The 1979 film emAlien emhas left an indelible mark on popular culture. Directed by Ridley Scott, at the time known primarily for making advertisements, and starring then-unknown actor Sigourney Weaver in the lead role, it transcended its humble origins to shock and disturb audiences upon its initial release. Its success has led to three direct sequels, two prequels, one mashup franchise, a series of comic books, graphic novels, novelizations, games, and an enormous and devoted fanbase. For forty years, emAlienem and its progeny have animated debate and discussion among critics and academics from a wide variety of fields and methodological perspectives. pThis book brings together scholars from diverse disciplinary backgrounds to explore emAlienem through a contemporary lens. The chapters here demonstrate the extent to which its effects and reception are deeply multifaceted, with the emAlienem franchise straddling the lines between high and low culture, playing with generic categories, c