This article covers the known references to the Alien franchise in popular culture. Owing to the nature of the article, this list is ongoing and may not be complete.
The Alien franchise has been referred to numerous times on The Simpsons:
In the 1994 episode "Deep Space Homer", there is an Itchy & Scratchy sketch where the characters are in space. Itchy suddenly bursts out of Scratchy's stomach, a parody of the Chestburster scene in Alien.
In the 1994 episode "Sweet Seymour Skinner's Baadasssss Song", Bart brings his dog, Santa's Little Helper, to school where the dog wanders into the vents. Groundskeeper Willie has to go in after it and track it down through the school's air ducts. The scene cuts to Principal Skinner looking at the display of a motion tracking monitor, which shows one dot approaching another. This whole sequence is a direct parody of the scene in Alien where Dallas enters the air vents to try and flush out the Alien while the rest of the crew track him using motion detectors. Also during the scene, Skinner opens a grate and peers into the overhead duct, mimicking the scene where Corporal Hicks lifting a suspended ceiling panel in Aliens, and Willie catches vague glimpses of Santa's Little Helper running past the junctions in the ductwork, similar to the Dragon in Alien3.
The 1995 episode "Treehouse of Horror VI" features a segment called "Homer3".
The 1995 episode "Two Dozen and One Greyhounds" includes a scene where ill-behaved greyhound pups burst out of a roasted turkey that has just been placed on a dining room table, reminiscent of the Chestburster scene in Alien.
In the 2002 episode "The Lastest Gun in the West", Snake Jailbird and several goons are seen in a shootout with the Springfield Police Department; Snake and his men are armed with M41A Pulse Rifles.
The Dragon kissing Ripley on The Simpsons.
In the 2010 episode "Stealing First Base", a montage of famous kissing scenes from various classic movies is played. However, one of these is a humorous spoof of the iconic scene in Alien3 where the Dragon leers over Ripley in the infirmary — in keeping with the theme of kissing, instead of hissing threateningly, the Dragon gently kisses Ripley on the cheek with its inner jaw. This was also a reference to a repeated joke that appeared in the opening titles of the TV series The Critic (see below), which was co-created by Simpsons producers Al Jean and Mike Reiss.
In the 2010 episode "Treehouse of Horror XXI", when Professor Frink walks in front of his X-ray machine, an Alien embryo is seen inside him.
In the 2011 episode "Treehouse of Horror XXII", Maggie bursts out of Bart's chest.
In the 2012 episode "To Cur with Love", while Mr. Burns is giving awards, a flying mutated Blinky fish appears. In addition to wings, it has a rigid tongue with its own set of jaws, like the Xenomorph.
In the 2013 episode "Treehouse of Horror XXIV", during the opening sequence, an Alien is among the movie creatures and characters seen in the field next to the Simpsons' house.
The Alien films have been referenced several times on the British sci-fi sitcom Red Dwarf:
In the 1988 episode "Waiting for God", Rimmer warns Lister against opening a deep space pod of unknown origin, telling him he "might get some squiggly, slimy thing stuck to [his] face", a nod to the Facehuggers from the Alien films.
In a later 1988 episode, "Confidence & Paranoia", a character says, "In space no one can hear you cha-cha-cha."
The 1989 episode "Polymorph" revolves around the crew battling a genetically-engineered lifeform known as a Polymorph, which features several characteristics clearly inspired by the Xenomorph, not least of all its name. The creature also features a rigid proboscis that shoots from its mouth as a means of attack, similar to the Xenomorph's inner jaw, that it uses to drain emotions from its victims by attaching it to their forehead, an obvious nod to the classic Headbite. Furthermore, the creature's large, elongated head and exposed jaws are somewhat similar to the Xenomorph Queen. Coincidentally, Rimmer at one point refers to the creature as "an eight-foot tall, armor-plated killing machine", which is similar to dialogue that would later be used by Andrews to describe the Alien in Alien3.
The Narcissus model (foreground, bottom right) in "Psirens".
The 1993 episode "Psirens" reused a model of the Narcissus as one of many derelict ships abandoned in an asteroid field (along with models from several other 70s/80s sci-fi films and television series).
The 1999 episode "Back in the Red (Part I)" includes a joke from Holly about a spacecraft called the "Nostrilomo", obviously a play on the Nostromo from Alien.
Notably, actor Mac McDonald, who played Simpson in the extended Special Edition of Aliens, featured in the show's first and eighth seasons.
The Alien films have been referenced on Family Guy:
In the 2006 episode "You May Now Kiss the... Uh... Guy Who Receives", a cutaway gag shows a doctor taking a blood sample from somebody. Instead of blood, the doctor draws acid which burns through the floor just like in Alien. A Chestburster then bursts out of the man's chest, which the doctor calmly kills with a shotgun.
In the 2007 episode "Peter's Daughter", a cutaway gag shows the First Acheron Queen confronting Ripley and Newt aboard the Sulaco. Rather than attacking them, the Queen begins talking to them in the kindly voice of Bruce the Performance Artist, even holding a conversation with its own inner jaw.
The series has been referenced several times in South Park:
In the 1999 episode "Cat Orgy", Cartman watches a clip of Aliens, and then quotes the scene "They mostly come at night... Mostly" when in a similar situation. He goes on to use the line a number of different times in varying situations, such as to describe a meteor shower. One of Skyler's band members is also named Jonesy, a possible reference to Jones the cat.
In the 2008 episode "Imaginationland Episode II", Butters finds himself in Imaginationland just as numerous movie monsters and villains are invading. At one point, the Mayor is killed by a Xenomorph's inner jaw, before Butters runs into the Predator.
In the 2012 episode "Raising the Bar", when James Cameron is attempting to find "the bar", he quotes Corporal Ferro, saying, "We're in the pipe, five by five."
The series has also been parodied numerous on stop-motion comedy series Robot Chicken:
Alien vs. Predator.
In the 2005 episode "A Piece of the Action", a brief skit showed an Alien and a Predator quietly playing a game of chess, parodying the Alien vs. Predator films.
