Alien vs. Predator
Directed by	Paul W.S. Anderson
Produced by	Gordon Carroll John Davis David Giler Walter Hill
Written by	Story: Paul W. S. Anderson Dan O'Bannon Ronald Shusett Screenplay: Paul W.S. Anderson
Starring	Sanaa Lathan Lance Henriksen Raoul Bova Ewen Bremner Colin Salmon
Music by	Harald Kloser
Editing by	Alex Berner
Distributed by	20th Century Fox
Release date(s)	August 13, 2004
Running time	Theatrical cut: 101 min. Unrated edition: 108 min.
Language	English
Budget	$60 million (Production)[1]
Gross revenue	$171,251,996
Preceded by	Alien Resurrection Predator 2
Followed by	Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem
Allmovie profile
IMDb profile

Alien vs. Predator (also known as AVP) is a science fiction film released in 2004 by 20th Century Fox. It is an adaptation of a crossover franchise between the titular extraterrestrials from the Alien and Predator series, a concept which originated in a 1989 comic book. An Alien vs. Predator film was put on hiatus until 2002, with the final production based on a story written by Dan O'Bannon, Ronald Shusett, and director Paul W. S. Anderson, and a screenplay by Anderson and Shane Salerno which was influenced by Aztec mythology, the comic book series, and the writings of Erich von Däniken. Download high resolution version (485x719, 109 KB)© 2004 Twentieth Century Fox This work is copyrighted. ... Paul William Scott Anderson (Born: March 4, 1965 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, United Kingdom-) is a British filmmaker, producer and screenwriter. ... John Davis is an American film producer and founder of Davis Entertainment. ... Walter Hill (born January 10, 1942 in California) is a prominent American film director, who is known in particular for his revival of the Western. ... For other persons named Paula Anderson, see Paula Anderson (disambiguation). ... Dan OBannon (born Daniel Thomas OBannon on September 30, 1946 in St. ... Sanaa McCoy Lathan (born September 19, 1971) is a Tony Award-nominated American actress. ... Lance Henriksen (born May 5, 1940) is an American actor, painter, and potter. ... Raoul Bova (born 14 August 1971 Rome, Italy) is an Italian actor. ... Ewen Bremner (b. ... Colin Salmon (1962) is an English actor best known for playing the fictional character Charles Robinson in three James Bond films. ... Twentieth (20th) Century Fox Film Corporation (known from 1935 to 1985 as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation) is one of the six major American film studios. ... is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The English language is a West Germanic language that originates in England. ... Film poster Alien: Resurrection Alien: Resurrection (1997) is the fourth movie in the Alien series, preceded by Alien, Aliens and Alien³. Synopsis Spoiler warning: Alien: Resurrection takes place 200 years after the events of Alien³. Ellen Ripley has been cloned using blood samples from Fiorina 161, on ice so that... Predator 2 is a 1990 science fiction horror film starring Danny Glover and Gary Busey. ... Science fiction film is a film genre that uses speculative, science-based depictions of imaginary phenomena such as extra-terrestrial lifeforms, alien worlds, and time travel, often along with technological elements such as futuristic spacecraft, robots, or other technologies. ... Twentieth (20th) Century Fox Film Corporation (known from 1935 to 1985 as Twentieth Century-Fox Film Corporation) is one of the six major American film studios. ... It has been suggested that Gaming crossovers be merged into this article or section. ... Comic book series Film version of Alien vs. ... comic book cover for story Booty Aliens versus Predator comics are part of the crossover franchise, most recently published by Dark Horse Comics. ... Dan OBannon (born Daniel Thomas OBannon on September 30, 1946 in St. ... For other persons named Paula Anderson, see Paula Anderson (disambiguation). ... Sample from a screenplay, showing dialogue and action descriptions. ... Shane Salerno Shane Salerno (b. ... The Aztec civilization recognized a polytheistic mythology, which contained the many gods (over 100) and supernatural creatures from their religious beliefs. ... Erich Anton Paul von Däniken (b. ...

Set in 2004, Alien vs. Predator follows a group of paleontologists, archaeologists, and others assembled by billionaire Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen) for an expedition near the Antarctic after discovering a mysterious heat signal. Hoping to claim the find for himself, Weyland and the group discover a pyramid below the surface of a whaling station. Hieroglyphics and sculptures reveal that the pyramid is a hunting ground for Predators who kill Aliens as a rite of passage. The humans are caught in the middle of a battle between the two species and attempt to prevent the Aliens reaching the surface. A paleontologist carefully chips rock from a column of dinosaur vertebrae. ... Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... Lance Henriksen (born May 5, 1940) is an American actor, painter, and potter. ... Hieroglyphs are a system of writing used by the Ancient Egyptians, using a combination of logographic, syllabic, and alphabetic elements. ... The Predator aliens are a fictional extraterrestrial species featured in the Predator science-fiction franchise, characterised by their trophy hunting of other dangerous species for sport, including humans and Aliens. ... For other uses, see Rite of passage (disambiguation). ...

