Editing Alien vs. Predator (section)

==Background==
The first ''Alien vs. Predator'' story was published by [[Dark Horse Comics]] in ''Dark Horse Presents'' #34–36 (November 1989 – February 1990), leading to the popular ''[[Machiko Noguchi|The Machiko Noguchi Saga]]'', following a woman who joins the hunt of the Predators (Yautja). In November 1990, ''[[Predator 2]]'' was released in theaters and included a scene depicting an [[Alien (creature in Alien franchise)|Alien (Xenomorph)]] skull as one of the Predator's [[Trophy hunting|trophies]]. Over the coming years, Fox had been pursuing a cinematic adaptation of the concept to advance the ''Alien'' and ''Predator'' franchises further, and [[Peter Briggs (screenwriter)|Peter Briggs]] was tasked with the job to write an early script for the project and eventually pitched an idea titled ''The Hunt: Alien vs. Predator'' in 1994, but the pitch was rejected and development of the film remained stuck in [[development hell]] for almost a decade before the first feature film was finally released in 2004 under the helm of Paul W. S. Anderson, titled ''[[Alien vs. Predator (film)|Alien vs. Predator]]'', with a sequel by the Brothers Strause, titled ''[[Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem]]'', eventually released in 2007. [[Ellen Ripley]] does not appear in this franchise, as it takes place more than a century prior to the events of the ''Alien'' series.

[[File:Lance Henriksen.jpg|thumb|right|upright|Lance Henriksen was the first to be cast in ''Alien vs. Predator'', as Anderson wanted to keep continuity with the ''Alien'' series.|alt=]]
The first actor to be cast for ''Alien vs. Predator'' was [[Lance Henriksen]], who played the characters Bishop and Michael Bishop Weyland in ''[[Aliens (film)|Aliens]]'' and ''[[Alien 3]]'' (and ''[[Aliens: Colonial Marines]]''). Although the ''Alien'' films are set 150 years in the future, Anderson wanted to keep continuity  and a shared universe with the series by including a familiar actor. Henriksen plays billionaire and self-taught-engineer Charles Bishop Weyland, a character that ties in with the Weyland-Yutani Corporation as the original founder and CEO of Weyland Industries. Henriksen later returned to the franchise through the role of Karl Bishop Weyland, a descendant of Charles Weyland, in the 2010 video game ''Aliens vs. Predator''.

According to Anderson, Weyland becomes known for the discovery of the pyramid, and as a result the Weyland-Yutani Corporation models the Bishop android in the ''Alien'' films after him; "when the Bishop android is created in 150 years time, it's created with the face of the creator. It's kind of like [[Microsoft]] building an android in 100 years time that has the face of [[Bill Gates]]."<ref>{{cite web|title=Interview with ''AvP'' Director Paul Anderson|last=Horn|first=Steven|work=IGN|date=December 17, 2003|url=http://au.movies.ign.com/articles/446/446412p2.html|access-date=January 15, 2008}}</ref> The Brothers Strause further stated how the ending of their sequel built further upon establishing the future of the universe by having the Predator technology acquired by Yutani Corporation (and by extension, OWLF, and Project Stargazer of the ''Predator'' films) act as the impetus for the development of advanced technologies such as FTL (faster-than-light travel) drives fitted aboard spaceships.<ref name="io9.com">Woerner, Meredith (October 28, 2010).  [http://io9.com/5675883/the-third-aliens-vs-predator-movie-would-have-served-as-a-prequel-to-alien "The Third Aliens Vs. Predator Movie Would Have Served as a Prequel to Alien."]  ''io9.Gizmodo.com''.  Gawker Media.  Retrieved April 23, 2016.</ref>

The legacy of the shared universe has also shown itself in later films. In the 2010 film ''[[Predators (film)|Predators]]'', when the group of main protagonists enters the Predators' camp, there is a brief view of  a Xenomorph skull on the ground (as well as the lower jaw of a Xenomorph on the helmet of the Berserker Predator), referring to a similar moment from ''Predator 2'' when an Alien skull is seen in the trophy room of the Predator spaceship. Furthermore, the 2018 film titled ''[[The Predator (film)|The Predator]]'' featured several references to ''Alien vs. Predator'' such as the shurikens, mask designs, and Alexa's spear which the Predator named Scar made out of an Alien tail.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://screenrant.com/predator-movie-easter-eggs-2018/|title=The Predator: Every Easter Egg & Movie Connection|work=Screen Rant|last=Dyce|first=Andrew|date=September 16, 2018|access-date=April 27, 2022}}</ref> An alternate ending for ''The Predator'' displaying a Weyland-Yutani Corp pod containing Ripley and Newt from ''Aliens'' (both played by Breanna Watkins) wearing a Weyland-Yutani breathing apparatus shaped like a Xenomorph Facehugger was also intended to further connect to the ''Alien'' saga.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.dreadcentral.com/news/285951/unused-prop-from-the-predator-reveal-alien-inspired-facehugger-mask/|title = Unused Prop from THE PREDATOR Reveals ALIEN-Inspired Facehugger Mask|date = December 3, 2018}}</ref><ref name="syfy.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/does-this-facehugger-breathing-apparatus-suggest-an-alternate-ending-to-the-predator|title=Does this FaceHugger breathing apparatus suggest an alternate ending to the Predator?|date=December 4, 2018|access-date=December 27, 2018|archive-date=December 27, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181227090803/https://www.syfy.com/syfywire/does-this-facehugger-breathing-apparatus-suggest-an-alternate-ending-to-the-predator|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=https://bloody-disgusting.com/movie/3536019/unused-prop-alternate-ending-suggests-predator-almost-tied-alien-franchise/|title = Unused Prop for Alternate Ending Suggests 'The Predator' Almost Tied Itself into the 'Alien' Franchise|date = December 3, 2018}}</ref><ref name="movieweb.com">{{Cite web|url=https://movieweb.com/the-predator-alternate-ending-alien-easter-eggs/|title='The Predator' Alternate Ending Included Connections to the 'Alien' Franchise|date=December 3, 2018}}</ref> The upcoming film ''[[Predator: Badlands]]'' will include a Weyland-Yutani android played by [[Elle Fanning]] as the main character.