Ridley Scott unfortunately feels some regret for directing his Prometheus sequel Alien: Covenant over directing the Blade Runner sequel, Blade Runner 2049. Speaking to Empire via Deadline, the renowned director recalls his displeasure back in 2016 with having to choose between directing Alien: Covenant or Blade Runner 2, but wishes he would have chosen the latter now, looking back:
I shouldn’t have had to make that decision, But I had to. I should have done Blade Runner 2.
Sadly, Alien: Covenant was met with a mixed bag of reviews and ultimately was considered a critical failure - putting Scott's Alien prequel plans on indefinite hold.
Switching gears following the Disney / 20th Century Fox acquisition, the Alien franchise would take a new direction, with Ridley giving insight to that new direction back in 2020:
We went down a route to try and reinvent the wheel with ‘Prometheus’ and ‘Covenant. Whether or not we go directly back to that is doubtful because ‘Prometheus’ woke it up very well. But you know, you’re asking fundamental questions like, ‘Has the Alien himself, the facehugger, the chestburster, have they all run out of steam? Do you have to rethink the whole bloody thing and simply use the word to franchise?’ That’s always the fundamental question.
Fast forward to present day, Ridley Scott is still involved in Disney's revised direction for Alien, but in a producer role exclusively; leaving directorial duties to Fede Alvarez with Alien: Romulus and Noah Hawley with the upcoming Alien TV series for FX - the latter looking to add mystery once again to the Xenomorph while tackling a variety of new existential concepts.
Alien: Romulus will take place between the events of Ridley Scott's original Alien and James Cameron's sequel, Aliens. Sigourney Weaver's Ellen Ripley character arc will not be involved, introducing an entirely new cast of characters and a completely new story within that timeline.
Whether fans enjoyed Alien: Covenant or not, the prequel saga is one many of us wished would be completed. With so many open ends and unanswered questions, we can only hope one day we'll get our answers. For now though, the Alien franchise takes a new direction on a new tangent of the Alien timeline.
Alien: Romulus hits theaters August 16th, 2024 and the Alien TV series is currently in production!
If you're a fan of Alien / Prometheus and would like to discuss Alien: Covenant and its upcoming sequel with other like-minded fans, be sure to join in our Alien: Covenant forum! Ranked the #1 Prometheus forum back in 2012 and reigning as the web's top Alien: Covenant fan site, it's a great place to discuss the upcoming Prometheus sequels, dissect details from every trailer and engage with other fans just like you.
The future of Alien
The Alien franchise is taking a dramatic turn at 20th Century Studios, now owned by Disney. Currently there are two major Alien projects in development - a new Alien TV series by Noah Hawley and a new, stand-alone Alien movie being directed by Fede Alvarez. Both of which will be taking the franchise in a new direction - moving away from the Alien prequel direction Ridley Scott set out to pursue back in 2012.
Treat yourself to some Alien Merchandise!
As we await the next Alien movie, now is a great time to build your Alien collection and expand your Alien-themed wardrobe. Check out some products below and click here for even more options!
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