Released on August 13, 2004 in North America, Alien vs. Predator received mostly negative reviews from film critics. Some praised the special effects and set designs, while others dismissed the film for its "wooden dialogue", and "cardboard characters". Neverthless, Alien vs. Predator became the most commercially successful film in the franchises, grossing a total of $171 million. The film's success led to a sequel in 2007 titled Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ...

Plot

In 2004, a satellite detects a mysterious heat bloom beneath Bouvetøya, an island about one thousand miles north of Antarctica. Billionaire Charles Bishop Weyland (Lance Henriksen) assembles a team of scientists to investigate the heat source and claim it for his multinational communications company Weyland Industries. The team includes paleontologists, archaeologists, linguistic experts, drillers, mercenaries, and a female guide named Alexa Woods (Sanaa Lathan). Map of Bouvet Island Aerial photo Bouvet Island (Norwegian: Bouvetøya, also historically known as Liverpool Island or Lindsay Island) is an uninhabited sub-antarctic volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean, south-southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa). ... Bishop 341-B is a fictional character from the Alien series of films, an android created by the Weyland-Yutani corporation and played by Lance Henriksen. ... Lance Henriksen (born May 5, 1940) is an American actor, painter, and potter. ... A paleontologist carefully chips rock from a column of dinosaur vertebrae. ... Archaeology or sometimes in American English archeology (from the Greek words αρχαίος = ancient and λόγος = word/speech) is the study of human cultures through the recovery, documentation and analysis of material remains, including architecture, artefacts, biofacts, human remains, and landscapes. ... Sanaa McCoy Lathan (born September 19, 1971) is a Tony Award-nominated American actress. ...

As a Predator ship reaches Earth's orbit, it blasts a hole through the ice towards the source of the heat bloom. When the humans arrive at the site above the heat source, an abandoned whaling station, they find this hole and descend beneath the ice. They discover a mysterious pyramid and begin to explore it, finding evidence of a civilization predating written history and what appears to be a sacrificial chamber filled with human skeletons with ruptured rib cages. The Predator aliens are a fictional extraterrestrial species featured in the Predator science-fiction franchise, characterised by their trophy hunting of other dangerous species for sport, including humans and Aliens. ... The crew of the oceanographic research vessel Princesse Alice, of Albert Grimaldi (later Prince Albert I of Monaco) pose while flensing a catch. ... For other meanings, see pyramid (disambiguation). ... The human rib cage is a part of the human skeleton within the thoracic area. ...

Meanwhile, three Predators land and kill the humans on the surface, making their way down to the pyramid and arrive just as the team unwittingly powers up the structure. An Alien queen awakens from cryogenic stasis and begins to produce eggs, from which facehuggers hatch and attach to several humans trapped in the sacrificial chamber. Chestbursters emerge from the humans and quickly grow into adult Aliens. Conflicts erupt between the Predators, Aliens, and humans, resulting in several deaths. Unbeknownst to the others, a Predator is implanted with an Alien embryo. Cryopreservation of plant shoots. ...

Through translation of the pyramid's hieroglyphs the explorers learn that the Predators have been visiting Earth for thousands of years. It was they who taught early human civilizations how to build pyramids, and were worshipped as gods. Every 100 years they would visit Earth to take part in a rite of passage in which several humans would sacrifice themselves as hosts for the Aliens, creating the "ultimate prey" for the Predators to hunt. If overwhelmed, the Predators would activate their self-destruct weapons to eliminate the Aliens and themselves. The explorers deduce that this is why the current Predators are at the pyramid, and that the heat bloom was to attract humans for the purpose of making new Aliens to hunt. A section of the Papyrus of Ani showing cursive hieroglyphs. ... For other uses, see Rite of passage (disambiguation). ...

The remaining humans decide that the Predators must be allowed to succeed in their hunt so the Aliens do not reach the surface. As the battle continues most of the characters are killed, leaving only Alexa and a single Predator to fight against the Aliens. The two form an alliance and use the Predator’s self-destruct device to destroy the pyramid and the remaining Aliens. Alexa and the Predator reach the surface, where they battle the escaped Alien queen. They defeat the queen by attaching its chain to a water tower and pushing it over a cliff into the water, dragging the queen to the ocean floor. The Predator, however, dies from its wounds.

