10.26.07
It has been confirmed that Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem has been given a 'R' rating by the MPAA for violence, gore and language.  MPAA.org is my source; just click on 'Film Ratings,' and type in 'Aliens vs. Predator' in the search field.  Excelent news!  Also, USA Today acquired an exclusive first photo at a special attraction in Fox's Aleins vs. Predator: Requiem.  They have the first look at the fully grown Pred-Alien hybrid!  So far, I've seen negative responses to it, but I don't feel it's hardly as bad as they feel.  While it does diverge from previous designs for the creature (mainly by adding the dreadlocks), but it probably won't be standing still long enough for anyone to take notice of some details.  Also, NECA has released the first look at their Prdator figure from the new film - which will hit stores in early 2008.  It comes in masked and unmasked versions with much articulation.  Click the link below to view the stills.  The film opens December 25th in theatres nationwide!
AVP2-PREDALIEN.JPG • NECA-AVP.JPG

9.12.07
Big news first!  Goto IGN to view the RED BAND trailer for the retitled AVP sequel Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem.  There's blood galore, skinned bodies, and plenty of old fashioned Alien & Predator awesomeness to behold.  Not saying that I'm taking the full-on plunge with the flick, but the trailer shows more proof of an R-rating than all of Paul W.S. Anderson's film did.  Also, three stills have been released featuring some ass-kicking Predators (FINALLY!!!).
AVP-R01.JPG • AVP-R02.JPG • AVP-R03.JPG • AVP-R04.JPG

Next, MTV News scored an exclusive interview with directors Greg & Colin Strause about the upcoming Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem, due in theatres this December.  Among the things discussed were the definite R rating (a kid dies via chestbusterer), the Predalien, the distancing of their film from Paul W.S. Anderson's, and a potential, hopeful sequel.  While it's all words on a webpage, the Brothers Strause sound more genuine about the film's R-rating.  As most know, Anderson boasted that AVP was being shot as an R-rated film, but even the unrated cut released on DVD was more like a hard PG-13 than a real R-rated film.  Colin stated that, "I don't think anyone wanted us to talk to him.  This movie works even if you didn't see [Anderson's]... We really have to prove to the fans that this movie's gonna be very different from the last one."  It's obvious that the studio heard the fans, and understand what they want to see in this new film.

In terms of a sequel, the brothers have a more progressive idea in terms of the setting.  "I'd like to do another one, but I'd like to do it in space. The next one either has to be more of the bridge after this and before 'Alien,' or you could do something after 'Aliens. We have a pretty finite ending to this, but we have a cliffhanger per se; it's a setup" says Greg. 

10.30.06
Dark Horizons has posted links to the first set pics from AVP2.  You can check them out here, here, and here.  Unfortunately, there's nothing of particular note.  No Aliens of Predators present in these digital photos, but there's plenty of military artillery.  Though, this officially confirms the setting as being a American mid-western suburb - which further bitters the pot for me.  Why the idea of a futuristic Alien vs. Predator set in space is so beyond the grasp of these filmmakers and the studio baffles me.  Imagine if you took something along the lines of James Cameron's Aliens and added in some Predators.  Of course, it really comes down to the quality of the script and the director.  Though, the last worthwhile filmmaker that's touched either franchise was David Fincher about 15 years ago, and we all know how the studio botched his film up.

10.18.06
Variety reports that Kristen Hager (The CW's now canceled "Runaway") has been added to the seemingly ever-growing cast of AVP: Survival of the Fittest, which is shooting in Vancouver now.  This is Hager's first feature film role.  Also, The Hollywood Reporter announced further cast additions earlier this month in Shareeka Epps, Johnny Lewis, and the rumored John Ortiz.  Here's some info on the actors and their roles:

Fox's sequel to the monster showdown "Alien vs. Predator" marks the first studio role for Epps since her acclaimed onscreen debut opposite Ryan Gosling in the Sundance Film Festival favorite "Half Nelson," in which she co-starred as a student in a rundown inner-city school. Epps will play Kendra, a young girl who must protect her little brother. Ortiz, who most recently appeared as Jose Yero in Michael Mann's "Miami Vice," will play a recently elected sheriff. Lewis, a featured player on "The O.C.," will play Ricky, a troubled kid.

The current confirmed cast includes Reiko Alyesworth, Steven Pasquale, Shareeka Epps, John Ortiz, David Hornsby, Gina Holden, and Johnny Lewis.  The sequel from Twentieth Century Fox, scripted by Shane Sallerno anddirected by brothers Colin & Greg Strause, will be theatrically released on December 10th, 2007.

10.1.06
CHUD obtained further casting news for the 2007 sequel from Twentieth Century Fox.  Joining already announced cast members Reiko Alyesworth and Steven Pasquale seems to be John Ortiz (2006's Miami Vice), but final confirmation has yet to come down from the actor's representatives.  There are the usual unsubstanitated IMDb casting posts which I will not give further creedence to here.  As usual, FOREVER HORROR prefers to stick to more reliable sources, and certainly to official news when possible.  Here's the report from CHUD, which kind of sums up my feelings as well:

It’s no secret that I am less than psyched about Alien vs Predator 2, even with CHUD friend Shane Salerno writing the script.  Besides all the general misgivings about the project, recent casting news ? a bunch of TV actors I’ve never seen ? hasn’t lit me on fire.

But now a secret informer (yeah, we get those sometimes too!) has told me that there’s some decent casting news coming.  Our informer claims that John Ortiz, last seen in Miami Vice, will be playing the fairly large role of Morales.*

I never did write a review of Miami Vice, but I wasn’t hugely impressed with the film.  That said, I thought Ortiz, who played Jose Yero, the drug cartel middle man, was fantastic.  Ortiz has been doing the TV rounds for a while and has recently been breaking into bigger and bigger films ? he’s currently shooting Ridley Scott’s American Gangster.

So there’s some pretty good news for you. Sadly, I doubt any casting will make Alien vs Predator 2 any good, but a couple of good actors may just make it watchable.

*We'll be following up on this story on Monday when Ortiz' reps are actually around to answer their phones!

