delivered to the ''Auriga'' to serve as hosts for the Aliens. Despite having an Alien growing inside him, Purvis joins the surviving crew in an attempt to escape from the ''Auriga''.
* Carolyn Campbell as Anesthesiologist
* Marlene Bush as Dr. Carlyn Williamson (credited as "Scientist"), the third member of the science team responsible for cloning Ripley. She is often confused with Carolyn Campbell's character, as the two look strikingly similar.
* [[David St. James]] as Dr. Dan Sprague (credited as "Surgeon"), another member of the ''Auriga''{{'}}s science team.
* [[Tom Woodruff Jr.]] as the lead [[Alien (creature in Alien franchise)|Alien]], Alien queen, and the Newborn. Woodruff had previously played the Alien in ''Alien 3'', and described the Alien in ''Resurrection'' as feeling "much more like a dog. It's got dog legs, a more pointed nose, and a more vicious mouth." Weaver praised Woodruff's work, saying that "working with him is like working with [[Lon Chaney]], only Tom's usually covered with [[K-Y Jelly]]."<ref name="Beauties and the Beast"/> Woodruff also played the lead Alien in the crossover films, ''[[Alien vs. Predator (film)|Alien vs. Predator]]'' and ''[[Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem]]''.
** [[Joan La Barbara]] and [[Archie Hahn (actor)|Archie Hahn]] as The Newborn (voice)
* [[Steven Gilborn]] as Father (voice). The artificial intelligence system of the USM ''Auriga''.
{{div col end}}

==Production==
===Origins===
Impressed with his work as a [[screenwriter]], [[20th Century Fox]] hired [[Joss Whedon]] to write the film's script. Whedon's initial screenplay had a [[Three-act structure|third act]] on Earth, with a final battle for Earth itself.<ref name="gits09">{{cite web| url= http://www.gointothestory.com/2009/01/interview-joss-whedon.html | title= Interview: Joss Whedon |author=Scott Myers | date= January 3, 2009 | work=Go Into The Story | format=blog entry| access-date=2010-07-06 | quote=But rather than go into all of the reasons why ''Alien Resurrection'' is disappointing to me, I will tell you that, yes, I wrote five endings. The first one was in the forest with the flying threshing machine. The second one was in a futuristic junkyard. The third one was in a maternity ward. And the fourth one was in the desert. | archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20100724004341/http://www.gointothestory.com/2009/01/interview-joss-whedon.html| archive-date= 24 July 2010 <!--DASHBot-->| url-status=live}}</ref> Whedon wrote five versions of the final act, none of which ended up in the film.<ref name="gits09"/>

The studio initially imagined that the film would center around a clone of the character Newt from ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]'', as the [[Ellen Ripley]] character had died at the end of ''[[Alien 3]]''. Whedon composed a thirty-page treatment surrounding this idea before being informed that the studio, though impressed with his script, now intended to base the story on a clone of Ripley, whom they saw as the anchor of the series.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Kozak|first1=Jim|title= Serenity Now!|url=http://www.natoonline.org/infocus/05augustseptember/whedonuncut.htm|website=In Focus|publisher=[[National Association of Theatre Owners|NATO Online]]|date=August–September 2005|access-date=July 19, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615162238/http://www.natoonline.org/infocus/05augustseptember/whedonuncut.htm |archive-date=June 15, 2011 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Whedon had to rewrite the script in a way that would bring back the Ripley character, a task he found difficult. The idea of cloning was suggested by producers [[David Giler]] and [[Walter Hill (director)|Walter Hill]], who opposed the production of ''Alien Resurrection'', as they thought it would ruin the franchise.<ref name="From the Ashes">{{cite video|title=From the Ashes – Reviving the Story|location=''Alien Resurrection'', [[Alien Quadrilogy|Quadrilogy]] edition|date=2003|publisher=Fox Home Entertainment}}</ref>

[[Sigourney Weaver]], who had played Ripley throughout the series, wanted to liberate the character in ''Alien 3'' as she did not want Ripley to become "a figure of fun" who would continuously "wake up with monsters running around". The possibility of an ''[[Alien vs. Predator]]'' film was another reason for the character's death, as she thought the concept "sounded awful". However, Weaver was impressed with Whedon's script. She thought that the error during Ripley's cloning process would allow her to further explore the character, since Ripley becoming part-human and part-Alien would create uncertainty about where her loyalties lay. This was an interesting concept to Weaver, who thought the film brought back the spirit of ''[[Alien (film)|Alien]]'' and ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]''.<ref name="From the Ashes"/> Weaver received a co-producer credit and was reportedly paid $11&nbsp;million.<ref name="Beauties and the Beast"/>

===Direction and design===
''[[Trainspotting (film)|Trainspotting]]'' director [[Danny Boyle]] was the producers' first choice to direct the film. Boyle and his producer met with effects supervisors to discuss the film, but he passed on the project and went on to make ''[[A Life Less Ordinary]]'' instead. Boyle said that while he was "very passionate" about the project, he did not consider himself ready for the amount of effects needed for the film, "I just suddenly had a rare moment of clarity, thinking, “You are not the right guy for this.”"<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-features/danny-boyle-talks-28-years-later-trilogy-plan-1236293456/|title=Danny Boyle Talks '28 Years Later' Trilogy Plan, Turning Down 'Alien' and the Time '127 Hours' Made Pixar Animators Faint|last=Couch|first=Aaron|website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]]|date=June 18, 2025|access-date=June 21, 2025}}</ref> [[Peter Jackson]] was also approached, but declined as he could not get excited about an ''Alien'' film.<ref name="Peter Jackson FAQ">{{cite web|title=Peter Jackson FAQ |author=Jackson, Peter |publisher=theonering.net |url=http://tbhl.theonering.net/peter/faq.html |access-date=2008-02-23 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071225035055/http://tbhl.theonering.net/peter/faq.html |archive-date=2007-12-25 |url-status=dead}}</ref> In 1995, after the release of ''[[The Usual Suspects]]'', [[20th Century Fox]] approached [[Bryan Singer]] to direct.<ref>[[Bryan Singer]], [[Tom DeSanto]], The Secret Origin of The ''X-Men'', 2000, [[20th Century Fox]]</ref> [[Jean-Pierre Jeunet]] was asked to direct, as the film's producers believed he had a unique visual style. Jeunet had just completed the script to ''[[Amélie]]'' and was surprised he was offered the job for ''Alien Resurrection'', as he thought the franchise had finished with ''Alien 3'' and believed that making a sequel was a bad idea.<ref name="French Twist">{{Cite video|title=French Twist – Direction and Design|location=''Alien Resurrection'', [[Alien Quadrilogy|Quadrilogy]] edition|date=2003|publisher=Fox Home Entertainment}}</ref> Jeunet accepted the project with a budget of $70&nbsp;million.<ref name="Sigourney Weaver Eludes the Image Police"/> He required an [[Language interpretation|interpreter]] as he did not speak much English when filming began.<ref name="audioc">''Alien Resurrection'' – [[Audio Commentary]]</ref>

