As AvP Galaxy quite rightly say, if this is true, it is great news indeed. Artist H.R. Giger, who brought such a distinctive industrial-organic look to the creature design for the original Alien film may be back on board for the Ridley Scott-directed prequels.
Ridley Scott seems to still be embroiled in debate with the studio over the certificate he is aiming for, as well as the proposed budget. Scott wants to aim for something reasonably brutal and adult-oriented (presumably an R rating in the US and a 15/18 certificate in the UK) and a $250m budget across the two planned sequels. 20th Century Fox seem to think the combination of a higher rating and a big budget is a bad combination and therein lies the impasse – Scott’s artistic convictions up against the economic concerns of the bean-counters.
Whether Giger coming on board helps or is neutral in Fox’s decision making is hard to say. My view would be that they ought to trust in Scott’s abilities and instincts, given the commercial and critical success his films have tended to attract. If Giger can come on board and bring the same sensibility to the prequels’ creature design as he did to the original, that can only be a good thing. As to Giger’s decision? A report in German quotes his wife as saying that her husband is “on board” and “will work again” with the director of the 1979 film Alien.
That seems to be pretty clear, then. What do you think? Is Giger an essential component for the prequels? Are the prequels an appealing prospect for you full stop?
