Posted

in

by

Tags:


We had one film release this past weekend with the potential for Oscar nominations.

Alien: Covenant

Science fiction and horror are two genres the Academy is typically averse to. While there are notable exceptions, they seem to be fewer and farther between than they once were. That doesn’t mean recognition is non-existent. One franchise that has been tremendously successful with Oscar voters is the Alien series, with films that have consistently been recognized and occasionally rewarded by the Academy.

When the first film opened in June of 1979, Ridley Scott’s Alien was a big success. Adjusted for inflation, the first film made more than $275 million at the box office. This was a staggering amount for the time, especially for a sci-fi/horror hybride. That box office strength and critical acclaim may have bolstered the film’s Oscar prospects as it secured two Oscar nominations for Best Art Direction and Best Visual Effects. It won the latter of these awards.

Seven years later, the series got its first sequel, this time in the hands of director James Cameron. Titled Aliens, the film brought in an inflation-adjusted $202 million and performed even better at the Oscars. 7 Oscar nominations were given to the film including a surprise Best Actress nomination for Sigourney Weaver. The other nominations were for Best Original Score, Best Film Editing, Best Sound, Best Sound Effects Editing, and Best Visual Effects. It also outdid its predecessor’s win count, picking up two awards for Sound Effects Editing and Visual Effects.

The series took a similar break between films, coming out with its third incarnation in May of 1992. This time in the hands of David Fincher. Alien 3 only managed a $118 million inflation-adjusted tally and likewise took a similar dive in terms of Oscar attention, picking up a single nod for Best Visual Effects, which it lost to Death Becomes Her. The fourth film, Alien: Resurrection, was released to the big screen five years later with Jean-Pierre Jeunet at the helm. It made a subpar $92 million and was utterly ignored by the Oscars.

This last film had almost put a nail in the series’ coffin only to be revived 15 years later by series creator Ridley Scott. Scott’s Prometheus, which he claimed at the time was not a prequel to the previous films, turned out very much to be one. It raked in an adjusted $138 million and brought the series back to the Oscars with a Best Visual Effects nomination. While the award went to Life of Pi, it was clear that in spite of the negative response to Prometheus, the film as a success at the box office and was revived at the Oscars leading to this five-year-later sequel Alien: Covenant.

After the weakness of the prior film in the eyes of fans, the opening weekend wasn’t terribly great, coming in at a measly $36 million (estimate). That’s not going to give it much hope of reaching $100 million. Without that boost, it could struggle against a familiar array of potential Oscar nominees this year. The film could make inroads into any category the series has previously inhabited, but the only consistent recognition it has received has been in Best Visual Effects and there are numerous challengers this year. Lower-than-expected box office, but decent reviews, may make it a challenge for the film to earn Oscar’s recognition, but it’s still a distinct possibility.

Verified by MonsterInsights