Disney have turned to a surprising film to teach children their ABCs

Disney has never shied away from sprinkling some of its magic onto gruesome stories – after all, many of its biggest hits are based on fairytales with some pretty dark undertones.

Now it is doing the same for a more modern fantasy – Alien.

Yes, Disney company 20th Century Studios is turning its smash horror franchise into a children’s book, A Is For Alien: An ABC Book.

Cute aliens are no strangers to the small and silver screens, just think Lilo & Stitch, Toy Story, Men In Black’s squid baby and, depending on how old you were when you first saw him, ET.

But still, putting a cuddly spin on the Xenomorph, the terrifying, drooling endoparasitoid extraterrestrial species, bursting out of somebody’s chest – well, let’s just say it will surely require a lot of artistic licence. 

Judging by the cover however (which you should never do), the illustrators have done an excellent job, with the Xenomorph’s razor sharp teeth rounded down to cute little chompers in a friendly smile, its razor sharp fingernails missing from three stubby little digits.

Sigourney Weaver is there too, obviously, as the 1979 hit’s protagonist Ellen Ripley, joined by her famous sidekick Jonesy the cat.

What adventures they get up to remains to be seen. According to book blurb, it is a ‘light-hearted reimagining of the iconic movie’, designed to help children aged two to five learn the alphabet. So perhaps no chest-bursting then.

Publishers Penguin Random House also write: ‘In space no one can hear you giggle as you read this Little Golden Book featuring the characters from the classic movie Alien!

‘Follow Ripley and the rest of the Nostromo crew on a space adventure that introduces the alphabet from A to Z.’

The Little Golden Book series is a bit of an institution in the US, and no stranger to Disney collabs – others include Encanto, Moana, Frozen, Dumbo, Snow White and The Lion King.

Of course, it’s easier to adapt a U film than a 15 (only 15?!) for a kids’ book, but kudos to both parties for introducing the idea of alien life to nippers – hopefully in a way that sparks a lifelong scientific curiosity, rather than sheer terror.

After all, it has been a bumper year for aliens.

In September, the James Webb Space Telescope found the strongest evidence of alien life yet when detecting dimethyl sulphide on the planet K2 – 18 b, a substance only produced on Earth by living organisms.

The same month, Nasa boss Bill Nelson said he absolutely believes alien life exists – but at the same time poo-pooed the idea they are behind UFOs, which also made many headlines this year.

And when the kids are older, they have a whole ream of Alien movies to enjoy, the original classic having spawned a huge franchise that continues today. The next instalment, Alien: Romulus, is due for release on August 16 next year.  

A TV series is also in the works, but does not yet have a premiere date.

As for A Is For Alien, that too will be released this summer, available from July 9.

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