Cameron directed Aliens in 1986, the action-heavy sequel to Ridley Scott’s Alien. The film introduced fan-favourite characters like Corporal Hicks (played by Michael Biehn), the android Bishop (Lance Henriksen), and Newt (Carrie Henn), a young girl who formed a powerful bond with Ellen Ripley, portrayed by Sigourney Weaver*.
However, when Alien 3 opens, all three characters are abruptly killed when their escape ship crashes on a prison planet. Ripley is the only survivor. The film, directed by David Fincher in his feature debut, has long divided fans and is notorious for behind-the-scenes studio interference.
Speaking on Biehn’s Just Foolin’ Around podcast, Cameron did not hold back.
“I thought that was the stupidest thing,” Cameron said. He explained that audiences had grown attached to Hicks, Newt and Bishop, only for the next film to kill them off immediately. “You build a lot of goodwill around the characters… and then the first thing they do in the next film is kill them all off. And replace them with a bunch of convicts that you hate.”
Despite his strong words, Cameron made it clear he was not blaming Fincher. He said he admired the director’s later work and felt that Alien 3 was a tough first project. According to Cameron, Fincher was being pulled in different directions by the studio, so he deserved “a free pass.”
Biehn agreed, saying Fincher had been “handed a bowl of shit” on the film. He also shared a story about confronting Fincher after his image was used without permission. Cameron responded with a joke, quipping that this might explain why Biehn never appeared in a Fincher film.
More than 30 years later, Alien 3 still sparks strong reactions — and Cameron’s comments show that even the people who built the franchise haven’t forgotten the controversy.
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