The 2005 episode "The Sack" featured another Alien vs. Predator skit, in which the titular characters were transposed to a television dating show, similar to long-running reality series Blind Date. The date, between Susan the Alien and Douglas the Predator, initially goes well, but when Douglas attempts to kiss Susan as he drops her off at home, she protests and eventually plungers her inner jaw into his neck. The mortally wounded Douglas then activates his Self-Destruct Device, killing them both (and the camera crew). The skit was later reused in the 2008 episode "Adultizzle Swizzle".
The 2005 episode "Gold Dust Gasoline" features a skit where a Cyclops exclaims, "Game over, man! Game over!"
The 2006 episode "Adoption's an Option" features a skit where E.T. (from the film E.T. the Extra-Terrestrial) is sent to what appears to be the Xenomorph home world, where he encounters what appear to be modified Cloned Xenomorphs from the Alien Resurrection line of figures.
The 2006 episode "Metal Militia" features a skit where the character Murky says the line, "Game over, man! Game over!"
The 2007 episode "Shoe" features a skit where Beast Man from He-Man and the Masters of the Universe says, "Game over, man! Game over!"
The 2011 episode "Fool's Goldfinger" features a skit where, when Hicks kills the Xenomorph in the elevator in Aliens, its acid blood causes it to fall through many (non-existent) floors of Hadley's Hope, before falling into a city populated by Xenomorphs in human clothes. Some figures used here appear to be McFarlane or NECA Xenomorph figures.
The 2013 episode "Robot Fight Accident" features a skit where Elroy, a character from The Jetsons, brings back an Egg which he found on an abandoned ship. The Egg later spawns a Facehugger that impregnates him, causing a Chestburster to erupt from him. The creature escapes and returns as a fully grown Warrior (in only matter of seconds). The Jetsons battle the Xenomorph (Judy with a modified MP5 meant to be flamethrower) but the creature kills all of them except for Jane (who is a parody of Ripley) before Rosie the Robot exclaims, "Get away from her, you bitch!" and shoots the Warrior until its acid blood causes it to fall through the floor. The Facehugger appears to be a NECA or McFarlane figure with a custom tail and the Warrior appears to be a modified McFarlane Warrior.
The series has been referenced several times in Mystery Science Theater 3000:
In the 1990 episode featuring the film Rocketship X-M, Joel's invention is a mobile drum kit/exoskeleton called the BGC-19. It closely resembles the Power Loader. A clip of Joel in the BCG-19 was used during the opening credits of the show for the whole of Joel's tenure on the series.
In the 1991 episode featuring the film Daddy-O, Dr. Forrester has invented the Alien Teething Nook, which he describes as "...To baby, it's a satisfying nipple. To on-lookers, it's a terrifying alien facehugger".
Timmy bites TV's Frank.
In the 1992 episode featuring the film Fire Maidens of Outer Space, the robot Crow inadvertently creates an evil duplicate of himself (named Timmy). Timmy turns on the rest of the crew and encases the robot Tom Servo in a cocoon, while Tom begs to be killed. Joel makes a dramatic entrance (à la Ripley) and expels Timmy from an airlock with the line, "Let go of him, you bitch!" Timmy then appears in Deep 13 (the Mad Scientists' lair), where he revels that he has an inner jaw (like the Xenomorph) which he uses to bite TV's Frank before the closing credits.
In the 1993 episode featuring the film Manos: Hands of Fate, Joel, Tom, and Crow performed a sketch in which they appeared to be pulled over by police during the first intermission. Tom starts yelling, "This is a bughunt, man! A bughunt!" to which Crow responds, "Game over, man! Game over!" Both lines are references to Private Hudson.
The host segments for the 1997 episode featuring the film I Was A Teenage Werewolf mirror the plot of the original Alien, as the Satellite of Love is besieged by a hostile alien life form. During 1 segment, Tom Servo enters the satellite's ducts to track the monster but gets stuck and cries. Later, the crew discovers that the alien has laid a large number of eggs on the bridge, prompting them to cook a large omelette to dispose of the eggs. Crow is more interested in reviewing the food than eliminating the threat. Mike Nelson eventually repels the alien away from the satellite with an annoying impression of singer Adam Duritz from the band Counting Crows. The alien creature itself remains largely unseen, just like the Alien in Alien.
Many other references to the series were made on MST3K, including frequent uses of the phrases "bug hunt" and "game over". This continued in the producers' subsequent series Cinematic Titanic and Rifftrax.
The series has been referenced several times on Saturday Night Live:
In a 1986 episode hosted by Sigourney Weaver, one sketch was a parody of Aliens with the Xenomorph replaced by the lovable alien from the film E.T.: The Extra-Terrestrial. Weaver appeared in character as Ripley, with Dennis Miller as Bishop, Jon Lovitz as Burke, Dana Carvey as Hudson, and Phil Hartman as Hicks.
A 1995 episode hosted by Paul Reiser included a sketch where Reiser parodied his appearance in Aliens. Entitled "Mad About You Alien", the sketch presented Reiser as a character that was an amalgamation of Carter Burke and Paul Buchman (his character from the popular TV sitcom Mad About You) living with an Alien (his spouse) in an apartment in New York City. A portion of the sketch mimicked Burke's deleted death scene, showing Cousin Ira (from Mad About You) cocooned and begging Reiser to kill him.
Baby Animal awakens on USS Sulaco
The opening of "Nanny's Day Off".
In the 1988 episode "Nanny's Day Off" of Muppet Babies, the opening uses footage from Aliens. After the opening credits, a sequence of shots establishing the USS Sulaco from space and the vessel's interior segue into animation of Baby Animal being awakened from a stasis chamber. Harry Dean Stanton, Ian Holm and John Hurt have all appeared in Muppet releated media.
In a 1988 episode of the anime Dragon Ball, the text shown on screen when Major Metallitron scans Goku is based on the exchange between Ripley and Mother in Alien, when she learns of Special Order 937.
