Aliens (1986): 15 Weird Facts You Didn’t Know!
Aliens (1986) — 15 Weird Facts You Didn’t Know!
#rememberwhen Aliens took the slow-burning terror of Alien and turned it into one of the greatest action movies ever made? Released in 1986, James Cameron’s sci-fi masterpiece starred Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Bill Paxton, Lance Henriksen, Paul Reiser, Carrie Henn, and Jeanette Goldstein. Winner of two Academy Awards and nominated for seven, including Best Actress for Sigourney Weaver, Aliens redefined what a sequel could be and remains one of the most influential science fiction films ever made.
These are 15 weird facts about Aliens, from behind-the-scenes production disasters and surprising casting stories to famous improvised lines, groundbreaking practical effects, studio battles, and the hidden details that helped create one of the greatest sci-fi action films ever made.
Chapters:
00:00 – Intro
01:24 – #15: Jeanette Goldstein Auditioned for the Wrong Movie — Jeanette Goldstein
02:31 – #14: Bill Paxton Thought He Blew His Audition — Bill Paxton
03:44 – #13: James Remar Was Fired and Replaced Overnight — Michael Biehn
05:25 – #12: Sigourney Weaver Was Injured by “Safe” Glass — Sigourney Weaver
06:20 – #11: The Power Loader Was Completely Redesigned — James Cameron
07:53 – #10: H.R. Giger Was Never Asked to Return — H.R. Giger
09:25 – #9: A Tea Break Nearly Shut Down Production — James Cameron
11:15 – #8: James Horner Wrote the Score in Four Days — James Horner
13:24 – #7: Hollywood Accounting Created Aliens — Gale Anne Hurd
14:56 – #6: It Took 16 People to Operate the Alien Queen — Stan Winston
16:20 – #5: Sigourney Weaver’s Salary Changed Hollywood — Sigourney Weaver
17:39 – #4: The Movie’s Most Famous Line Wasn’t Improvised — Bill Paxton
19:24 – #3: James Cameron’s “Alien$” Pitch Really Happened — James Cameron
20:54 – #2: Stephen Lang Lost Aliens but Won Avatar — Stephen Lang
22:42 – #1: The Countdown Clocks Actually Keep Perfect Time — James Cameron
Watch more Weird Facts videos:
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLRZTUGHHqdh6Rd6NpS5Nw1xx8oWUgCmZM
#aliens #sigourneyweaver #jamescameron #billpaxton #michaelbiehn #hrgiger #stanwinston #moviefacts #behindthescenes #filmtrivia #80sMovies #SciFiMovies #weirdfacts #alienfranchise #scifi
@arenadi5776
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
Holy crap, I knew Stephen Lang from Gettysburg as General George "I have no Division" PIckett; I had no idea he also played the absolute yoked unit Colonel in Avatar. 100% did not recognize him 😂
@alexaales7937
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
best action movie ever!!!! and it's pronounced 'Geeger'!
@merphul
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
A big part of why this work so well is that it's a a sequel to the first film in terms of the world and the story, but it was entire different genre of film.
A followup film to Alien that tried for the same horror/stalker vibe would not have had the same impact as turning it into a high octane military sci-fi flick.
@jakedollery
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
Sorry, @Remember When, but a vast majority of these '15 Weird Facts You Didn't Know' are common knowledge on YouTube, especially to big Alien franchise fans. All I'm saying is, be more careful how you title your videos
@Lowlight23
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
22:00 Lang would have made an amazing Cable in Marvel movies too. ❤
@Reykavik-NZ01
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
The Marines deserved a movie of their own. Arcturia, would make a great setting.
@bryanklein6428
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
The first R rated movie I ever saw. Loved it!
@terrytexas8257
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
I saw Aliens before I saw Alien. I think because every time I went to see it, I was turned away for being under age for the rating. Didn't bother me, I liked Aliens better overall. Hudson's death gets me everytime.
@tripleb221
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
I wasn't a fan of ALIEN when it came out. I was only 16 at the time. I thought it was basically JAWS in space. I've changed my mind since then.
When l saw this l immediately fell in love with Vasquez. I was still recovering from a horrible break up with my former fiancee. I would have married Vasquez in a second!
@Jay7682
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
Aliens and Terminator 2 are the two rare sequels that surpassed their predecessors. And both were directed by James Cameron.
@seantlewis376
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
Burke was the villain of this movie. He has no positive qualities. The enemy of the Mommy-Alien is just trying to protect her territory from these invading humans. I can't say she's exactly sympathetic, but Burke is even worse.
@christhompson2006
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
18:07 Obviously it was Hudson's line.
@bigianh
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
2 of James Horner's pieces that got rejected from Aliens still ended up in the cinema just not in this film they ended up being used in Die Hard
@johndoh5479
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
09:54 James Cameron is Canadian. It is doubtful that he would be referred to by the British crew as “The Yank” (unless it was a deliberate insult, which I suppose is possible – he has a reputation of being an obnoxious jerk on set).
@tbone5757
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
I remember Lang in the show Terra Nova (2011). It was canceled after the first season but I don't remember it being all that bad.
@mr.wampus8051
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
I noticed the countdown timer accuracy when the movie first came out on video. I just happened to look at a clock at the point in the movie when the timer started and was shocked that it was so close to actual time! It's not like a James Bond timer that takes 5 minutes to count down 30 seconds.
@cosmiccowboy776
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
One of my good friends at the time was a Vietnam vet. We went to this movie together, but it was a mistake. All of these years later and the thing I remember most about it was the "battle of the mothers." That was mythic.
@sketchypeoplepdx
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
Practical effects are where it's at.
@scootrhead
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
Stephen Lang also starred in "Band of the Hand" (1986) a great movie that you should do 15 weird facts about!
@BriRiTexas
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
One of the few sequels that was as good or better than the original
@thewrongaccount608
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
4:04 I will never understand why any movie set needs live rounds. Got to be the dumbest thing ever. There should be massive fines for any live rounds found on a set.
@abelgerli
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
Anyone Loves Janet Bildet ein in it 😊😊😊
@wadesalyer9864
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
It’s been so long I don’t remember the movie
@JaneCreek
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
I just got a 4K remastered copy of Aliens and it looks incredible. This movie has aged like wine.
@mowm88
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
The OG narrator here is the best. This one was good too.
@ExecutorQ3
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
At least 3 facts are presented incorrectly / biased towards narrator agenda. Stopping at #8, bye.
@Panic175
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
And it all started when AOC froze her eggs
@charlessomerset9754
August 14, 2026 at 10:17 pm
I remember vividly the first trailer I saw for Aliens. It was just a collection of strobing images with an escalating score. Each image was spectacular, an overwhelming crescendo of alien terror, all ending with the scene of Newt in the water as an alien rises behind her. It was probably the best trailer of its kind I had ever seen. It gave almost nothing away while making you super excited about the movie. If there are awards for trailers, it should have won everything.