A Predator ship uncloaks and several Predators appear. They collect their fallen comrade and present Alexa with one of their spear weapons in recognition of her skill as a warrior. As they retreat into space, a chestburster erupts from the dead Predator. It appears to be an Alien/Predator hybrid, as it has the characteristic mandibles of both creatures. A Klingon Bird of Prey from Star Trek VI: The Undiscovered Country fires while using a cloaking device In several science fiction universes, a cloaking device is an advanced stealth system which causes a spaceship or individual to be invisible and extremely difficult to detect with normal sensors. ... The mandible (from Latin mandibÅ­la, jawbone) or inferior maxillary bone is, together with the maxilla, the largest and strongest bone of the face. ...

Cast

See also: List of characters in the Alien vs. Predator series

• Sanaa Lathan as Alexa Woods, the film's chief protagonist. Alexa is an experienced guide who spent several seasons exploring the Arctic and Antarctic environments. She is hired as the guide for a team of explorers and scientists that is sent by Weyland Industries to explore a pyramid beneath the ice of Bouvetøya.
• Lance Henriksen as Charles Bishop Weyland, the billionaire head of Weyland Industries. He organizes the exploration and funds the team to investigate the pyramid.
• Raoul Bova as Sebastian De Rosa, an archaeologist hired to be part of the exploration team. He is able to translate the pyramid's hieroglyphics.
• Ewen Bremner as Graeme Miller, a member of the exploration team.
• Colin Salmon as Maxwell Stafford, a member of the exploration team and assistant to Mr. Weyland. He tracks down Alexa and brings her to Antarctica so that Weyland can convince her to join the team.
• Tommy Flanagan as Mark Verheiden, a mercenary member of the exploration team.
• Joseph Rye as Joe Connors, a member of the exploration team.
• Agathe De La Boulaye as Adele Rousseau, a mercenary member of the exploration team.
• Carsten Norgaard as Rustin Quinn, a mercenary member of the exploration team.
• Sam Troughton as Thomas Parkes, a member of the exploration team.
• Ian Whyte as the Predator, one of the film's titular alien species. Three Predators come to Earth in order to create and hunt Aliens within the pyramid as a rite of passage. Whyte played the lead Predator, called "Scar" in the film's credits.
• Tom Woodruff, Jr. as the Alien, the other titular species of the film. Several Aliens attack the humans and Predators within the pyramid. The Alien played by Woodruff is listed in the film's credits as "Grid," after a grid-like wound received during the film.

Additional members of the exploration team were played by Petr Jákl (Stone), Pavel Bezdek (Bass), Kieran Bew (Klaus), Carsten Voigt (Mikkel), Jan Filipensky (Boris), and Adrian Bouchet (Sven). Sanaa McCoy Lathan (born September 19, 1971) is a Tony Award-nominated American actress. ... Lance Henriksen (born May 5, 1940) is an American actor, painter, and potter. ... Raoul Bova (born 14 August 1971 Rome, Italy) is an Italian actor. ... Ewen Bremner (b. ... Colin Salmon (1962) is an English actor best known for playing the fictional character Charles Robinson in three James Bond films. ... Tommy Flanagan, actor, (b. ... Agathe De La Boulaye is a French actress. ... Carsten Noorgard, (born 1963, Frederiksberg, Denmark, is an actor, beginning his career playing the enigmatic Dolpin Man in the 1988 film The Fruit Machine (1988), a/k/a Wonderland (USA). ... Sam Troughton is the son of David Troughton and the grandson of Patrick Troughton. ... Ian Whyte is a Welsh actor and stuntman born on September 17, 1971 and is known best for portraying almost all of the Predators in both Alien vs. ... Petr Jákl (born September 14, 1973) is a Czech actor. ... Pavel Bezdek is a Czech actor and stuntman. ... Kieran Bew is an English actor who comes from Hartlepool, England. ...

Production

Origins

The concept of Alien vs. Predator originated from the Aliens versus Predator comic book in 1989, and was hinted at when an Alien skull appeared in a trophy case aboard the Predator ship in Predator 2.^[2] Screenwriter Peter Briggs created the original spec screenplay in 1990–1991, which was based on the first comic series.^[2] In 1991, he successfully pitched the concept to 20th Century Fox, who owned the film franchises, although the company did not move forward with the project until 2002. A draft penned by James DeMonaco and Kevin Fox was rejected by producer John Davis, who hoped to give the film an original approach by setting it on Earth.^[3] comic book cover for story Booty Aliens versus Predator comics are part of the crossover franchise, most recently published by Dark Horse Comics. ... Predator 2 is a 1990 science fiction horror film starring Danny Glover and Gary Busey. ... Peter Briggs is a British screenwriter, responsible for many high-profile subjects, a number of which have suffered due to bad luck. Briggs hit the screenwriting scene in 1991 (after being a film cameraman for several years) with his ingenious Alien vs Predator screenplay, sold to 20th Century Fox. ... A screenplay or script is a blueprint for producing a motion picture. ... John Davis is an American film producer and founder of Davis Entertainment. ...

