Editorials
So What Happens When Disney Gets Hold of the ‘Alien’ Franchise?
It’s way too early to speculate. So let’s speculate!
You’ve probably heard that Disney has been in talks to purchase 21st Century Fox, which would see them acquiring Fox’s movie and TV studio, in addition to all kinds of other assets. From what we understand, a deal could be announced as soon as this week.
The possibility of the deal leaves us pondering one thing in particular: since Fox owns the Alien franchise and Disney may acquire Fox… Disney may soon own the Xenomorph?!
The idea of Disney owning the Alien franchise is nothing short of a bizarre and completely unexpected one, but if the deal goes through as speculated, that would indeed be one of the many interesting outcomes of it all – the most interesting Disney-related happening in the film world since the company acquired Lucasfilm back in 2012.
Star Wars fans were concerned about the Disney acquisition at the time the deal was announced, but now that we have four years distance from the news, it’s become clear that the franchise is in great hands. After all, The Force Awakens, Rogue One and this weekend’s The Last Jedi have restored the franchise to its former glory.
But the Alien franchise, well, that’s an entirely different story altogether. To date, every film in the horror franchise has been released with an “R” rating, and it goes without saying that Disney doesn’t exactly deal in rated “R” cinema. So then, what does the future of the Alien franchise look like, if Disney gets hold of it and wishes to continue it?
Would Ridley Scott go away? Would it lose its “R” rated edge all together?
My best guess? If Disney ends up owning the Alien franchise at some point in the future, we probably won’t be seeing the continuation of Ridley Scott’s vision.
It wouldn’t be fair to call this year’s Alien: Covenant a total bomb, as it made over $240 million worldwide on a $97 million budget (not counting the marketing spend), but at the same time, it would be fair to say that Scott’s latest Alien prequel under-performed at the box office. It also wasn’t very well received by the franchise’s most die-hard fans, suggesting that most (myself very much *not* included) just aren’t into Scott’s new vision for the series. So we can’t imagine a timeline wherein Disney pursues a continuation of what really hasn’t been working all that well for Fox these last several years – regardless of how dead set Scott himself is on finishing up his prequel franchise, a clear passion project for the 80-year-old filmmaker.
If what they’ve done with Star Wars is any indication, Disney would likely aim to reinvigorate fan interest in the Alien franchise by bringing in fresh voices to restore it to its former glory while also injecting new life into it. Which kinda sorta describes Neill Blomkamp’s vision for an “Alien 5,” doesn’t it? Blomkamp hoped to bring Ellen Ripley back for a sequel to Aliens that would give her character a proper sendoff, while also (presumably) paving the way for brand new installments jumping off from that point.
Disney’s penchant for four-quadrant tent-poles certainly fits in line with that vision, so we *could* see them hire Blomkamp or at least take a similar approach. After all, the one thing that probably would put asses in the seats at this point, in regards to the Alien franchise, would be bringing Sigourney Weaver’s badass heroine back for one more fight.
But would Disney make the bold choice of heading into “R” rated territory? That’s the biggest question of all… and the biggest fear that comes with this potential deal.
Then again, a mega-budget, action-adventure movie with Weaver back as Ripley isn’t sounding like a terrible idea to me right about now… even if it’s PG-13. Am I crazy?
Editorials
‘The Vampire Lestat’ Concert Event Launches New Season With The Ultimate Expression Of Fandom
There are thousands of passionate fans decked out in gothic chic and champing at the bit like feral creatures. They’re screaming for Lestat, a legendary vampire-turned-rock star, as if the entire crowd has been glamored into submission.
The entire experience is magic, but not because some supernatural thrall has been activated. What’s going on is even more special. It’s the power of the effusive fandom that’s been authentically assembled by AMC’s sublime Immortal Universe, namely Anne Rice’s Interview with the Vampire, now, The Vampire Lestat.
The Vampire Lestat is far from the first Anne Rice adaptation, and it’s not as if there’s been a lack of erotic vampire material for audiences to sink their teeth into. On June 2nd, during a one-night-only spectacle, New York City’s prestigious Beacon Theatre shook from Sam Reid’s bravado performance and an audience full of adoring fans who had already memorized Lestat’s songs.
It’s clear that The Vampire Lestat just hits differently than its predecessors. It’s become more than just a TV series at this point, and this opulent display of ego, swagger, and pure sex is the perfect way to premiere the new season and give back to the fans who helped make Interview with the Vampire/The Vampire Lestat such a breakout success. It’s exactly the sort of hyperbolized hedonism that would make Lestat cackle.
For all intents and purposes, AMC has successfully created the illusion that this concert/premiere is just one of the many destinations on Lestat and his band’s 54-stop tour that is simultaneously playing out on this season of television. It’s such a sophisticated and thorough level of interactive fan engagement that the audience doesn’t just understand, but also manages to accentuate through its involvement.
It’s a level of seamless synergy that’s not unlike the give-and-take relationship of vampire and victim.
Before the concert started, “LeStans” were sitting in the Beacon and flipping through a fake Rolling Stone issue with Lestat emblazoned on the cover, complete with interviews with the undead frontman inside. Other fans were admiring the vinyl pressing of Lestat’s EP as they walked past a section of undead band merch. Fandom and fantasy blur together, and it all becomes this elaborate, immersive experience. Fan celebration, erotic gothic fantasy, and a lavish rock concert transform into one beautiful thing.
To this point, AMC Global Media’s Chief Content Officer and President of AMC Studios, Dan McDermott, introduced the event by reiterating to fans, “You are the heartbeat of the series.” That’s abundantly clear on nights like this as that heartbeat collectively pulses to this performance. In terms of how AMC engages with The Vampire Lestat’s fans, it’s as bold a reinvention as the season itself.
This intuitive gamble speaks to AMC’s creativity in this department and a fandom that is eager to seize such opportunities. It’s the same innovation that led to zombie walks for The Walking Dead and real-life Los Pollos Hermanos restaurant pop-ups from Breaking Bad. It’s a great way to pump up the audience for The Vampire Lestat and then maintain that enthusiasm for the whole season.
For most series, a rock ‘n’ roll concert just doesn’t make any sense as a promotional tool. The Vampire Lestat finds itself in a very unique position where it can deliver an excellent concert at an iconic theater, but also use it to showcase The Vampire Lestat’s music by Daniel Hart (who was shredding on stage alongside Reid and the rest of their band) and, more than anything, Sam Reid’s endless charisma.
The way in which Reid feeds off of the crowd’s energy, modulating his performance and giving different sections of the Beacon life, is a perfect distillation of the series’ thoughtful relationship with its audience and how it’s become such a breakout success for AMC. AMC Studios President Dan McDermott emphasized that the fans are the reason that the show is still here and why an event like this is even possible. It’s rare to see a series in which every single cog in the machine is so perfectly attuned to its fans. Reid’s fans already cheer whenever they see him, so why not translate that to a concert setting?
It’s clear in this season of television that Reid was born to be a rock star, but it’s surreal to see him effortlessly command the stage — and the audience — at every step of the concert. He recites Shakespeare monologues and bitches out Armand between songs, all while the audience screams in support. For the duration of this concert, Reid is Lestat, and he’s given thousands of fans a memory that’s as immortal as any vampire.
Now bring on the encore and get this show on the road!
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