News

Earlier this year, we heard that Ian Nathan, author of Alien Vault, Terminator Vault, Stephen King at the Movies, The Legend of Mad Max, and books about filmmakers James Cameron, Ridley Scott, David Lynch, Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, Wes Anderson, the Coen brothers, the Coppolas, Peter Jackson, Quentin Tarantino, and Clint Eastwood, is teaming up with Creatorvc, the production company behind documentaries like the In Search of Darkness trilogy, In Search of Tomorrow, and First Person Shooter to bring us a documentary called Aliens Expanded, a 4-hour examination of writer/director James Cameron’s 1986 classic Aliens. Digital copies of that documentary can be ordered at This Link – and now it has been announced that Nathan and Creatorvc are continuing their working relationship with The Thing Expanded, a documentary that aims to be the ultimate companion to John Carpenter’s The Thing!

Copies of The Thing Expanded are available for pre-order through TheThingExpanded.

John Carpenter's The Thing has been a staple in the sci-fi horror genre for decades with its stunning practical effects and chilling visuals. Now Creatorvc is heading back into the world of The Thing with a new documentary, The Thing Expanded. The documentary, directed by Ian Nathan, will offer an in-depth analysis of the film and will feature a brand new exclusive interview with John Carpenter himself, providing fans with new insights and new stories about the famous production.

The Thing Expanded will center on John Carpenter's personal stories, making it the definitive companion piece to the original film. The documentary will explore various aspects of the film, it's origins, influences and the broader universe it has inspired over the years. Fans can expect some of the information to be about the 2011 prequel, the videogame sequel, The Thing From Another World and John W. Cambell's novella Who Goes There?...

Creatorvc, the brains behind the hit documentaries Aliens Expanded and In Search of Darkness, are back with their latest venture, The Thing Expanded. This new documentary dives deep into every nook and cranny of John Carpenters 1982 sci-fi-horror classic, The Thing. And guess what? Fans can look forward to an exclusive, brand-new interview with the legendary John Carpenter himself. Directed by Ian Nathan and produced by Robin Block, David Weiner, and Josh Weiss, The Thing Expanded promises to be the ultimate companion to Carpenters chilling masterpiece. With the pre-sale running from August 8 to September 2, 2024, fans can get their names in the credits and join this thrilling journey by signing up now.

Creatorvc, the team behind the massively successful documentaries Aliens Expanded and In Search of Darkness, have launched pre-sales on The Thing Expanded this afternoon, and Bloody Disgusting has exclusively learned that the upcoming documentary will feature an exclusive, brand-new interview with legendary filmmaker John Carpenter.

Diving deep into the haunting world of Carpenter’s 1982 sci-fi-horror classic, director Ian Nathan is joined by producers Robin Block (Creatorvc), David Weiner (Creatorvc) and Josh Weiss (author of Syfy Wire’s extensive oral history of The Thing) as they embark on the ultimate fan-driven companion to The Thing.

The ultimate exploration of a cinematic classic, The Thing Expanded will be centered on an in-depth analysis led by none-other than John Carpenter himself. The documentary will include a wealth of memories, stories, facts, rabbit-hole tangents and theories about the 1982 film and its origins and influences that Carpenter fans demand, including discussion of the 2011 prequel, videogame sequel,...

On this week's Empire Podcast we've another veritable guestapalooza for you, folks! First up, Chris Hewitt chats up a storm with Twisters stars Glen Powell, Daisy Edgar-Jones, and Phizzy Pigtails aficionado Anthony Ramos [19:46 - 35:02 approx]. Then, our man Hewitt's back on the meteorological movie beat again for more Twisters talk with the film's director, Lee Isaac Chung [1:39:17 - 1:56:06 approx]. Sandwiched between all the 'nado nattering, our very own news editor extraordinaire Beth Webb has a lovely audience with the marvellous June Squibb, star of Oap revenge joyride Thelma. [1:01:03 - 1:13:59 approx]

Then, back in the podbooth Chris is joined by Helen O'Hara, James Dyer, and returning fourth chairer (and best dressed man of all time) Jeremy Dylan, where the team discuss the ultimate Mount Rushmore question: What is our Mount Rushmore of films with Mount, Rushmore, Rush, or More in the title? Elsewhere, the pod squad cast their eagle eye over the week's movie news, including discussion...

Alright, sweethearts, you heard the man and you know the drill. There have been plenty of documentaries about Aliens before, as anyone who has owned the beloved 1986 sci-fi sequel from James Cameron on its various formats can attest (some hardcore fans still insist the 1992 LaserDisc Special Edition release has never been bettered). But there has never been any documentary quite as extensive, expansive or exhaustive as Aliens Expanded, a title that lives heartily up to its name due to a near-five-hour runtime — not quite as long as an unusually long hypersleep, but not far off. It comes from writer-director Ian Nathan, who has literally written the book on the film.

As with 2019’s Memory: The Origins Of Alien, about Ridley Scott’s original film (also featuring contributions from Nathan), this aims to be the definitive take on a definitive genre classic. With a runtime like that, it is fair to...

Aliens Expanded is a comprehensive 4-hour, 42-minute documentary exploring the making of James Cameron's sci-fi classic, featuring interviews with prominent fans, experts, and cast members. The documentary is a treasure trove of love, delving into the film's fandom, production details, and cultural impact, making it a must-watch for Alien movie enthusiasts. Aliens Expanded is also a celebration of physical media.

38 years after the release of James Cameron's exceptional sci-fi, Ian Nathan's Aliens Expanded offers a documentary deep dive that is best described as abyss-like in scale. Working with CreatorVC, whose previous documentary offerings have always proved impressive, Nathan has created something that genuinely deserves to be called essential viewing for fans of the Alien movies.

