Details on the ALIENS 40th Anniversary Panel at San Diego Comic-Con

2026/07/16 18:41:19 +00:00 | Jonathan James

This week marks 40 years since Aliens was released to theaters, so expect quite a bit of celebration, including convention appearances from the cast, panels, and more! If you're at San Diego Comic-Con next week, you'll have the opportunity to check out an Aliens 40 panel with cast members Jenette Goldstein, Mark Rolston, and Ross Rico.

The panel will be hosted by Mark Atkinson, who shared with me why Aliens is so important to him:

Aliens is important because it accomplished something very rare… It took the horror foundation of the original Alien and transformed it into a sci-fi action film that is not only bad ass… But one of the Best. Sequels. Ever. Made!

A few reasons it has endured:

- Ripley became an iconic hero.
- It blended genres brilliantly.
- The characters feel real so you care about them.
- Groundbreaking practical effects.
- It raised the bar for sequels. (Needless to say).
- Its influence on pop-culture is everywhere. For example the daily use of the iconic line “Game over, man!”

As for what you can expect from the panel, Atkinson teased some of the topic he'll dive into with the cast, including:

What everyone’s first impression was of James Cameron and his vision.
How the cast bonded during military training before filming.
Funny behind-the-scenes moments that happened between takes.
What it was like acting opposite creatures and effects that weren’t always visible during filming.
Memories of filming scenes like the hive sequence, the APC escape, or the Power Loader finale.
Which scenes were the most physically demanding.
Whether anyone realized they were making a classic while filming.
How their relationships have changed over the last 40 years.
What it’s like meeting fans who discovered Aliens decades after it was released—or whose parents introduced them to it.
Whether they have favorite fan stories or convention experiences that have stayed with them.

All the details on the panel are below and to save it to your SDCC schedule, visit: https://comiccon2026.sched.com/event/2QWgD/aliens-40-the-40th-anniversary-of-one-of-the-best-sequels-ever-made

Aliens 40: The 40th Anniversary of One of the Best Sequels Ever Made!

Thursday July 23, 2026 5:30pm - 6:30pmPDT
Room 6A

"The 40th anniversary of Aliens (1986) is marked with a panel honoring James Cameron's landmark sequel and its lasting impact on sci-fi action and pop culture. Cast members Jenette Goldstein, Mark Rolston, and Ross Rico share behind-the-scenes stories, discuss groundbreaking effects, and trace Ripley's evolution into an action icon. Moderated by Mark Atkinson (actor, filmmaker), the session includes rare anecdotes, a Q&A, and retrospective insights."

*Editor's note: Michael Biehn was listed as a panel guest and will unfortunately no longer be on the panel due to work commitments