“It’s a great honour to be selected to contribute to this book on a set of movies I’ve always found fascinating and share some of my own perspectives on the Alien series” Kenneth stated. Sloane’s chapter, titled “The Unescapable Labyrinth”, employs auteur theory combined with a psychoanalytic approach to analyse and compare the archetypal plot structure of the first three films in the series.

“Sloane’s contribution is valuable because rather than simply rely upon the received wisdom regarding the failures of Alien³ his chapter offers a theoretically and critically rigorous account of how and why the third film has such a problematic place in the series” said editors Nathan Abrams and Gregory Frame.

Having shocked, disturbed and fascinated audiences since its initial release, Alien’s success has led to three direct sequels, two prequels, one “mashup” franchise, a series of graphic novels, novelizations, video games, and an enormous and devoted fanbase. Alien and its progeny continue to provoke debate and discussion among critics, academics and fans.

Alien Legacies: The Evolution of the Franchise is available from Oxford University Press and major book retailers.