One of the most beloved stories in the history of horror cinema is coming back to theaters, with 20th Century Studios announcing that Alien is heading back to the big screen for a limited time starting on April 26. The unforgettable classic directed by Ridley Scott premiered more than forty years ago, but considering how its legacy is set to continue later this year, the studio saw it as a wonderful opportunity to give new audiences a chance to see Alien in cinemas. An unlikely hero has to step up to an incredible challenge, in the powerful story that marked the start of a unique franchise.

Alien follows the crew of the Nostromo, a spacecraft designed to identify transmissions coming from intelligent life in outer space. After detecting a mysterious signal, they board another ship before realizing that the vessel was actually trying to warn them to stay away. Captain Dallas (Tom Skerritt) finds himself stuck in a difficult situation when he realizes his entire crew could die due to the xenomorph that has infiltrated their ship. But it’s actually Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the warrant officer aboard the Nostromo, who will have to deal with the monster before it can reach anyone else.

Back when it was released in theaters for the first time, Alien proved to be extremely successful at the box office, convincing the studio to develop another story featuring humans battling xenomorphs. James Cameron was selected to write and direct Aliens, the sequel to the original story that would mark the next step of what would eventually become a franchise. Years after the original narrative seemingly came to an end, Ridley Scott returned to the franchise to develop prequel stories to his classic, including Prometheus and Alien: Covenant. But now, the series is coming back in a major way.

‘Alien’ Returns Ahead of ‘Alien: Romulus’

While Alien doesn’t need a particular reason to return to theaters other than the fact that it left a major mark in pop culture history, 20th Century Studios could be looking at the launch as an opportunity to promote the next installment of the franchise. Alien: Romulus is currently scheduled to hit theaters on August 16, and the events of the film are set to take place between the plot of the original movie and its first sequel, Aliens. Directed by Fede Álvarez, the new story will feature performances from Cailee Spaeny, David Jonsson and Archie Renaux, in what promises to be another thrilling addition to the xenomorph’s legacy.

Alien will return to theaters on April 26.

via Collider