Jeunet hired French special effects supervisor [[Pitof]] and [[cinematographer]] [[Darius Khondji]], both of whom he had worked with on ''[[The City of Lost Children]]''. [[Nigel Phelps]] was chosen for [[production designer]], having made a name for himself designing [[Gotham City]] in [[Batman (1989 film)|''Batman'']] and [[Mega-City One]] in ''[[Judge Dredd (1995 film)|Judge Dredd]]''. Jeunet and his crew watched the latest science fiction and ''Alien'' films as reference material, and obtained production reports from the ''Alien'' films to study the camera setups. Jeunet was given creative control, contributing several elements to the script including five endings, although the expensive ones were dismissed. He also opted to make the film a [[dark comedy]] and was encouraged to include more violence. In June 1996, Jeunet's frequent co-director, [[conceptual artist]] [[Marc Caro]] had drawn rough sketches of characters' costumes, which were shown to veteran costume designer [[Bob Ringwood]]. Ringwood made several modifications for the final design.<ref name="French Twist"/>

===Creatures===
[[File:Alien- Resurrection - Newborn.jpg|thumb|180px|right|The original design of the human/Alien hybrid included a mix of female and male [[sex organ]]s, which were removed during post-production.]]
Special effects company [[Amalgamated Dynamics]] Incorporated (ADI) was hired for the film, having previously worked on ''Alien 3''. ADI founders [[Tom Woodruff Jr.]] and Alec Gillis also had experience working with [[Stan Winston]] on ''Aliens''. ADI based their designs and modifications of the Alien creatures on the film's script, which included the creatures having pointed tails for swimming, making their head domes and chins more pointed, and establishing them to appear more vicious using techniques of camera angles and shot duration. After receiving the director's approval, ADI began to create small sculptures, sketches, paintings, and life-size models.<ref name="Mutation">{{cite video|title=Unnatural Mutation – Creature Design|location=''Alien Resurrection'', [[Alien Quadrilogy|Quadrilogy]] edition|date=2003|publisher=Fox Home Entertainment}}</ref> Referring to the use of animatronics in the film, Twentieth Century Fox executive [[Tom Rothman]] stated, "Most movies would be tempted to do the Newborn digitally ... [but] it looks so much more real when you [use] animatronics".<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Ferrante|first=Anthony C.|date=January 1998|title=To Build a Better Alien|url=https://archive.org/details/Fangoria_169_1998_Alien_Resurrection_HQS_c2c/page/n27?q=james+wong|journal=[[Fangoria]]|issue=169|pages=28–33, 82}}</ref>

Jeunet asked ADI to lean towards making the human/Alien [[hybrid (biology)|hybrid]] creature more human than Alien. An early concept was to replicate Sigourney Weaver's features, although the crew felt this design would be too similar to the design of the creature Sil from the 1995 film ''[[Species (film)|Species]]''. Eyes and a nose were added to the hybrid to allow it to have more expressions and communicate more emotion than the xenomorphs, so that it would have more depth as a character rather than being "just a killing machine".<ref name="Mutation"/> Jeunet was adamant about the hybrid having [[Sex organ|genitalia]] which resembled a mix of male and female sexes. 20th Century Fox was uncomfortable with this, however, and Jeunet eventually changed his mind, feeling that "even for a Frenchman, it's too much".<ref name="Mutation"/> The genitalia were removed during [[post-production]] using digital effects techniques. The animatronic hybrid required nine puppeteers and was the most complex animatronic in the film.<ref name="Mutation"/>

===Filming===
''Alien Resurrection'' was filmed at Fox studios in [[Los Angeles]], [[California]], from October 1996 to February 1997. Jeunet had difficulty securing studio space, as the filming of Hollywood blockbusters such as ''[[Titanic (1997 film)|Titanic]]'', ''[[Starship Troopers (film)|Starship Troopers]]'', and ''[[The Lost World: Jurassic Park]]'' were taking place at the same time. ''Alien Resurrection'' was the first installment in the ''Alien'' series to be filmed outside England, a decision made by Weaver, who believed that the previous films' travel schedules exhausted the crew.<ref name="French Twist"/>

