To call Alien one of the greatest sci-fi films of all time still feels like an understatement, as the Ridley Scott spectacle's influence continues to be felt to this day. Additionally, the film's initial trailer is a masterpiece in its own right, showing restraint and amplifying the film's mystique to draw in viewers with its intrigue. Almost 40 years after its debut, the franchise's Facebook page offered more contemporary takes on the film's trailer to demonstrate the film's effectiveness in any decade.

The Facebook page shared the post with the caption, "We're excited to debut a brand new trailer for the 1979 classic, Alien! Why? Because we can and it's awesome. Enjoy!"

While Scott's film set the standard for sci-fi horror, director James Cameron's follow-up, Aliens, leaned more heavily on action, becoming a seminal entry into the sci-fi action genre. The Facebook page also shared a contemporary trailer for the 1986 film, seemingly for no other reason than because they could.

The above trailers might be the only Alien-related excitement fans have been able to look forward to, as the fate of the entire franchise might be in jeopardy for a variety of reasons.

One snag is the underwhelming financial performance of the latest chapter in the series, Alien: Covenant. The first prequel in the franchise, Prometheus, leaned more heavily into the horrors of artificial intelligence than being a full-blown horror movie, to the disappointment of some. Covenant attempted to correct the issue by incorporating the iconic xenomorph, yet audiences still struggled to connect with the film strongly.

Another complication is the potential purchase of 21st Century Fox's biggest film and TV properties by Disney, a studio known for its family-friendly narratives.

"I'm hoping I'll still probably be there so whether or not they go ahead with such a dark subject, being Disney, as aliens remains to be seen," Scott shared with Digital Spy earlier this year. "I think they should because I think, when people have a hard and fast franchise which has ongoing interest, it's crazy not to do something with it."

Despite the potential complications with his franchise, Scott still supports the business decision.

"I think it's great," Scott added. "I think it's very good for Disney. Of all the studios they're far ahead of their game for having a prepared, thought through demographic for the kind of films they're making – for who they're making them for. That's why they're so successful. And they draw the line at anything that crosses PG-13."

Scott has previously revealed he has plans for more sequels that would lead into the events of the original Alien, yet only time will tell if audiences get to see these stories come to fruition.

Do you prefer these contemporary trailers or the originals? Let us know in the comments below!

[H/T Facebook, Alien Anthology]