Aliens Movie Facts, Easter Eggs and hidden details

The knife trick scene was originally going to be done by Bishop (Lance Henrickson) alone. Henrickson suggested to director James Cameron to have Hudson's (Bill Paxton) hand put on top of his, and Cameron agreed. Everyone on set was told about the change except Bill Paxton.

The excessive saliva pouring from the xenomorph's mouth is actually KY-Jelly.

The set of the Alien nest in James Cameron's Aliens(1986) was kept intact after filming and was later used as the Axis Chemicals Factory set in Tim Burton's Batman(1989).

When the announcer says that there is only 15 mins left before the colony self destructs. Bishop arrives at the exact time to save Ripley and Newt.

Mac Mcdonald plays 'Al' the commander of the ill-fated Hadleys Hope; in the first episode of Red Dwarf (1988) he plays Captain Hollister on the ill-fated mining ship. Not so good in command it seems...

When Carter shows Ellen Ripley a picture of her daughter Amanda Ripley. The woman in the picture is Sigourney Weaver's mother

The Nostromo captain Dallas's bio is seen in the background. Former employers are Tyrell Corporation. The Synthetic building company from Blade Runner.

Ripley asks Bishop how much time they have left. Bishop replies with plenty, 26 minutes. There's exactly 26 minutes from this moment until the credits roll at the end of the movie.

: at the very end of the closing credits, as we fade to black, there is the faint sound of an egg sac opening.

Director Jon Favreau can be seen on the next wanted poster after the sheriff rips Jake Lonergan's off the wall.

The first few notes played on the keyboard by Mr.President are a reference to Spielberg's movie Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1977) where they use it to communicate with the alien lifeform.

; Carrying the weight of a child in addition to weaponry proved too much for Sigourney Weaver, so a lookalike model of Newt was created for production. Carrie Henn did a full body cast, providing the "body part and the face part", while a body double provided the legs.

If you pause it at the 1:58 mark, you can see the mechanical hydraulic that was used to move the Queen Alien's head:

Ellen Ripley is handed a photo of her daughter, Amanda, after awakening from 57 years of hypersleep. The woman in the photo is Sigourney Weaver's mother.

You can see the grappling hook that Ripley shot at the xenomorph that got caught under the door in the previous movie.

You see a employee go through a tedious process involving scanning his butt. Later you when the General enters you see him pulling up his trousers implying he went through the same ordeal.

Is is revealed that Lambert, from the first Alien film, was transgender, during a quick recalling of the deaths from the first movie

To save having to make all the hypersleep chambers, the film makers simply built half and put up a mirror to give the illusion of their being more. This is clearly visible in the far left of this picture.

When Vasquez says her iconic "Where they are" line, you can see Hicks mimic Vasquez line.

Hudson says he's got 4 more weeks left until he quits the corps, and his helmet art actually shows only one month left

General W.R. Monger imitates cupping breasts for a quick moment when describing Ginormica and shamefully puts his hands away

During the scene when Ripley and Newt are trapped in the medical lab, the set dressing hanging in frame uses at least two Shockwave toys from the 80s Transformers toy line. Could also be the Radio Shack Galactic Man, aka Shackwave, which was a cheaper version of the same toy.

: when the salvage crew cuts their way into the shuttle, the speargun used by Ripley is still lodged in the hatch. Happy Alien Day!

When the Colonial Marines are first approaching Hadley's Hope, Sgt Apone says "10 seconds, people. Look Sharp". Exactly 10 seconds later the first marines boot hits the ground as he exits the APC.

The court of inquiry is also getting bored with Ripley retelling her story. One is making a sketch of Ripley and another is doing a crossword under the table.

" when Hudson (Bill Paxton) says about Vasquez (Jeanette Goldstein), "Somebody said "alien" she thought they said "illegal alien" and signed up!", this is possibly a reference to Goldstein auditioning for the role thinking the movie was going to be about actual immigrants.

Frost plays down the fact that he slept with a male alien ("it don't matter if it's Arcturian), but he wears the name "Heath" on his armor in a heart with an arrow, establishing that he actually is attracted to males and the earlier joke wasn't just a one-off piece of banter.

Aliens: 1:50:38, the terraforming plant's computer announces that the plant will explode in 15 minutes. At 2:04:56, the plant explodes, almost exactly 15 minutes later.

Almost all the Colonial Marine characters share the same first name as their actors

The general has a Shrek pin

Vasquez, the Hispanic tough as nails space marine, is played by a white Jewish woman

Ripley comes into focus as she realizes Bishop is an android. (1:50 mark)