In a 1991 episode of the anime Dragon Ball Z, the supervillain Frieza takes on his third transformation, which looks notably similar to the Warrior Xenomorph, mainly due to his elongated skull and dorsal spikes.
The 1993 two-part episode "Space Probed/Battle for the Planet" of animated series Animaniacs involves the Animaniacs being abducted by alien creatures. During part one, "Space Probed", the scene in Alien where the full-size creature is first revealed to the audience is spoofed — Dot is exploring the spaceship when the alien drops down on some chains behind her. The design of the creature is also almost identical to that in the film.
From The Critic
The 1994 animated series The Critic featured a short gag that was re-used during the opening titles of several episodes. It shows a Ripley-type character being menaced by a Xenomorph-type being; the creature exposes its inner jaw, which then kisses the woman on the cheek.
In the 1996 episode "Frozen Dick" of sitcom 3rd Rock from the Sun, Harry gets a job at a video store. When one customer asks where he can find a copy of Aliens, Harry (himself an alien) starts to back off and nervously insists that there aren't any aliens in the store.
The 2001 episode "Dark Harvest" of the animated series Invader Zim featured a climax that is a parody of Alien.
The Weyland-Yutani logo in Firefly.
In the 2002 pilot episode of Firefly, Mal Reynolds is seen using a machine gun turret in a flashback sequence. At the top of the turret's targeting system, the Weyland-Yutani logo can be seen. The targeting screen also reveals the name of the weapon to be "UA 571-D Ground Sentry", an obvious reference to the UA 571-C Automated Sentry Guns used in the extended Special Edition of Aliens. Firefly was created by Alien Resurrection writer Joss Whedon.
The 2003 episode "Operation: L.I.C.E." of animated series Codename: Kids Next Door is a parody of both Alien and Aliens.
In the 2004 episode "Harm's Way" of Angel, Weyland-Yutani is revealed to be a client of evil interdimensional law firm Wolfram & Hart. Angel was also co-created by Whedon.
In the 2006 episode "Greeks Bearing Gifts" of Torchwood, Toshiko examines a skeleton with a mysterious puncture through its ribcage and compares it to "that bit in Alien where that thing bursts out of John Hurt".
In the 2008 episode "Kevin's Big Score" of animated series Ben 10: Alien Force, a gun that appears to be an M41A Pulse Rifle is found in the Rust Bucket's gun rack when Kevin shows Argit the hidden alien tech.
In the 2010 episode "We Can't Win" of the television series remake V, Weyland-Yutani is seen written on a name plate at a presentation of alien technology to various companies on Earth.
The 2010 Halloween episode of "Community" featured Troy and Abed wearing Aliens-themed costumes. Abed is dressed as a Xenomorph, while Troy wears a homemade Power Loader costume. When it fails to impress women, Troy removes his costume, which disappoints Abed. Troy later puts the Power Loader costume back on, hoping it will offer some protection as he makes his way through the student body which has been infected by a biological agent (it doesn't).
USCM armor in Archer.
The 2012 two-part season 3 finale of the animated comedy Archer, "Space Race", contains numerous references to Aliens. Most notably, the crew of the space station Horizon use the "M41 Mark 2 Plasma Pulse Rifle with concussion grenade launcher", which is clearly a reference to the M41A Pulse Rifle. Whilst aboard Horizon, several members of Archer's team wear armor very reminiscent of the M3 Pattern Personal Armor seen in the film; the armor that Archer wears is even customized with a dagger/skull/crossbones logo and love-knot, just like Hudson in Aliens. Part II of the episode also features an exosuit clearly based on the Caterpillar P-5000 Work Loader.
The 2013 episode "Murder on the Planet Express" of animated comedy Futurama is heavily inspired by Alien, with a plot that revolves around the crew of the titular spacecraft becoming trapped aboard the vessel with a horrific alien creature. The episode also includes a scene where Hermes and Dr. Zoidberg are crawling through air vents and tracking the creature on a motion tracker.
The series has been referenced multiple times in Doctor Who:
In the 2013 episode "Cold War", the episode's main monster, an Ice Warrior, behaves in a similar manner to the Alien from Alien in the fact what when it moved, it was mostly off-screen or out of view. Also several times in the episode, when the creature attacks members of the crew, it does so from the ventilation shaft a clear nod to both Aliens and Alien3.
Also in the 2014 episode "Last Christmas", Professor Albert comments that the episode's main "monsters", dream crabs, are like Facehuggers. The Doctor is confused by the term, and the character explains that it is from the horror film Alien. The Doctor claims the film's title is offensive, and uses it as an example as to why Earth is often invaded by extraterrestrials. Later, a character wakes up from a dream crab-induced state an finds a "to-do" list for Christmas, with the first item being watching Alien.
Curiously, several actors that appeared in the Alien franchise also appeared in episodes of Doctor Who.
Alien has even been referenced, somewhat incongruously, in animated children's series My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic:
In the 2011 episode "May the Best Pet Win!", Rarity's cat, Opalescence, sticks out of the mouth of the Angel/Gummy/Owlowiscious hybrid in Rainbow Dash's nightmare, mimicking the way the Xenomorphs can extend its inner jaw.
In the 2011 episode "Secret of My Excess", the scene where Pinkie Pie throws cakes at Spike features music extremely reminiscent of music found in Aliens.
In the 2013 episode "Princess Twilight Sparkle (Part 2)", black creatures similar to Facehuggers appear, although the creatures spray some kind of gas from where the Facehugger's impregnation proboscis is found in the films. One of the creatures even appears to try and jump onto Twilight's face, before the other ponies tie them up.
In the 2013 episode "Bats!", Rarity approaches a tree in an attempt to help round up vampire fruit bats. She is wearing a helmet similar to the helmet Kane wears in Alien, and when she reaches the tree, an apple falls on the helmet, prompting a nearby fruit bat to latch onto it and begin licking the apple sauce off of it. This scene is highly reminiscent of the scene from Alien, where Kane approaches an egg, after which a Facehugger latches on to his helmet.
