The Alien series is experiencing a resurgence with new installments like Alien: Earth and Alien: Romulus. Coupled with developments in the Predator franchise, the future looks promising. However, director James Cameron—known for Aliens and Avatar—has strong feelings about a decision made in Alien 3. In fact, he’s called it the “stupidest thing” the series did after he stopped being involved.
James Cameron recently shared his strong dislike for a plot decision in Aliens during a conversation with Michael Biehn on his podcast, Just Fooling About. Biehn, who played Corporal Hicks, prompted Cameron to discuss whether he regretted the character Newt’s death. Cameron bluntly stated he thought killing Newt was a “terrible idea,” and also criticized the decision to eliminate Hicks and Bishop in the same movie.
Cameron criticized the decision to kill off beloved characters like Hicks, Newt, and Bishop, arguing it undermined the positive connection fans had with them. He sarcastically pointed out that replacing these characters with unlikeable convicts was a strange choice, questioning the logic of wanting to eliminate established favorites and introduce people viewers actively disliked.
James Cameron Doesn’t Blame David Fincher For Alien 3’s Bad Decisions
Following Aliens, James Cameron moved on to other successful films like Terminator 2: Judgment Day. This led the studio to hire David Fincher to direct Alien 3. It’s worth remembering that Fincher was just starting his directing career at the time – Alien 3 was his first film – and Cameron feels that explains some of the choices made. One of the most controversial decisions was killing off three popular characters: Corporal Hicks (played by Michael Biehn), Newt (played by Carrie Henn), and Bishop (played by Lance Henriksen), and very early in the film, at that.
Cameron explained that he understands David Fincher was still finding his footing with his first feature film and was influenced by many other people at the time, so he doesn’t hold it against him.
The movie Alien 3 begins with the spaceship USS Sulaco returning to Earth when a facehugger sneaks aboard, causing a fire. This forces Ripley, Newt, Hicks, and Bishop to escape in a pod, which crash-lands on a planet that houses a maximum-security prison. Ripley is discovered and taken for medical attention, but the others are found dead amongst the wreckage. The chaotic crash makes it difficult to identify the bodies at first, but their names appear on screen as they are declared deceased.
Calling Alien 3 a disappointment to fans of the original Aliens would be an understatement. It was frustrating not to see the beloved characters meet their end in a meaningful way – they were simply killed off without any dramatic on-screen moment, diminishing their impact and contributing to why the film isn’t a fan favorite.
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2025-12-24 03:45