The world of sci-fi and horror fundamentally changed 40 years ago when James Cameron entirely deflated the idea that sequels always suck, thanks to the release of Aliens. While Ridley Scott‘s original Alien was a claustrophobic masterclass in paranoia and isolation as the crew of the Nostromo attempted to evade the xenomorph, Aliens was instead a turbo-charged siege on a colony that had been fully overrun by the creatures.
Amplifying the effectiveness of the experience was the music by James Horner, which will be honored in an all-new 40th-anniversary vinyl release from Varèse Sarabande.
The release is currently available for pre-order and comes in three all-new colorways: a silver color vinyl, a Barnes & Noble Exclusive 40th-Anniversary Edition LP on “Alien Green” color vinyl, and a Varèse Sarabande 40th-Anniversary Edition LP on “Xenomorph Glow” glow-in-the-dark vinyl. The Aliens soundtrack will hit shelves on November 13.
Despite the fact that Aliens was a huge success, Cameron’s detail-oriented filmmaking made it a challenging experience for the cast and crew. In fact, a significant portion of the team didn’t even see the completed film until its premiere, resulting in resounding support for the process Cameron put them through.
In fact, the collaborative process between Cameron and Horner grew contentious in the aftermath of Aliens, though they ultimately reconciled and Cameron enlisted Horner for the Oscar-winning Titanic.
“I never lost track of James Horner and his career. The craziest things have been written about what I wanted musically for Titanic; some people even suggested that my first choice was John Williams,” Cameron revealed on James Horner’s official site. “It’s true that over the years Michael Gorfaine has often suggested the great John Williams, but ever since Apollo 13, I knew James Horner was the right guy for me. I admire John Williams, but his style would have been at odds with my musical vision of Titanic, and I do not think that we would have come up with the best score for the film.“
While the upcoming release is something to look forward to, it’s unfortunately one of the only new Alien-related releases coming our way before the end of the year. Last year’s Alien: Earth was a hit with audiences and critics, resulting in a Season 2 renewal, but with production on that sophomore season starting only earlier this year, we likely can’t expect new episodes until sometime late in 2027.
Additionally, we’ve been left waiting for news on a reported follow-up to Alien: Romulus, and while little concrete information about that project has been revealed since the original movie’s 2024 release, all we know for sure is Fede Álvarez won’t be directing.
Still, between Alien: Earth, an Alien: Romulus sequel, and the recent news that Ridley Scott is still working on an Alien: Covenant sequel, there’s arguably never been a better time to love the franchise.
