Alien vs Predator vs Shuggoths?

There has been a lot of discussion lately (on the Hellboy message boards), as to the similarities between the upcoming "Alien vs Predator" film and Guillermo del Toro's adaptation of "At the Mountains of Madness". Guillermo del Toro has said that if the similarities are there, it could jeopardize his project.

So are they really similar? I've been checking around for just exactly what the "Alien vs Predator" project is about and this is what I have found...

According to Filmjerk.com:

~This new film will not involve any of the human characters from the films’ previous efforts, instead using entirely new individuals. As reported by several news sources, the story looks to involve human scientists going on an expedition to Antarctica to lure Predator hunters, using Alien eggs as bait. Of course, these plans quickly goes awry and the humans find themselves in the crossfire between two warring alien species.~

Cinescape.com has similar storyline for the film:

~"...It's like a series of its own, not really a sequel to either the Predator or Alien series. He (Paul W.S. Anderson?) also said that a portion of it takes place in Antarctica and is underground in the ice caves."~

While the story does contain an expedition to Antarctica, no mention is made of "The ancient city frozen in Antarctica..." that was originally post on the Hellboy message board (could the city be below, inside the caves?).

Comingsoon.com's plot is almost identical to those of Cinescape and Filmjerk:

~The film won't involve any of the human characters from the films’ previous efforts, instead using entirely new individuals. The story looks to involve human scientists going on an expedition to Antarctica to lure Predator hunters, using Alien eggs as bait. The plans quickly go awry and the humans find themselves in the crossfire between two warring alien species.~

While Countingdown.com has a totally dissimilar plotline that may be badly outdated:

~The tale of human scientists on a distant planet who, once again, make the mistake of experimenting on aliens and predators. A scientist foolishly hatches alien eggs to create an environment attractive to predators.~

But when my search brought me to Creature-corner.com, it all fell into place...

~The movie opens with the fairly predictable and formulaic "rounding up" of various scientists and specialists for some unknown, well-paying, ultra-secret and super-urgent task. Expressions like "it was an offer I couldn't refuse" turn up often. It is eventually revealed that Weyland, using thermal satellite imaging, has discovered an ancient temple-pyramid complex far beneath the Antarctic icecap. The structures pre-date the pyramid civilizations of Egypt and the Americas, leading Weyland to believe that this could be the site of an ancient Master Culture.~

They go on to say, "So, is it real? Probably, at least to a point. The filmmakers could be using an old script, or a fake one, in case just such a thing as this were to occur, so we'll just take it with a grain of salt for now. However, given how the movie takes place in present day, is full of atypical characters, and features a love story as a sub-plot, I wouldn't be surprised at all if this were the real thing."

The similarities do seem to be worth discussing, and del Toro's concern now seems founded. Whether these similarities are a case of creative coincidence or not is unknown, and it is to early to tell how this will affect "At the Mountains of Madness". Filming on AvP begins in October (in Prague, where del Toro recently finished filming "Hellboy"), so we will soon see. The first trailer could screen before the upcoming re-release of Ridley Scott's "Alien".

One final note, an individual who goes by the name Agent Myers assured everyone on the Hellboy message board that the similarities end with the finding of the pyramids, and that this information comes from him having read the script to AvP.

One things for sure...

If you thought Lovecraft's shadow hovered over the Alien films before, there is no doubt in my mind that he is watching over this one.

(Special thanks to Necronomicon for originally noting the similarities between these projects on the Hellboy message board.)