Following the success of Alien, the acclaimed filmmaker James Cameron proposed a sequel to the studio, which ultimately earned two Oscars and became one of his most acclaimed works. And there is a prevalent story about how he convinced the studio for this sequel.
It has been believed that Cameron pitched the Alien sequel by simply adding an ‘S’ to the film’s title and turning it into a dollar sign. The Oscar-winning filmmaker confirmed the urban legend surrounding the Alien sequel later in an interview, as he shared that the studio didn’t question his vision and proceeded with the sequel.
James Cameron Confirmed the Pitching Story For Alien Sequel
The long-standing tale surrounding James Cameron‘s pitch for Aliens has become an “urban legend” among fans. However, the filmmaker himself has confirmed that it is true and that he did propose the sequel in a manner closely resembling the urban legend.
In an interview with CinemaBlend, he revealed that the idea just “popped” into his mind during a meeting with producers at 20th Century Fox. He further recalled presenting the concept on the back of a script or presentation document.
“And I wrote, ‘Alien’ in large block letters. And I put an S on the end. I showed it to them. I said, ‘I want to call it Aliens—And I said, ‘But here’s what it’s going to translate to.’ And then I drew the two lines through it to make it a dollar sign. And that was my pitch.”
He also shared that the ‘S’ in the film’s title depicted multiple threats in the sequel and he signified the financial potential of the sequel by turning it into ‘$.’ The simplicity and graphic nature of the pitch resonated with the studio, leading them to accept his proposal without any questions.
“They never questioned it,” he recalled during the interview. Cameron has also shared that it might be the subconscious association triggered by the sight of the dollar sign or his confident delivery that may have influenced the studio’s decision to greenlight the sequel.
Aliens Director Was Told it Would be a Career-Ending Film For Him
The 69-year-old filmmaker faced skepticism when he initially pitched his plans for the Alien sequel. He shared that a “bigshot producer” told him that the 1986 film could spell disaster for his career. As per Empire, he recalled,
“I had lunch with a bigshot producer when I was about to start Aliens who said, ‘This is a no-win for you. If your movie’s good, Ridley will get the credit. If it’s bad, it’s all you. It’s a career ender.'”
However, despite the producer’s cautionary words, Cameron remained undeterred. “I was maybe a dumb a** fanboy,” he recalled, stating that regardless of the potential career consequences, he felt compelled to bring it to fruition. Contrary to the producer’s prediction, Aliens became one of the biggest hits in 1986 and solidified Cameron’s status as a powerhouse filmmaker.
Aliens is available on AppleTV.