9.25.06
Today, Variety reports the very first casting news for the sequel Alien vs. Predator: Survival of the Fittest, due in theatres December, 2007.

Reiko Aylesworth and Steven Pasquale have been cast as the leads in 20th Century Fox's "Alien vs. Predator 2," which begins filming next week in Vancouver.

In this follow-up to the worldwide hit ALIEN VS. PREDATOR, the iconic monsters from two of the scariest film franchises ever, wage war in an American Midwestern town - with the residents caught in the middle.

Greg and Colin Strause direct from a script by "Armageddon" writer Shane Salerno. Davis Entertainment's John Davis and Robbie Brenner are producing.

Aylesworth, a former series regular on Fox's "24," recently finished filming "The Killing Floor," exec produced by Avi Arad and Doug Liman, as well as a supporting role in "Mr. Brooks."

Pasquale appears in the FX series "Rescue Me." His film credits include "Aurora Borealis," which preemed at the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival. A regular on the theater scene, he starred in Second Stage's production of "A Soldier's Play." He also had roles in Neil LaBute's "Fat Pig" and "A Man of No Importance" at Lincoln Center Theater.

Round 2 begins officially on December 10th, 2007.

From what sources I could find (aka IMDb), Paul W.S. Anderson, director of the first Alien vs. Predator, has no involvement with this sequel.  I personally have not heard his name mentioned in conjunction with this sequel since Colin & Greg Strause were announced as the directors.  I view this as one major step in the right direction, but even still, I will remain skeptical as to how much improved this new film might be until I see some footage (which is probably almost a year away).

8.1.06
Fangoria reports that the official title for the AVP sequel is Alien vs. Predator: Survival of the Fittest.  As a tagline, it would sound decent, if rather cliché, but as an actual title, it's very, very cheesy.  At best, it should be a graphic novel title, but not a feature film.  Also reported is that shooting will begin "in Vancouver, British Columbia on September 23 and wrap December 14.  AVP’s Tom Woodruff Jr. and Alec Gillis of Amalgamated Dynamics, veterans of the first AVP and all the previous ALIEN sequels, will encore on the creature FX.  They also claim the film will hit theaters December 10th, 2007, which is a few months later than the originally announced August 10th date. In this follow-up to the worldwide hit, the iconic monsters from two of the scariest film franchises ever, wage war in an American mid-western town - with the residents caught in the middle."  Of course, the premise sounds as cheesy as the title.

6.10.06
Variety reports that the newly-announced directors of Aliev vs. Predator II have much better intentions for this film than Anderson had for the first.  They intend to bring both franchises back to their roots with intense horror and genuine terror.  I say kick ass!  Here's their report:

Shooting is skedded to begin in September for a summer 2007 release, according to Variety.

"Armageddon" scribe Shane Salerno, who rewrote the original "Alien vs. Predator," wrote the script.

"We really want to take it back to the original 'Alien' and 'Predator' films and make a serious, gritty horror film," Colin Strause said.

"We want to take it back to its roots, without losing sight of the human struggle," added Greg Strause. "That's what made the originals so good."

Davis Entertainment's John Davis and Robbie Brenner are producing. Davis Entertainment also produced the first film in the franchise, as well as "Predator" and "Predator 2."

The Strause brothers own Santa Monica-based visual effects house Hydraulics and have extensive visual effects credits on films including "Titanic," "The Day After Tomorrow" and "X-Men: The Last Stand." They've also directed commercials for Toyota, PlayStation and Coca-Cola.

Their relationship at Fox with newly upped exec VP of production Alex Young was instrumental in bringing them over from f/x work to feature films.

Salerno sold his spec "Reckless" to Fox and is working on an untitled Mark Gordon action pic for the studio. 

6.8.06
It has been confirmed that special and visual effects masters the Brothers Strause will be helming AVP2!  Say goodbye to Paul W.S. Anderson's hackery, and say hello to hope.  The brothers' official website confirmed the rumor as truth, specifically by Greg Strause.  He and his brother Colin have signed onto direct the sequel with Twentieth Century Fox for an August, 2007 release.

6.7.06
News has been slowly surfacing on Alien vs. Predator II.  According to Bloody-Disgusting, short of an official announcement, 20th Century Fox intends to release the sequel on August 10th, 2007.  AICN got a script review of Paul W.S. Anderson's script for the sequel, and as per usual, it was a terribly negative review.  In fact, negative is a bland term.  The script is described as "catastrophic," and as a hater of AVP, I can find that easy to believe and envision.  I felt Anderson's "versus" film was a horrible pay-off for a film that had been teased to us for about a decade and a half, and considering the works of Ridley Scott, Jim Cameron, and John McTiernan before him, Anderson's work came off as even more horrid.  But on the topic of news (or rumors), IGN FilmForce  brings us some potential light here (short version, Anderson may not be involved in AVP2):

"IGN FilmForce was informed by a tipster that 20th Century Fox may have found who they want to direct Alien vs. Predator 2. In this case, two directors.

Our scooper points out that the Wikipedia entry for special effects artists-turned-directors Greg and Colin Strause, a.k.a. the Brothers Strause, claims that the siblings "have recently been mentioned as the possible feature film directors for Alien vs. Predator 2. The sequel to 2004's Alien vs. Predator is set to be released in August 2007."

IGN's tipster advised us that the Brothers Strause "are set to direct AvP2," adding, "They've met with the producers and set to sign on this week."

As of June 1st, the Brothers Strause's official site coyly announced that "something big is brewing."

IGN attempted to confirm or deny this rumor with the brothers' reps at WMA and Management 360, as well as with the filmmakers themselves. None of these parties responded to our inquiry by publishing time.

In addition to their award-winning work as music video and commercial directors, the Brothers Strause also run Hydraulx, which has provided special effects work for such Fox films as X-Men: The Last Stand, Fantastic Four and The Day After Tomorrow."

A sequel was inevitable due to the amount Fox grossed on the first film, but if this rumor turns out to be truth, I will be relieved that Fox listened to the fans and critics to trash Anderson from the sequel.  Let's all just wait and cool our nerves until official news comes down from the studio.

