Aliens
“This time it's war.”
Synopsis
Ripley, the sole survivor of the Nostromo's deadly encounter with the monstrous Alien, returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story is initially met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of Colonial Marines back to LV-426.
Part of the Alien Collection
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Trailers, Teasers & Extra Featurettes
Official promotional previews, behind-the-scenes footage, and exclusive clips.
Modern TrailerOfficial
Type: Trailer • Published 2018-04-12
Top Cast
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Sigourney Weaver
Ripley
Carrie Henn
Newt
Michael Biehn
Corporal Hicks
Paul Reiser
Burke
Lance Henriksen
Bishop
Bill Paxton
Private Hudson
William Hope
Lieutenant Gorman
Jenette Goldstein
Private Vasquez
Al Matthews
Sergeant Apone
Mark Rolston
Private Drake
Ricco Ross
Private Frost
Colette Hiller
Corporal Ferro
Daniel Kash
Private Spunkmeyer
Cynthia Dale Scott
Corporal Dietrich
Tip Tipping
Private Crowe
Trevor Steedman
Private Wierzbowski
Paul Maxwell
Van Leuwen
Valerie Colgan
ECA Rep
Release History & Theatrical Window
Westwood, California
Festival / Special Debut
July 18, 1986
Wide Cinema Exhibition
March 12, 2024
Physical Home Media
Financials & Box Office Performance
Production Budget
$18.5M
Filming & production cost
Worldwide Gross
$183.3M
Total global ticket sales
Box Office Return
9.91x
+$164.8M net gain
Theatrical Status
Mega Hit
Box office tier
Key Information & Fast Facts
- Director
- James Cameron
- Screenplay & Story
- James Cameron
- Original Score
- James Horner
- Original Title
- Aliens
- Country of Origin
- United States of America
- Spoken Languages
- English
- Runtime
- 2h 17m
- Production Budget
- $18.5M
- Worldwide Gross
- $183.3M
- Production Studios
- SLM Production Group, 20th Century Fox, Brandywine Productions
Creative Leadership & Key Crew
James Cameron
James Cameron, David Giler, Walter Hill, Ronald Shusett, Dan O'Bannon
James Horner
Adrian Biddle
Ray Lovejoy
Gale Anne Hurd, Gordon Carroll, David Giler, Walter Hill
Department Leadership Roster
James Cameron
Screenplay
Adrian Biddle
Director of Photography
Peter Lamont
Production Design
Paul Weston
Stunt Coordinator
Ray Lovejoy
Editor
Gale Anne Hurd
Producer
James Horner
Original Music Composer
James Cameron
Director
Emma Porteous
Costume Design
Robert Skotak
Visual Effects Supervisor
Richard Hewitt
Visual Effects Supervisor
Dennis Skotak
Visual Effects Supervisor
Age Classification & Content Advisories
Official viewer rating standards and content warnings across international classification boards.
R: Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
International Certification Matrix
Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.
FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.
Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.
Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.
Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.
Production Stills & Gallery
Official cinematic photography and background stills for Aliens.
Featured In Curated Collections
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Frequently Asked Questions About Aliens
Quick factual answers about cast, synopsis, director, box office, and release information.
What is Aliens about?
Ripley, the sole survivor of the Nostromo's deadly encounter with the monstrous Alien, returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story is initially met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of Colonial Marines back to LV-426.
Who directed Aliens?
Aliens was directed by James Cameron.
Who stars in Aliens?
The principal cast of Aliens includes Sigourney Weaver, Carrie Henn, Michael Biehn, Paul Reiser, Lance Henriksen.
When was Aliens released and how long is it?
Aliens was released in 1986 with a total runtime of 2h 17m.
What was the box office and production budget of Aliens?
Aliens had a reported production budget of $18.5M and grossed $183.3M at the worldwide box office (9.91 return on budget, classified as a blockbuster success).
Who composed the musical score for Aliens?
The original motion picture soundtrack for Aliens was composed by James Horner.
Is Aliens based on a book or true story?
Aliens is adapted from the following source material: Characters: "Ronald Shusett", Characters: "Dan O'Bannon".
What is the age rating and content advisory for Aliens?
Aliens holds official age classifications: AU: M (Mature — Recommended for viewers 15 and older.); CA: 14A; DE: 16 (FSK 16 — Restricted to viewers aged 16 and older.); FR: 12 (Interdit aux moins de 12 ans — 12+ only.); GB: 18 (Suitable only for adults 18 years and over.); US: R (Restricted — Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian.).