Fede Álvarez has a great idea for a new Alien vs. Predator movie, and although he doesn’t think it would work, I think it could actually be the perfect way to bring back the crossover. Álvarez made his Alien franchise debut last summer with Alien: Romulus, which became a huge box office hit and was hailed by critics as the best Alien movie since Aliens. While Disney is busy developing a direct sequel to Alien: Romulus, continuing Rain and Andy’s intergalactic journey, the studio is also exploring other options with the franchise’s big-screen output.

In a recent interview, 20th Century Studios president Steve Asbell teased that one of the options being considered is a new Alien vs. Predator crossover movie. The last time these two iconic franchises joined forces was in the 2007 disappointment Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem. Since being acquired by Disney, the studio formerly known as Fox has successfully brought back the Alien franchise with Alien: Romulus and it brought back the Predator franchise with Prey. There’s never been a better time to revisit the Alien vs. Predator concept — and Álvarez has come up with the perfect idea to make it work.

Fede Álvarez’s Alien Vs. Predator Idea Is Perfect, But Very Difficult To Pull Off

Álvarez Wants To Make A Secret Alien Vs. Predator Movie

When he was asked about the possibility of a third Alien vs. Predator movie, Álvarez teased a really cool idea for Alien vs. Predator 3. Álvarez said the best AvP movie would be one that the audience didn’t know was an AvP movie “until the other guy shows up.” Álvarez would market it as a Predator movie, then surprise the audience with a xenomorph, or market it as an Alien movie, then surprise the audience with a Predator. He acknowledged it would be tough to keep that secret in the social media age, but I don’t think it’s impossible.

This lines up with Álvarez’s original plan for Alien: Romulus. He initially planned to hide Romulus’ connection to the Alien franchise. He would’ve slapped a generic sci-fi тιтle on it, released some trailers vaguely hinting at an unseen monster, and allowed opening-day audiences to be blown away by the revelation that they’re actually watching an Alien movie. Romulus was much easier to market when it was upfront about being an Alien movie, but the concept would work better with an AvP movie, because it would still be able to build its marketing around one recognizable franchise.

It Is Possible To Hide An Alien Vs. Predator Movie In Plain Sight

Spider-Man: No Way Home Preserved Its Surprises (Sort Of)

It would be really tricky for a new Alien vs. Predator movie to hide the fact that it’s an Alien vs. Predator movie, but I do think it’s possible. Spider-Man: No Way Home managed to successfully hide the fact that Tobey Maguire and Andrew Garfield’s Spider-Men have a major role in the story. There were some set leaks showing Garfield in costume, but Marvel never confirmed that it was official, and the trailers didn’t feature them at all. There was enough doubt about Maguire and Garfield’s involvement that it was still a pleasant surprise when they stepped through those portals.

To a lesser extent, Prey concealed its connection to the Predator franchise. 20th Century Studios didn’t outright lie about it being a Predator movie — people who were paying close attention to the trades knew it was a Predator prequel — but it wasn’t marketed as an obvious Predator movie. It doesn’t have the word Predator in the тιтle (unlike all the other Predator films) and it takes place in a totally different timeframe than the rest of the series. If 20th Century Studios wanted to hide the fact that Prey was a Predator movie, it would’ve been able to.

Do We Really Need Another Alien Vs. Predator Movie After The Last 2?

There Still Hasn’t Been A Really Great AvP Movie

Both of the previous Alien vs. Predator movies were a huge disappointment, so you might be wondering why the studio wants to bother making another one. But I’d argue that the disappointment of the previous two is precisely why we need another AvP movie. In theory, Alien vs. Predator should be the most awesome movie ever made. Two of the most recognizable movie monsters of all time facing off in an intergalactic showdown should be a cinematic spectacle for the ages. But, while the first AvP movie is a somewhat fun monster movie mashup, the sequel is an absolute disaster.

The Alien vs. Predator concept is deserving of a much better movie. The problem with the previous two is that they were too predictable, partly because they gave away their best twist in the тιтle. If Álvarez could pull off his surprise reveal, introducing a Predator into an Alien movie or vice versa, then it’d already be well on the way to making up for the last two disappointments.