Ridley Scott’sAlienis one of the most influential and iconic horror films in modern history. Dozens of other films have been made by taking the format of that 1979 classic and moving it to another location or substituting another monster. Other movies, however, simply put the same monster in a new setting.
The Xenomorph is agrab-bag of all the most horrific features one could imagine on a monster. Shiny black skin, an eyeless face, back spines, spindly limbs, razor teeth, and even something as specific as acid blood and explosive birth could make its way into another creature. Hundreds of horrific creatures share elements with H. R. Giger’s masterpiece, but a few seem just a bit too close to feel like a coincidence.
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Pumpkinhead
Perhaps the most infamous example, and it’s easy to see why. The titular Pumpkinhead demon who starred in fourlow-budget horror filmslooks like the Xenomorph in a shoddy disguise as he tries to elude the police. He has the same body shape, phallic head and all. His face is noticeably different, given that he actually has eyes. His hands are much larger and his stride is often more upright, but the differences are harder to spot than the similarities. There’s a certain charm to Pumpkinhead, partially because his head looks nothing like a pumpkin and partially because his most iconic on-screen kill isa WWE-style backbreaker. It’s hard not to love the big goofy fellow. He is the opposite of Giger’s creation in many ways, overflowing with personality whereas the Xenomorph is a soulless living weapon.
The MUTOs -Godzilla
The second AmericanGodzillafilm had a lot going for it and a lot working against it. The previous western attempt at the franchise had been a massive embarrassment and the franchise was getting tired. While the 2014 reboot wasn’t anyone’s favorite kaiju blockbuster, it was a fun return foreveryone’s favorite radioactive lizard. The Massive Unidentified Terrestrial Organisms are towering insects The MUTOs aren’t an exact match for the Xenomorph. They’re sleek, their faces lack the most notable features, their posture is similar, and they have unusual mouths. They behave more like Xenomorphs, however. They hatch from eggs that gestate in the bodies of other giant organisms, and they lay countless eggs. If things had gone worse for the people of 2014’sGodzilla, they’d have a giant version of the first few minutes ofAlienson their hands.
Species
The aliens and hybrids of this series resemble humans wearing Xenomorphs as clothing, but this one isn’t a case of one artist ripping off another one, it’s a case of an artist retreading old ground.H. R. Giger providedthe design work for the first film and remained a consultant on the sequel, offering a very clear explanation for this franchise’s general vibe. Giger regularly complained that too much of the film’s plot was similar toAlien, changing large elements of the story to distance it from his previous work. He did not do that for his designs, however, as many of the beings feature his trademark unnerving mix of human and inhuman traits. Multiple beings look like an attempt to make the Xenomorph sexually attractive, which never fails to be viscerally unpleasant. Though they often have humanoid faces, the unnamed species fromSpeciesborrows just about everything from the earlier work of its creator.
The Killer -Split Second
Fans of this strange creature feature have endearingly rebranded this mysterious being the Scorpio Demon. Whatever his name is, he’s the star of one of the most misguided and unintentionally hilarious monster movies of the 90s. Thelate great Rutger Hauerstars as a hard-nosed cop, paired with a rookie partner as he seeks the serial killer who eluded him years earlier. That serial killer is either a demon or some sort of lab accident, it’s never really made clear. It looks like the exact midpoint between the Xenomorph and Venom. It’s black and shiny, it doesn’t have eyes, its teeth are long and sharp, and its hands are long and pointy. It certainly behaves more like a Xenomorph, silently dispatching and consuming its prey, often in hilariously implausible moments.Split Secondisn’t a particularly good film, but anyone who wants to see Rutger Hauer shoot at an overenthusiastic Xenomorph cosplayer should check it out.
Outriders -Avengers: Infinity War
Even the MCU isn’t above borrowing from Giger.Thanos' charging hoards ofshiny black faceless quadrupedal monsters bear a striking resemblance to the Xenomorphs. It’s reminiscent ofAlienswhen they charge the shield wall in Wakanda, but it’s even clearer when they’re chasing down Hawkeye in a dark hallway. They look a lot like Xenomorphs in their comic book source material as well. The limited lore surrounding the Outriders make it clear that they may as well be Marvel’s take on the concept. They’re living weapons who blindly slaughter whatever they’re pointed at. One wonders how much better or worse the Avengerswould’ve fared against Thanosif he had just brought the original 1979 model to battle instead.
