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AdAptAtion in the Age of MediA ConvergenCe
For my latter argument, it is necessary to take a closer look at the storyworlds, products, and elements that make up the fictional universe of the
Alien creature so far. At this point, there are:
– Six films: Alien (1979), Aliens (1986), Alien 3 (1992), Alien
Resurrection (1997), Prometheus (2012), and Alien: Covenant (2017);
– Novelizations of the first four films, and more than a dozen
other novels situated in the same universe;
– A host of comics, some of which are adaptations of specific
films, others situated in the same universe;
– Various computer games on different consoles, some adaptations of specific films (at least by title), others, again, are
situated in the same universe;
– Toys, sculptures, board games, theme park rides, a PEZ
dispenser (!), etc.
Many of these are non-narrative and rather transient, and so, for the most
part, are not relevant storyworld constituents. However, they do testify to the
pervasiveness and iconic impact of the fictional universe and its key design
elements. In addition, it has to be kept in mind that Giger’s artwork, which
much of the fictional universe of the Alien draws on, precedes the first film; at
this point, books of his artwork, including “making-of” books, of course also
include images of the Alien universe, creating an interesting feedback loop.
Notably, there are two crossover films that combine the Alien and Predator
franchises 13 in one storyworld and, by implication, in one joint fictional
universe: Alien vs. Predator (AvP; 2004) and Alien vs. Predator: Requiem
(AvP 2; 2007). These films, as well as the earlier video games, pit the two
“creatures” against each other (and of course against humanity) and in
turn have their “own” comic and computer game re-adaptations, as well as
various other merchandise.
Predictably, the legally sanctioned universe of the franchise is expanded,
modified, and appropriated (more or less transiently, and with more or
less feedback to the “official” universe) by various fanfictions and other
13 Predator is a 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film that itself has spawned two sequels, the last
one as recent as 2010, with the attending fictional universe and an entire franchise (comics,
computer games, etc.). A little detail for the connoisseurs: Predator 2 (1990) already makes a
subtle reference to the Alien universe by displaying an Alien skull as a trophy of the predators
at the end of the film, thus predating the actual film AvP. Comics and computer games based
on the same premise were already extant and quite popular in the early 1990s. Since Twentieth
Century Fox owned the rights both to the Alien and the Predator films, copyright was not an
issue. In the medium of comics, crossovers have thrived in particular. Here, the aliens and the
predators meet the Terminator, Superman, Batman, and so on.
AdAptAtion in the Age of MediA ConvergenCe
For my latter argument, it is necessary to take a closer look at the storyworlds, products, and elements that make up the fictional universe of the
Alien creature so far. At this point, there are:
– Six films: Alien (1979), Aliens (1986), Alien 3 (1992), Alien
Resurrection (1997), Prometheus (2012), and Alien: Covenant (2017);
– Novelizations of the first four films, and more than a dozen
other novels situated in the same universe;
– A host of comics, some of which are adaptations of specific
films, others situated in the same universe;
– Various computer games on different consoles, some adaptations of specific films (at least by title), others, again, are
situated in the same universe;
– Toys, sculptures, board games, theme park rides, a PEZ
dispenser (!), etc.
Many of these are non-narrative and rather transient, and so, for the most
part, are not relevant storyworld constituents. However, they do testify to the
pervasiveness and iconic impact of the fictional universe and its key design
elements. In addition, it has to be kept in mind that Giger’s artwork, which
much of the fictional universe of the Alien draws on, precedes the first film; at
this point, books of his artwork, including “making-of” books, of course also
include images of the Alien universe, creating an interesting feedback loop.
Notably, there are two crossover films that combine the Alien and Predator
franchises 13 in one storyworld and, by implication, in one joint fictional
universe: Alien vs. Predator (AvP; 2004) and Alien vs. Predator: Requiem
(AvP 2; 2007). These films, as well as the earlier video games, pit the two
“creatures” against each other (and of course against humanity) and in
turn have their “own” comic and computer game re-adaptations, as well as
various other merchandise.
Predictably, the legally sanctioned universe of the franchise is expanded,
modified, and appropriated (more or less transiently, and with more or
less feedback to the “official” universe) by various fanfictions and other
13 Predator is a 1987 Arnold Schwarzenegger film that itself has spawned two sequels, the last
one as recent as 2010, with the attending fictional universe and an entire franchise (comics,
computer games, etc.). A little detail for the connoisseurs: Predator 2 (1990) already makes a
subtle reference to the Alien universe by displaying an Alien skull as a trophy of the predators
at the end of the film, thus predating the actual film AvP. Comics and computer games based
on the same premise were already extant and quite popular in the early 1990s. Since Twentieth
Century Fox owned the rights both to the Alien and the Predator films, copyright was not an
issue. In the medium of comics, crossovers have thrived in particular. Here, the aliens and the
predators meet the Terminator, Superman, Batman, and so on.