Aliens Expanded (2024)

Director Ian NathanRelease Date June 28, 2024Writers Ian NathanCast Jenette Goldstein, William Hope, Gale Anne Hurd, James Cameron, Lance Henriksen, Sigourney Weaver, Paul Reiser, Michael BiehnCharacter(s) SelfGenres Documentary

Aliens Expanded is...

A new documentary gives insight into Aliens' famous knife trick scene. Aliens Expanded confirms the theory that Bill Paxton didn't know Lance Henriksen was about to perform his wild knife-work in the famed Aliens moment. The new doc also addresses James Remar's firing from the film.

38 years after the classic movie's release, there's finally an answer to a theory about Aliens unforgettable knife trick scene. Early in James Camerons Alien sequel, the android Bishop (Lance Henriksen) gives a demonstration of his superhuman abilities, pulling off a crazy trick with a knife, with crewmate Hudson (Bill Paxton) as an unwilling victim. Hudsons shocked reaction in the scene is so convincing that its long been rumored that Paxton was actually unaware of what was about to happen, and could only hold on tight as Henriksen performed the finger-risking stunt.

According to the upcoming documentary Aliens Expanded, the theory that Paxton didnt...

“You’ll never watch Aliens the same way again.” That’s the promise of upcoming documentary Aliens Expanded, which aims to be the ultimate companion to the 1986 classic.

In addition to featuring a brand new exclusive interview with director James Cameron, Bloody Disgusting has learned that star Sigourney Weaver has joined the production!

Recounting her history-making portrayal of the bad-ass, gender-breaking protagonist of Aliens, Sigourney Weaver joins the Aliens Expanded documentary to discuss the classic film.

In a candid, brand-new interview discussion with director Ian Nathan, Sigourney Weaver shares untold experiences from the set of Aliens, how Ripley’s world evolved in the sequel, and how the film has become a science-fiction classic.

In honor of Sigourney Weaver joining the production, the Aliens Expanded pre-sale has extended its campaign until May 13, 2024.

“Having Sigourney Weaver join Aliens Expanded is a crowning achievement,” says writer-director Ian Nathan. “Ripley is the heart of the film,...

James Cameron's Aliens is, undisputedly, one of the greatest films ever made, and a perennial favourite of all at Empire. Small wonder then that Empire’s very own Ian Nathan, who has written books about the original Alien, elected to take the deepest of deep dives, directing new documentary Aliens Expanded. The film gets under the skin of all the movie’s iconic moments, including the classic ‘egg chamber’ scene, which you can hear Cameron himself describing the inspiration for in the exclusive clip below.

In a scene-by-scene analysis of the film, Aliens Expanded features interviews with many of the cast and crew, including Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, Carrie Henn and many more — not to mention Empire’s resident Aliens obsessive James Dyer.

“This is the opportunity of a lifetime,” says Nathan. “I have been gripped by Aliens from the day I saw it and it has never let me go.

Ian Nathan, author of Alien Vault, Terminator Vault, Stephen King at the Movies, The Legend of Mad Max, and books about filmmakers James Cameron, Ridley Scott, David Lynch, Steven Spielberg, Tim Burton, Wes Anderson, the Coen brothers, the Coppolas, Peter Jackson, Quentin Tarantino, and Clint Eastwood, is teaming up with Creatorvc, the production company behind documentaries like the In Search of Darkness trilogy, In Search of Tomorrow, and First Person Shooter to bring us a new documentary called Aliens Expanded, a 4-hour examination of writer/director James Cameron’s 1986 classic Aliens. Copies are available for pre-order through Aliens-Expanded.com, and they say if you get in your order before May 5th you’ll get your name in the credits. Digital copies are expected to be delivered in June, with physical copies shipping out in July.

Featuring interviews with Cameron, Aliens cast members Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, Mark Rolston, Jenette Goldstein,...

A brand new, extended interview with director James Cameron is the centerpiece of the groundbreaking documentary Aliens Expanded. Developed by the team behind In Search of Darkness, the documentary offers fans an exploration of the incredible film legacy of what many consider the greatest sequel ever — Cameron's 1986 classic, Aliens. Alongside interviews with actors Michael Biehn (who played Corporal Hicks) and Lance Henriksen (who played Bishop), among other cast and crew members, Aliens Expanded provides a unique scene-by-scene analysis of Aliens, with Cameron guiding the discussion. To mark the release, Collider is thrilled to show our readers an exclusive sneak peek at the film, which features an extended look at the iconic character of Vasquez, who was beloved for her strength and her zingers in putting down other soldiers. It features interviews with V. Castro, the author of Aliens Vasquez, James Cameron, Dr. Drea Letamendi, Jenette Goldstein (who played Vasquez) in the movie,...

“You’ll never watch Aliens the same way again.” That’s the promise of upcoming documentary Aliens Expanded, which aims to be the ultimate companion piece to the 1986 classic.

Bloody Disgusting has exclusively learned this week that a brand new, extended interview with James Cameron heads up the revolutionary documentary experience Aliens Expanded!

Helmed by the creators of ‘In Search of Darkness’, Aliens Expanded brings fans on an unparalleled journey into the extraordinary cinematic legacy of the greatest sequel of all time – Cameron’s 1986 genre masterpiece Aliens. Coupled with interviews with Michael Biehn (as Corporal Hicks), Lance Henriksen (as Bishop) and many more cast and crew, Aliens Expanded is a first-of-its kind scene-by-scene analysis of Aliens with James Cameron leading the conversation.

Pre-sale of Aliens Expanded opens on April 9, 2024 and until May 5, 2024.

Writer and director Ian Nathan, author of Alien Vault and James Cameron: A Retrospective, teams up with the...