[January 1, 2006 – 10:00 AM PST] [Release Day: ALIEN (2006)]
On January 1, 2006, at 10:00 AM PST, the highly anticipated film ALIEN was released. At exactly 12:01 AM in major cities across the globe, ALIEN premiered simultaneously in theaters, without any staggered rollout.
By 2:00 AM in Los Angeles, the hashtags #AlienMovie, #RipleyLives, and #Xenomorph were trending worldwide. Theater lobbies remained packed as fans exited the screenings, stunned, scared, and raving about the experience.
FIRST WEEK NUMBERS (GLOBAL)
$92.6 million gross in the first 72 hours
$157.3 million worldwide by the end of Week One
Opened #1 in every major global market
Broke Titan's own 72-hour record previously held by Spider-Man: Christmas Chaos
Emergency screenings added in Tokyo, Paris, Berlin, and Rio due to overcapacity by Day 4
Over 1.1 million Alien t-shirts, posters, replica dog tags, and hats sold in 7 days
Xenomorph collector's figurine sold out in under 18 hours
IMAX screenings reached 95% occupancy worldwide for the first 3 days
Bootleg DVD and torrent leaks began spreading by Day 4. Titan Legal issued over 4,000 takedown notices by Day 6.
[AUDIENCE & CRITICAL REACTION]
From the moment the title faded in over a spinning, dead planet and eerie radio static, the crowd was hooked. By the time the chestburster scene ripped through silence and flesh, people screamed, gasped, or froze in their seats. Audiences were stunned.
But it was what came next that truly set the internet on fire.
The Xenomorph, revealed gradually through flickering shadows and strobe-lit carnage, hunted the crew one by one in brutal, terrifying encounters. The deaths were never the same. Each one was unique, primal, and cinematic.
Scarlett's portrayal of Ripley stunned critics. She was smart, grounded, vulnerable without being weak. Her intensity grew with each loss, and by the final act, she was commanding the screen without needing a single explosion or speech.
Reviewers called her:
"A revelation in restraint and strength."
"Ripley is now a name everyone will remember."
"Terrified, angry, brilliant. Scarlett Johansson becomes the pulse of the film."
Her character's silent moment hiding scenes, her whispered plea for help into a broken comm, and the final scene as she hit the airlock release button—those scenes cemented her place as one of cinema's most iconic sci-fi leads.
[QUESTIONS THE INTERNET IS OBSESSED WITH]
Where did the alien come from?
Was the alien intelligent or just instinctual?
Are there more types of Xenomorphs?
Will Ripley return in a sequel?
Does the alien have a homeworld?
Did the company that sent the crew have a previous encounter with the aliens?
Did the Xeno really die?
[SCORES AND RATINGS- Ongoing]
Rotten Tomatoes:
94% Critics Score | 98% Audience Score
"A terrifyingly fresh take on sci-fi horror. Alex Wilson directs with total control, Scarlett Johansson owns every frame, and the result is unforgettable."
IMDb: 9.2/10
Top User Review: "Heart in my throat the entire movie. Best horror since Jaws."
Metacritic: 91
Universal acclaim, with particular praise for its use of silence, tension, and minimalist score.
Letterboxd: 4.7/5
"If you don't walk out in awe, you were watching the wrong movie."
[CRITICAL PRAISE FOR ALEX WILSON]
Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times):
"Alien (2006) is science fiction stripped of its tropes and dressed in fear. It is a filmmaker writing in the dark with a pen made of bone."
The Guardian:
"Wilson has created a genre out of nothing. No nostalgia, no franchise baggage. Just precision filmmaking and pure dread."
Entertainment Weekly:
"With Alien, Wilson proves he is not only a storyteller but a world builder. The Xenomorph is the stuff of nightmares. His vision is clear, and his control is total."
...
