Coneheads (film)

Coneheads is a 1993 American science-fiction comedy film released by Paramount Pictures. It is produced by Lorne Michaels, directed by Steve Barron, and stars Dan Aykroyd, Jane Curtin, and Michelle Burke. The film is based on the NBC Saturday Night Live comedy sketches about aliens stranded on Earth, who have Anglicized their Remulakian surname "Clorhone" to "Conehead".

Aykroyd and Curtin reprising their roles, with Burke takes over the role played by Laraine Newman on SNL. The film also features roles and cameos by actors and comedians from SNL and other television series of the time, such as Michael McKean, David Spade, Michael Richards, Sinbad, Adam Sandler, Jan Hooks, Chris Farley, Jason Alexander, Phil Hartman, Drew Carey, Kevin Nealon, Julia Sweeney, Garrett Morris, Laraine Newman, Tim Meadows, Tom Arnold, and Jon Lovitz. Released on July 23, 1993, it received mixed-to-negative reviews from critics, and grossed $21,000,000 against a $30,000,000 budget.

Three years after the release of Coneheads, screenwriters Bonnie & Terry Turner and star Jane Curtin would revisit the premise of aliens arriving on Earth and assimilating into American society with the TV show 3rd Rock from the Sun, with Curtin instead playing a human character.

Coneheads, which was released before 9/11, has often been recognized as an allegorical commentary on the illegal-immigrant experience in America. The movie's storyline traces the experiences of Beldar and Prymaat, and later their native-born daughter Connie, from their humble beginnings to the point where they successfully integrate into American society.