Fede Alvarez Envisions a Stealthy ‘Alien vs. Predator’ Crossover
Director Fede Alvarez, fresh from the success of his recent "Alien: Romulus" screening, has expressed intriguing thoughts on the potential for an "Alien vs. Predator" crossover film. While acknowledging the challenges of keeping such a project a secret in the spoiler-laden internet age, Alvarez outlined his ideal approach:
A Stealthy Surprise
"The best ‘AVP’ will be the one that you don’t know is ‘AVP’ until the other guy shows up," Alvarez told Collider. "You think you’re watching a Predator movie, and then they land in some place and there are creatures, and fucking hell, it’s a Xenomorph. That would get me. ‘Fuck yeah!’ You’d go crazy. Or vice versa, you’re in an Alien movie, and then suddenly a mysterious creature is there, and you can hear that sound, and you see the cloak, and you go, ‘Is that a fucking Predator?’ And then turns out it is. That would be the way to do it, don’t you think?"
Alvarez believes that revealing the crossover in the title would spoil the surprise and diminish the impact. He envisions a scenario where audiences are drawn into the story of either an Alien or Predator film, only to be jolted by the unexpected arrival of the other species.
Challenges of Secrecy
"The way I would do it, most likely, if it could be done this way… It’s harder to keep secrets online," Alvarez acknowledged. "The best ‘AVP’ will be the one that you don’t know is ‘AVP’ until the other guy shows up."
However, Alvarez is realistic about the difficulties of maintaining secrecy in today’s hyper-connected world. Pointing out the lengths to which productions like "Wicked" have gone to conceal their cast members, he questions whether it would be feasible to keep iconic elements like Xenomorph eggs and Predator weaponry under wraps.
Influences from ‘Alien: Romulus’
Alvarez also discussed his initial plans for "Alien: Romulus" to feature a surprise reveal, which ultimately did not come to fruition. He intended to keep the presence of the Xenomorphs secret until the characters stumbled upon their eggs.
While that plan was abandoned, Alvarez did manage to incorporate one major surprise into "Romulus": the character of Rook, inspired by Ian Holm. He implored early viewers not to spoil this revelation for others, demonstrating his commitment to preserving the element of surprise.
Collaboration with Dan Trachtenberg
On the subject of a potential new "Alien vs. Predator" film, Alvarez expressed enthusiasm for collaborating with "Prey" director and current Predator franchise architect Dan Trachtenberg. He remarked, "At some point… one day if we feel like, ‘Yeah, [a new AVP is] what we cannot wait to see,’ I think that’s a movie we could do."
Trachtenberg’s upcoming "Predator: Badlands" is slated for release this fall, further fueling speculation about a potential crossover project. With Alvarez’s passion for stealthy surprises and Trachtenberg’s knack for reinvigorating classic franchises, the possibility of a groundbreaking "Alien vs. Predator" film remains tantalizingly within reach.
