‘Really Smart, Guys’: James Cameron Takes A Big Steamer On Alien 3 For Killing Off Beloved Characters, And I Have Zero Arguments

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When James Cameron releases a big movie like Avatar: Fire and Ash, he always does a lot of interviews, sharing fascinating and often controversial stories, and hinting at what he’s working on next, like more Terminator films. He hasn’t held back this time, and recently shared some surprisingly honest opinions about the controversial decision to quickly eliminate popular characters in Alien 3.

Cameron recently spoke with Michael Biehn, a frequent guest on his podcast Just Foolin’ About with Michael Biehn. While discussing generative AI and how it impacts actors’ images being used in films, Biehn suddenly changed the subject. He asked Cameron how he felt about the fate of Carrie Henn’s character, Newt, in Alien 3. Cameron laughed and then responded with:

Okay, that’s a separate subject. I thought that was the stupidest fucking thing.

The way Michael Biehn asked his question felt like a sudden announcement of Newt’s death. James Cameron has never been happy with how the third Alien movie began – with the abrupt reveal that Newt, Corporal Hicks, and Bishop all die in the escape pod crash on Fiorina 161. However, he doesn’t typically express his displeasure so strongly.

While fans were shocked to see those three Aliens characters unexpectedly killed off – making many wish the sequel hadn’t been made – it was even more upsetting for James Cameron, since he originally created those characters. He then continued to jokingly express his frustration, saying:

The movie created a strong connection with characters like Hicks, Newt, and Bishop, so it was surprising—and frustrating—when they were all killed off early in the sequel. Replacing them with unlikeable criminals just made things worse and felt like a poor creative choice.

If James Cameron ever gave me a backhanded compliment, pretending to praise my intelligence while clearly intending an insult, I’d be seriously upset. It’s the kind of sting that lasts far longer than any quick fix can heal.

Cameron isn’t blaming David Fincher for the problems with Alien 3, especially considering all the well-known difficulties during its production. He acknowledged Fincher – who would later direct the iconic ’90s film Se7en – by saying:

Look, I’m a huge Fincher fan, and I know his early work had some bumps. Alien 3 was his first feature, and it’s clear he was getting a lot of interference from the studio and others. Because of that, I’m willing to cut him some slack on that one – it wasn’t entirely his vision.

Honestly, the making-of story for Alien 3 is longer than the movie itself! It’s famous for being a really bleak horror sequel, and it had a crazy production. David Fincher, who was mostly known for music videos at the time, ended up directing after a bunch of other filmmakers passed on it. And he’s always talked about how little control he had – he really had to battle to get even a few of his ideas into the film.

More About James Cameron
  • I Caught A 2001: A Space Odyssey Reference In Avatar: Fire And Ash, And I Asked James Cameron About It
  • James Cameron Told Me Two Major Changes He Made To Avatar: Fire And Ash After Way Of Water Came Out

David Fincher likely wasn’t concerned with upsetting James Cameron over the script for Alien 3, and it turns out he didn’t need to be. This brings up the question of why James Cameron should really get behind season three of Mindhunter – here’s a five-part explanation.

If you’re interested in revisiting the controversial deaths from Alien 3, you can now stream the movie on Hulu with a subscription.

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2026-01-02 00:39