8.9.05
DVDAnswers.com has reported that 20th Century Fox Home Entertainment will release on November 22, 2005, the extended uncut version of Alien vs. Predator.  This two-disc collectors' edition set will have both cuts of the film through seemless branching, and many new features.  Many say that while it's nice to get a longer cut, no amount of extra gore or story can possibly save this poor film.  I'm among those, but yes, there are people who enjoyed AVP for whatever reason.  So, it's double dip time for them.  Here's DVDAnswers' personal rundown of the set:

Fox Home Entertainment has announced a collector's edition of Alien Vs. Predator which stars Sanaa Lathan, Raoul Bova, Lance Henriksen and Ewen Bremmer. This new two-disc release will include the theatrical edition of the film, along with a seamlessly branched unrated cut. The new scenes added are entitled Antarctica 1904, Argument, Chamber of Skulls, Sacrifice, Weyland's Death and Predator Ritual. The film will be presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen, along with both English Dolby Digital 5.1, and DTS 5.1 Surround tracks. Extras will include a commentary by Paul W.S. Anderson, Lance Henriksen and Sanaa Lathan, a second audio commentary by Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr. and John Bruno, a Pre-Production: AVP The Beginning feature, a Branching Footage: ADI Workshop feature, a Storyboard Gallery, concept art, and a AVP Production featurette. Completing the package will be branching Video off of Making of AVP: Miniature Whaling Station, Facehuggers & Eggs, Trouble at the Mouth of the Tunnel, a visual effects breakdown, deleted scenes with optional director's commentary (The Sister, Miller Gets Caught, & Love Scene), a Licensing the Franchise: Aliens vs Predator the Comic Book featurette, a Monsters in Miniature by Todd McFarlane feature, a HBO special, three theatrical trailers, and trailers for Alien Quadrilogy and Planet of the Apes 35th Anniversary. Stay tuned for the official package artwork.

2.8.05
Man, I've really slacked off on this section.  I passed up news on the AVP DVD, the PREDATOR 2 SE DVD (which I now gladly own), and some other little bits along the way.  But today, we've got some interesting news regarding a new PREDATOR film, but oddly enough, it won't be titled Predator 3, and well, just read on from Latino Review....

Without getting my own ass in trouble, here's a smallish bit of news. Twentieth Century Fox are in talks with Johnny McTiernan to do a new Predator film - not a sequel, not a remake, not a prequel; more of a restart. There's talk - based on a treatment that's floating around the traps - that it might fix on Dutch's (the guy from the first film, Arnie played) grown-up commando kid.

John Cena's (one of Vince McMahon's kids) name has been branded about for the lead - but it's early days. They apparently want to coax JMT away from The Thomas Crown Affair sequel, have offered him this hoping it'll do trick."

Oh please, GOD, don't let them cast John Cena.  Christ, I can't stand that ghetto-mouthed white trash loser!  I love the WWE, but wrestlers in movies is almost ALWAYS a terrible idea, right alongside rappers in horror movies.  If they want a young action movie star, get someone will some acting talent!  I don't know, the first name that comes to mind is Paul Walker, but that's just arising from whatever random depths of my mind.  I'm sure there are plenty of young talented actors out there that could do the job exponentially better than this punk John Cena.  As for McTiernan returning - sounds good to me.  He's yet to fail me in whatever film of his I've seen (never saw Rollerball).  I don't exactly know what they mean by restarting the franchise when it's obviously going to be a direct sequel to the original.  Whatever the case, as long as we get a killer Predator flick out of it, I'll be happy.

9.22.04
Well, it seems as if Peter Briggs was right.  TheDigitalBits have reported that the DVD release, set for sometime in January, will be the theatrical cut, and no unrated cut will be released because.... "We're made to understand that this will not be the recently rumored "director's edition" because there really isn't much unreleased footage.  You might get a little more blood, but that's about it."  No disc specs or cover artwork have surfaced as of yet.

8.30.04
Want some juicy information that makes Paul Anderson look like a daft liar?  Bloody-Disgusting conducted an interview with Peter Briggs this weekend.  Briggs wrote the very first draft of "Alien vs. Predator" back in 1991, and he brings a lot of negative and truthful light on things Paul Anderson said in his Q&A session a few weeks ago (link below).  Ultimately, he says, from all the drafts (including several later shooting scripts) that there is barely anything cut from the film as far as those scripts show.  Some dialogue cut, but really, nothing major (no extra subplots or fights either).  Apparently, Anderson also lied about there being a longer cut of "Event Horizon" because Briggs talked to an executive behind that movie, and that exec said that no such cut exists.  From Briggs' very frank conversation, it seems as if Anderson was just making shit up on the spot to make people believe that any such director's cut of AVP would be a whole lot longer, and that loads of footage and story was cut when in fact, it does not seem to be the case.

Certainly, Briggs has nothing to gain from lying here, and even though he seems to hate the movie as much as Mr. Disgusting (and myself), I don't see him having any grudge against Paul W.S. Anderson.  Briggs' AVP script was long, long abandoned by the time Anderson came along, and so, he wouldn't be bitter about his script being tossed in favor of Anderson's.

8.19.04
There was an industry screening of AVP this past week, and even the filmmakers in attendence made complete fun of the film with Paul Anderson sitting right there in the same room!  Anyway, the real news is that there was a Q&A session with Anderson and a few other AVP filmmakers, and Bloody Disgusting got some coverage emailed into it.  Anderson says there will be an R-rated Director's Cut DVD, but when it will be released is totally unknown.  I won't criticism on footage I've not seen, nor know if it really exists or not, but Anderson says that Fox cut ALL the good scenes for the PG-13 cut.  He also states that Fox did not enforce a PG-13 rating until three weeks before the week of release.  Some footage was cut due to effects not being completed in time.  For the complete story, visit the B-D link above.

8.16.04
Despite massive negative reviews from critics and fans alike, "ALIEN vs. PREDATOR" brought in $38.2 million this past weekend.  Though, with the horrible word of mouth spreading like wild fire, chances are AVP could make a huge plummet next weekend (especially with "EXORCIST: THE BEGINNING" opening to steal a lot of the horror audience).  Also, hit either our discussion forum or the fan opinion polls page to voice your opinion on AVP.