As there were six producers between the film franchises, Davis had difficulty securing the rights as the producers were worried about a film featuring the two creatures. Paul W.S. Anderson pitched Davis a story he worked on for eight years, and showed him concept art created by Randy Bowen.^[4] Impressed with Anderson's idea, Davis thought the story was like Jaws in that it "just drew you in, it drew you in".^[5] Anderson started to work on the film after completing the script for Resident Evil: Apocalypse, with Shane Salerno co-writing. Salerno spent six months writing the shooting script, finished its development, and stayed on for revisions throughout the film's production.^[6] Paul William Scott Anderson (Born: March 4, 1965 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, United Kingdom-) is a British filmmaker, producer and screenwriter. ... Randy Bowen (born December 2, 1961) is an American pop culture sculptor and the founder of Bowen Designs. ... Jaws is a 1975 thriller/horror film directed by Steven Spielberg, based on Peter Benchleys best-selling novel inspired by the Jersey Shore shark attacks of 1916. ... Resident Evil: Apocalypse is the sequel to the 2002 film Resident Evil from Screen Gems, written by Paul W. S. Anderson and directed by Alexander Witt. ... Shane Salerno Shane Salerno (b. ...

Story and setting

Influenced by the work of Erich von Däniken and Aztec mythology, Anderson had the Predators come to Earth in spaceships and teach humans how to build pyramids. As a result they were treated as gods.

Early reports claimed the story was about humans who tried to lure Predators with Alien eggs, although the idea was scrapped.^[7] Influenced by the work of Erich von Däniken, Anderson researched Däniken's theories on how he believed early civilizations were able to construct massive pyramids with the help of aliens, an idea drawn from Aztec mythology.^[8] Anderson wove these ideas into Alien vs. Predator, describing a scenario in which Predators taught ancient humans to build pyramids and used Earth for rite of passage rituals every 100 years in which they would hunt Aliens. To explain how these ancient civilizations "disappeared without a trace", Anderson came up with the idea that the Predators, if overwhelmed by the Aliens, would use their self-destruct weapons to kill everything in the area.^[8] H. P. Lovecraft's 1931 novella At the Mountains of Madness served as an inspiration for the film, and several elements of the Alien vs. Predator comic series were included.^[9][4] Anderson's initial script called for five Predators to appear in the film, although the number was later reduced to three.^[8] Erich Anton Paul von Däniken (b. ... The Aztec civilization recognized a polytheistic mythology, which contained the many gods (over 100) and supernatural creatures from their religious beliefs. ... Erich Anton Paul von Däniken (b. ... The Aztec civilization recognized a polytheistic mythology, which contained the many gods (over 100) and supernatural creatures from their religious beliefs. ... For other uses, see Rite of passage (disambiguation). ... This article is about the author. ... For the Simpsons episode, see Mountain of Madness. ...

As Alien vs. Predator is a sequel to the Predator films and prequel to the Alien series, Anderson was cautious of contradicting continuity in the franchises. He chose to set the film on the remote Norwegian Antarctic island of Bouvet commenting, "It's definitely the most hostile environment on Earth and probably the closest to an Alien surface you can get."^[10] Anderson thought that setting the film in an urban environment like New York City would break continuity with the Alien series as the protagonist, Ellen Ripley, had no knowledge the creatures existed. "You can't have an Alien running around the city now, because it would've been written up and everyone will know about it. So there's nothing in this movie that contradicts anything that already exists."^[10] For other uses, see Sequel (disambiguation). ... A prequel is a work that portrays events which include the structure, conventions, and/or characters of a previously completed narrative, but occur at an earlier time. ... Greek ἀνταρκτικός, opposite the arctic) is a continent surrounding the Earths South Pole. ... Map of Bouvet Island Aerial photo Bouvet Island (Norwegian: Bouvetøya, also historically known as Liverpool Island or Lindsay Island) is an uninhabited sub-antarctic volcanic island in the South Atlantic Ocean, south-southwest of the Cape of Good Hope (South Africa). ... Warrant Officer Ellen Ripley, played by Sigourney Weaver, is the protagonist in the Alien movie series. ...

Casting

Lance Henriksen was the first to be cast in Alien vs. Predator as Anderson wanted to keep continuity with the Alien series.