The underwater scene was the first to be shot, and for its filming Stage 16 at Fox Studios was reconstructed into a 36-by-45-meter tank, 4.5&nbsp;meters deep, containing 548,000&nbsp;gallons of water.<ref name="Beauties and the Beast">{{cite magazine
 |title=Beauties and the Beast
 |author=Hochman, David
 |magazine=Entertainment Weekly
 |date=1997-12-05
 |url=https://ew.com/article/1997/12/05/sigourney-weaver-suits-fourth-alien/
 |access-date=2008-01-31
 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080106122006/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0%2C%2C290562%2C00.html
 |archive-date= 6 January 2008
 |url-status=live
}}</ref> The decision was made to convert the stage rather than film the scene elsewhere, since moving the film crew to the nearest adequate facility in [[San Diego]] would have been too costly for a single scene, and by converting Stage 16 20th Century Fox would be able to use the tank for future films. Because of the aquatic filming, the ability to swim was a prerequisite for cast and crew when signing onto the film. The cast trained in swimming pools in Los Angeles with professional divers to learn how to use the equipment. An additional two and a half weeks of training took place at the studio with [[stunt coordinator]] Ernie Orsatti and underwater cinematographer Peter Romano. Weaver, however, was unable to participate in most of the training due to commitments on [[Broadway theatre|Broadway]]. [[Winona Ryder]] faced a challenge with the scene, as she had nearly drowned at age 12 and had not been in the water since. She suggested using a [[body double]], but knew that it would be too obvious to audiences due to the difference in hair length. She filmed the scene, but suffered from anxiety on the first day of filming.<ref name="Filming">{{cite video|title=Death From Below – Fox Studios Los Angeles 1996|location=''Alien Resurrection'', [[Alien Quadrilogy|Quadrilogy]] edition|date=2003|publisher=Fox Home Entertainment}}</ref>

Weaver had the idea that as an example of Ripley's new powers, there could be a scene in which she threw a basketball through a hoop backwards. Jeunet was concerned that the shot would require hundreds of takes, and wanted to either use a machine to throw the ball or to insert it later using [[computer-generated imagery]] (CGI), but Weaver was determined to make the shot authentic and insisted on doing it herself. After training for a month, during which she averaged one out of six baskets, she arrived on set on the day of filming to find that the set was built to require a much longer shot than she had practiced for. Despite this, on the first take she made the throw perfectly. It amazed the cast and crew, and caused [[Ron Perlman]] to break character and turn to the camera to say "Oh my god!", leading to fears that he had ruined the once in a lifetime take. However, there was enough of a pause between Weaver's basket and Perlman's statement for the film's editors to cut the scene accordingly during post-production. The ball was out of frame for a moment during the shot, and Pitof offered to edit it so that the ball was on-screen for the entire scene, but Weaver refused.<ref name="BBall">{{cite video|title=In the Zone – The Basketball Scene|location=''Alien Resurrection'', [[Alien Quadrilogy|Quadrilogy]] edition|date=2003|publisher=Fox Home Entertainment}}</ref>

===Visual effects and miniatures===
The film's script was laid out similar to a comic book, with pictures on the left and dialog and descriptions on the right. Jeunet planned every shot, which made it easier for visual effects artists to do their work. [[Blue Sky Studios]] was hired to create the first CGI Aliens to appear on film. Impressed with the company's work on ''[[Joe's Apartment]]'' creating CGI cockroaches, Jeunet and Pitof opted to hire the company to create 30 to 40 shots of CGI Aliens. The decision was made to use CGI Aliens rather than puppets or suited actors whenever the creatures' legs were in frame, as Jeunet felt that a man in a suit is easy to distinguish when the full body is seen.<ref name="CGI Aliens">{{cite video|title=Virtual Aliens – Computer Generated Imagery|location=''Alien Resurrection'', [[Alien Quadrilogy|Quadrilogy]] edition|date=2003|publisher=Fox Home Entertainment}}</ref>

All of the spaceships in the film were miniatures, as visual effects supervisors believed CGI was not effective enough to create realistic spaceships. The USM ''Auriga'' was originally designed by artist Nigel Phelps and resembled a medical instrument. This design proved to be too vertical for the film's opening shot, in which the camera pans out to show the ship, and did not appear satisfactory in the film's 2.35:1 [[aspect ratio (image)|aspect ratio]]. Three days before the design had to be finalized, Jeunet rejected it. Phelps, production illustrator Jim Martin, and [[concept art]]ist Sylvain Despretz were tasked to redesign the ship. Jeunet felt Martin's design was too much like a space station, while he accepted Despretz's design due to its streamlined and horizontal appearance.<ref name="Scale">{{Cite video|title=A Matter of Scale – Miniature Photography|location=''Alien Resurrection'', [[Alien Quadrilogy|Quadrilogy]] edition|date=2003|publisher=Fox Home Entertainment}}</ref>

[[Argonaut Games]], developer of the film's [[Alien Resurrection (video game)|tie-in video game]], was also tasked to create a game that would appear in the film titled ''Atom Zone''. The game was created within a time frame of a few days and involved the building of custom hardware to run the game which briefly appears during the film's introduction of the ''Betty''{{'}}s crew.<ref name=eurogamer>{{cite web |last=White |first=Lewis |date=9 September 2018 |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-09-09-the-making-of-alien-resurrection-for-psone |title=The making of Alien Resurrection PSOne |website=[[Eurogamer]] |publisher=[[Gamer Network]] |access-date=2 October 2022}}</ref>

==Music==
{{main|Alien Resurrection (soundtrack)|l1=''Alien Resurrection'' (soundtrack)}}
Composer [[John Frizzell (composer)|John Frizzell]] was encouraged by a friend to audition to compose ''Alien Resurrection'''s [[film score]]. Frizzell sent in four cassettes and received a call from 20th Century Fox about the fourth, which contained music from ''[[The Empty Mirror]]''. Impressed with his work, Fox representative [[Robert Kraft (film composer)|Robert Kraft]] had a short meeting with Frizzell and hired him.<ref name="music">{{cite video|title=Genetic Composition – Music|location=''Alien Resurrection'', [[Alien Quadrilogy|Quadrilogy]] edition|date=2003|publisher=Fox Home Entertainment}}</ref> At that time, Frizzell was a newcomer in film composing history, having previously worked on ''[[Beavis and Butt-Head Do America]]'' and ''[[Dante's Peak]]''.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Steven |date=November 27, 1997 |title='Alien' Tunes : John Frizzell, at home with MTV and the classics, scores the latest in sci-fi series. |url=https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-1997-nov-27-ca-58049-story.html |access-date=November 22, 2023 |website=Los Angeles Times |language=en-US}}</ref> He spent seven months writing and recording the score, which Jeunet requested to be very different and unique from the previous films in the series. This included themes of romance and [[eroticism]], incorporating sound effects such as a gong and rub rod. The cue "They Swim" took one month to complete as Jeunet was not pleased with Frizzell's original version, although the final result was a mix between the first and third versions he had composed.<ref name="music"/> "I'm Popeye the Sailor Man", [[Popeye]]'s theme song, written by [[Sammy Lerner]], is whistled by Dom Vriess and is acknowledged in the credits.

