‘Alien Nation’ remake brings on ‘Midnight Special’ and ‘Mud’ director

By Rick Marshall Updated September 12, 2016

alien nation remake jeff nichols 1988

Earlier this year, it was rumored that 20th Century Fox was planning to remake the 1988 sci-fi film Alien Nation. That project appears to be moving forward at the studio, with a new report indicating that Mud and Midnight Special director Jeff Nichols is finalizing a deal to helm the remake.

Directed by Graham Baker, the 1988 film was set in a future version of Los Angeles where a race of aliens known as “Newcomers” lived alongside humans. The film followed a human police detective played by James Caan and his extraterrestrial partner, played by Mandy Patinkin, as they patrol the city and attempt to keep peace between the two species.

According to Deadline, Nichols is in talks to both write and direct the remake of Alien Nation, although it’s unknown whether he’ll revise the existing draft of the script penned by Iron Man screenwriters Matt Holloway and Art Marcum or write an entirely new script.

Nichols is best known for his recent features Midnight Special, Mud, and Take Shelter, with this year’s Midnight Special earning rave reviews for its emotional take on a father’s efforts to protect his son from sinister forces, set against an intense sci-fi backdrop.

The original Alien Nation explored themes of racial prejudice, segregation, and urban life, and spawned both a television series and multiple television movies. The most recent television movie, Alien Nation: The Udara Legacy, premiered in 1997.

Nichols’ next film, the civil rights drama Loving, hits theaters November 4.

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