8.13.04
I might review this movie later, but right now, I must tell everyone to AVOID THIS MOVIE!!!  I swear, I was robbed!  This movie is underwhelming, unexciting, tame, non-entertaining, and simply the worst of both series!  It's like watching a goddamn telemovie on a movie screen.  That's how terribly bad this movie is.  Good setup, decent acting, well-shot, nice directing, but the script and execution of that script were horrible!  And anyone who can't see the blatant setup for the tacked-on sequel segue ending from 10 miles away is just a moronic idiot.  This is a poor, poor, poor movie that will kill both franchises forever, and might just kill the "VS." movie trend before it even gets going.

Check Bloody-Disgusting, Quint's QICN review, Fangoria's review, and Rotten Tomatoes for all the reviews I agree with.

8.12.04
Tonight at 8pm ET/7pm CT, FOX will air a half hour "Making of Alien vs. Predator" show.  Also, don't forget those midnight showings!  Check your local theatre listings for them.

8.10.04
Dark Horizons has an interview with Paul W.S. Anderson and Lance Henriksen, both of which were conducted on-set late last year.

Also, McFarlane Toys recently unveiled the invisible - the Stealth Predator 12" figure - a partially cloaked Predator figure which will be exclusive to the Musicland store chain.  The figure should be in stores this week.  Check out Spawn.com for pics and further info.  You can get further details on ALL the 2004 Alien and Predator figures from McFarlane Toys here.  Also, don't forget to check out what Sideshow Collectibles has to offer as well.

8.9.04
The long-awaited Region 1 release of the PREDATOR: Collector's Edition 2-Disc DVD hits store shelves tomorrow.  20th Century Fox Home Entertainment has launched a promotional website for the release which includes wallpaper, an image gallery, full specs on the 2-disc set, video files, and more.  The set will also include a production featurette for AVP (the one about the creature design), and a teaser trailer which runs 1min 23sec (possibly the internet-only trailer which we have screenshots of in the Multimedia Archive).  Retail list price is $26.95, but you'll be able to find it for $17.99 at Best Buy.  Also, check DVDFile's review here.

Today, two clips from AVP have been posted at Apple.com in QuickTime.  Of course, be weary of spoilers, but also to the possiblity that these could be cutdown sequences (as the FvJ online clips were).

Also, for those that have heard news of AVP not being completed, yet.  It can only be false information.  The movie has been issued an MPAA rating, and you cannot submit an incomplete motion picture to the MPAA.  You must have a completed cut of the film with special effects and score in order for them to evaluate it so that a rating can be issued.  If such a thing was allowed, filmmakers could submit a version fo the film with incomplete visual effects, get a rating, and then, add in twice as much gore and violence.  Thus, defeating the purpose of the MPAA's rating because the final version of the movie does not reflect the rating it has been given.  It's simple logic and common sense.  The internet is full of bogus movie news and rumors.  Just be weary of everything, and remember that FOREVER HORROR endeavours to report on ONLY CONFIRMED or OFFICIAL news!

8.2.04
All of the contents of the official site's image gallery is now available in our Multimedia Archive along with high resolution poster artwork.  Also, I've added links there to all the trailers and production featurettes that are over at Apple.com.  Finally, don't forget to vote in FH's Fan Opinion Polls about who you believe will win out in this movie.

7.26.04
Well, unfortunate news has surfaced that "ALIEN vs. PREDATOR" has garnered a PG-13 rating (a contrast to the R ratings for all four ALIEN films, and both PREDATOR films).  If it makes you feel any better it's been rated PG-13 for "violence, language, horror images, slime, and gore."  Whose gore is the question.  The neon green gore of the Predators, the acidic green gore of the Aliens, or the deep red gore of the Humans?  Oh well, on the bizarre flipside of things, The Exorcist prequel has been slapped with an NC-17 rating just about a month before its release.  AVP with a PG-13, and Renny Harlin, the non-horror director, and his Exorcist prequel gain an NC-17 - something's very wrong in this world.

7.21.04
A new production featurette is online at Apple.com which is about the production and set design.  Also, commercials are starting to pop up on television, and a new promotion has begun with AVP Loews Theatres Gift Cards (I think that's correct).  Also, head on over to SideShowToy.com to view the 1:1 scale Predator head bust and the Alien Queen 1/4 scale bust!  Plus, the movie novelization by Marc Cerasini is now available at your local book store.  No word yet on the release of the original motion picture score by Harald Kloser.

6.16.04
The FINAL theatrical trailer for "ALIEN vs. PREDATOR" has hit online at Apple.com, and you can also see it before "THE CHRONICLES OF RIDDICK" (now in theatres).  There's also an Apple Exclusive Trailer that appeared during the MTV Movie Awards this past week.

4.27.04
A third featurette has been posted online at Apple.com.  It centers on the cast and characters, and includes interviews with Lance Henriksen, Paul W.S. Anderson, Raoul Bova, Colin Salmon, and Sanaa Lathan.  Also, all new fantastic footage from the film has been included in this featurette.  No word on when the full theatrical trailer will debut, but hopefully it will be before June.  Also, sorry for not getting all those official images from the official site online last month - it's been a very busy month for me.  I'll do my best to get them online as soon as I can, but no promises that it will be soon enough for everyone else.

3.25.04
You can preview the full official website at IGN FilmForce RIGHT NOW!  Galleries, trailers, featurettes, new desktops, a voting poll, and loads more to keep you busy!  The official site production stills and concept art will be posted in our AVP Multimedia Archive this weekend as well.  The official website at the official domain name [AVP-MOVIE.COM] will launch some time this weekend.

3.8.04
A NEW Internet-Only trailer is now online at Apple.com!  It combines footage from the teaser trailer along with some nice teaser-like footage from the movie itself!  It's more satisfying than the teaser trailer, and certainly delivers some classic, vintage imagery from BOTH franchises!  Check it out NOW!

UPDATE #2: Twenty-seven screenshots from the internet-only trailer are online in our new AVP Multimedia Archive!  Check 'em out!

