12 Facts About the Alien Franchise That the Average Person Might Not Be Aware Of

      In celebration of FX’s Alien: Earth, here are 12 aspects of the Alien franchise that a typical person might be unaware of.

      Since Ridley Scott’s 1979 film Alien, featuring Sigourney Weaver as Ripley, a member of the Nostromo crew battling a terrifying creature, xenomorphs have been frightening audiences for nearly fifty years.

      With nine films to date, spanning sequels, prequels, and spinoffs, including Hulu’s Alien: Earth, the Alien franchise continues to inspire both fear and fanaticism. Alien enthusiasts are incredibly passionate, thoroughly familiar with the intricate details of the decaying yet futuristic universe.

      However, for those who are not hardcore fans of Alien, here are 12 details that might not be familiar to you.

      David Took Inspiration from Rachel in Blade Runner

      Credit: Warner Bros

      David (Michael Fassbender), the android character in Ridley Scott’s recent Alien prequels, Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, draws inspiration from a character in one of Scott’s other movies, 1982’s Blade Runner. He revealed to Slashfilm in 2012 that the replicant Rachel, played by Sean Young, influenced his portrayal.

      “There was a quality in her character that resonated with me for David,” Fassbender shared. “This sense of yearning for something or a soul, along with an element of vacancy.”

      Another Surprising Connection Between Alien and Blade Runner

      Credit: 20th Century Fox

      Alien and Blade Runner might exist within the same universe.

      In a bonus feature for Alien, the dossier for the USCSS Nostromo includes credentials for Dallas (Tom Skerritt), which reference the Tyrell Corporation — the company responsible for the replicants in Blade Runner.

      Scott has always mentioned that the films share visual connections, but this bonus feature further deepens that bond, regardless of its canonicity.

      Artist Francis Bacon Was a Source of Inspiration for the Xenomorph

      A partial image of Francis Bacon’s 1933 Crucifixion.

      Dublin-born artist Francis Bacon was known for his intense body horror art. Both Scott and the designer of the Xenomorph, H.R. Giger, were inspired by his striking yet unsettling paintings.

      Many perceive a similarity between the gangly and eerie figure in Bacon’s 1933 work Crucifixion and the alien portrayed in Giger’s celebrated extraterrestrial design.

      “We decided the creature should be blind and possess an impressive set of teeth — similar to the details seen in Francis Bacon’s Crucifixion triptych,” Giger is quoted in his obituary in The Guardian. “It was Bacon’s artwork that inspired the idea of this thing erupting from a man's flesh with its gaping mouth, grasping, and with a burst of teeth… it’s pure Bacon.”

      The Contents of the Eggs Were Made with Seafood and Meat

      Credit: 20th Century Fox

      In the original film, the eggs that produce the facehuggers were constructed from a combination of cow organs, clams, and oysters.

      “Back then, prosthetics were not very advanced,” Scott explained to The Guardian. “I figured that the best approach was to source materials from a butcher and a fishmonger. Nothing can top that. It’s all organic.”

      Scott’s gloved hand is what animates the facehugger inside the egg.

      We decided to feature the more appealing image of Sigourney Weaver as Ripley above, as the sight of the eggs might not pass the filters of some syndication partners focused on blocking images akin to what one would find at a butcher or fish market.

      Composer Jerry Goldsmith Found Alien Unpleasant

      Credit: 20th Century Fox

      Jerry Goldsmith’s thrilling score masterfully invokes fear. Ridley Scott’s use of silence, combined with Goldsmith’s lyrical approach to horror, creates an auditory experience as distinctive as the groundbreaking visuals.

      However, Goldsmith mentioned to the Los Angeles Reader that working on Alien was “one of the most miserable experiences I’ve ever had in this profession.”

      He was unhappy with how his score was edited and rearranged for the final cut of the film. Goldsmith felt disheartened, especially when his end credits theme was discarded.

      James Cameron Did Not Always Get Along with Some Members of the Aliens Crew

      Credit: 20th Century Fox

      The behind-the-scenes content for the 1986 sequel Aliens provides an unvarnished glimpse for fans.

      Creative conflicts and personality clashes are openly portrayed in director Charles de Lauzirika’s Superior Firepower: The Making of Aliens.

      This feature-length documentary offers a fly-on-the-wall perspective showcasing James Cameron and the English crew clashing at Pinewood Studios.

      During work hours, tea time interrupts, leaving posts unattended. Cameron is left frustrated, pondering the disappearance of the crew loyal to Ridley Scott. This was merely one of the many struggles encountered during the production of Aliens.

      It Required Over a Dozen Artists to