Avatar and Aliens: same Universe?

[Ayfa'liyä omumyu]

Aliens has long stood among my favorite films, and so in watching Avatar I was tickled to see some very familiar elements. I think there's a bit too many to be just nods to fans like myself, and am wondering if perhaps we might see them as occurring in the same universe. Avatar is set in the year 2154, and the events of Aliens occur in 2179. This might make it seem incongruous technologically, but then the films were made 23 years apart...

So aside from the obvious involvement of Sigourney Weaver and the presence of similar characterizations (Vasquez/Chacon as hard-nosed Latinas, Gorman/Selfridge as corporate scum) in both films, there are a number of technical/vehicle elements as well. I don't mean these as generalities - certain concepts and items are expected within sci-fi, but these are striking stylistic similarities. Offhand I can recall:

1. Pandora orbits Alpha Centauri A, also mentioned in the Aliens technical manual as home to Aurore 510 where is stationed some of the 2nd and 3rd Colonial Marine Brigades and portions of the 2nd Marine Aerospace Wing.

2. Specific mention of bad taste in mouth when exiting cry-sleep.

3. Appearance of Aliens Cryo-chambers and the Avatar interface beds.

4. Aliens dropships and various Avatar vehicles. Right down to the nose art.

5. Power Loaders and Mech/Amp Suits.

I'm sure there are others, but I'll have to pay more attention in my second/third/etc. viewings. My first thought was that Cameron was just pulling from his previous, presumably considerable, body of concept art, but then thought that perhaps there is some notion that this is all one world.

[Brainiac]

Cameron seems to think it is :p
So does tvtropes

[Txur’Itan]

Cameron seems to think it is :p
So does tvtropes

That would make for a frightening cross over flick.

What if the Alien's are from Pandora, or they are from the other moon!

[Brainiac]

that'd be very creepy 
and awesome at the same time

[Étienne]

I hope not. I don't need to see Neytiri getting eaten by face huggers,

[omängum fra'uti]

Just because Sigourney Weaver is stepping out of a pod looking thing in both movies does not make it the same universe.





Though the thought...  And he's planning to make sequals?

[Tirealì'u]

Meh, I wouldn't mind as long as 3 and 4 aren't considered canon in Avatar. :-P

[idogis1]

If so then how old is Ripley?

[Txur’Itan]

If so then how old is Ripley?

With the ability to put your brain into other bodies, how long can people live by transferring their minds into younger clones?

[Beduino]

If so then how old is Ripley?

With the ability to put your brain into other bodies, how long can people live by transferring their minds into younger clones?

As long as I see, they don't do that, you can actually see a dead Na'vi in the movie.. an old one.
They respect a lot the nature rules..

They just use it to transfer the "humans" into their Avatars

well well

[To´ji]

Star Trek, Star Wars and babylon 5 all have Spaceships and intelligent humanoid Alien races. But, they are clearly not the same universe.
Trudy is a more or less exact copy of a character from Resident Evil, played by the same actress... but it is not the same universe

So, I wouldn't say that because of some similarities, Aliens and Avatar happen in the same universe.
At least I wouldn't like it, if that would be the case.

[Brainiac]

Star Trek, Star Wars and babylon 5 all have Spaceships and intelligent humanoid Alien races. But, they are clearly not the same universe.
Trudy is a more or less exact copy of a character from Resident Evil, played by the same actress... but it is not the same universe

So, I wouldn't say that because of some similarities, Aliens and Avatar happen in the same universe.
At least I wouldn't like it, if that would be the case.

They are however directed by a guy that wouldn't mind if they did (in his head, of course)

[Reronsem Si]

A crossover, though fascinating, most likely not going to happen. The first Alien was directed by Ridley Scott. He's already rumored to be making a prequel or a side story to Alien, so most likely James wouldn't want to interfere with that plan. Though FOX has the fantastic reputation of hiring nobodies to do crossovers and "sequels" all the time. Ride that choo choo!

[Txur’Itan]

A crossover, though fascinating, most likely not going to happen. The first Alien was directed by Ridley Scott. He's already rumored to be making a prequel or a side story to Alien, so most likely James wouldn't want to interfere with that plan. Though FOX has the fantastic reputation of hiring nobodies to do crossovers and "sequels" all the time. Ride that choo choo!

Cross overs that make no sense of any kind, can and do happen.  Sometimes with mixed results.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/League_of_Extraordinary_Gentlemen

IF it happens, Alien + Avatar may happen in the comics before it happens in film, like AvP, but I would not discount the possibility considering history.

AvAvP The FPS.

[Payoang]

AvAvP. Please no. It'd be like Spock joining in Star Wars: Episode IX to help defeat the Goa'uld... or something.

[Txur’Itan]

AvAvP. Please no. It'd be like Spock joining in Star Wars: Episode IX to help defeat the Goa'uld... or something.

LOL

I got one for you, how about Bat-Ninja and wolverine as acting captain + XO of the Enterprise, with Spok learning to be Jedi to fight the Goa'uld in a alternate time line where the Predator's where the first hosts and still are, and the alien's were kept as pets on earth by the system lords?

[Étienne]

Predator vs. Jake
Who will win?
Who will die?
Who will evedently self destruct like they always do at the end?
HIT BLOCK BUSTER MOVIE! I called it here. 

[Coyote]

It put a new spin on the conversation had by the Marines in Aliens:

"I wanna go back and get me some more of that Arcturian poon-tang."
"The one you had was male."
"Who cares? It was Arcturian!" [laughs, backslaps, high-fives]


I guess technically there's no reason why they couldn't be in the same universe, but at the same time there'd be no compelling reason to put them together, either. Cameron may just like those elements (the cryosleep side effects, robosuits). After all, we're working on robo exo-skeletons already, and he may just see them as an inescapable projection of future tech.

Na'vi vs. Predator, now.... hmmm. My money is actually on the Na'vi. With the ability to communicate with the flora and fauna, and get intel updates from the trees and animals themselves? And the Predator having to worry about not only Na'vi but the palulukan, nantang, ikran...?

...yeah.  

[shiaru]

Well Cameron did say that Na'vi against Alien would not be fair since Na'vi would win every time, he explained how the Na'vi arrows are like 5 to 6 feet long, made of the same material their bones are. and how the Na'vi can see in total darkness. He basically set up Na'vi to win against aliens hands down. Now against predators? I'm not so sure, I mean predators do have Plasma cannons....

What would really scare me is if a predator captures a Na'vi then inplants an alien egg on it and drops it on earth.... We are so doomed.

[BlueQ]

That's awesome.