With the previously announced sequel to Alien: Romulus seemingly on an express elevator to development hell, 20th Century Studios is now looking to return to Ridley Scott’s original prequel plans for the next instalment in the Alien franchise, with The Hollywood Reporter revealing that development is underway on a new project which will serve as a follow up to Scott’s Prometheus and Alien: Covenant.
According to the trade’s report, the British filmmaker is only attached to produce the project at present, and will reunite with Aaron Guzikowski, creator of the Scott Free-produced HBO Max sci-fi series Raised by Wolves, who will write the script. Guzikowski’s other credits include the Denis Villeneuve-directed Prisoners, along with the recent Papillon remake, and he is currently writing an animated feature adaptation of Hideo Kojima’s acclaimed video game Death Stranding.
While additional details are scarce, THR has confirmed that the new project is entirely different to the previously announced Romulus follow-up, with the “connective tissue” said to be the Prometheus and Covenant character of David, the android played by Michael Fassbender (who is not believed to be attached at this early stage).
Having directed the original sci-fi horror classic to launch the franchise in 1979, Ridley Scott returned to the Alien saga some three sequels and two Predator crossovers later in 2012 with his divisive prequel film Prometheus, which shifted the focus away from the traditional xenomorphs to introduce the concept of the Engineers, an ancient humanoid race responsible for the creation of humanity.
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Originally Intended as the first of a series of prequels leading into the first Alien film, Scott would take the series back to more familiar territory with the 2017 follow-up Alien: Covenant, although plans for the third film were ultimately put in cryo following Disney’s Fox acquisition, with the Mouse House opting instead to relaunch the franchise with 2024’s standalone entry Alien: Romulus.
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