1.20.04
I've been lazy as of late as I've let a lot of online interviews slipped by, but here's something to make up for some of that.  BIG cameo news from AICN this week!  Some slight bit of plot spoiler is there, but nothing major.  The main detail here regards to Charles Weyland's (Lance Henriksen) partner, Mr. John Yutani.  The character of Yutani will be played by none other than Alex "RoboCop" Murphy himself, Peter Weller!  After seeing "ROBOCOP" for the very first time about two weeks ago, this makes it even better.  AICN has further info on the character and his involvement in the story.  I guess this is the closest you'll get to "ALIEN vs. PREDATOR vs. ROBOCOP", huh?

Now, here's me making up totally for the missed interviews and articles in the past few weeks.  First, a two-part article from ComingSoon.net [Part One • Part Two].  Also, IGN FilmForce did an extensive interview with visual effects supervisor John Bruno (The Abyss, True Lies).  There are a number of spoilers here, and so, proceed at your own risk.

12.23.03
Exciting update today!  The VERY FIRST image from the set of "ALIEN vs. PREDATOR" has hit online via SuperHeroHype.com!  And even better, it's of the PREDATOR!  News broke that the Predator is being portrayed by the 7'1" pro-basketball player, Ian White.  This image is a treat indeed!  The AVP Multimedia section will open soon with poster images, this image, and some surprises.  Keep posted!
AVP-PREDATOR1.JPG

12.18.03
My god!  We actually have a new update for "ALIEN vs. PREDATOR"! IGN FilmForce scored an interview with writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson.  He seems very enthusiastic about the movie, and states that they are not going to touched upon the origins of either the Aliens or the Predators.  They are more trying to incorporate the two xenomorphs into the history of Earth, and add to the mythology of both series without compromising their continuity.  He also helps clear up the idea of casting Lance Henriksen here as his character's full name is Charles Bishop Weyland.  This is a MUST-READ interview that will certainly answer many of your questions regarding the film, its continuity withthe two franchises, and so much more.  It's a two page long interview that will surely make you optimistic, or at least, a little more confident in Paul Anderson and how this project is being handled.

11.12.03
FANGORIA spoke with ALIEN franchise veteran, Lane Henriksen, about "ALIEN vs. PREDATOR".  From the small amount I read of it, some could say this is already turnign into a mess.  Mainly because Henriksen says they keep giving him new versions of the script, and the continuity error of saying that his character here, Charles Weyland, created Bishop when we ALL now that his creator appeared in ALIEN 3, a great number of generations from present day.  Henriksen also talks a bit about "HELLRAISER: HELLWORLD".  Here's the WHOLE damn interview:

Lance Henriksen's New Terrors

By NICANOR LORETI

It has been a busy year for Lance Henriksen—but then again, it always is. The actor, who has played some of the most unforgettable characters in modern horror history (like vampiric gunslinger Jesse Cooper in NEAR DARK) has been working steadily in A- and B-movies since his breakthrough performance in James Cameron’s classic ALIENS. Of course, his career didn’t start there; among other things, he had worked with Cameron before in PIRANHA II: THE SPAWNING and THE TERMINATOR. But it was ALIENS that gave him the role he’s most remembered for: the benevolent android Bishop. And now, adding to the five movies he’s done this year, he was the first one to be cast in director Paul W.S. Anderson’s currently filming ALIEN VS. PREDATOR. When asked about being a workaholic, the actor just laughs and replies, “Above all, I just love to work. That’s it.”

ALIEN VS. PREDATOR, which Fox will release next August 4, is a sequel to both franchises, but Henriksen doesn’t return to the role that made him famous (which he reprised in ALIEN 3). “I don’t play Bishop in this movie, I play the man who created him,” the actor explains. “He’s a billionaire and is responsible for taking this expedition to Antarctica, where everything takes place. It’s a pretty cool character.

“I can’t tell you guys anything else—they made me sign not to tell,” Henriksen continues. “The thing is, they keep sending me new versions of [the script]. It’s gonna be a very, very exciting movie—I promise you that. I hope it turns out as good as ALIENS.”

Scripted by Anderson and Shane (SHAFT) Salerno, ALIEN VS. PREDATOR is set in Antarctica, where a rogue team of scientists (led by Henriksen’s character Weyland) uncovers an ancient pyramid. They also discover the two extraterrestrial species, and formulate a plan to capture a Predator that involves attracting it with Alien eggs. Of course, everything goes out of control when they find themselves trapped in the middle of a war between the two races. Other important roles in the movie are the heroine Lex (played by BLADE’s Sanaa Lathan), Graham Miller (TRAINSPOTTING’s Ewen Bremner), another scientist, and archaeologist Sebastian Wells (KNIGHTS OF THE QUEST’s Raoul Bova). Colin Salmon, from Anderson’s RESIDENT EVIL, also co-stars; rumor had it that EVIL’s Michelle Rodriguez and BLUE CRUSH’s Kate Bosworth were also considered for the movie.

This is Henriksen’s biggest project this year, but he has kept busy in a number of lower-budgeted films in recent years; his thriller THE INVITATION, pictured above, hits video December 2 from Lions Gate. He appears in actor-turned-director William Butler’s upcoming MADHOUSE (which has also been bought for distribution by Lions Gate), about a psychiatric intern (THE BLAIR WITCH PROJECT’s Joshua Leonard) who discovers dark secrets about the mental health facility where he works. Henriksen also took part in two entries in Dimension’s ever-growing franchise roster, MIMIC SENTINEL and HELLRAISER: HELLWORLD. MIMIC SENTINEL (released this past October) is probably the more interesting of the two, as it marks the leap into semi-major features for director J.T (SOFT FOR DIGGING) Petty. HELLWORLD is about a video game imbued with Pinhead’s essence and was helmed by Rick Bota, who also did the previous two HELLRAISER entries, HELLSEEKER and the yet-to-be released DEADER.

Henriksen has no qualms about participating in franchise flicks like these (obviously, as he also starred in the lamentable THE MANGLER 2). “The thing is, if there are no big movies being made and somebody offers you a sequel, you say, ‘Fine, sure, I’ll try it’ and attempt to do your best. I always do my best no matter what the movie. I never take a project and work just to get by.”

