While fans and critics initially did not receive "Alien 3" well, the film was a worldwide success and piqued Fox's interest in continuing the franchise. In 1996, production on the fourth Alien film, "Alien Resurrection", began. Ripley was not in the script's first draft, and Weaver was not interested in reprising the role. She joined the project after being offered an $11 million salary and more creative control, including director approval. The script, set 200 years after "Alien 3", resurrected the Ripley character via human cloning. The film, directed by Jean-Pierre Jeunet, experienced an extended production, and screenwriter Joss Whedon later recounted that it had done "everything wrong" with his script. The film was released in 1997 to mixed reviews and modest box office returns, and is unsucceeded.