Alien vs. Predator
This article is licensed under the GNU Free Documentation License. It uses material from the Wikipedia article "Alien_vs._Predator".

Alien vs. Predator, or Aliens versus Predator (both titles abbreviated AvP), is a science fiction / horror fiction series spanning several media. The series is a crossover between two famous film franchises about extraterrestrial beings: the Aliens and the Predators. In Alien vs. Predator, the two species are in conflict with one another.

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History

The idea for such a crossover is often thought to have originated from a Xenomorph's skull being seen as one of the Predator's trophies in the film Predator 2, but Dark Horse Comics published their first Alien vs. Predator story in Dark Horse Presents #36 (February 1990), almost one year before the November 1990 release of Predator 2citation needed. The film mentions idea of Erich Von Däniken that there were alien visitations in the past.

Currently, the Alien vs. Predator universe consists of a range of media including comics, novels, computer/video games, and feature films, the rights to which all belong to 20th Century Fox Studios. There have so far been two installments in the Alien vs Predator film franchise.

Media

Comics

Books

A crossover novel series has been produced based on the two franchises. Other books include film novelizations and books looking at the background to the film's work with ADI (the special effects company who have worked on the Alien films):

Games

Several computer, console, hand-held, and card games were made for the Alien vs. Predator license, including:

Action figures

In 1994, Kenner released a collection of action figures known as Aliens vs. Predator. This followed the two initial series of Aliens which were actually based on an animated series, Operation: Aliens, that was never broadcast. As such, the inclusion of Predator is often considered the 3rd and 4th series of the Aliens line. This collection includes several Aliens, many of which feature built-in attack features, and Predators, which include removable masks and battle weapons such as spears and missile launchers. The figures generally possess 5 points of articulation, and some include a mini Dark Horse comic book.

While the collection as a whole is known as Aliens vs. Predator, the two character types have their own card art that only features the character at hand. An exception would be the Aliens vs. Predator 2-pack. Since human space marines were included in the initial Aliens line, the Predator was marketed as an alternative enemy to the Aliens. A figure cardback reads:

"The stage is set for the universe's two most ferocious enemies. It's the gruesome and evil Aliens against the big-game hunter Predator. Who will win... the beast or the hunter? Can the Predator stop the evil Aliens before the galaxy is destroyed?!?!?!"[1][2]

The Aliens: Hive Wars series was released in 1995, which included various Aliens, Predators, and larger scaled space marines. More figures, including a female Predator and an Alien/Predator/Smash Mason 3-pack, were designed for this series but never released as part of the line.

Six sets of Aliens and Predator Micro Machines were also planned by Galoob in 1995 but never released. This would have also included the LV-426/Outer World Station Action Fleet Playset. Thanks in part to the research of toy collectors, many photos of these unreleased toys and prototypes have shown up on the Web in recent years.[3]

In December 2002, McFarlane Toys released a highly detailed Alien vs. Predator deluxe set.[4] In 2004, they produced a series of figures based on the Alien vs. Predator film. This line, however, is notorious for its disastrously poor quality. Many accessory parts originally planned for inclusion were suddenly scrapped before their release, leaving the figures with shoddy and incomplete display bases. In addition, some figures even had broken parts within their packages. Alongside the articulated figures, McFarlane also released statuesque display sets depicting scenes from the film.

Hot Toys produced highly detailed 16' tall figures for every movie including Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem in 2007. That same year, NECA released two series of Requiem figures.[5]

Films

Official Films

Unofficial Films

  • Batman: Dead End - Sandy Collora's 2003 fan film includes both the Xenomorphs and Yautja. The film is roughly based on Batman, Alien and Predator crossover comic books.
  • Alien 2 - Ciro Ippolito's 1980 unauthorized sequel to Alien.
  • Contamination - Luigi Cozzi's 1980 unauthorized sequel to Alien, featuring Alien eggs, that spit acid which cause the affected human's chest to explode. This film is notable for featuring an Alien Queen which lays the eggs, though it does not resemble the Queen from Aliens which was released six years later.

Note on naming: Most recent AvP media and the earlier computer games use the singular form and the abbreviation, viz.: Alien vs. Predator. By contrast, the novels use the plural (Aliens vs. Predator), while the later computer games use the plural and unabbreviated "versus" (Aliens versus Predator). The comics vary between the latter two.

Notes

  1. ^ Duke Nostalgia's Predators Page DukeNostalgia.com. Retrieved February 9, 2008.
  2. ^ Classic Aliens vs Predator Nostalgia ForumPlanet.GameSpy.com (January 5, 2008). Retrieved February 9, 2008.
  3. ^ Cawiezel, Marc H. The History of Unproduced Alien and Predator Toys Members.AOL.com (October 29, 2006). Retrieved February 9, 2008.
  4. ^ Crawford, Michael Alien vs. Predator MWCToys.com (December 13, 2002). Retrieved Retrieved February 9, 2008.
  5. ^ Alien Attacks Predator CollectionDX.com (January 12, 2008). Retrieved February 9, 2008.

References

v • d • e
Alien, Predator, and Alien vs. Predator
Alien films
Predator films
Alien vs. Predator films
Film characters
Comic books
Novels
Alien games
Predator games
Alien vs. Predator
games
Alien and Predator
universe
Miscellaneous
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