This view of the direct-to-video sequel experience is rather unique; Henriksen maintains that, no matter how high or low the budget, it could be an interesting experience. “Well, I believe that there’s always the chance that a sequel could be better than the original,” he explains. “A good example of that is when we did ALIENS. That sequel was as good as ALIEN, the first one. The only problem with sequels is that the people who direct or write them are sometimes just trying to do another version of the original, instead of taking some risks and attempting to make something new.”

Henriksen denies being involved in PROPHECY: REVELATION, yet another Dimension franchise entry, as opposed to what has been posted on the Internet Movie Database. “They haven’t offered that [PROPHECY movie] to me. Not at all. I haven’t heard from them yet.” What he will confirm is his upcoming reteaming with MADHOUSE writer/director Butler, better known to horror fans for his roles in LEATHERFACE: THE TEXAS CHAINSAW MASSACRE III and Tom Savini’s remake of NIGHT OF THE LIVING DEAD. “The next movie I’m gonna be doing is with William, and it’s called INK, about a guy with tattoos. It’s a thriller, and I’m really excited about it. We’ll start making that right after I finish shooting ALIEN VS. PREDATOR, though it’s gonna take a while to make that movie. I believe we’re gonna be shooting it for four and a half months in Prague.”

11.03.03
The BIG news on the ALIEN Quadrilogy 9-Disc DVD box set has hit. DVD Answers and DVDFile.com have announced the FULL specs for the massive, seemingly definite, and comprehensive box set for the ALIEN film franchise that is set to hit shleves on December 2nd.  Here they ALL are, as posted by DVDFile.com.  Possibly the most comprehensive feature for the set is that two different cuts can be viewed for each film (possibly through the seemless branching feature used on such discs as the Ultimate & Extreme Edition"TERMINATOR 2: JUDGMENT DAY" DVDs).  Though, don't freak out until you check out the features on the Bonus Disc (all trailers and TV spots are included there).

The seminal classic ALIEN brings you:

* The original 1979 theatrical version and the 2003 Director's cut
* An introduction by Director Ridley Scott, Dan O'Bannon, Sigourney Weaver, Veronica Cartwright, Harry Dean Stanton, John Hurt, and more
* Brand new commentary by Ridley Scott and the technical crew
* Nine brand new documentaries: "Star Beast," "The Visualists," "Truckers In Space," "Fear Of The Unknown," "The Darkest Reaches," "The Eight Passenger," "Future Tense," "Outward Bound" and "A Nightmare Fulfilled"
* A Multi-Angle Scene Study on the Chestburster sequence with optional commentary
* Sigourney Weaver's original screen test with optional commentary
* Seven deleted scenes with index
* The first draft of the screenplay by O'Bannon
* Ridleygrams - Original thumbnails and sketches
* Storyboard Archives
* "Art of Alien" including a cast portrait gallery, production gallery, the sets of Alien, H.R. Giger's Workshop, continuity polaroids and VFX gallery
* Original theatrical posters and stills from the premiere

The first sequel, ALIENS:

* The original theatrical version - available for the first time ever on DVD - and the special edition
* An introduction by Director James Cameron
* Brand new commentary by Cameron, Michael Biehn, Jenette Goldstein, Carrie Henn, Terry Henn, Lance Henriksen, Gale Anne Hurd, Pat McClung, Bill Paxton, Dennis Skotak, Robert Skotak, and Stan Winston
* James Cameron original treatment
* Nine brand new featurettes: "57 Years Later," "Building Better Worlds," "Preparing For Battle," "This Time It's War," "The Risk Always Lives," "Bug Hunt," "Beauty And The Bitch," "Two Orphans," and "Aliens Unleashed"
* The Art of Aliens including conceptual art portfolio, cast portraits, production gallery, continuity polaroids, Stan Winston's workshop, VFX gallery and premiere stills
* Deleted footage marker and deleted scene index
* Multi-angle videomatics with optional commentary
* An Easter Egg

The much-maligned ALIEN 3:

* The original theatrical version and a restored pre-release version with more than 30 minutes of never-before-seen footage
* Brand new commentary by cinematographer Alex Thompson, Editor Terry Rawlings, VFX designers Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr., effects producer Richard Edlund, and actors Paul McGann, and Lance Henriksen
* 11 new featurettes: "Development," "Tales Of The Wooden Planet," "Pre-Production III," "Xeno-Erotic," "Production: Part One, Part Two, and Part Three," "Adaptive Organism," "Optical Fury," "Music, Editing And Sound" and "Post-Mortem"
* E.E.V. Bio-Scan - A multi-angle vignette with optional commentary by Gillis
* The Art of Alien 3 including conceptual art portfolio, production gallery, and visual effects
* Furnace construction time lapse
* Storyboard archives

ALIEN: Resurrection starring Winona Ryder:

* The original theatrical version and an extended cut with alternate opening and ending sequences
* An introduction by director Jean Pierre Jeunet
* Brand new commentary by Jeunet, Herve Schneid, Alec Gillis, Tom Woodruff Jr., Pitof, Sylvain Despretz, Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon and Leland Orser
* First draft of the screenplay by Joss Whedon
* 11 new featurettes: "From The Ashes," "French Twist," "Under The Skin," "Death From Below," "In The Zone," "Unnatural Mutation," "Genetic Mutation," "Genetic Composition," "Virtual Alien," "A Matter Of Scale" and "Critical Junction"
* Multi-angel rehearsal footage
* A Mike Carro photo gallery, a conceptual art gallery, VFX gallery, a promotional photo archive and continuity polaroids
* Storyboard archives
* An Easter Egg

And the Bonus Disc:

* A brand new Q&A with Ridley Scott
* "Experience in Terror" - A promotional featurette from 1979
* "Alien Evolution" - Channel 4 U.K. exclusive documentary on Alien
* A complete laser disc archive of Alien and Aliens
* Original theatrical trailers and TV spots from all four films
* "Aliens In The Basement" - Inside the Bob Burns ALIEN Collection
* Dark Horse cover gallery - Anthology of 11 issues of the ALIEN comics
* DVD-ROM feature - Script to screen comparisons

How much will this behemoth cost you? Only $99.95.