The first actor to be cast for Alien vs. Predator was Lance Henriksen, who played the character Bishop in Aliens and Alien 3. Although the Alien movies are set 150 years in the future, Anderson wanted to keep continuity with the series by including a familiar actor. Henriksen plays billionaire Charles Bishop Weyland, a character that ties in with the Weyland-Yutani Corporation. According to Anderson, Weyland becomes known for the discovery of the pyramid, and as a result the Weyland-Yutani Corporation models the Bishop android in the Alien films after him; "when the Bishop android is created in 150 years time, it's created with the face of the creator. It's kind of like Microsoft building an android in 100 years time that has the face of Bill Gates."^[11] Lance Henriksen (born May 5, 1940) is an American actor, painter, and potter. ... Bishop as seen in Aliens Bishop 341-B is a fictional character from the Alien series of films, an android created by the Weyland-Yutani corporation. ... This article is about the film; for the video games see Aliens (Square computer game) and Aliens (arcade game). ... Alien³ is a science fiction/horror movie that opened May 22, 1992. ... Microsoft Corporation, (NASDAQ: MSFT, HKSE: 4338) is a multinational computer technology corporation with global annual revenue of US$44. ... For other persons named Bill Gates, see Bill Gates (disambiguation). ...

Anderson opted for a European cast including Italian actor Raoul Bova, Ewen Bremner from Scotland, and English actor Colin Salmon. Producer Davis said, "There's a truly international flavor to the cast, and gives the film a lot of character."^[12] Several hundred actresses attended the auditions to be cast as the film's heroine Alexa Woods. Sanaa Lathan was selected, and one week later she flew to Prague to begin filming. The filmmakers knew there would be comparisons to Alien heroine Ellen Ripley and did not want a clone of the character, but wanted to make her similar while adding something different.^[12] Raoul Bova (born 14 August 1971 Rome, Italy) is an Italian actor. ... Ewen Bremner (b. ... Colin Salmon (1962) is an English actor best known for playing the fictional character Charles Robinson in three James Bond films. ... Sanaa McCoy Lathan (born September 19, 1971) is a Tony Award-nominated American actress. ...

Anderson reported in an interview that California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger was willing to reprise his role as Major Alan "Dutch" Schaeffer from Predator in a short cameo appearance, on the conditions that he lose the recall election and that the filming take place at his residence.^[13] Schwarzenegger, however, won the election with 48.58% of the votes and was unavailable to participate in Alien vs. Predator. Actress Sigourney Weaver, who starred as Ellen Ripley in the Alien series, said she was happy not to be in the film, as a possible crossover was "the reason I wanted my character to die in the first place", and thought the concept "sounded awful".^[14][15] Arnold Alois Schwarzenegger (German IPA: ; born July 30, 1947) is an Austrian-American bodybuilder, Golden Globe-winning actor, businessman and politician currently serving as the 38th Governor of the U.S. state of California. ... A cameo role or cameo appearance (often shortened to just cameo) is a brief appearance of a known person in a work of the performing arts, such as plays, films, video games and television. ... Arnold Schwarzenegger, winner of the 2003 California recall The 2003 California recall was a special election permitted under California law. ... Sigourney Weaver (born Susan Alexandra Weaver on October 8, 1949 in New York City) is an Oscar-nominated American actress. ...

Filming and set designs

Production began in late 2003 at Barrandov Studios in Prague, Czech Republic, where most of the filming took place. Production designer Richard Bridgland was in charge of sets, props and vehicles, based on early concept art Anderson had created to give a broad direction of how things would look. 25 to 30 life-sized sets were constructed at Barrandov Studios, many of which were interiors of the pyramid. The pyramid's carvings, sculptures, and hieroglyphs were influenced by Egyptian, Cambodian, and Aztec civilizations, while the regular shifting of the pyramid's rooms was meant to evoke a sense of claustrophobia similar to the original Alien film.^[16] According to Anderson, if he was to build the sets in Los Angeles they would have cost $20 million. However, in Prague they cost $2 million, an important factor when the film's budget was less than $50 million.^[4] Barrandov Studios are a famous set of film studios in Prague, Czech Republic. ... For other uses, see Prague (disambiguation). ... Production designer is a term used in the movie and television industries to refer to the person responsible for the overall look of a filmed event such as films, TV programs, music videos or adverts. ... Hieroglyphs or hieroglyphics can be: Characters from a logographic or partly logographic writing system, such as Egyptian hieroglyphs Anatolian hieroglyphs (also known as Luwian hieroglyphs) Cretan hieroglyphs Mayan hieroglyphs (the best known of about half a dozen documented Mesoamerican writing systems) Míkmaq hieroglyphic writing Colloquially, any handwritten characters which... For other uses, see Aztec (disambiguation). ... Claustrophobia is an anxiety disorder that involves the fear of enclosed or confined spaces. ... Flag Seal Nickname: City of Angels Location Location within Los Angeles County in the state of California Coordinates , Government State County California Los Angeles County Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa (D) Geographical characteristics Area     City 1,290. ...

