An Alien Vs Predator Series Was Made But Disney Won’t Release It

In a surprising revelation during the 2023 Alien Day celebrations, Joshua Izzo, a key figure in expanding the Alien and Predator universe in the 2010s, unveiled details about a completed Alien vs Predator animated series. According to Izzo (via The Perfect Organism Podcast), Disney now possesses ten episodes of a fully developed Alien vs Predator anime series that he produced.

Despite being completed, mixed, and ready to be broadcast, the fate of the series remains uncertain, with Izzo himself unclear about the reasons for its non-release.

How This Alien Vs Predator animated series took shape

Credit: 20th Century Studios

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Izzo’s journey with the project started with Dave Bixler, the head of Home Entertainment in 2016, who championed the Alien vs Predator project for him. Inspired by Sam Register’s successful model of overseeing all of WB animation and green-lit direct DVD adaptations of the DC Comics programs, Izzo discussed his Alien vs Predator idea with Jeffrey Godsick, the head of consumer products at Disney.

Keen to be the “master of his own destiny”, Izzo sought to create a direct-to-DVD Alien and/or Alien/Predator and/or Predator animation. At the time, the 2017 film Alien: Covenant was in its early stages of development, and there was no mention of the 2018 film, The Predator.

From Pitch to Production

Izzo pitched his idea to the Home Entertainment division, stating that creating a series would be a simple feat considering the company’s nearly 30-year possession of Alien, Predator, and Alien vs Predator comic book content. His pitch was backed by a storyboard and a complete idea for an animated series.

Following discussions, a director was brought in, and Izzo and his team began crafting a final story that remained true to the source material. Set in the future, long after the events of Alien vs Predator and Alien 4, the series was designed to avoid competition with any potential narratives in their core timeline.

The Alien Vs Predator Series That Never Aired

Credit: 20th Century Studios

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The Alien vs Predator series was given a 10-episode order. According to Izzo, it was intended to be released as three direct-to-DVD or streaming movies in the United States, with a television debut in Japan.

Rumour has it that the director Izzo mentioned is Shinji Aramaki, known for his previous work in CG animation. This suggests that the Alien vs Predator series would likely have been in the same format rather than traditional Japanese anime. Izzo didn’t reveal the plot but shared some tantalising details about the characters. For instance, one of the Predators is a cyborg with a fully cybernetic arm and a cybernetic mandible, and another is dubbed ‘Bone’ because all his weapons are made from giant tusks.

However, following the release of Alien: Covenant and The Predator, Izzo’s Alien vs Predator series seemed to have been lost in the noise. He remains unsure about why Disney chose to shelve the project, speculating that the company may have decided to keep Alien and Predator as separate entities.

The Unanswered Questions

The completed but unreleased Alien vs Predator series remains a mystery, leaving fans with a tantalising “what-if”. For now, it seems that the series is destined to remain in the Disney vault, a testament to a project that was crafted with passion, dedication, and respect for the source material but has yet to see the light of day.

A question that lingers in the minds of fans and Izzo alike is why the series hasn’t been released. Was it a strategic decision by Disney to maintain Alien and Predator as separate entities? Or did the releases of Alien: Covenant and The Predator overshadow the animated series in some way?

As it stands, the Alien vs Predator series is a tantalising mystery, a ghost in the machine of the Disney corporation. Until we have definitive answers, all we can do is speculate and wonder about the adventures that might have unfolded in this 10-episode Alien vs Predator series.

In the end, the story of this unreleased series serves as a reminder of the unpredictable nature of the entertainment industry, where even the most promising and exciting projects can find themselves shelved indefinitely. For now, we can only hope that one day, the vault will open, and the world will get to experience the thrilling saga of Alien vs Predator in a way it has never seen before.

What do you make of this news? Would you like to see this Alien vs Predator animated series? Let us know your thoughts in the comments below.

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