10.29.03
Okay, time to get off my ass and get everyone up-to-speed on the 'AVP' news.  First off, I just saw the 'ALIEN' director's cut tonight, and saw the teaser trailer.  No pay off there.  It's not online yet, but I will certainly inform you when it does.  The teaser trailer just didn't give me any real satisfaction.  It could've been MUCH better!  I mean, voice-overs help a trailer like this MAJORLY, but I digress.  I'll save this ranting for THE TRAILER DESTROYER.

Now, AICN has a script review from Mr. Beaks.  It's not at all positive and Harry Knowles says that it's, at least, three times worse than Beaks says it is.  Doesn't instill confidence in you about writer/director Paul W.S. Anderson, does it?  Also, as the film has begun filming, we actually discovered a SECOND and THIRD cast member!  Saana Lathan and Ewen Bremner have been reported by Varietyand Dark Horizons, respectively, as joining the 'AVP' cast.  DH also reported that the current budget is slated as $60 million.  Bloody-Disgusting posted some information on Lathan's character along with news from SuperheroHype about the advanced one-sheets (coming to a theatre lobby near you):

According to Variety, Sanaa Lathan (Out of Time) will star as the lead role in 20th Century Fox's Alien vs. Predator, which begins shooting October 28 in Prague. Paul Anderson's (Event Horizon) flick is set to hit theaters next August. Lathan will play explorer-adventuress Lex Kline, who leads an expedition to Antarctica to uncover warring alien races. The Kline character is said to be reminiscent of the Ellen Ripley role Sigourney Weaver played in the Alien series.

Superhero Hype! received word on the Alien vs Predator posters, "Just thought I would let you know that I just received word tonight that the advance one-sheet movie posters for Aliens Vs. Predator have been printed and should be hitting theaters within the next few weeks. Two advance styles were made, one deplicting the Predator and the other of Aliens. Both posters state Summer 2004 on them and the title "AVP" on them. Most poster dealers won't even be able to get them, they are going to be that rare."

Now, something a bit more for the eyes.  The logo artwork hit online, and is already been utilized in the teaser trailer (currently showing before the limited release of the 'ALIEN' director's cut).  Hit the link below to check it out:
AVP_LOGO.JPG

UPDATE #2:  Open my big mouth!  The "ALIEN vs. PREDATOR" teaser trailer is now online along with a featurette at Apple.com!  Also, Bloody-Disgusting posted images of the two advanced posters (you can bid on them over at eBay)!  Hit the link below to check 'em out!
AVP_POSTERS1.JPG

10.20.03
CountingDown posted a report from the Los Angeles Comic Book and Science Fiction Convention over the weekend.  The report speaks of a pre-production video presentation with an array of storyboards and a more specific rundown of the film's plot.  Here is that report:

"[At the convention] they played a brief 5 minute preproduction presentation on Fox's upcoming 'Alien vs. Predator' flick. They mentioned that 'not a frame of film has been shot yet', but shooting starts next week in Prague. They also mentioned that this tape played at their con last month, so it's possible that you all know about this presentation already, but I hadn't heard much about it so far, so I figured no one would mind if I provided a quick recap of what was shown."

"The whole piece was narrated by director Paul WS Anderson (Resident Evil). As far as the story, we are told that in the past, the Predators used the the Aliens for hunting purposes, as a right of passage for the young Predator to become men (er, for lack of a better term). We see one such battle play out in an Aztec temple. Supposedly, the Predators were seen as Gods to the Aztec people (some shades of 'Stargate', it would seem), who built them their temples for worshipping and battle purposes. They showed some storyboards of one Predator defeating an Alien, holding its severed head in victory, as well as some boards where three Predator are overrun by thousands of Aliens, and upon realizing that they have clearly lost the battle, they activate their self-destruct technology. This is why so many ancient civilizations have been wiped out; Predator hunting failures."

"Flash forward to present day, where a group of scientists have found one of the ancient Predator temples under an Antarctic icecap. The story revolves around 5 "teenage" Predators who are set to undergo their right of passage with the Aliens at this newly discovered temple, with the humans caught in the middle. There was also some brief dicussion about the Predators testing out their new weapons technology. The video showed one example, a modified shuriken throwing star (apparently this weapon is 'in' again after 'Underworld'), which starts as a small handle with a trigger and expands into 6 elongated razor blades. This was actually pretty cool looking."

"Anyways, that pretty much rounded out the presentation. They quickly flashed some shots edited together from the two respective franchises, and rounded it out with a tagline (which may or may not be the final one), "Whoever wins...we lose." All in all, hard to tell too much about the final product from the small amount shown..."

10.14.03
FOREVER HORROR's section dedicated to Twentieth Century Fox's "ALIEN vs. PREDATOR" is now online!  At this time, only this, the news page along with the profiles page, are online, but the other pages of this section will arise in time.  In this, the very first update, we'll give you the rundown of official information already out there.  Including the cast, crew, creature effects, and plot information.  First off, is that the teaser trailer, which was filmed last month, will debut with the October 29th theatrical release of the "ALIEN" director's cut (which is currently only set for a limited release on 350 screens in the U.S.).  No footage from the actual movie will appear in the trailer, but both title characters will be seen to some extent.  You can currently check out the trailer for the "ALIEN" director's cut here or at its official site.  Also, you can view an interview with the director of "ALIEN", Ridley Scott here.  Once the 'AvsP' teaser trailer hits the web, we'll let you know A.S.A.P.!

