Alien 5 started out as one of filmmaker Neill Blomkamp's 'personal' projects, but has since entered official development under 20th Century Fox's watch. The project started out as concept art released online by Blomkamp, and the filmmaker has since been courting the interests and involvement of franchise mainstay Sigourney Weaver (who worked with Blomkamp on Chappie) and (reportedly) Aliens costar Michael Bien.

Weaver, who originated the role of Ellen Ripley in director Ridley Scott's original 1979 Alien film, has never been shy to put her name on even the not-so-beloved sequels in the Alien movie franchise in the past. However, it turns out there's one installment in the Alien chronology that she is less than affectionate towards.

Radio Times [hat tip THR] interviewed Weaver during the 2015 London Film and Comic-Con, where the latter offered the following reply when asked if Ripley being killed in Alien 3 was (at least, partly) her decision:

“Well, yes – because I heard that Fox was gonna do Alien vs Predator. Which really depressed me because I was very proud of the movies... I’ve nothing against building a movie on a video game but at the time, it was, as [Aliens director] Jim Cameron said I think publically, ‘why would you want to do that?' It’s like making Alien meets the Wolfman.”

Weaver went on to say that she feels Fox's Alien vs. Predator plans - which also put Scott off directing another Alien sequel - ultimately "cause more problems than it was worth," for the Alien franchise. Nevertheless, neither the theatrical cut of Alien 3 nor Alien Resurrection (which Weaver both starred in and produced) seemed to do the franchise many favors either, while Scott eventually went on to make the divisive Alien quasi-prequel Prometheus. So, take or leave Weaver's Alien vs. Predator complaint as you will.

Alien 5 artwork with Sigourney Weaver as Ellen Ripley

Regarding Alien 5 and Blomkamp's involvement in the continuation of the Alien franchise, Weaver was more appreciative:

"I'm so excited about Neill, because Neill is like you guys! He broke the tapes of these movies when he was a kid, [as] he watched them so much. I love the fact that Neill's fulfilling his childhood dream of what he hopes will be the popcorn movie, the Alien popcorn movie that he wanted as a kid to see."

Blomkamp certainly still has a number of fans, but there are also several moviegoers who have become more than a little disenchanted with his work since District 9 (see: Elysium). The latest Blomkamp film release, Chappie, may've split people even more on whether or not the filmmaker should be allowed to continue the space odyssey of Ellen Ripley. So who knows if Ripley and the Xenomorph will ever be returned to their former glory, at this stage.

NEXT: Theories On Hicks' Return In Alien 5

We'll bring you more information on Alien 5 when we have it.

Source: Radio Times [via THR]