The Alien Movie Its Director Didn’t Want You To See Is Now Officially Streaming On HBO Max

The Alien movie its director didn’t want you to see is now officially streaming on HBO Max.

A movie from the Alien franchise that its director didn’t want anyone to see is finally available to watch on streaming, marking an important milestone for the movie. The Alien movies have seen plenty of polarizing entries across the decades-long franchise. This includes Ridley Scott’s prequels Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, as well as the TV series Alien: Earth.

However, one other major part of the franchise’s history are alternate cuts. There are different editions of the first four movies that offer a multitude of major changes, some of which alter the movie entirely from what the original once was. However, they retain the spirit of the original despite having some alterations — including one whose director doesn’t want you to see it.

How Alien 3 Assembly Cut Is Different From The Original

This different version would be the Assembly Cut of Alien 3. The 1992 feature directorial debut of David Fincher, best known for Fight Club and Se7en, this sequel follows Ellen Ripley’s escape pod from Aliens crashing onto a planet with a large, imprisoned male population. While there, she’s forced to reckon with the past and a new Xenomorph.

Reviews for Alien 3 were mixed upon release, with Fincher later disowning the movie because of its reputation in the franchise. However, in 2003, an Assembly Cut without Fincher’s involvement was released, featuring alternate scenes and an extended runtime. This became the more favored version of the movie, despite not being as widely available.

Now, Alien 3‘s Assembly Cut is available to watch on HBO Max, making the more highly-regarded version of the film easier to watch. The Assembly Cut sees multiple differences, including the Xenomorph bursting out of an ox instead of a dog. The trap in the toxic waste room is also changed so Ripley and the prisoners don’t fall into it, besting the alien’s plans.

In addition, the movie offers answers about all the characters’ fates by the end of the film, including an expanded role for Golic, whose obsession with the Xenomorph fills in a number of plot holes from the original cut. Although Fincher wasn’t involved in making the movie, this longer, more readily-crafted version fixes some of the original’s biggest problems.

Which Cut Of Alien 3 Is The Better Movie?

This makes it debatable whether the original or Assembly Cut of Alien 3 is the better movie. While it’s not considered the worst Alien movie, the third installment is still considered a low point for the franchise as a whole. This is especially because of the presentation of the original, which leaves much to be desired in the storytelling department.

Because of this, Alien 3‘s Assembly Cut is the better movie. While watching the original first makes sense, to have a framework for why the movie is considered lackluster, the added scenes in the Assembly Cut coupled with plot corrections make this the better version of the film. Even without Fincher’s involvement, the additional scenes make the movie feel more complete.

This makes Alien 3 Assembly Cut a worthwhile watch on HBO Max, as it’s a compelling case of a new cut making the original movie better in comparison. These added elements serve to make the movie a more worthwhile experience as a whole, tying the story together in a way that fittingly brings Ripley’s original story to a close.

Release Date

May 22, 1992

Runtime

114 minutes