american space western action film directed starring film based graphic novel created plot revolves outlaw wealthy ford mysterious traveler ally save group townspeople abducted aliens screenplay written based screen story film produced steven_spielberg serving executive producers project began development april bought film rights concept pitched president described graphic novel development graphic novel published development film begun signed director september budget million filming began june new_mexico california despite studio pressure release film chose film traditionally format picture standard film classic movie feel measures taken maintain western element despite film inherently comic title premise film aliens designed cool details fungus grows wounds created depict creatures facing unfamiliar place premiered san diego comic con released theatrically united_states canada july film considered financial disappointment taking million box office receipts million budget received mixed reviews critics generally praising acting production criticizing blend western science fiction genres plot new mexico territory unnamed awakens injured desert memory strange metal object wrist town preacher treats wound sheriff recognizes stranger wanted outlaw attempts arrest jake beats sent nearly escapes woman named knocks prepares transport jake volatile drunk trial father colonel ruthless cattle baron demands released demands jake released jake stolen gold alien spacecraft begin attacking town sheriff abducted long whip like hanging ships jake weapon shoots ship ending attack form track injured alien escaped downed ship jake travels abandoned cabin flashback recalls returning stolen gold abducted woman named alice aliens memories returning jake joins evening group comes capsized wheel aliens apparently dumped miles water camp night alien tracking kills sacrifices save grandson morning deserted remaining attacked jake gang jake stolen gang attempts retake control aliens begin attacking captured aboard ship attacks alien pilot causing ship crash fatally wounding remaining captured native americans blame alien attacks corpse dumped fire warrior resurrected emerges fire reveals alien race travelled earth help resist invaders destroyed home world aliens mining gold people conduct experiments find humans weaknesses far stronger humans superior weaponry stabbed shot death jake weapon aimed shot rifle kill single blast says aliens previously attacked scouts claims jake holds secret aliens whereabouts argues defeat aliens invaders life earth taking medicine offered medicine man jake recalls alice alien experiment escaped inadvertently stealing like alien weapon wrist remembers location aliens base operations armed knowledge group led prepares attack aliens grounded mother ship jake returns old gang persuades join fight humans maneuver aliens ground battle jake board ship free captives jake captured rescues men escape ship killing alien responsible alice death remaining aliens taking damaged craft sacrifices entering ship core destroying jake wrist bomb alien ship aliens gone abducted begin remember wanted man jake decides leave sheriff claim killed invasion citizens intend reconstruct town cast cast includes outlaw colonel powerful mysterious traveler aids owner local saloon isn tending patients trouble making son preacher doctor real busy tending bar sheriff grandson native american right hand man alice jake lost love saloon maid wife hunt friend mexican gang member chief medicine man production development casting project began development bought film rights concept pitched president described graphic novel development hired write direct film planned completing professor formed pursue adapting properties film television joined producer left project pursue remake film incredible film rights acquired project development published graphic novel following year universal partnered adapt film june entered negotiations star film union_army making told director investigated project september joined director left project january star holmes game shadows later month hired replace said portrayal james_bond brings certain described hand like type leading man lethal character hand got lot humanity vulnerability april cast alongside cast ford film actors suited action adventure roles characters seen comedic director compared ford particular having sense history actor role ford previously acted western films time killing journey ford known playing filmmakers wanted avoid giving cowboy hat remind audiences jones writer said needed sure pun intended tipped hat presented audience different version olivia cast lead roles called character key film cast supporting role character described large mexican original script writers learned interest film expanded role known appearing films chose cameo appearance thought affect tone film face appear wanted poster scene establishing asked film developing stated incredible like seeing exactly going head spark head kid bringing talent vision adaptation time remains true trying original story steven_spielberg film executive producers visited director writers pre production look script artwork provided collection classic western films invited director writers private screening western films provided live commentary properly films included rides suggestions main enemy alien jake final use alien jake kiss occur climax film writing film period developing project studios different versions screenplay drafted numerous beginning involved included universal partnered hired replaced analyzed american western films including said draft kind broad went kind swing forth extremes tone find exact right point western sci movie shake hands unnatural imagine watching aliens land explained said comic themes enemies uniting fight common enemy setting specific time period kept inspiration terms story characters wanted audience surprised feel like seen fans comic themes setting elements great inspiration story completely adapted translated live action aliens loosely based gods interpretation religion distinct interest gold filming originally planned shown approached idea interested stating shot film opposed shot digitally required modern technology didn want converted filming like filming black white reasoned director photography shot format film classic movie feel budget million principal photography began new_mexico june filming locations white place western films like missing legend lone ranger filmed sound stage work took place los_angeles additional location shooting california filming finished september scene character rides horse alongside jumps spacecraft emulated scenes american western films rode moving train jumped said scene referenced film raiders lost chases truck noted similar scene existed film saying constantly referencing roots multiple references close encounters kind introduction aliens bright lights aircraft steamer middle desert film monster movies scenes steamer deliberate homage alien design effects hired production designer based work star trek produced visual effects created represented visual effects supervision legacy effects created practical puppet aliens scale alien new deal studios constructed miniature steamer seen film built miniature alien ship stand ins film featured visual effects fuel embassy ghost shade noted focuses specific aspect alien genre primarily revolves films 1980s bit like way told stories real unveiling creature little little lighting camera work music experience tried preserve designing film aliens careful creatures cool stated adopted similar approach district trick aliens interesting behavior happens district drawn world bit immediate impact ate cat food details certain design aspects find behavior fit western genre people conditions fighting elements thought irony aliens turn exaggerated way traveling place having deal climate case played fact weren comfortable world flies don like light wounded exposed strange fungus grows use shooting frame flat later gave extra room frame shots challenge foot tall aliens smaller humans space instead said shot areas case portions shots lost filming gun battle aliens aliens