Sigourney Weaver's Ripley Reportedly Being Considered for ALIEN: ROMULUS Sequel
The Alien franchise was reinvigorated with Alien: Romulus, and if recent rumors are true, we might be in for a wild sequel.
According to industry insider Daniel Richtman, Ellen Ripley, the iconic franchise character played by Sigourney Weaver, is being considered for a return in the sequel and they will use digital de-aging technology to bring Ripley back to life as we knew her decades ago.
Richtman said: “For the next Alien movie, they’re considering bringing back Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) using de-aging technology.” While this sounds exciting, it’s important to remember that this information is jsut a rumor.
As for how this exactly this might play, we can only speculate. The possible return of Ripley raises significant timeline and story questions. Since Alien: Romulus is set between Alien and Aliens, Ripley is canonically in stasis, drifting through space during this time.
Logistically, there doesn’t seem to be room for her to make an appearance, unless director Fede Álvarez and his team craft a workaround that bends the rules of the established timeline.
Álvarez has made it clear that he’s not rushing into production on the film. He explained: “It might take a while,” he added that he won’t move forward until he has “a story that is worthy of everyone’s time and is worthy of the title.”
Adding Ripley to a Romulus sequel could also clash with Álvarez’s previously shared his goal of exploring “uncharted waters.” Bringing back a character so deeply tied to the franchise’s past might feel like a step in the opposite direction.
This isn’t the first time Ripley’s return has been teased. Director Neill Blomkamp once pitched a direct sequel to Aliens that would have disregarded Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection, reuniting Ripley with Newt and Hicks. That project never materialized, and Weaver has remained cautious about returning to the franchise.
In past interviews, she’s said it’s “not impossible” she could reprise the role, but she’s yet to see a script that convinces her. She said: “I have yet to read a script that said, ‘You have got to do this.’”
If this rumor is true, Ripley’s return is sure to generate some excitement and debate among fans. It will be interesting to see if this idea actually makes its way into the project.
While I love Ripley in this franchise, I’d be fine if they moved on without her. The Alien franchise is set in a huge universe and there are so many other stories to tell. But, if they find a cool way to do include her… I’m game.
What do you think? Would a de-aged Ripley fit into the Romulus sequel, or is it time to let the legend rest?