Rumours of Ridley Scott reuniting with Sigourney Weaver to return to the franchise he launched back in 1979 with his breakthrough sci-fi horror Alien had been swirling around for many a year before confirmation last summer that he would indeed be slipping into the director’s chair once again to helm a prequel.
Well, Scott has finally broken his silence and spoke to MTV about his plans for the flick, which is set 30 years prior to the original and will solve the mystery of the fossilized Space Jockey – something that he had earlier suggested on the commentary for the special edition Alien DVD.
“It’s fundamentally about going out to find out ‘Who the hell was that Space Jockey?’ The guy who was sitting in the chair in the alien vehicle — there was a giant fellow sitting in a seat on what looked to be either a piece of technology or an astronomer’s chair.”
The director also provided an insight into the story, which looks focus on the dastardly Weyland Corporation setting out to terraform plants and presumably running into Xenomorph trouble along the way. Although Ripley may be out, the director firmly intends to stick with the series’ trademark female lead: “The main character will be a woman, yeah. We’re thinking it could go down that route.”
The as-yet untitled prequel is tentatively scheduled for 2011 and will be produced by Scott Free Productions, with Jon Spaihts currently attached to writing duties.
Related:
Hard to Replicate: A Ridley Scott Profile
Five Essential Films of Ridley Scott
Originally published April 23, 2010. Updated April 10, 2018.
