Gallery: Never-Before-Seen Sketches That Inspired the Birth of Alien

  • Image may contain Helmet Clothing Apparel and Crash Helmet
    TM & © 2014 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
    01

    ut-aliensoryboard2-g

    While working on *Dune*, Giger painted this concept of Harkonnen Castle with an eerie elongated carapace. He incorporated that design into the Alien's skull—though the eye sockets ultimately disappeared.
  • Image may contain Drawing Art Sketch and Doodle
    TM & © 2014 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
    02

    ut-aliensoryboard-f

    Mike Worrall produced this 1990 concept drawing of the xenomorph for *Alien3*.
  • Image may contain Vehicle Transportation Spaceship and Aircraft
    TM & © 2014 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
    03

    ut-aliensoryboard3-g

    Chris Foss, who also worked on *Dune*, made this early illustration of the doomed ship *Nostromo* pulling a massive asteroid with a built-in refinery. Elements of Foss' rendition and an illustration by Ron Cobb both inspired the design.
  • Image may contain Weapon Gun and Weaponry
    TM & © 2014 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
    04

    ut-aliensoryboard4-g

    Director Ridley Scott, known for exhaustively storyboarding his films, produced *Alien*'s “Ridleygrams” in three weeks. This one featured the alien ship with the fossilized Space Jockey in the pilot seat—a plot point Scott returned to in 2012's *Prometheus*.
  • The filmmakers wove sexual imagery aplenty into the Alien's design—that double mouth begs for a Freudian read—but the...
    TM & © 2014 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
    05

    ut-aliensoryboard5-g

    The filmmakers wove sexual imagery aplenty into the Alien's design—that double mouth begs for a Freudian read—but the facehugger was even more blatant. O'Bannon pitched the octopus-like foundation; Giger added the fingers and terrifying (but later scrapped) eyeball.
  • Image may contain Human Drawing Art Person Architecture Building Soil Nature and Outdoors
    TM & © 2014 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
    06

    ut-aliensoryboard6-g

    Concept art of the "wooden planet," the setting for *Alien 3* as envisioned by the film's original director, Vincent Ward. (David Fincher later replaced Ward as director---*Alien 3* was his first feature.)
  • Image may contain Art Painting Building and Housing
    TM & © 2014 Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
    07

    10

    A concept illustration of the derelict ship and and the crash site from the original *Alien*.
Read More
The Best Automatic Litter Boxes Tested by Our Spoiled Cats
With these high-tech automatic litter boxes, gone are the days of scooping and smells. Welcome to the future.
Molly Higgins
Breathe Easy Thanks to the Best Air Purifier for Every Home
Protect your home against dust, pets, allergens, and more with the best air purifiers, tested firsthand.
Molly Higgins
The Best Qi2 and MagSafe Wireless Chargers for Your Phone
Top up your Qi2 Android phone or MagSafe iPhone with a magnetic wireless charging stand, pad, car charger, or power bank.
Simon Hill
The Best Meal Kits of 2026, Tested by a Former Restaurant Critic
Here are the best delivery services and meal kits in 2026, including Martha Stewart’s meal service, a GLP-1–supportive plan, and a budget-friendly option.
Matthew Korfhage
The Best Dorm Room Essentials for New and Returning College Students
Deck out your room and make class a cinch with these WIRED-tested favorites.
Louryn Strampe
28 Amazing STEM Toys Approved by WIRED Kids
We found lots of math-filled and science-rich toys for tiny nerds to assemble, bake, squish—or even tear apart and rebuild.
Simon Hill
The Best Mattresses You Can Buy Online in 2026
WIRED has tested 100-plus bed-in-a-box mattresses for a week each. Our top pick, the Helix Midnight Luxe hybrid, is the best bed you can buy online.
Julia Forbes
The 10 Best WIRED-Tested Pet Cameras
Whether you’re near or far, keep an eye on your fur baby with our favorite pet cameras.
Molly Higgins
The Best Pet Hair Vacuums We Tried at Home
Cordless, handheld, robot, and traditional—we tested them all to find the vacuum that’s fantastic for fur.
Molly Higgins
23 Gift Ideas for the Cook in Your Life
From the best air fryer to frying pans to knife sharpeners anyone can use, these ideas will keep the curious home chef in your life tinkering away.
Matthew Korfhage
The Best Portable Power Stations for Blackouts, Camping, or Van Life
Whether you’re going off-grid or safeguarding against blackouts, these beefy, WIRED-tested batteries can keep the lights on.
Simon Hill
The Best Handheld Vacuums for Small Messes
Lightweight, powerful, and generally inexpensive, the handheld vacuum is the perfect household helper.
Molly Higgins