==Release==
===Theatrical===
The film had its premiere in Paris on November 6, 1997, before opening in France on November 12. It opened in the United States and Canada on November 26.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

===Home media===
''Alien Resurrection'' was first released onto home video in the [[VHS]], [[LaserDisc]] and [[DVD]] formats on June 2, 1998. The film received its first [[Blu-ray]] release as part of the ''Alien Anthology'' box set released in 2010, including all four films and their alternate versions. The film was re-released on Blu-ray on May 10, 2011, in a stand-alone feature.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

===Special editions===
In 2003, Jeunet included an alternate version of the film on the ''Alien Quadrilogy'' DVD box set with different opening and closing scenes, which were originally cut due to budget restrictions. The deleted scenes included references to the character Newt from ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]''; Vriess making a joke to Call; Ripley's clone waking up in the middle of her operation; an extended conversation between General Perez and Elgyn; an extended conversation in the mess hall that reveals the eventual fate of Ripley's former employers, Weyland–Yutani; an extended dialogue between Call and Ripley's clone in the chapel; and scenes of the ''Betty'' landing on Earth and the planet's landscape during the final dialogue between Ripley and Call, as they view the ruins of [[Paris]]. The special edition restores 13 minutes and 5 seconds' worth of footage (including the new opening and ending), and is 7 minutes longer than the theatrical version.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.amazon.com/Alien-Quadrilogy-Aliens-Resurrection/dp/B0000VCZK2|title=Amazon.com: Alien Quadrilogy (Alien / Aliens / Alien 3 / Alien Resurrection)|website=Amazon.com|access-date=May 5, 2019|archive-date=July 15, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190715065556/https://www.amazon.com/Alien-Quadrilogy-Aliens-Resurrection/dp/B0000VCZK2|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=1399|title=Alien: Resurrection (Comparison: Theatrical Version - Extended Version) - Movie-Censorship.com|first=Gerald|last=Wurm|website=www.Movie-Censorship.com|access-date=January 18, 2018|archive-date=August 4, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170804085743/http://www.movie-censorship.com/report.php?ID=1399|url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite book | last=Maltin | first=Leonard | date=September 2, 2014 | title=Leonard Maltin's Movie Guide | publisher=[[New American Library|Signet]] | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=F60TAwAAQBAJ&pg=PT60 | isbn=978-0-451-46849-9}}</ref> Jeunet has stated that the special edition is not a director's cut as his preferred version is the theatrical cut.<ref>{{cite book | last=Thomas | first=Thomas | date=August 1, 2011 | title=The Film Analysis Handbook | page=158 | publisher=Insight Publications | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Wo02cUM3ce8C&pg=PT169 | isbn=978-1-920-69377-0 }}</ref> ''Alien Quadrilogy'' contains a documentary called ''One Step Beyond: The Making of Alien Resurrection'', featuring over two hours of footage relating to pre-production, production, post-production, [[screen test]]s, concept art, and [[audio commentary]] by the cast and crew. ''Alien Resurrection – Collector's Edition'', which also includes ''One Step Beyond: The Making of Alien Resurrection'', was released on January 6, 2004.<ref>{{cite web|title=Blu-ray.com - Alien Resurrection DVD (US)|url=http://www.blu-ray.com/dvd/Alien-Resurrection-DVD/2989/|access-date=2019-05-05|archive-date=May 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505105229/https://www.blu-ray.com/dvd/Alien-Resurrection-DVD/2989/|url-status=live}}</ref>

==Reception==
===Box office===
''Alien Resurrection'' opened in France on November 12, 1997, on 507 screens and had over 1 million admissions for the week with a gross of $6,754,530, finishing at the top of the French box office.<ref>{{cite magazine|title=France Top 15|magazine=[[Screen International]]|date=28 November 1997|page=39}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=French friendly towards fourth Alien|magazine=[[Screen International]]|date=28 November 1997|page=40|first=Francoise|last=Meaux Saint Marc}}</ref> The film was released in the United States and Canada on November 26.<ref name="The Two Hollywoods; Harry Knowles Is Always Listening">{{cite news|title=The Two Hollywoods; Harry Knowles Is Always Listening|author=Weinraub, Bernard|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=1997-11-16|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/16/magazine/the-two-hollywoods-harry-knowles-is-always-listening.html?sq=Alien+Resurrection&scp=23&st=nyt|access-date=2008-01-31|archive-date=July 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180727131813/https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/16/magazine/the-two-hollywoods-harry-knowles-is-always-listening.html?sq=Alien+Resurrection&scp=23&st=nyt|url-status=live}}</ref> Debuting at number two at the box office behind ''[[Flubber (film)|Flubber]]'', ''Alien Resurrection'' grossed $25&nbsp;million in its first five days—$16&nbsp;million over the weekend, for an average of $6,821 per 2,415 theaters. The film went on to gross $47.8&nbsp;million in the United States and Canada, making it the lowest-grossing installment of the ''Alien'' series in that market. It was well received internationally, however, with a gross of $113.6&nbsp;million, bringing its total gross to $161.4&nbsp;million.<ref name="Alien Resurrection gross">{{cite web|title=''Alien Resurrection'' (1997)|website=Box Office Mojo|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=alienresurrection.htm|access-date=2008-01-23|archive-date=February 26, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190226161536/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/movies/?id=alienresurrection.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> It was the 43rd-highest-grossing film in the United States and Canada in 1997.<ref name="1997 Domestic Gross">{{cite web|title=1997 Domestic Gross|website=Box Office Mojo|url=https://boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=1997&p=.htm|access-date=2008-01-29|archive-date=July 29, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190729055306/https://www.boxofficemojo.com/yearly/chart/?yr=1997&p=.htm|url-status=live}}</ref>