twice speed humans actors required ride scene horseback shoot men gray suits foot tall hats aimed faces drawn hats big challenge texture artists aliens dark cave environment harsh sunlight creatures rendered high resolution close ups dirt wounds added aliens emphasize injuries sustained battle requested aliens experience unpleasant biological reaction wounded earth texture team created yellow fungus like look aliens design fungus texture supervisor searched internet real pictures mold growth trees eventually designed fried egg pattern heads aliens based sea turtles encountered sea turtles trip hawaii suggestion steven_spielberg alien designed unclear red jake gives alien escaping distinguish aliens creature redesigned translucent pale skin lack time spent outside described alien anthropomorphic aliens murphy commented parts like arm like glass ice surface blends area sic pieces like soft shell crab shiny wet addition aliens visual effects required alien spaceship interior environment creations head display jake arm invasion town practical laser lighting fire effects utilized practical ships effects enhancements artists enhance initial look alien cables people extra lights viewers thought studio failed paint cables film trailer scene jake ride actors filming practical mock digitally replaced wider shots themes director sought plausible approach humans late 19th century confront extraterrestrial beings armed advanced weaponry said laid planned lot discussions lot actors called task things convenient sure earned step director sought maintain western tone aliens appeared film saying easy cut string sudden action starts independence day cited works sources inspiration kid wanted science fiction element stand referencing alien predator close encounters kind said genres finding intersection genres right honors interesting clever things people understand conventions instead remake sequel reboot film seen americas native american nations severely damaged european settlers specifically europeans advanced military technology compared film historical confrontation frustration having technology allow prevail low tech culture feels powerless faced enemy technology film low tech culture aliens advanced technology possess belief said premise allows native americans come impossible greater common enemy sets western classic way turns ear aliens appear film road movie main characters try track aliens team different groups ultimately confront aliens compared gathering magnificent seven facing seemingly odds confrontation character presents unconventional christian principles support film main theme redemption according teaching shoot references similar scenes teach person dying words jake god don care son speaks central theme redemption jake sees points film good spirit represent alice alternate theory angel helped jake alice suggested story alien invasion aliens worker bees possibly genetically engineered species aliens remained home planet sent worker bees marketing crosses genres american western element science fiction element inherently comic title premise san diego comic con international july director hosted presentation accompanied film primary cast members including comic con appearance presentation explained audiences intended film mix western styles scary science fiction like alien predator trailer film appeared following november new_york_times reported film audiences found premise comedic president marketing acknowledged said trailer public step tone movie immediate effect title studio anticipated marketing campaign demonstrate film tough minded adventure like super bowl february studio aired spot hours american football game twitter link followers spot online entertainment_weekly reported geek fan base stirred new speculation hybrid classic extraterrestrial invasion spot aired said trailer intended introduction people curiosity super bowl spot showing sense adventure things april appeared san_francisco presented minutes film footage answered questions film explained marketing brief glimpse aliens title film released explained certain elements think visionary people involved film understanding personality marketing campaign film want sure audience goes film going lot surprises haven seen marketing materials release world premiere san diego comic con international san_diego july commercially released united_states canada july territories ensuing weekends released film theaters world previous film forecast gross million total united_states canada comparatively low figure website cited marketing film effectively western films like wild wild west successful box office territories outside united_states canada website forecast million total citing american western films historically popular premise alien invasion presence international stars like generate interest contrast box office paul said film combination cowboy extraterrestrial themes particular attract audiences believed audiences familiarity character james_bond help film box office opening day estimates showed opening day gross million came second place opening day gross million considered surprise expected clear winner weekend estimates showed tied spot weekend million actual results weekend announced won weekend million beating grossed million film grossed canada making million domestic movie internationally bringing worldwide total film considered financial disappointment narrowly grossing budget listed film expensive box office time critical reception earned approval critics review aggregate website rotten_tomatoes average rating garnering score critics metacritic polls reported average grade gave film plus scale indicating mixed reaction paying audiences general performances particularly ford praised combination western science fiction genres frequently criticized hollywood reporter praised film saying sounds paper screen aliens beautiful fun music felt success film blend aliens western themes determination involved play damn thing straight touch camp thing blow sky high doesn criticized aliens said don rate characters existing moving shoot video game variety echoed sentiments potential premise offset cast particularly mix sensitivity considered opposite effect stating appears place stars appreciated attention paid roots genres saying beneath state art special effects beats old fashioned heart prizes genres play concluded blend practical effects serve sci elements location shooting form fitting period west look best village_voice said western elements film handled called felt science aspects gimmick standard fare comparison added ford enjoy camera time decades roger_ebert wrote ambitious acting large cast high standard ford born roles director actually develops characters gives things instead posing special effects lamented film pure western saying aliens genuine suspense starts shooting town countless aliens appear salon offered mixed response claiming film clever ford performances critical combination western science fiction elements calling mediocre western mediocre alien slant reacted negatively stating genres staunch dedication getting wrong making sure scene preceded giving film star continued western false stunning eyed confrontation jake ford horseback ride sunset range like familiar genre staple visuals bland blockbuster actors similarly afflicted case affected silent type ford racism blank wide eyed failing deliver single believable line reading gesture accolades received nominations 39th annie awards film nominated live action production lost dark moon ceremony took place february film received nominations honoring production designer outstanding performance stunt ensemble motion picture 18th screen actors guild awards lost ceremonies ford received saturn award nomination home media released dvd december release includes scenes plus feature commentary director infringement lawsuit november filed lawsuit filed universal claiming copyright infringement stating wrote preview story aliens published april issue story previewed issue comic shop news page featured coverage platinum produced sheet depicting cowboy chased alien eventually led universal buying film rights concept
Cowboys & Aliens