Third scale miniatures several meters in height were created to give the film the effect of realism, rather than relying on computer generated imagery (CGI). For the whaling station miniatures and life-sized sets, over 700 bags of artificial snow was used (roughly 15–20 tons).^[5] A 4.5-meter miniature of an icebreaker with working lights and a mechanical moving radar was created, costing almost $37,000 and taking 10 weeks to create. Visual effects producer Arthur Windus, claimed miniatures were beneficial in the filming process: "With computer graphics, you need to spend a lot of time making it real. With a miniature, you shoot it and its there."^[17] A 25-meter miniature of the whaling station was created in several months. It was designed so the model could be collapsed and then reconstructed, which proved beneficial for a six-second shot which required a re-shoot.^[17] In the field of special effects a miniature effect is a special effect generated by the use of scale models. ... The seawater creature in The Abyss marked CGIs acceptance in the visual effects industry. ... Snow cannon at Mölltaler Gletscher, Austria A snow cannon (also called snowgun or snow maker) is a device used to produce snow artificially. ... For other uses, see Icebreaker (disambiguation). ...

Effects and creatures

A hydraulic Alien was used to film six scenes as it was faster than a man in a suit. The puppet required six people to operate it.

Special effects company Amalgamated Dynamics Incorporated (ADI) was hired for the movie, having previously worked on Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection. Visual special effects producers Arthur Windus and John Bruno were in charge of the project, which contained 400 effects shots.^[17] ADI founders Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr., and members of their company, began designing costumes, miniatures and effects in June 2003. For five months the creatures were redesigned, the Predators wrist blades being extended roughly four times longer than those in the Predator films, and a larger mechanical plasma caster was created for the Scar Predator.^[5] Alien³ is a science fiction/horror movie that opened May 22, 1992. ... Film poster Alien: Resurrection Alien: Resurrection (1997) is the fourth movie in the Alien series, preceded by Alien, Aliens and Alien³. Synopsis Spoiler warning: Alien: Resurrection takes place 200 years after the events of Alien³. Ellen Ripley has been cloned using blood samples from Fiorina 161, on ice so that... Joseph Jon Bruno commonly known as J. Jon Bruno is the Episcopal Bishop of Los Angeles. ...

The basic shape of the Predator mask was kept, although technical details were added and each Predator was given a unique mask to distinguish them from each other. These masks were created using clay, which was used to form moulds to create fiberglass copies. These copies were painted to give a weathered look, which Woodruff claims "is what the Predator is all about".^[5] A hydraulic Alien puppet was created so ADI would be able to make movements faster and give the Alien a "slimline and skeletal" appearance, rather than using an actor in a suit. The puppet required six people to run it; three for the head and body, two for the arms, and a sixth to make sure the signals were reaching the computer. Movements were recorded in the computer so that puppeteers would be able to repeat moves that Anderson liked. The puppet was used in six shots, including the fight scene with the Predator which took one month to film.^[5] Bundle of fiberglass Fiberglass (also called fibreglass and glass fibre) is material made from extremely fine fibers of glass. ... A hydraulic or hydrostatic drivesystem or hydraulic power transmission is a drive- or transmission system that makes use of a hydraulic fluid under pressure to drive machinery. ...

The crew tried to keep CGI use to a minimum, as Anderson said people in suits and puppets are scarier than CGI monsters as they are "there in the frame".^[5] Roughly 70% of scenes were created using suits, puppets, and miniatures. The Alien queen was filmed using three variations: a 4.8-meter practical version, a 1.2-meter puppet, and a computer-generated version. The practical version required 12 puppeteers to operate,^[4] and CGI tails were added to the Aliens and the queen as they were difficult to animate using puppetry.^[12][18] Anderson praised Alien director Ridley Scott's and Predator director John McTiernan's abilities at building suspense by not showing the creatures until late in the film, something Anderson wanted to accomplish with Alien vs. Predator. "Yes, we make you wait 45 minutes, but once it goes off, from there until the end of the movie, it's fucking relentless".^[19] Sir Ridley Scott (born November 30, 1937 in South Shields, South Tyneside) is a British film director and producer. ... John Campbell McTiernan, Jr. ...

Music

Main article: Alien vs. Predator (soundtrack)

Austrian composer Harald Kloser was hired to create the film's score. After completing the score for The Day After Tomorrow, Kloser was chosen by Anderson as he is a fan of the franchises.^[20] It was recorded in London, and was primarily orchestral as Anderson commented, "this is a terrifying movie and it needs a terrifying, classic movie score to go with it; at the same time it's got huge action so it needs that kind of proper orchestral support."^[20] A film score is a set of musical compositions written to accompany a film. ... This article is about the 2004 theatrical disaster film dealing with global warming. ... Orchestra at City Hall (Edmonton). ...