Commercials
Alien Pepsi Commercial
The Pepsi commercial with a Runner.
In a 1991 Pepsi commercial, two teenage boys are being chased by a Runner. Eventually, the Runner catches up to them and one boy hands the Xenomorph a can of Pepsi, which the Runner drinks. The Alien then extends its inner jaw towards the other boy and burps before leaving. The costume used for the Runner in this commercial appears to be an actual prop from Alien3, although the date in the commercial (1991) is actually a year before the release of the film.
In the theatrical trailer for the 1994 film Blown Away, music from the theatrical trailer of Aliens is used.
In the TV trailer for the 1998 film Apt Pupil, music from the theatrical trailer of Aliens is used.
In a 2004 Nik Naks advert first aired in the UK, a man eating Nik Naks starts convulsing, and a giant Nik-Nak bursts out of him. The people around him, who bear some resemblance to the cast of Alien, start dancing.
Movies
In the 1982 film Blade Runner, the flying police spinners feature computer graphics seen aboard the Nostromo on their on-board monitors. Blade Runner was directed by Ridley Scott, the director of Alien.
In the 1985 film Fletch, Chevy Chase wears a blue USCSS Nostromo baseball-style cap towards the end of the film.
In the 1986 film Ferris Bueller's Day Off, in one scene Ferris talks to a freshman who believes that Ferris is seriously ill. Ferris fakes coughs using his synthesizer as he talks over the phone. He describes his so-called pain as if a Chestburster is in his stomach.
The 1987 Star Wars spoof Spaceballs features a cameo from John Hurt (who played Kane in Alien) as a patron in a diner. As he eats, a Chestburster erupts from him, to which Hurt mutters, "Oh no, not again!" before the creature dons a hat and cane and sings a rendition of "Hello! Ma Baby" as it dances along the diner's counter. Hurt even wears the exact same outfit as Kane in the scene. This scene was itself later referenced in an Easter egg in Aliens: Colonial Marines.
The 1989 Roger Corman film The Terror Within liberally recycles plot points, scenes, characters and even dialogue from Alien. For example, the movie features an alien monster that attaches to someone's face, a chestbursting scene, and a sequence where the commander character crawls through a vent system looking for the creature. One of the characters is a virtual facsimile of Brett, even wearing a Hawaiian shirt, one of the supporting female characters is promoted to hero as the film progresses, just like Ripley, and the team has a pet dog, mirroring Jones the cat.
In the 1990 film Xtro II: The Second Encounter (which has been sometimes regarded as an Aliens clone), a marine uses a uses giant, torso-mounted machine gun very similar to the M56 Smartgun. Also in the film, a monster bursts out of woman's abdomen.
The 1990 film Predator 2 shows a Xenomorph skull inside the trophy cabinet aboard a Yautja spacecraft. The film also features a sequence which is remarkably similar to the Hive ambush scene in Aliens.
In the 1991 film Suburban Commando, protagonist interstellar warrior Shep Ramsey ask for new missions, one of them being a "big bug hunt for creatures that bleed acid".
The 1991 film Terminator 2: Judgment Day recycles a scene originally cut from Aliens (but later reinstated in its extended Special Edition) almost verbatim. In it, an employee flags down his supervisor in a busy office and they walk together, discussing the behavior of their employer before the more senior man ends their conversation with a line about their employer always responding to sensitive questions with the phrase "don't ask". The whole sequence is almost identical to that featuring Simpson and Lydecker in the Special Edition of Aliens. Terminator 2 was written and directed by James Cameron, who also wrote and directed Aliens.
The 1991 Roger Corman film Dead Space (unrelated to the video game series of the same name) features a monster that bears marked similarities to the Xenomorph Queen, including a large crest atop its head and jaws that protrude from the front of its skull. The film also features a scene where a monster bursts from a man's chest.
"Whack-a-Alien" in Toy Story.
The 1995 animated film Toy Story shows an arcade game known as "Whack-a-Alien", a variation on the classic Whac-a-Mole game where players must use a mallet to hit creatures resembling Chestbursters as they pop out of an astronaut's torso.
In the 1995 film Godzilla vs. Destoroyah, one of the larger forms of the kaiju Destoroyah has a secondary inner jaw that shots from its mouth as a form of attack.
At the end of the 1996 film Aladdin and the King of Thieves, the genie says "Game over, man!"
In the 1997 film Starship Troopers, the soldiers of the Mobile Infantry are armed with the "Morita Assault Rifle", which incorporates a built-in pump-action shotgun beneath the main barrel, an arrangement strikingly similar to the M41A Pulse Rifle's grenade launcher. Coincidentally, Aliens director James Cameron had the cast of his movie read the original Starship Troopers novel as part of their preparation, given its similarities to aspects of Aliens' plot.
In the 1998 film Solider, the "USCM Smartgun" is listed among Todd's ordnance levels (seen both on a computer display and tattooed on his arm).
In the 2001 film K-Pax, the protagonist, an alien from the titular planet says, "I'm an alien. Don't worry, I'm not going to leap out of your chest," in reference to the Xenomorph.
In the 2002 animated short film The ChubbChubbs!, there is a very short cameo appearance from a Drone in a bar at the beginning.
The Aliens-inspired APC in Equilibirum.
In the 2002 film Equilibrium, several of the white armored cars used by the Tetragrammaton security forces look almost identical to the APC from Aliens, albeit with the nose gun turret removed and the roof turret replaced by a pair of large exposed autocannons placed slightly further forwards on the body.
In the 2003 film Dreamcatcher, based on the Stephen King novel of the same name, the extraterrestrial parasite attempting to take over the Earth is named "Ripley" by the US military, in honor of Ellen Ripley and the Alien franchise. The creature's larval stage is also somewhat similar to the Chestburster in that it develops inside a human host, later violently emerging from them and killing them. Unlike Chestbursters, however, they emerge from the victim's rectum. Additionally, one of the characters in the film is called Jonesy.
