Situation: From the first heart-racing Chestburster scene to the last horrifying Xenomorph attack, Alien has terrified audiences around the world for decades, building a loyal fan base with its unforgettable moments of jump-scare suspense, acid-bleeding Aliens and strong female heroines. To celebrate the 40th anniversary of this groundbreaking sci-fi horror film, 20th Century Fox wanted to engage franchise fans with something unexpected that would pay homage to the original Alien film, entertain viewers and drive unparalleled engagement amongst an already engaged, passionate community.

Brief: Create six original short films set in the narrative universe of the biggest sci-fi horror franchise of all time: Alien.

Objectives:

1. Celebrate the 40th anniversary in a way that engaged fans both new and old.

2. Generate media coverage and social buzz around the Alien franchise.

3. Give up-and-coming fan filmmakers the opportunity to showcase their talent by working on an iconic brand.

From writing fan fiction to powering dedicated blogs and YouTube channels, Alien fans tell their own stories year round. Armed with that insight, 20th Century Fox leveraged a crowdsourcing platform to tap into these emerging fan creators and invite them to extend the world of Alien with short films set in the aftermath of Ridley Scott’s iconic movie. The goal was to develop wholly-original stories that drew from the elements that made the film so groundbreaking: slow, atmospheric buildups that isolate the viewer in the emptiness of space, strong female leads, everyday working men and women and, of course, Aliens!

20th Century Fox wanted to pay tribute to the overwhelming passion and creativity inherent in Alien fan culture. To that end, the campaign strategy was grounded in tactics that felt accessible to the fans from start to finish.

By seeking out filmmakers who already belonged to the intensely loyal Alien fan base, 20th Century Fox ensured a high level of authenticity throughout the creative process. They also ensured a mutual desire to bring forth exciting new narratives while protecting and paying homage to the original film.

When it came to distribution, the strategy also revolved around putting the fans first. 20th Century Fox hosted early fan screenings at “cons” around the country and released them wide on IGN—a top digital destination for Alien fans. As a result, they ensured the broadest access for fans via platforms that allowed them to engage with the content and each other.

Development: After crowdsourcing 550 pitches from fan creators, 20th Century Fox greenlit six emerging filmmakers to bring their visions to life.

Promotion: To drive early engagement amongst core fans, 20th Century Fox released a teaser and red band trailer in the two weeks leading up to the premiere of the first short. The studio also hosted fan screenings at Emerald City Comic Con, C2E2 and WonderCon, as well as a press screening in L.A.

Rollout: Beginning in March 2019, the shorts were released weekly on IGN, accompanied by behind-the-scenes content on official @AlienAnthology channels. The release was supported by media coverage in entertainment trades and niche fan outlets, driving tune-in and buzz. The final shorts go live on Alien Day (April 26th) - an annual fan event tied to exclusive product launches. They will also be available to fans as EXTRAS on the 4K release of Alien.

In the two weeks since launch, the first two shorts have already achieved over 17 million impressions and over 7.6 million minutes of watch time on YouTube alone. Week over week, viewership continues to grow at impressive rates. Views of the first short, "Alien: Containment," have grown by 62% in its second week, demonstrating strong performance and continued audience engagement. The second short, "Alien: Specimen," garnered over 700K views in its first week, which is nearly 3X the optimal video performance targeted by IGN for videos on YouTube during a typical full run.

Towards the goal of generating buzz around the Alien 40th anniversary and excitement in the countdown to Alien Day on April 26th, the series has garnered 87.7 million press impressions in its first two weeks!