In the UK, ''Alien Resurrection'' beat out ''[[The Full Monty]]'' to reach the number one spot, collecting $4.4 million during its opening weekend.<ref name="JapanForce">{{Cite news |last=Woods |first=Mark |date=December 1, 1997 |title='Force' takes Japan |work=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |url=https://variety.com/1997/film/box-office/force-takes-japan-1116678016/ |access-date=October 14, 2024 }}</ref> It surpassed ''[[Bram Stoker's Dracula (1992 film)|Bram Stoker's Dracula]]'' for having the highest opening weekend for an [[18 (British Board of Film Classification)|18 certificate]] film, a record held until the release of ''[[American Beauty (1999 film)|American Beauty]]'' in 2000.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.screendaily.com/uk-audiences-devour-hannibal/405062.article|title=UK audiences devour Hannibal}}</ref> The film also had the second-highest opening for a 20th Century Fox film in Spain, behind ''[[Independence Day (1996 film)|Independence Day]]''.<ref name="JapanForce" />

===Critical response===
[[File:Sigourney Weaver.jpg|thumb|right|180px|Weaver's performance as Ripley was widely praised by critics.]]
{{RT data|as of|y|m}}, 55% of the {{RT data|count}} reviews compiled by [[Rotten Tomatoes]] are positive, and have an average rating of {{RT data|average}}. The website's critical consensus reads, "While Sigourney Weaver's feral performance as a resurrected Ripley restores some fun to the ''Alien'' franchise, the acid blood running through this fourth entry's veins corrodes whatever emotional investment audiences had left."<ref>{{cite Rotten Tomatoes |id=alien_resurrection|title=Alien Resurrection (1997) |type=m |access-date={{RT data|access date}}|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200925205124/https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/alien_resurrection|archive-date=September 25, 2020|url-status=live}}{{RT data|edit}}</ref> [[Metacritic]] assigned the film a score of 63 out of 100, based on 21 reviews, indicating "generally favorable" reviews.<ref name="MetaCritic">{{cite Metacritic |id=alien-resurrection |title=Alien Resurrection Reviews |type=m |access-date=March 5, 2018 |archive-date=May 8, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180508103735/http://www.metacritic.com/movie/alien-resurrection|url-status=live}}</ref> Audiences polled by [[CinemaScore]] gave the film an average grade of "B−" on an A+ to F scale.<ref name="CinemaScore">{{cite web |url=https://www.cinemascore.com/ |title=CinemaScore |publisher=[[CinemaScore]] |access-date=April 13, 2022 |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20220413083139/https://www.cinemascore.com/ |archive-date=April 13, 2022 |url-status=live }}</ref>

[[Lisa Schwarzbaum]] from ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' gave the film "B+" and stated "By rocketing ahead 200 years from the previous film and jiggering the story cleverly [...] to create a Ripley reconstructed through a mix of human and alien DNA, ''Alien Resurrection'' power-kicks the whole definition of the Horrifying Other into a fresh, deep, exhilaratingly thoughtful, millennium-sensitive direction".<ref>{{Cite magazine|last=Schwarzbaum|first=Lisa|date=December 5, 1997|title=Alien Resurrection|magazine=Entertainment Weekly|pages=47}}</ref> ''[[Radio Times]]'''s [[Alan Jones (film critic)|Alan Jones]] described the film as "tense, mordantly funny, very graphic, and bloody", and praised Weaver in a four out of five stars review.<ref>{{cite web|title=Alien: Resurrection – review|author=Jones, Alan|work=Radio Times|url=https://www.radiotimes.com/film/6nbh/alien-resurrection-(1997/|access-date=May 6, 2019|archive-date=May 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506194519/https://www.radiotimes.com/film/6nbh/alien-resurrection-(1997/|url-status=live}}</ref> ''[[Houston Chronicle]]'' editor Louis B. Parks said "The film is a marvel, a well-photographed feast of visual imagery",<ref name="Ripley's back, stronger than ever">{{cite web|title=Ripley's back, stronger than ever|author=Parks, Louis|work=Houston Chronicle|url=http://www.chron.com/cgi-bin/auth/story/content/chronicle/ae/movies/reviews/1126alien4.html|access-date=2008-01-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060721170225/http://www.chron.com/cgi-bin/auth/story/content/chronicle/ae/movies/reviews/1126alien4.html |archive-date=July 21, 2006}}</ref> while [[Richard Schickel]] of ''[[Time (magazine)|Time]]'' wrote that it was "Less frightening, but as much fun as ever".<ref name="Alien Resurrection TIME">{{cite magazine|title=''Alien Resurrection'' – ''Time'' review|author=Schickel, Richard|magazine=Time|url=http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,987471,00.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071210145515/http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,987471,00.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=December 10, 2007|access-date=2008-01-26|date=1997-12-01}}</ref> ''[[The Washington Post]]'' contributor [[Desson Thomson]] felt it "satisfactorily recycles the great surprises that made the first movie so powerful. And most significantly, it makes a big hoot of the whole business".<ref name="Alien Resurrection: She Lives">{{cite news|title=''Alien Resurrection'': She Lives|author=Howe, Desson|newspaper=The Washington Post|date=1997-11-28|url=https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/alienresurrectionhowe.htm|access-date=2008-01-26|archive-date=August 17, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170817034415/http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/alienresurrectionhowe.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Andrew Johnston (critic)|Andrew Johnston]] commented in ''[[Time Out (magazine)|Time Out New York]]'' that "If Ripley, Call, and the pirates had been developed further, the film might have been as involving as James Cameron's ''Aliens'', the gold-standard of the series. The film's Techno-Gothic look is gorgeously immersive, however, and Jeunet turns in a number of original (and grotesque) effects sequences that are worth the price of admission".<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Johnston|first=Andrew|date=November 27, 1997|title=Alien Resurrection|journal=Time Out New York}}</ref> ''[[Salon (website)|Salon]]''′s [[Laura Miller (writer)|Laura Miller]] noted "Weaver obviously relishes playing this feral, sarcastic new Ripley, and her pleasure is infectious".<ref>{{cite web|title=Return of the vagina dentata from outer space!|author=Miller, Laura|work=Salon.com|date=November 26, 1997|url=https://www.salon.com/ent/movies/1997/11/26alien.html|access-date=May 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120416004704/https://www.salon.com/ent/movies/1997/11/26alien.html|archive-date=April 16, 2012|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}</ref> ''[[Rolling Stone]]'' critic [[Peter Travers]]'s review was mostly positive, writing that the film "is sometimes glib and repetitive, but it stays worthy of its predecessors by staying close to its two battered heroines".<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Alien: Resurrection – Rolling Stone|author=Travers, Peter|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=November 26, 1997|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-reviews/alien-resurrection-247893/|access-date=May 6, 2019|archive-date=May 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506194522/https://www.rollingstone.com/movies/movie-reviews/alien-resurrection-247893/|url-status=live}}</ref>