In the 2004 film The Girl Next Door, an Alien poster can be seen on the wall in a room. The film also stars James Remar, the actor who almost played Corporal Hicks in Aliens.
In the 2004 animated film Shrek 2, when Puss in Boots attacks Shrek, he crawls into Shrek's shirt and then bursts out of the shirt like the Chestburster.
In the 2005 animated film Chicken Little, when Chicken Little, Runt of the Litter and Abby Mallard enter the alien spaceship looking for Fish out of the Water, Runt says that maybe the aliens want to incubate their babies in him, or perhaps put his skull on the wall like a trophy. This is a reference to both the Alien and Predator films.
The 2005 film DOOM, an adaptation of the video game series of the same name, bears several similarities to Aliens, not least of all its plot, which revolves around a team of hardened but laid-back soldiers investigating an abandoned extraterrestrial colony that has been overrun by voracious alien creatures. Additionally, many of the weapons carried by the soldiers feature LCD ammo counters like the Pulse Rifle, while one scene has a character lift a ceiling tile with the barrel of his weapon to peer inside, just like Hicks in Aliens.
Soldiers in the 2008 film Starship Troopers 3: Marauder are armed with the "Morita III Assault Rifle", which is described as using an electronic pulse action to fire 10×50mm caseless ammunition and features a built-in grenade launcher — all features that it shares with the M41A Pulse Rifle.
In the 2008 film Death Race, America's prison system is depicted as being privately run by an immoral company called the Weyland Corporation. The Weyland Corporation returns in the same role in the prequel films Death Race 2 and Death Race 3: Inferno.
"Dog" from Planet 51.
In the 2009 animated film Planet 51, the "dog" on the titular planet resembles a Xenomorph. It has no eyes, a short dome-shaped head, short dorsal tubes on its back, a long tail and a tongue that it can shoot out of its mouth. It is also grey and has acid urine. At the end of the film, the "dog" sneaks aboard the astronaut's ship and goes up into space with him. The same astronaut character also tells a young alien boy, "In space nobody can hear you scream!" the tagline from Alien.
The 2009 film Avatar (also directed by James Cameron) features a corporation known as the RDA, which at one point is referred to as "the Company", similarly to Weyland-Yutani. The two corporations bear notable similarities beyond this nickname, including resource-mongering and a lack of ethical concerns. The RDA also employs a military branch similar to the USCM both in terms of its structure and the equipment it uses. Among this equipment is the "Amplified Mobility Platform", a large combat exosuit similar to the Power Loader from Aliens; in fact, the AMP suit bears a striking resemblance to a piece of unused Power Loader concept art created for Aliens by Syd Mead. Towards the end of the film, one of these AMP suits is used to fight a large Thantor creature, similar to Ripley's duel with the Queen in Aliens. Michael Biehn, who played Hicks, was considered for the role of Colonel Miles Quaritch in Avatar, before the part eventually went to Steven Lang (who, ironically, had auditioned unsuccessfully for the part of Hicks in Aliens).[1]
In the 2009 animated film The Haunted World of El Superbeasto, a talking Chestburster-like creature bursts out of an astronaut's chest as he sits in a bar, going on to steal his beer. Later, the Xenomorph Queen is seen waiting in line for valet parking.
In the 2010 film Predators, a dead Navy SEAL found by the protagonists is named Drake, a reference to Private Drake from Aliens.[2]
In the 2010 film The Rig, the company that owns the titular oil rig is called Weyland Drilling Corp, in reference to the Alien series. The company also uses a similar logo. Both Alien and The Rig deal with a small group of blue-collar workers trapped in a restricted space being stalked by a voracious killer monster.
In the 2011 film Paul, Tara Walton quotes Ripley's famous line, "Get away from her, you bitch!" Ironically, Walton says it just before punching a character played by Sigourney Weaver (who played Ripley). Weaver's role in Paul is a clear homage to her role in the Alien series. Furthermore, star Simon Pegg has stated that he would like to film a sequel to Paul called "Pauls",[3] a clear reference to how Aliens added an "s" to the end of the previous film's title.
Ted has his Bishop moment.
In the 2012 film Ted, the titular sentient teddy bear mutters, "Jesus, I look like the robot from Aliens," after he is torn in half near the film's end. Earlier in the film, he also performs the knife game on another person, again like Bishop in Aliens, except he ends up nailing the man's hand to the table on account of being intoxicated.
In the 2013 film Despicable Me 2, there is a scene where El Macho's guard chicken, Pollito, jumps inside Gru's shirt. Gru subsequently falls back onto a table and the chicken bursts through the clothing over his chest, mimicking a Chestburster.
In the 2013 film The World's End, Gary and Oliver mention that they "recreated the knife scene from Aliens" in their youth, only Gary accidentally stabbed Oliver in the finger. Later in the film, Oliver is ironically revealed to be a robot, as is Bishop during the knife scene when he nicks his finger with the knife.
The 2013 film Elysium features two mercenaries named Drake and Crowe; given that director Neill Blomkamp has admitted to being a huge fan of Aliens, this may well be a reference to that film. Blomkamp has since been confirmed as director of Alien 5.
Literature
In the "Sniper" series of novels by Alan D. Altieri, a prominent villain to hero Russel Kane is a megacorporation known as Gottschalk-Yutani, which fills a similar role to Weyland-Yutani in the Alien franchise.
The novel Dreamcatcher, like the film it was later made into, features an extraterrestrial parasite that gestates inside a living human host, christened "Ripley" by US military scientists. Like the film, the book also features a character called Jonesy.
In the Graham McNeill novel Warriors of Ultramar, there is a planet named Hadley's Hope, after the colony in Aliens. Similar to the film, the planet is overrun by Xenomorph-like creatures known as Tyranids.
In Proven Guilty, the eighth Dresden Files novel by Jim Butcher, wizard-protagonist Harry Dresden encounters a magical creature that takes the form of a Xenomorph. He responds by quoting several lines of dialogue from the films at it, including, "Get away from her, you bitch!" and "Is this gonna be a standup fight, or just another bug hunt?"
