Director of A Cult ’90s Sci-Fi Admits He Ripped Off Alien

by

A little-known sci-fi film from the 1990s features a scene directly inspired by the original 1979 movie Alien, according to its director. Ridley Scott’s Alien has had a huge impact on the sci-fi horror genre ever since its release. Essentially, it was a haunted house story set in space, with the terrifying creature acting as the slasher and Ellen Ripley as the surviving heroine, investigating an abandoned ship. Director Renny Harlin admitted to borrowing a particularly shocking moment from Alien for his own film.

Director Renny Harlin has admitted that his 90s sci-fi film, Deep Blue Sea, borrowed a key plot point from Alien. In an interview with Empire magazine, Harlin explained that he replicated a shocking death scene similar to the one involving Tom Skerritt’s character in Alien. Harlin wanted to create the same feeling of surprise and uncertainty for the audience – the expectation that the captain (Skerritt) would be a central character, only to have him unexpectedly killed off, establishing that no one was safe in the film.

The technique of killing off a main character early in a film isn’t new. Alfred Hitchcock famously did it in Psycho, where the story initially focused on Janet Leigh as Marion Crane. Her unexpected death in the shower scene shocked audiences. Scream copied this approach by killing Drew Barrymore in its opening scene, and it did so three years before Deep Blue Sea was released.

Unlike some films, Scream openly acknowledged being inspired by Psycho. Similarly, Deep Blue Sea, as a science fiction movie, admitted taking inspiration from Alien. Director Renny Harlin specifically mentioned that he drew from Alien while working on Deep Blue Sea, and he made a deal with Samuel L. Jackson: he’d cast Jackson in future films, like The Long Kiss Goodnight, if Jackson joined the Deep Blue Sea cast. To make it happen, Harlin even wrote a new character into the script specifically for Jackson.

I remember when I first approached Sam about the movie. I didn’t give him any details, just sent the script and suggested a character he might like. He got back to me almost immediately, saying it had the ‘Best Movie Death Ever!’ Then, seeing the movie with a real audience was incredible. When the shark got Jackson, the crowd’s reaction was amazing – honestly, it was one of the most rewarding experiences of my career as a director.

Deep Blue Sea Remains An Underrated Hollywood Monster Movie

The scene of the genetically modified shark attacking Samuel L. Jackson is iconic, making Deep Blue Sea a standout in the world of killer shark movies. It’s a cult favorite for a reason! The film features a strong cast, including Thomas Jane (The Mist), Saffron Burrows (Marvel’s Agents of SHIELD), LL Cool J (NCIS: Los Angeles), and Michael Rapaport (True Romance). While Samuel L. Jackson is a major draw, it’s worth noting that the rest of the cast hadn’t yet become household names at the time.

This movie centers around a research team at an underwater facility working on a potential Alzheimer’s cure. Their unusual test subjects? Genetically modified sharks. Unfortunately, these sharks become smarter and much more dangerous, determined to break into the base, flood it, and eliminate everyone inside. Like the film The Meg, this is a deliberately over-the-top shark thriller, and that’s exactly what makes it fun.

Despite being a clear creature feature, the movie received surprisingly positive reviews, earning a 60% score on Rotten Tomatoes and being commended for its “B-movie thrills.” Director Renny Harlin’s career had been inconsistent – while he’d delivered hits like A Nightmare on Elm Street 4: The Dream Master, Die Hard 2, Cliffhanger, and the often-overlooked The Long Kiss Goodnight, he also faced setbacks with Cutthroat Island, a major box office failure. Ultimately, Deep Blue Sea demonstrates his ability to create entertaining films.

What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!

https://comicbook.com/tv-shows/news/amazons-new-carrie-series-reportedly-has-a-release-date-window-and-its-perfect-timing/embed/#

Read More

2026-02-18 17:10