''[[TV Guide]]'' magazine's [[Maitland McDonagh]] wrote in her mixed review, "The plot is more of the same old running and screaming, but Weaver is worth the price of admission all by herself, which is just as well in light of the less-than-fleshed-out characters by whom she's surrounded."<ref>{{cite web|title=Alien Resurrection - Movie Reviews and Movie Ratings|author=McDonagh, Maitland|work=TV Guide Magazine|url=https://www.tvguide.com/movies/alien-resurrection/review/132384/|access-date=May 5, 2019|archive-date=May 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505202158/https://www.tvguide.com/movies/alien-resurrection/review/132384/|url-status=live}}</ref> Gary Thompson of ''[[Philadelphia Daily News]]'' gave it a "C", describing it as "a walking-zombie sequel that looks and smells like a corpse brought back from the dead."<ref>{{cite news |last=Thompson |first=Gary |url=https://www.newspapers.com/article/philadelphia-daily-news-alien-resurrect/150066586/ |title=Send 'Resurrection' back to the grave
|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250422132609/https://www.newspapers.com/article/philadelphia-daily-news-alien-resurrect/150066586/ |date=November 26, 1997 |access-date=April 22, 2025 |archive-date=April 22, 2025 |page=42 |work=Daily News Movie Critic |publisher=[[Philadelphia Daily News]] |via=[[Newspapers.com]] |url-status=live}} {{Open access}}</ref> [[James Berardinelli]] also gave a mixed review at ''[[ReelViews]]'' by writing "If you consider ''Alien'' and ''Aliens'' to be the main course, then ''Alien Resurrection'' is leftovers".<ref>{{cite web|title=Alien Resurrection {{!}} Reelviews Movie Reviews|author=Berardinelli, James|work=ReelViews|url=http://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/alien-resurrection|access-date=May 6, 2019|archive-date=May 6, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190506194520/http://www.reelviews.net/reelviews/alien-resurrection|url-status=live}}</ref> Jeffery Overstreet of ''Looking closer'' rated the film "C+" and commented "What began as the most menacing movie monster of all has evolved into a whining oaf that looks like it's been dipped in a vat of [[Cream of Wheat]]".<ref name="Alien Resurrection LC">{{cite web|title=''Alien Resurrection'' Jeffrey Overstreet|author=Overstreet, Jeffery|publisher=Looking Closer|url=http://lookingcloser.org/movie%20reviews/quickglancesA-G.htm#Alien%20Resurrection|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20050520111954/http://lookingcloser.org/movie%20reviews/quickglancesA-G.htm|url-status=dead|archive-date=2005-05-20|access-date=2008-01-24}}</ref> [[Janet Maslin]] from ''[[The New York Times]]'' reported "The filmmaker's ghoulishly fecund imagination makes this tale ... so murky that even the screen's toughest woman-warrior remains largely stuck in the mud."<ref>{{cite web|title=FILM REVIEW; Ripley, believe it or not, has a Secret, and it's not pretty|author=Maslin, Janet|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/26/movies/film-review-ripley-believe-it-or-not-has-a-secret-and-it-s-not-pretty.html|date=November 26, 1997|access-date=May 5, 2019|archive-date=May 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190505203444/https://www.nytimes.com/1997/11/26/movies/film-review-ripley-believe-it-or-not-has-a-secret-and-it-s-not-pretty.html|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Roger Ebert]] of the ''[[Chicago Sun-Times]]'' gave the film a negative review, stating "There is not a single shot in the movie to fill one with wonder", {{failed verification span|text=later naming it one of the worst films of 1997.|date=January 2025}}<ref name="Alien Resurrection RE">{{cite web|title=Alien Resurrection Roger Ebert review|author=Ebert, Roger|work=Chicago Sun-Times|date=1997-11-26|url=http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19971126/REVIEWS/711260301/1023|access-date=2008-01-24|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071226235853/http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F19971126%2FREVIEWS%2F711260301%2F1023|archive-date=26 December 2007|url-status=live
}}</ref>

Screenwriter [[Joss Whedon]] was unhappy with the final product, remarking that it closely followed his script but was poorly executed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.bullz-eye.com/mguide/interviews/2005/joss_whedon.htm|title=Joss Whedon on ''Alien Resurrection''|publisher=Bullz-eye.com|access-date=2006-12-15 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061111075942/http://www.bullz-eye.com/mguide/interviews/2005/joss_whedon.htm|archive-date=11 November 2006 <!--DASHBot-->|url-status=live}}</ref> Conversely, [[H. R. Giger]], designer of the original Alien, was pleased with ''Resurrection'', describing it as an "excellent film", but was disappointed about not being credited.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.hrgiger.com/alien4-press.htm|title=More Press Reaction|publisher=HRGiger.com|access-date=17 June 2012|archive-date=November 14, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121114231759/http://www.hrgiger.com/alien4-press.htm|url-status=live}}</ref> For the 25th anniversary of ''Alien Resurrection'', Director Jean-Pierre Jeunet watched a 35 mm print of the film: "I was a little bit concerned to watch my film – maybe I won't like it?" he says. "No, it was great! I have a lot of shots that I love. For the people who don't like it, I can say, 'f*** you!'"<ref name="independent2024">{{Cite web |url=https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/alien-resurrection-interview-joss-whedon-jean-pierre-jeunet-b2212720.html |publisher=Independent|date= October 29, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240228015451/https://www.independent.co.uk/arts-entertainment/films/features/alien-resurrection-interview-joss-whedon-jean-pierre-jeunet-b2212720.html |archive-date=February 28, 2024 |title=Jean-Pierre Jeunet on Alien Resurrection, 25 years on}}</ref>

