and Calvin's supervisor at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory Silver also appears as a Mexican guard whom Zane meets in the fictional city of San Marsol Production Prior to the film's release, the working title was Shockwave. Filming took place primarily in Mexico, with additional scenes filmed at the Owens Valley Radio Observatory. The alien creatures were all digitally created for the movie by Pacific Data Images. Charlie Sheen had previously collaborated with David Twohy on Terminal Velocity, and Twohy had written the main role intending for Sheen to star. Release Critical reception The film received mixed reviews from critics; at review aggregation website, Rotten Tomatoes it has a rating of 66% based on reviews from 35 critics, with an average score of 6.2/10, and its consensus states that "The Arrival is stylish and inventive and offers a surprisingly smart spin on the alien invasion genre." Box office The film was a commercial failure. It only grossed US$14 million in the North American domestic market, against an estimated production budget of US$25 million. Part of this was due to high-visibility marketing campaign for the release of Independence Day just over a month later, which went on to become a box office phenomenon. However, The Arrival had a rather successful run internationally, partly because Charlie Sheen still maintained high popularity worldwide at the time. Home media A Blu-ray version of the film was released April 21, 2009. Unlike the laserdisc release, the Blu-ray version includes no special features. The laserdisc release included commentary, documentaries and alternative endings not included in the Blu-ray or DVD releases. Sequel A sequel, Arrival II, was released on November 6, 1998. Video game The Arrival was released on Windows in 1997. See also List of films featuring extraterrestrials References External links 1996 films 1990s science fiction horror films 1990s science fiction thriller films American science fiction horror films American science fiction thriller films Mexican science fiction horror films Mexican science fiction thriller films 1990s English-language films Artisan Entertainment films Films directed by David Twohy Films set in Mexico Films about extraterrestrial life Films shot in Mexico Films shot in California Orion Pictures films PolyGram Filmed Entertainment films Interscope Communications films Climate change films Films with screenplays by David Twohy Alien invasions in films 1990s American films 1990s Mexican films