There are multiple references to the films of the Alien franchise, specifically Aliens, in the Halo series of video games. Halo's developers, Bungie, have admitted to taking inspiration from the film. References include:
The UNSC Marines are comparable to the USCM in terms of armor design, behavior (characteristics and personality), overall role and means of deployment.
Sergeant Major Johnson in Halo 3.
Sergeant Major Avery Johnson bears many obvious similarities to Sergeant Apone, both being hardened, cigar-chomping, African-American non-coms; Bungie have admitted that they in fact based Johnson on the character from Aliens.[4]
Lieutenant Carol "Foe Hammer" Rawley from Halo: Combat Evolved bears similarities to Corporal Ferro, including the fact that both are dropship pilots and both are killed trying to rescue the main characters in their respective media.
The D77-TC Pelican dropship is based on the Cheyenne from Aliens. Many of the interstellar vessels used by the UNSC are also visibly similar to the Conestoga-class ships in the Alien series.
The headdress worn by the Covenant Councillors in the games resembles the head crest of Xenomorph Queens.
Numerous lines of dialogue from Aliens are paraphrased or referenced in the Halo games. These include Hicks' "Short, controlled bursts" line.
Jones the cat is repeatedly referenced throughout the games.
The ammo counters of the MA5 series of assault rifles is likely a reference to the ammo counters of the M41A Pulse Rifle.
The Metroid series contains multiple references to the Alien franchise:
Both Alien and the original Metroid feature a female protagonist (Ripley and Samus, respectively), something of a peculiarity at the time they were made.
There is an enemy in the Metroid series named Ridley, likely a reference to Ridley Scott, director of Alien.
The most common form of Metroid creature in the games latches onto the player's face, like the Facehuggers in the Alien franchise. Zeta Metroids are capable of spitting a damaging fluid at the player, much like some Xenomorph castes that can spit acid. Additionally, both Metroids and Xenomorphs molt as they grow.
Metroid II features Samus travelling to the Metroids' source, a planet called SR388, to destroy them, eventually discovering the creatures are bred by a single Queen Metroid, mirroring the plot of Aliens.
The finale of Metroid Fusion parallels the ending of Aliens, with Samus left stranded with no means of escape and under attack from a Queen Metroid, before her ship arrives and rescues her.
There are multiple references to the films of the Alien franchise in the StarCraft series of video games:
The Zerg share some traits with the Xenomorphs; StarCraft developer Blizzard has cited the Xenomorphs as one of their sources of inspiration for the Zerg.
Terran units, if clicked on repeatedly, will repeat lines from Aliens. These include "How do I get out of this chickenshit outfit?" and "In the pipe, five by five". Similar mission-based lines of dialogue appear in StarCraft II, including "Marines, we are leaving!" and "Oh god! Game over, man! Game over!"
Apone's 'prep speech' is repeated verbatim by Raynor's Riaders, along with Hudson's "Express elevator to hell!" comment.
A version of the C-14 rifle features a LED ammo counter similar to the M41A Pulse Rifle.
The planet of Mar Sara has two references to the film Aliens — the first is it being referred to as a "shake and bake colony", a term used by Van Leuwen to describe Hadley's Hope in Aliens, while the second is the phrase "They come at night... mostly", used in relation to the Zerg.
The terran science vessel shares some design cues with the Nostromo, both in terms of external structure and internal design.
It is mentioned that the Zerg "hydralisk" strain was first encountered on a cargo vessel, possibly another reference to the Nostromo and its encounter with a Xenomorph.
The Zerg queen strain bears resemblance to the Xenomorph Queen, both in terms of body structure and their shared role as egg-layers.
One of the earliest contacts with the Zerg is said to have taken place on a planet called LV-555, a likely reference to the encounter with Xenomorphs on LV-426.
There several references to Aliens in the Mass Effect series:
The original Mass Effect features a star system called "Acheron", similar to the planet Acheron (LV-426) in terms of mythological namesake.
Several planets in Mass Effect also mention "wildcat" miners in their description, and while on the planet Rayingri players can discover a group of corpses described as "a 'mom and pop' independent salvage team". Both are likely references to the extended Special Edition of Aliens, in which Russ and Anne Jorden are described as "wildcatters" and a "mom and pop survey team" by Lydecker.
Shepard stands before the rachni queen (foreground), surrounded by her eggs, in Mass Effect 3.
In Mass Effect 3, an egg-laying queen for an insectoid species known as the rachni is encountered in much the same state as the Queen in Aliens — seated on a large biomechanical throne that greatly resembles that in the movie and surrounded by her eggs and multiple humanoid aliens known as krogan that have been cocooned to the chamber's walls.
Furthermore, if the player kills the rachni queen then engages Joker in conversation on the Normandy following the mission, they will debate whether the rachni threat is extinct now that the nest has been destroyed. Joker will say, "You wanna nuke it from orbit? It's the only way to- Ah, forget it, it's probably fine."
The mobile game Mass Effect: Infiltrator features a planet called "LV426", a reference to Acheron (LV-426).
There are also several references to Aliens in some of the more recent games in the Call of Duty franchise:
In Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare, during the mission "Crew Expendable", Gaz switches to a shotgun and quotes Hicks, saying, "I like to keep this for close encounters." Later in the same level, Price tells everyone to "check those corners", a quote from Apone. Near the end of the level, Price shouts, "We are leaving!" another quote from Hicks in Aliens.
The Sentry Gun in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 is seemingly based on the UA 571-C Automated Sentry Gun from Aliens, both being automated defense machine guns with target-tracking capabilities; in fact, concept art from the game shows that early designs bore far greater resemblance to the weapons from Aliens than the version ultimately used in the game.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2 also features "heartbeat sensors" mounted on some weapons, which are remarkably similar to the M314 Motion Tracker in both appearance and function.
