Even though one of prolific filmmaker Ridley Scott’s most definitive movies is 1979’sAlien, the director completely flips the iconic sci-fi horror movie’s premise inThe Martian. While both of Scott’s science-fiction films are about survival,Alienis a much darker film than the 2015 blockbuster. Penned by Dan O’Bannon,Aliencenters on the crew of theNostromo, a commercial space tug that comes across an abandoned spaceship. Instead of circumnavigating the eerie wreckage, the crewmates, including Sigourney Weaver’s warrant officer-turned-action-hero Ellen Ripley, end up going toe-to-toe withAlien’s terrifying Facehuggers and Xenomorphs.
A critical and commercial success, the sci-fi horror flick went on to spawn many moreAlienmovies, though Scott only directed the original film and its would-be prequel trilogy, which includesPrometheusandAlien: Covenant. AlthoughRidley Scott’s unfinishedAlienprequel trilogyis more philosophical at its core, the two installments are as dark as the originalAlien. The filmmaker’s other classic sci-fi movie, 1982’sBlade Runner, is a neo-noir film that’s as harrowing as its source material. Interestingly,Scott’s adaptation ofThe Martianstands apart from the director’s other sci-fi projects' tones and atmospheres.
The Martian’s Optimism Was The Opposite Of Alien’s Space Horror
Ridley Scott Flipped The Script Of His Classic Sci-Fi Film When Making The Martian
Although Ridley Scott didn’t write or adaptThe Martian, the Oscar-nominated director did have to navigate a sci-fi story that took a vastly different approach to space thanAlien. Based on Andy Weir’s novel,The Martianis a showcase for its Oscar-nominated star, Matt Damon, who plays Mark Watney, a botanist and mechanical engineer. Part of NASA’sAres IIIteam,Mark and his crewmates are tasked with exploring the surface of Mars. When a dust storm wreaks havoc on the surface of the red planet, Mark seemingly dies after being struck by debris while his team evacuates.
As of September 2024,The Martianis streaming on Max, andAlien(1979) is streaming on Hulu.
After the storm dissipates, Mark returns to the team’s surface habitat and realizes that he’s unable to communicate with Earth’s mission control. Using all of his scientific know-how,The Martian’s Mark Watney attempts to survive on Marsfor four years — until NASA’s next mission arrives on the less-than-hospitable planet. Even though Mark’s situation is incredibly dire,The Martiandoes not echoAlien’s dark, cynical approach to space survival. Instead, Scott’s 2015 film focuses on the power of teamwork and the inspirational notion of never giving up, even in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
Star Wars Inspired Scott To Make A Space Movie (But Not As Hopeful)
George Lucas' Star Wars Was A Groundbreaking Sci-Fi Movie — But Much More Optimistic Than Alien
While promotingAlien: Romulus,Ridley Scott revealed that George Lucas’Star Warsmade him want to pursue a sci-fi film of his own(viaLetterboxd).Alienwriter Dan O’Bannon had been shopping the script for what would become a groundbreaking sci-fi horror film for a while without very much success. Initially, 20th Century Fox balked at the idea of sinking money into a sci-fi endeavor likeAlien, butStar WarshelpedAlienget madewhen it became a box office phenomenon in 1977. Needless to say, Scott eagerly signed on when asked to direct.
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Prior to directingAlien, Scott only had one feature film under his belt: 1977’s historical dramaThe Duelists. While that genre has also defined the filmmaker’s career,Ridley Scott is now sci-fi’s most important directorin many ways, largely becauseStar Wars' success allowed him to makeAlien. It’s no surprise that the epic scope, inventive world-building, and mythological story structure of George Lucas' space opera inspired Scott. What is somewhat funny, however, is thatStar Warsis a much more hopeful film thanAlien. Luckily,Scott got to make an optimistic sci-fi film 36 years later.
The Martian Remains One Of The Most Inspiring Blockbuster Movies
Ridley Scott’s The Martian Proves That A Great Movie Doesn’t Need To Have Dark Themes
One ofRidley Scott’s best sci-fi movies,The Martianis also one of the most inspiring blockbuster films ever made. In addition to grossing $630.6 million at the worldwide box office, the film received high marks from critics for being both thrilling and funny. At the Golden Globes,The Martianeven won the award for Best Motion Picture — Musical or Comedy, which, based on Scott’sAlienandBlade Runnerreputation, might have surprised some folks who had yet to see the film. By putting heart, humor, and optimism first,The Martiancarved out a unique niche.
Where The Martian Was Filmed: Which Locations Were Used For Mars & How
The Martian tells the story of a man stuck on Mars, but Ridley Scott needed to utilize multiple sets to cover the movie’s different storylines.
Not only didThe Martianmark a tonal departure for Scott, but the film also came on the heels of much darker deep-space survival films, like 2013’sGravityand 2014’sInterstellar. While Scott’s 2015 film definitely rode the same sci-fi wave as those movies, its approach to human persistence and resilience is vastly different. Survivors in their own rights, Ellen Ripley and Dr. Mark Watney are two very different sides of the same Ridley Scott-directed sci-fi coin.
Source: Letterboxd
The Martian
Adapted by Ridley Scott from Andy Weir’s novel of the same name, The Martian follows the plight of astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) after he finds himself stranded alone on Mars after he is falsely presumed dead during a mission. Unable to communicate with Earth and armed with little more than his scientific expertise as a botanist, Watney must find a way to survive on the barren planet until the next scheduled mission arrives.