📩 Rachel to Alex (January 8th, 2006 – 6:02 AM)
Subject: HOLY. We just broke our own record. Again. Scarlett's agent already asked about awards season. Japan has contacted us three times regarding the collector's edition. P.S. I haven't slept. I don't think you have either. P.P.S. You evil bastard. 😈😈You made the chest explode in Dolby.🤣🤣 They're going to put your name on a therapist's waiting list.
...
Alien (2006) was released without a safety net. There was no pre-sold universe, no fanbase, and no prior comic or novel. Despite this, it terrified the world.
...
[January 9, 2006 – 6:43 AM PST] [Los Angeles – Ritz Imperial Hotel (Set)]
[Mr. & Mrs. Smith – Day One of Filming]
The valet lot of the Ritz Imperial was already crawling with grip trucks, production trailers, and blacked-out SUVs. Camera rigs were rolling out of crates. Light reflectors were being hoisted. An assistant PA jogged past in a Titan Studios hoodie, coffee in both hands and a walkie crackling against her hip.
Inside the grand marble lobby, which had been closed off for the shoot, production design had gone full tilt. Vintage luggage carts lined the wall. Crystal chandeliers glowed overhead. A string quartet had been hired as extras to provide ambiance. Every corner screamed upscale opulence, but the crew buzzed like a machine—tightly scheduled, focused, and quietly caffeinated.
Within an hour, the first room was ready for the shoot.
Alex and Angelina took their seat before the camera. Since this was a straight shot, they practiced it perfectly and were aiming for a perfect take.
The slate snapped.
"Scene 1A. Therapy Room. Take One."
"ACTION."
..
John (Alex Wilson) leaned forward slightly, offering a rehearsed smile.
"OK, I'll go first. Let me say, we don't really need to be here."
A slight smirk. "See, we've been married five years."
Jane (Angelina Jolie): "Six."
John, correcting without blinking: "Five, six years. And this is like a check-up for us."
Beat.
"Chance to poke around the engine, maybe change the oil. Replace a seal or two. Yeah, that's it."
Therapist (gently): "Very well, then. Let's pop the hood." A moment of pause. "On a scale of one to ten, how happy a couple are you?"
Jane answered quickly, evenly: "Eight."
John raised a finger. "Wait. Ten being perfectly happy and one being totally miserable, or—"
Therapist: "Just respond instinctively. OK?"
They nodded. In sync.
John & Jane: "Eight."
A slight, awkward silence.
The therapist glanced down at the next question.
"How often do you have sex?"
Jane blinked. "I don't understand the question."
John turned, just slightly, toward her. "Yeah, I'm lost. Is this a one-to-ten thing?"
Jane, calmly: "Because is, like, one very little, or is one nothing? Because… you know, technically speaking, the zero would be nothing."
The therapist tried not to smile. "How about this week?"
John asked, "Including the weekend?"
Therapist: "Sure."
They both sat in silence.
No answer.
Therapist pivoted: "Describe how you first met."
Jane: "It was in Colombia."
John: "Bogotá."
Jane: "Five years ago."
John: "Six."
He paused, adjusted his shirt sleeve, and relented:
"Right. Five or six years ago."
CUT TO: CLOSE-UP — Angelina's face. Jane doesn't blink. Doesn't flinch. There's a hint of loneliness in her expression, but she simply gave a forced smile.
Assistant Director's voice (off-camera): "And... CUT!"
A moment of silence. Then applause broke out behind the monitors.
The camera operators high-fived. The sound guy grinned under his boom pole. Rachel, standing at the video, muttered, "Well, that's a perfect shot."
Then, after a ten-minute break or so, they continued shooting the therapist scenes and pretty much wrapped it up without breaking their characters. Now the final scene was ongoing...
The slate snapped:
"Scene 24C – Therapy Room – Final. Take Five."
Assistant Director's voice:
"Action."
Therapist (calm, even):
"I'm interested in the progress you've made in the last few weeks."
John (Alex leaned forward, eyes locked):
"Doing all right, aren't we? I'm not gonna lie to you, there were times when I wanted to..."
