On This Day

Aliens released

July 18th 1986

11:27 18 July 2024

'Aliens' opened in theaters across the United States and Canada on this day in 1986. James Cameron was hired to write the story for a sequel to Ridley Scott's 'Alien' (1979) in 1983 having already written screenplays for 'The Terminator' (1984) and 'Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985).

The project stalled for a few years before Cameron was selected to also direct. Sigourney Weaver returned as Lieutenant Ellen Ripley, this time battling aliens with a troop of colonial marines on the moon where the crew of the Nostromo first encountered the deadly extra-terrestrials. 'Aliens' surpassed the success of the first film, grossing an estimated $157 million at the box office worldwide and is widely regarded as one of the best films of the 80s as well as one of the greatest action or science-fiction films ever made. "This time, it's war".