A Remote Sentry gun returned in Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3, this time appearing more like the guns from Aliens and mounted on a tripod almost identical to those in the film. The Remote Sentry also shares its name with the sentry gun in Aliens: Colonial Marines.
The LSAT in Black Ops II.
The LSAT machine gun in Call of Duty: Black Ops II contains several references to Aliens. Not only does the weapon feature an LCD ammunition counter, it has the word "Adios" scrawled on one side and bears the serial number "V4SQ33Z" (leetspeak for Vasquez). The LSAT returns in Call of Duty: Ghosts, but in this appearance the Aliens references have been removed.
The main characters in the 1987 game Contra, Bill Rizer and Lance Bean, are named after actors Bill Paxton, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen and Michael Biehn, all of whom appeared in Aliens. The entire Contra franchise is heavily inspired by Aliens; most obviously, the main antagonists in the game, an extraterrestrial species led by a creature known as the Red Falcon, are based on H. R. Giger's Necronom IV, the painting that was also the basis for the Alien in Alien.
The 1992 video game Splatterhouse 2 features a pink creature on its cover artwork that bears a clear resembalnce to the Xenomorph, with an elongated head and biomechanical exoskeleton.
In the Half-Life series, the Headcrab parasites, which latch onto their victim's face, were likely inspired by the Facehugger. Notably, the Headcrabs' ability to take control of their victim's body and mutate them into a zombie-like state is remarkably similar to the Infectoids featured in the original Alien vs. Predator arcade game, which came out in 1994, 4 years before Half-Life was released.
The M41A appearing as the "M16 Mk. II Pulse Rifle" in Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun.
In the 1999 game Command & Conquer: Tiberian Sun, both GDI and Nod forces are said to use the "M16 Mk. II Pulse Rifle" as their standard issue infantry weapon; aside from bearing similarities to the M41A Pulse Rifle in terms of function, an M41A prop was actually used to represent the M16 Mk. II in some live-action footage in the game (however, not all live-action footage used the prop; the weapon's appearance throughout the game is inconsistent). Additionally, Michael Biehn, the actor who portrayed Corporal Hicks in Aliens, is among the game's live-action cast, taking on the role of Commander Michael "Mack" McNeil, a GDI commander and one of the player characters, in cutscenes.
In the 2001 game Conker's Bad Fur Day (which referenced and parodied numerous famous films of the 1980s and 90s), the final boss fought by the player character is a giant Xenomorph that bursts out of the chest of the game's main antagonist. The fight begins with Conker strapping himself into a yellow, armoured exosuit, a reference to the Power Loader from Aliens, and quoting Ripley's famous line, "Get away from her, you bitch!" The player ultimately defeats the Xenomorph by jettisoning into space through an airlock, just like the Queen in Aliens.
In the 2003 game Final Fantasy X-2, Yuna uses Hudson's "Game over!" line if she wins while equipped with the Lady Luck dressphere.
In the 2004 game DOOM3, when the demons first begin attacking the base on Mars, soldiers can be heard screaming, "They're coming out of the walls!" over the radio, a reference to dialogue spoken by Hudson in Aliens. The style in which the game's title is written, with a superscript "3", is also possibly inspired by Alien3.
In the 2004 game Killzone, one of the playable characters, Rico Velasquez, is clearly inspired by Vasquez from Aliens. Aside from sharing similar-sounding surnames, the primary weapon carried by Velasquez, the M224-A3 Heavy Support Weapon, is a large, unwieldy machine gun attached to him via a gyro-stabilizing arm at the waist, just like the M56 Smartgun carried by Vasquez in the film. Their personalities are also similar, both being aggressive, somewhat hard-headed yet very capable soldiers.
The 2005 game Resident Evil 4 features a sequence viewed from a monster's perspective as it runs along the walls and ceiling of a corridor, just like the point-of-view shots during the bait-and-chase sequence in Alien3.
The 2005 game TimeSplitters: Future Perfect features a soldier character shouting the words, "They're coming outta the walls!" in its opening level, a reference to Hudson.
The 2005 game Predator: Concrete Jungle includes numerous references to the Alien franchise. First and foremost, the Xenomorphs actually make a surprise appearance towards the end of the game, while one of the levels involving them is named "Bug Hunt", a reference to Aliens. Furthermore, one upgrade for the Plasmacaster in the game is made from a Xenomorph skull. In one cutscene, Borgia Industries are said to do business with both Weyland Industries and the Yutani Corporation, while Lucretia Borgia mentions that her father Hunter was "friends with Charles Weyland before he disappeared". The supercomputer that controls Neonopolis in the game is called "MOTHER", likely in reference to MU/TH/UR 6000 from Alien.
The 2008 game Grand Theft Auto IV features an aircraft tractor called the "Ripley", named after Ellen Ripley and a reference to how the M577 APC in Aliens was built from a real-life airport tug.
The 2008 game Resistance 2 features a trophy/achievement called "For Close Encounters", awarded for killing enemies at close range with a shotgun.
In the 2009 game Arma II, the line "How do I get out of this chickenshit outfit?" and the reply "You secure that shit, Hudson!" are sometimes said verbatim by characters during the question-and-answer portion of the briefing at the beginning of the main campaign.
In The Muppets Premium Level Kit add-on for the 2011 game LittleBigPlanet 2, Waldorf says to Statler "In space, nobody can hear you scream", a direct reference to Alien's tagline.
The 2011 game Duke Nukem Forever features a level called "The Hive" that is obviously inspired by Aliens. The hive itself is similar in appearance to that seen in Aliens, being made a slimy, gooey substance that covers the floor, walls and ceiling and includes many organic features. Additionally, numerous human victims of the game's aliens are found entombed within, while the aliens breed using human hosts who violently explode in the process of giving birth. At the end of the level, the player must battle the alien's queen. Aside from this one level, several of the game's trophies/achievements are named in reference to Aliens, including "Not Bad for a Human" and "Let's Rock".
In the 2011 video game Minecraft, when the player dies in a multiplayer hardcore server game, text appears on the screen stating, "You have died. Game over man, it's game over!"