The score was released on August 31, 2004, and received mixed reviews. James Christopher Monger of All Music Guide thought Kloser introduced electronic elements well, and called "Alien vs. Predator Main Theme a particularly striking and serves as a continuous creative source for the composer to dip his baton in."^[21] Mike Brennan of Soundtrack, however, said it "lacks the ingenuity of the previous trilogy and the Predator scores, which all shared a strong sense of rhythm in place of thematic content. Kloser throws in some interesting percussion cues ("Antarctica" and "Down the Tunnel"), but more as a sound effect than a consistent motif."^[22] John Fallon of JoBlo.com compared it to character development in the movie, "too generic to completely engage or leave a permanent impression."^[23] is the 243rd day of the year (244th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The All Music Guide (AMG) is a metadata database about music, owned by All Media Guide. ... JoBlo. ... Characterization is the process of conveying information about characters in fiction or conversation. ...

Reception

Box office

Alien vs. Predator was released in North America on August 13, 2004 in 3,395 theaters. The film grossed $38.2 million over its opening weekend for an average of $11,278 per theater, and was number one at the box office. The film spent 16 weeks in cinemas and made $80 million in North America.^[24] It grossed $9 million in the United Kingdom, $16 million in Japan, and $8 million in Germany, for an international total of $90.9 million. This brought the film's total gross to $171 million, making it the highest grossing film in the Predator and Alien franchises (excluding the effect of inflation), although Aliens earned more in the domestic box office. Alien vs. Predator was the 33rd highest grossing film of 2004.^[25] is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... The term box office can refer to either: A place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to a venue The amount of business a particular production, such as a movie or theatre show, does. ...

Reviews

Critics were not allowed to view the film in advance, and once they did the response was generally negative.^[26] Based on 132 reviews, the film scored a 22% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, and 29 out of 100 based on 21 reviews on Metacritic.^[27][28] Chief criticisms of the film included its dialogue, "cardboard characters", PG-13 rating, the "fast-paced editing" during fight sequences, and lighting. However, special effects and set designs received praise.^[27][28] This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Metacritic is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows, DVDs and books. ... The MPAA film rating system is a system used in the United States and instituted by the Motion Picture Association of America to rate a movie based on its content. ...

Rick Kisonak of Film Threat praised the film stating, "For a big dumb production about a movie monster smackdown, Alien vs. Predator is a surprisingly good time".^[29] Ian Grey of the Orlando Weekly felt, "Anderson clearly relished making this wonderful, utterly silly film; his heart shows in every drip of slime."^[29] Staci Layne Wilson of Horror.com called it "a pretty movie to look at with its grandiose sets and top notch creature FX, but it's a lot like Anderson's previous works in that it's all facade and no foundation."^[28] Film Threat is the name of a magazine and website devoted to coverage of independent film. ... The Orlando Weekly is a weekly independent paper distributed in the Greater Orlando area of Florida. ...

However, with the majority of critics awarding the film a negative review, Michael Wilmington of the Chicago Tribune commented it was full of "monster movie clichés that leave you praying for most of the cast to get killed off fast, to put them (and us) out of our misery."^[27] Jack Mathews of New York Daily News panned the movie, stating that "Writer-director Paul W.S. Anderson has created the darkest, if not worst, sci-fi movie since Battlefield Earth."^[28] Gary Dowell of Dallas Morning News called the film, "a transparent attempt to jumpstart two run-down franchises".^[29] Ed Halter of The Village Voice described the film's lighting for fight sequences as, "black-on-black-in-blackness",^[30] while Ty Burr of The Boston Globe felt the lighting "left the audience in the dark".^[31] The film received a Golden Raspberry (Razzie) nomination 2005 in the category of "Worst Remake or Sequel".^[32] // The Chicago Tribune is a major daily newspaper based in Chicago, Illinois and owned by the Tribune Company. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ... Battlefield Earth: A Saga of the Year 3000 is an American film adaptation of the novel Battlefield Earth by L. Ron Hubbard, released May 12, 2000. ... This article is about a New York newspaper. ... The Boston Globe (and Boston Sunday Globe) is the most widely circulated daily newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts and New England. ... The Golden Raspberries or Razzies were created by John Wilson in 1980, intended to complement the Academy Awards by dishonoring the worst acting, screenwriting, songwriting, directing, and films that the film industry had to offer. ...