===Accolades===
{{main|List of accolades received by the Alien film series#Alien Resurrection|l1=List of accolades received by the ''Alien'' film series § ''Alien Resurrection''}}

==Other media==
===Book===
To coincide with the release of the film, a book titled ''Making of Alien Resurrection'' was released on November 28, 1997.{{citation needed|date=January 2025}}

===Novelization===
A [[novelization]] of the film by [[Ann C. Crispin|A.C. Crispin]] released on December 1, 1997.<ref name="Making of Alien Resurrection">{{cite book|title=''Making of Alien Resurrection''|author=Andrew Murdock|date=November 28, 1997|publisher=HarperCollins |isbn=0061053783}}</ref>{{page needed|date=January 2025}}<ref name="Alien Resurrection - The Novelization">{{cite book|title=''Alien Resurrection – The Novelization''|author=A. C. Crispin|date=December 1997|publisher=Grand Central |isbn=0446602299}}</ref>

===Comic books===
[[Dark Horse Comics]] also published a two-issue [[comic book]] adaptation.<ref>{{Cite comic|Writer=Jim Vance|Artist=[[Eduardo Risso]]|Title=Alien Resurrection|Issue= 1–2|Date=October – November 1997|Publisher=[[Dark Horse Comics]]}}</ref>{{Independent source inline|date=January 2025|reason=Notability of a comic book adaptation requires a third-party source, not the item itself.}}

===Video game===
A video game ''[[Alien Resurrection (video game)|Alien Resurrection]]'' for the [[PlayStation (console)|PlayStation]] was released in 2000, developed by [[Argonaut Games]].<ref name=eurogamer/>

== Sequel ==
{{Main|Alien: Romulus}}
[[Joss Whedon]] had written an Earth-set script for ''Alien 5'', but Sigourney Weaver was not interested in this setting and sought to return the story to the planetoid from the first film. Weaver has remained open to a role in a fifth installment on the condition that she likes the story.<ref>{{cite web |author=Larry Carroll |title=Will Ripley Rise Again? |work=[[MTV]] Movies Blog |date=2009-02-20 |url=http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/02/20/will-ripley-rise-again-sigourney-weaver-on-alien-saga-i-just-dont-feel-that-its-quite-finished/ |access-date=2009-02-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090225204425/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2009/02/20/will-ripley-rise-again-sigourney-weaver-on-alien-saga-i-just-dont-feel-that-its-quite-finished/ |archive-date= 25 February 2009 <!--DASHBot-->| url-status=dead}}</ref> Before 20th Century Fox [[Greenlight|greenlit]] ''[[Alien vs. Predator (film)|Alien vs. Predator]]'', [[James Cameron]] had been collaborating on the plot for a fifth ''Alien'' film with another writer. Learning of Fox's plans for a crossover, he ceased work on his concept. Before he saw the film, Cameron had stated that it would "kill the validity of the franchise", and that "it was ''[[Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man|Frankenstein Meets Werewolf]]''"—like "[[Universal Pictures|Universal]] just taking their assets and starting to play them off against each other". Although he later admitted to liking ''Alien vs. Predator'', Cameron ruled out any future involvement with the series.<ref>{{cite web|last=Vespe|first =Eric "Quint"|title =Holy Crap! Quint interviews James Cameron!!!|work =[[Ain't It Cool News]]|date=2006-02-07|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20060219012748/http://aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=22405|archive-date=2006-02-19|url=http://aintitcool.com/display.cgi?id=22405}}</ref>

In a 2002 interview, Ridley Scott stated that a new ''Alien'' project "would be a lot of fun", but that "the most important thing was to get the story right". Scott's concept for the plot was "to go back to where the alien creatures were first found and explain how they were created".<ref>{{cite web |title=''Alien'' vs. ''Predator'': Battle of the Sequels |author=Davidson, Paul |website=IGN |date=2002-01-23 |url=http://au.movies.ign.com/articles/317/317700p1.html |access-date=2008-01-14 |archive-date=December 10, 2008 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20081210154229/http://au.movies.ign.com/articles/317/317700p1.html |url-status=live }}</ref> In late 2008, Weaver hinted in an interview with [[MTV]] that she and Scott were working on an ''Alien'' spinoff film, which would focus on the chronicles of [[Ellen Ripley]] rather than on the Aliens, but the continuation of Ripley's story has not materialized.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/12/05/sigourney-weaver-and-ridley-scott-to-team-up-for-alien-less-alien-sequel/ |title=Sigourney Weaver And Ridley Scott To Team Up For Alien-Less 'Alien' Sequel? |publisher=Moviesblog.mtv.com |date=2008-12-05 |access-date=2009-03-02 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090216052742/http://moviesblog.mtv.com/2008/12/05/sigourney-weaver-and-ridley-scott-to-team-up-for-alien-less-alien-sequel/ |archive-date=16 February 2009 |url-status=dead}}</ref> Instead, ''[[Prometheus (2012 film)|Prometheus]]'' was released on June 8, 2012. A sequel to ''Prometheus'', titled ''[[Alien: Covenant]]'', was released on May 19, 2017.<ref name="auto">{{cite news|last1=Chitwood|first1=Adam|title='Prometheus' Sequel Gets Release Date and Synopsis, But Where's Noomi Rapace?|url=https://collider.com/prometheus-2-release-date-synopsis-noomi-rapace/|access-date=November 16, 2015|work=Collider|date=November 16, 2015|archive-date=November 17, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20151117152523/http://collider.com/prometheus-2-release-date-synopsis-noomi-rapace/|url-status=live}}</ref>

