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“Is this going to be a stand-up fight, sir, or another bug hunt?” Almost 40 years later, Aliens still gets cited as one of the rare sequels that outdoes the original, and as one of the best sci-fi films, full stop. Now the documentary that dug into how it got made is getting a companion piece worthy of the source material.
Dark Ink and CREATORVC have officially announced Aliens: Expanded, a deluxe, limited-edition coffee table book built around CREATORVC’s acclaimed documentary of the same name. The book digs into the making, impact, and legacy of James Cameron’s 1986 sequel, and it’s written by genre journalist and Daily Dead Editor-in-Chief Jonathan James.
Pre-orders are open now through September 30 at darkinkbooks.com. For one week only, the pre-sale package is priced at $86.19 (regularly $124), a nod to the film’s 1986 release year. Check the site for current pricing if the launch-week discount has ended by the time you’re reading this.
If you’ve been looking for something to fill the shelf space next to your In Search of Darkness copy, this is probably it.
What’s Actually In It
Aliens: Expanded pulls from interviews with James Cameron, Sigourney Weaver, Paul Reiser, Gale Anne Hurd, Lance Henriksen, Michael Biehn, and more, packaging up behind-the-scenes stories, production insights, and rare photography most fans have never seen. It’s positioned as the definitive companion to the documentary rather than a standalone rehash: think production history, cultural analysis, and firsthand accounts from the people who actually built the Sulaco.
The pre-sale package includes:
- 10 x 12 hardcover
- Limited edition cover
- Foil seal of authenticity
- Certificate of authenticity
- Hand numbered, limited to the first press run
- Your name printed in the book’s “Egg Chamber” section (first 1,000 pre-orders only)
- Limited edition die-cast pin
- Aliens and/or sci-fi stickers
- Custom bookmark
- A chance at surprise gifts
Shipping is expected to begin in late November, which puts it right on time to land under the tree for the Aliens superfan in your life. Or, honestly, treat yourself.
Round Two for Dark Ink and CREATORVC
This isn’t the first time these two have paired up. Dark Ink previously published the coffee table book for CREATORVC’s In Search of Darkness, and by the sound of it, that one sold well enough to make a repeat appearance an easy call.
“After our incredible experience working with CREATORVC on the In Search of Darkness coffee table book and seeing the overwhelming response from fans, we couldn’t be more excited to partner with them once again,” said Michael Aloisi, Founder and CEO of Dark Ink. “Aliens is one of the most important sci-fi films ever made, and this book is designed to be the definitive collector’s piece for fans of the film and documentary alike.”
Robin Block, Founder and CEO of CREATORVC, echoed that sentiment, noting the strength of the earlier collaboration and predicting the limited hardback will move fast given Dark Ink’s track record with fans.
Given how quickly some of Dark Ink’s past limited runs have disappeared, “hand numbered” and “limited to the first press run” aren’t just marketing language here. They’re a heads-up.
More From the Dark Ink/CREATORVC Pipeline
The announcement also comes with some side news for anyone catching up on CREATORVC’s catalog: In Search of Darkness and In Search of Tomorrow are now available in eBook and audiobook formats, with paperback editions expected later this year.
As for the author, Jonathan James isn’t new to any of this. He founded Daily Dead back in 2010, has written more than 10,000 articles covering horror and genre media, and regularly shows up hosting programming at San Diego Comic-Con and New York Comic Con. If anyone was going to be trusted with the definitive written companion to an Aliensdocumentary, it tracks that it’s someone who’s spent two decades in the trenches of horror journalism.
Pre-orders for Aliens: Expanded are live now through September 30 at darkinkbooks.com. The launch-week pre-sale price of $86.19 (regularly $124) includes the limited-edition hardcover, die-cast pin, certificate of authenticity, and a spot in the book’s Egg Chamber section for the first 1,000 orders. Shipping is expected late November; visit the site for current pricing after the one-week sale window closes.