Alien 5 and sequel

Before 20th Century Fox greenlit Alien vs. Predator, Aliens writer/director James Cameron had been working on a story for a fifth Alien film. Alien director Ridley Scott had talked with Cameron, stating "I think it would be a lot of fun, but the most important thing is to get the story right."^[33] In a 2002 interview, Scott's concept for a story was "to go back to where the alien creatures were first found and explain how they were created", however he has not shown interest in pursuing the project.^[33] On learning that Fox intended to pursue Alien vs. Predator, Cameron believed the film would "kill the validity of the franchise" and ceased work on his story, "To me, that was Frankenstein Meets Werewolf. It was Universal just taking their assets and starting to play them off against each other...Milking it."^[34] After viewing Alien vs. Predator, however, Cameron remarked that "it was actually pretty good. I think of the five Alien films, I'd rate it third. I actually liked it. I actually liked it a lot."^[34] To greenlight a project, in the context of the movie business, is to formally approve production finance, thereby allowing the project to move forward from the development phase to pre-production and, barring disasters, principal photography. ... This article is about the film; for the video games see Aliens (Square computer game) and Aliens (arcade game). ... For other persons named James Cameron, see James Cameron (disambiguation). ... Sir Ridley Scott (born November 30, 1937 in South Shields, South Tyneside) is a British film director and producer. ... Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man, released in 1943, is an American horror film produced by Universal Studios. ...

A sequel, Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, was released on December 25, 2007.^[35] Directed by brothers Greg and Colin Strause, the story continues from the conclusion of Alien vs. Predator.^[36] is the 359th day of the year (360th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Brothers Greg and Colin Strause (known as Brothers Strause) are a directing duo and special effects artists who grew up in the suburbs of Chicago. ...

DVD releases

Alien vs. Predator was released on DVD in North America on January 25, 2005.^[37] The DVD contained two audio commentaries. The first featured Paul W.S. Anderson, Lance Henriksen, and Sanaa Lathan, while the second included ADI founders Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff, and special effects supervisor John Bruno. A 25-minute Making of Featurette and Darkhorse AVP comic covers galley were featured in the special features with three deleted scenes. On release, Alien vs. Predator debuted at number 1 on the Top DVD Sales and Top Video Rental charts in North America.^[38][39] is the 25th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... On a DVD (or laserdisc), an audio commentary is a bonus track consisting of a lecture or comments by one or more speakers, who talk about the movie as it progresses. ...

A two-disc Extreme Edition was released on March 7, 2005, which featured behind the scenes footage of conception, pre-production, production, post-production, and licensing the franchise. An Unrated Edition was released on November 22, 2005, and contained the special features in the Extreme Edition, CGI blood and an extra eight minutes of footage. The extra footage contained "a few more shots of blood, gore, guts, and slime to spice things up, though, and tiny bits of connecting matter to help us follow the story line better, but none of it amounts to much", said John Puccio of DVD Town.^[40] The film was released on Blu-ray Disc in North America on January 23, 2007. is the 66th day of the year (67th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Behind the scenes is a popular term that refers to the actual workings of an endeavor, as opposed to what is normally perceived in the public view. ... Pre-production is the process of preparing all the elements involved in a film, play, or other performance. ... Post production is the general term for the last stage of film production in which photographed scenes (also called footage) are put together into a complete film. ... is the 326th day of the year (327th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Blu-ray Disc (also known as Blu-ray or BD) is an optical disc storage media format. ... is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ...

References

2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 111th day of the year (112th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 66th day of the year (67th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Paul William Scott Anderson (Born: March 4, 1965 in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, England, United Kingdom-) is a British filmmaker, producer and screenwriter. ... Lance Henriksen (born May 5, 1940) is an American actor, painter, and potter. ... Sanaa McCoy Lathan (born September 19, 1971) is a Tony Award-nominated American actress. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 196th day of the year (197th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Related articles FOX Television Network Fox Searchlight Pictures Fox Entertainment Group List of Hollywood movie studios List of movies Variant of current 20th Century Fox logo External links 20th Century Fox Movies official site Twentieth Century Fox is also the punning title of a song by The Doors on their... DVD (also known as Digital Versatile Disc or Digital Video Disc - see Etymology) is a popular optical disc storage media format. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 15th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 277th day of the year (278th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Categories: Disambiguation | Stub ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... JoBlo. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 24th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 13th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 23rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 14th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 38th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Screenshot of Aint It Cool News. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 354th day of the year (355th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 110th day of the year (111th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 349th day of the year (350th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 18th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 26th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 29th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Look up November in Wiktionary, the free dictionary November is the eleventh month of the year in the Gregorian Calendar and one of four Gregorian months with the length of 30 days. ... 2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 20th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

• Alien vs. Predator at the Internet Movie Database
• Alien vs. Predator at Rotten Tomatoes
• Alien vs. Predator at Box Office Mojo