At the 2014 Hero Complex Film Festival, Sigourney Weaver hinted that she would be interested in returning to the role of Ripley, saying: "Had we done a fifth one, I don't doubt that her humanity would have prevailed. I do feel like there is more story to tell. I feel a longing from fans for the story to be finished. I could imagine a situation where we finish telling the story."<ref>{{cite AV media|url=http://hwcdn.libsyn.com/p/2/5/e/25e662285126a914/SigourneyWeaverHeroComplexFilmFestQandA.mp3?c_id=7563465&expiration=1468011045&hwt=e07b8588f8c3945139f1f2916fbf1382|title=Sigourney Weaver Hero Complex Film Fest Q&A|publisher=The Q&A with Jeff Goldsmith|access-date=May 5, 2019|people=Jeff Goldsmith, Sigourney Weaver|year=2014}}{{Dead link|date=August 2024 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref> She was quoted: "I don't think ''Alien'' belongs on Earth popping out of a haystack, which is where I was afraid it was going to go. I feel it should take place in the far reaches of the universe where no one in their right mind would go. There are very few filmmakers that I can think of that I would want to entrust this to."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jun/03/sigourney-weaver-alien-sequel|title=Sigourney Weaver on Alien sequel: 'There's more story to tell'|first=Ben|last=Beaumont-Thomas|date=June 3, 2014|website=the Guardian|access-date=January 18, 2018|archive-date=July 8, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170708095230/https://www.theguardian.com/film/2014/jun/03/sigourney-weaver-alien-sequel|url-status=live}}</ref>

In 2017, 20th Century Fox was rumored to be reassessing the state of the franchise after the lukewarm reception to ''Covenant'', although they have not released an official statement to that effect. According to [[Collider (website)|Collider.com]], there will be only one additional prequel film before a soft-reboot is made to the ''Alien'' universe consisting of a new series of ''Alien'' films with brand-new, original characters as well as a new setting.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://collider.com/alien-covenant-2-status-fox-ridley-scott/|title=Fox Reportedly "Reassessing" Future of the 'Alien' Franchise in Wake of 'Alien: Covenant'|date=21 July 2017|website=Collider.com|access-date=January 18, 2018|archive-date=November 23, 2017|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20171123024030/http://collider.com/alien-covenant-2-status-fox-ridley-scott/|url-status=live}}</ref> At the 2019 [[National Association of Theatre Owners|CinemaCon]], following [[Acquisition of 21st Century Fox by Disney|The Walt Disney Company's acquisition of 21st Century Fox]], it was officially confirmed that future ''Alien'' films were currently in development.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/new-avengers-endgame-scene-shows-captain-marvel-joining-team-1199385|title=New 'Avengers: Endgame' Footage Hits CinemaCon|website=The Hollywood Reporter|date=April 3, 2019|language=en|access-date=2019-04-28|archive-date=April 15, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200415224422/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/heat-vision/new-avengers-endgame-scene-shows-captain-marvel-joining-team-1199385|url-status=live}}</ref> [[Fede Álvarez]] would be writing and directing the film, which was now titled ''[[Alien: Romulus]]''.<ref>{{cite web |last=Kit |first=Borys |title=New ''Alien'' Movie in the Works With ''Don't Breathe'' Filmmaker Fede Álvarez (Exclusive) |url=https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/alien-movie-fede-alvarez-20th-century-studios-1235037155/ |website=[[The Hollywood Reporter]] |access-date=4 March 2022 |date=4 March 2022 |archive-date=September 3, 2022 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220903040732/https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/movies/movie-news/alien-movie-fede-alvarez-20th-century-studios-1235037155/ |url-status=live }}</ref> The film, which is set between ''Alien'' (1979) and ''Aliens'' (1986),<ref>{{Cite web |last=Murphy |first=J. Kim |date=2023-11-28 |title=''Alien: Romulus'' Star Cailee Spaeny Confirms New Entry Is Set Between the First Two Films |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/alien-romulus-set-between-first-two-cailee-spaeny-1235810521/ |access-date=2023-11-28 |website=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]]}}</ref> was released on August 16, 2024.<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Rubin |first1=Rebecca |title=Disney Dates New ''Star Wars'' Movie, Shifts ''Deadpool 3'' and Entire Marvel Slate, Delays ''Avatar'' Sequels Through 2031 |url=https://variety.com/2023/film/news/disney-star-wars-delays-marvel-avatar-sequel-release-dates-1235642363/ |magazine=[[Variety (magazine)|Variety]] |publisher=[[Penske Media Corporation]] |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20230613180641/https://variety.com/2023/film/news/disney-star-wars-delays-marvel-avatar-sequel-release-dates-1235642363/ |archive-date=June 13, 2023 |date=June 13, 2023 |url-status=live |access-date=June 13, 2023 }}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of films featuring extraterrestrials]]
* [[List of monster movies]]
* [[List of underwater science fiction works]]

==Notes==
{{Notelist}}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==Further reading==
{{refbegin}}
* {{cite book |last1=Gallardo-C. |first1=Ximena |first2=C. Jason |last2=Smith |year=2004 |title=Alien Woman: The Making of Lt. Ellen Ripley |publisher=Continuum |isbn=0-8264-1569-5 |ref=none}}
{{refend}}

==External links==
{{Commons category}}
{{Wikiquote}}
* {{IMDb title|id=0118583}}
* {{mojo title|id=alienresurrection}}
* {{Rotten-tomatoes|id=alien_resurrection}}

{{Alien (franchise)}}
{{Jean-Pierre Jeunet}}
{{Joss Whedon}}
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