(he glanced at Jane with a dry, almost playful edge)
"...kill her, but..."
Jane (Angelina matched his tone, eyes glinting):
"Likewise."
John:
"Couldn't take the shot."
Therapist (nodding):
"That's a good sign."
John (soft chuckle):
"Who'd have thought?"
Therapist:
"You have to battle through."
Jane (half-grin):
"That's marriage, right?"
John:
"Yeah. Take your best shot, and..."
Jane (interjecting, upbeat):
"Oh, we redid the house."
John:
"We did. Yes, we did."
Therapist:
"You know there will always be challenges?"
(Both of them):
"Mm."
Therapist:
"Threats out there?"
John (matter-of-fact):
"Yup."
Jane (squared her shoulders, calm):
"Mm."
Therapist:
"But you can handle it together."
John (nodding):
"So far."
Jane:
"Yes, we can... So far?"
(She turned her head slowly, raising a brow. Her lips twitched.)
"What is that?"
John (deadpan):
"I'm leaving room for the unknown."
Jane (repeating with a smirk):
"So far."
(She let out a dry chuckle, shaking her head.)
Therapist:
"And do you feel your relationship styles are more conducive to this..."
John (cutting in):
"Ask us the sex question."
Jane (under her breath):
"John."
Therapist (almost flustered):
"Well, that..."
John raised both hands, held up ten fingers. No words.
Jane leaned back in the chair, trying not to laugh, cheeks flushed, jaw set in amused defeat.
The assistant director swooped her hand down, "And... CUT!"
Angelina stood slowly and gave Alex a small, quiet high five.
Therapy Scene – Locked.
...
[Backstage – Angelina's Room]
The door clicked shut behind them as they stepped into the room. The sounds of crew chatter and gear being packed away faded. There was one shot left for the day, the lobby scene where they first met.
Angelina collapsed onto the couch with a deep exhale, letting her head fall back. "That therapist scene might be my favorite thing we've done all week."
Alex chuckled as he grabbed two water bottles from the mini fridge and tossed her one. "I nearly lost it when you said, 'So far?' You looked like you were about to stab me with your eyes."
"That wasn't acting," she said, smirking. "I was genuinely offended by your vague optimism."
Alex took a sip and leaned against the wall. "Hey, I was leaving room for dramatic irony. Gotta keep it cinematic."
"You're insufferable."
"You're welcome."
She rolled her shoulders with a wince. "Ugh. This dress is strangling me. Can you...?"
She turned her back to him slightly, tilting her head over her shoulder.
"Yeah," he said, walking over.
She lifted her hair out of the way with a slight smile.
He reached up and found the zipper at the top of her dress, fingers brushing against her skin as he pulled it down slowly, the soft sound of fabric parting filling the brief silence.
"There," he said quietly, stepping back.
She let the dress loosen and exhaled again. "God. That's better. I can finally breathe."
He raised an eyebrow. "Should I start scheduling zipper duty into my call sheet?"
She glanced at him over her shoulder. "Maybe. But don't start charging me overtime."
Alex smirked. "Only if it comes with a therapy co-pay."
She laughed and shook her head. "We just turned emotional dysfunction into a romantic comedy."
"Isn't that what all relationships are?"
"No," she said. "Some are just dysfunction."
A short, comfortable silence passed.
Then Angelina looked back again. "You know we just set the bar for every onscreen couple for the next five years, right?"
Alex shrugged. "Good. Let them catch up."
She smiled. "Cocky much?"
"Confident," he corrected. "And maybe a little turned on by how good we are together."
She snorted and tossed a pillow at him. "Go away."
"You're welcome," he said again, this time with a grin, catching the pillow and sitting beside her.
They sat in silence for a moment. The laughter had settled, but the warmth lingered.
"So," she said, "what's next for us?"
He glanced at her. "Therapy. Definitely more therapy. Oh, let Max be our therapist."
She shook her head, smiling.
"Only if you keep unzipping my dresses."
"Deal."
....
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