The Hen Queen in Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse.
In the 2012 game Family Guy: Back to the Multiverse, the level in which Stewie and Brian Griffin must fight their way to stop Bertram from releasing chickens contains many Alien references. The design of the mother ship in the level appears to be based on the Nostromo and Sulaco, and includes chains hanging from the ceiling, referencing the scene where Brett is killed in Alien. The chickens themselves create hives, obviously based on the design of the Xenomorphs', in which they cocoon victims to the walls and impregnate them with chickens which burst through their chests. Eggs based on the Xenomorphs' Eggs are also found throughout the level. At one point, Meg is found cocooned to a wall, and when discovered she begs the player to kill her, just like Mary in Aliens. The chickens are bred by the Alien Queen Chicken, which in many way resembles a Xenomorph Queen, including a similar lair in which it resides, surrounded by its eggs. The elevator that takes Stewie/Brian to the Queen's lair appears to be based on the one Ripley uses to enter the sub-levels of the Atmosphere Processing Plant in Aliens. Upon discovering his dad cocooned to a wall in the Queen's hive, Stewie says, "Get away from my dad, you bitch!"
The 2013 iPhone, iPad and Android game Kingdom Rush: Frontiers features enemies known as "Parasytes", which latch onto infantry units and lay an egg inside their victim that later hatches into a "Reaper", paralleling the lifecycle of the Xenomorph. Furthermore, the description for the stage they make their debut on says "The men feel as if they're being hunted by something not of this world..."; the Parasytes apparently came from the nearby crashed spaceship. On top of all of this, killing 30 Parasytes or Reapers rewards the player the achievement "Colonial Marine", very likely a reference to the United States Colonial Marine Corps.
Far Cry Blood Dragon - "Aliens" Easter Egg
In the 2013 Far Cry 3 stand-alone expansion Far Cry 3: Blood Dragon, one of the story missions, "What is This Shit?", tasks the player with using a flamethrower to destroy a nest of Blood Dragon eggs, mirroring Ripley's actions near the end of Aliens. After the eggs are destroyed, the player is forced to wait for an elevator to arrive whilst being chased by a Blood Dragon, again similar to what happens to Ripley with the Queen in the film. Elsewhere in the game, a glowing purple Xenomorph Egg appears in the "Desperately Saving Susan" Nerd Rescue at the coordinates X: 479.1, Y: 488.3. Aside from these specific Aliens references, the game's protagonist, Rex "Power" Colt, is voiced by Michael Biehn, who portrayed Hicks in Aliens. The game also pays homage to numerous other iconic films from the 80s and 90s, including The Terminator and Terminator 2: Judgement Day (both of which were written and directed by Aliens director James Cameron), as well as Predator.
In the 2013 game Saints Row IV, one of the alternate skins for the "Burst Rifle" is essentially an M41A Pulse Rifle (with the addition of a foregrip), called the "Impulse Rifle". Each weapon skin in the game displays a description when selected; the default Impulse Rifle skin's description is "Remember: Short, controlled bursts." Two alternate Impulse Rifle skins alter the weapon's color, but all retain the recognizable shape of the M41A.
The 2013 game Grand Theft Auto V includes appearances by alien characters that bear a distinct resemblance to the Xenomorph, albeit colored green. The creatures most notably feature elongated, ridged skulls similar to Warriors. There is also a museum in Los Santos called "Bishop's WTF?!", a pun on Ripley's Believe It or Not!; Bishop and Ripley are both major characters in the Alien franchise. The "Ripley", an aircraft tractor from Grand Theft Auto IV, also returns in the game.
The "Nostromo Napalmer" in Team Fortress 2.
A 2014 patch for the game Team Fortress 2 added several aspects that reference the Alien series, particularly the video game Alien: Isolation. Most obviously, a reproduction of the flame thrower from Alien was made available to players, aptly labelled the "Nostromo Napalmer". The patch also added several Alien-themed cosmetic items, including the "Alien Cranium", "Biomech Backpack" and "Xeno Suit", all based on the Xenomorph, as well as the "MK 50", a helmet based on that from the IRC Mk.50 Compression suit.
Comics
The Alien franchise has also been referenced several time in The Simpsons comic books:
Aliens scene in The Simpsons: Futurama Crossover Crisis.
In the comic book The Simpsons: Futurama Crossover Crisis, the protagonists of The Simpsons and Futurama fight against a Xenomorph Queen. Marge even fights the Queen in a Power Loader.
In the story For a Limited Time Only in the issue Bart Simpson 77, the license plate on Larry H. Lawyer's car reads "LV-426".
In the story In Springfield No One Can Hear You Scream in the issue Bart Simpson's Treehouse of Horror 7, the story title is a pun on the first film's tagline, "In space no one can hear you scream", The story's plot is a parody of the creatures and stories of the Alien films and Bart and Maggie watch an Itchy & Scratchy cartoon titled "Facehuggin' Frolics".
In the story Bart Simpson and the Krusty Brand Fun Factory in the issue Simpsons Comics 41, During an Itchy & Scratchy cartoon, Scratchy is shot into the sun. As he flies through space he tries to scream, but all that appears in his speech bubble is an asterisk. A little note at the bottom of the comic panel states that "In space, no one can hear you scream."
In The Far Side Gallery 3, a strip shows a Chestburster emerging from a turkey.
In Marvel's solicit for Avengers #26, soldiers are equipped with M41A Pulse Rifles.
Rides and Attractions
The Great Movie Ride located in Disney's Hollywood Studios is a guided vehicle dark ride that features a section based on Alien, in which spectators will be guided through the depths of the Nostromo, encountering Ripley and the Drone on the way. Jones can also be heard in the ambiance.
"In Space, No One Can Find Their Shoes"
A poster in the waiting queue of Muppet*Vision 3D features a spoof of the Alien's tagline: "In space, no one can find their shoes."
Another poster decorating the attraction released years later spoofs WALL-E, and features the tagline "In space, no one can hear you meep!"