Dark Horizons posted an anonymous insider report on the aforementioned teaser trailer shoot:

"[V]alidity is unsure though timing wise it sounds about right. "Last Thurs (9/11), there was a promo shoot for the teaser trailer or teaser poster(s) for the new Aliens vs. Predator movie. Now, I don't know when it will be released but what I saw was totally cool. Here's what I saw: A caucasian male, 6"2, in complete Predator suit/make-up getting ready for some still shots. When I saw him, he wasn't wearing the helmet but the costume pretty much was reminiscent of the last two Predator films. The only difference was that the mask (or helmet) looked more metallic than I remember it being (sorry to say it, but, it reminded me of the metallic finish on the Jason mask in Jason X, when he is turned into the SUPER JASON! BUT cooler). Anyway, the suit was only air-brushed from the waist down, which leads me to believe that the shoot was for a teaser poster. But otherwise, the tendrils of "hair" on the predator were AMAZING. I wasn't ballsy enough to see up close but the crew was shooting the Predator first in "attack" position, perfect for a sneak peak poster. Once all photography/ filming(?) was complete, the crew dumped a bucket full of see-through green slime/goo on him and took more pictures. This was either meant to be Predator blood, or Alien blood -- couldn't tell, too far away. Later in the day, it was the Alien's turn. What I CAN tell you (about this specific Alien shoot) is that it was NOT the Queen Alien; rather a more human-like Alien who walked on two feet. It looked amazing because he was walking like PUMPKINHEAD (remember that one?) and he too -- a middle aged geeky caucasian dude) -- was not wearing his helmet. (The alien head itself is very faithful to the drone Aliens in the Alien video games and the ones in Alien 3, with the elongated head going back, behind the body, round in shape; NOT the flared out helmet of the Queen. I found it odd though that the Alien had NO tail. It made me wonder if they would add it later in post, or if it was part of the story, where it gets cut off. Here too, pictures of it were taken in "attack" position, kneeling down w/head intact. This was by far the most exciting part of the day, although the Predator was "gargantuan" in size compared to the Alien."

Now, for the most direct information on who has been creating the creature effects over the past few months for this film, I must credit Bloody Disgusting for this information:

Variety reports that, "Amalgamated Dynamics has been recruited to design and create the creature effects for Alien vs. Predator, Fox's upcoming match-up between two cult characters.  The company is headed by Oscar winning f/x vets Alec Gillis and Tom Woodruff Jr., have created effects for previous installments of Fox's Alien franchise, including Alien 3 and Alien: Resurrection.  For Alien vs. Predator, Amalgamated Dynamics will design and perform the animatronic versions of the "Alien" and "Predator" creatures, as well as makeup and other on-set effects for the film."

Now, who better to be the first one cast for this film, but Lance Henriksen?  No, he will no portraying the android character of Bishop or his designer from "ALIEN 3".  Once again, B-D had the scoop on this one, by way of Variety magazine:

"Henriksen will portray a billionaire industrialist who finances an expedition to the Antarctic to uncover an ancient pyramid and insists on joining the scientists on the journey. When they arrive, they discover two alien races engaged in the ultimate battle."

And the man helming the scriptwriting and directing duties is Paul W.S. Anderson.  He has directed the motion picture adaptations for "MORTAL KOMBAT" and "RESIDENT EVIL" (also writer) along with the sci-fi / horror film that owes MUCH to the original "ALIEN:  "EVENT HORIZON" (starring Sam Neill & Laurence Fishburne).  Anderson passed up the opportunity to direct BOTH "RESIDENT EVIL: APOCALYPSE" and "MORTAL KOMBAT: DOMINATION" (the third film of the franchise), but remains on as producer for both films.  Anderson's script takes place in the present day, and as the news of Henriksen's character stated, it also takes place in the Antarctic.  Though, there's much more where that came from as Filmjerk posted a set of lengthy character profiles for casting purposes (hit the link for those), and these details on announcement of the film's long awaited 'green light':

According to Filmjerk, the story follows "human scientists going on an expedition to Antarctica to lure Predator hunters, using Alien eggs as bait. Of course, these plans quickly goes awry and the humans find themselves in the crossfire between two warring alien species".

And a plot twist was reported on Dark Horizons recently (which is directly taken from the Dark Horse comics).  If you wish to view this small twist, highlight the blackened text below:

"Expect a hybrid Alien/Predator (with tail) and marine jumpsuits with permanent gun attachments according to the latest gossip from the pre-production annals."

With the green lighting of "ALIEN vs. PREDATOR", news surfaced about a potential "PREDATOR 3" and "ALIEN 5".  "PREDATOR 3" was to feature the return of Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger) from the original as he battles the Predator through the winterscape of New York City, but even when this news hit, Arnold had a full slate with "TERMINATOR 4" and "KING CONAN" being expected.  Moviehole had all the information on the potential rematch of Schwarzenegger vs. Predator along with a description of the potential teaser trailer. Moviehole also had the news of Duane "The Rock" Johnson taking Arnold's place in the third PREDATOR flick, but that news didn't hold together for long.  Since that news, nothing more has been said of it, and well, Arnold has become the Governor of the state of California.

"ALIEN 5" has been steadily rumored, but nothing official from FOX, that James Cameron would write while Ridley Scott directed.  Both men spoke, on the record, about being jointly interested in doing the fifth "ALIEN" film together.  No plot details or really anything was stated except that Cameron was interested in adding Arnold to the mix, but that follows along the lines of the "PREDATOR 3" news.

In the meantime, you can enjoy the forthcoming ALIEN Quadrilogy 9-Disc DVD box set.  DVD Answers had some information about the Region 2 release of the set, but the main added attraction is the 134 minute cut of David Fincher's "ALIEN 3" along with the aforementioned director's cut of the original "ALIEN".  The final bits of news concerning the theatrical release of the latter is as follows, from Bloody Disgusting and Dark Horizons, respectively:

"Informed by many sources, if you happen to see a poster for the release of Alien signed by director Ridley Scott in your local theater at one of the cities listed below, run and tell management quickly! The first patron who spots the signed poster and notifies the theater manager will then get dibs on the collectible! The autographed posters are being sent to theaters in the following cities: New York, Los Angeles, Chicago, San Francisco, Philadelphia, Boston, Dallas, Washington D.C., Houston, Seattle, Atlanta and Toronto. Alien hits theaters again on October 29th, and you could spot a teaser for Alien vs Predator there!"

"Bad news - Fox has apparently cut the number of prints for the re-issue of Alien in the US from 1200 prints to only 350, not a good sign. Also, Ridley Scott talked about the film recently in a video interview with Apple.Com."