ALIEN Prequel Is Confirmed !!!

Film director Ridley Scott will direct a prequel to his classic 1979 film ALIEN. See Variety magazine article. This prequel has been perculating in Scott's mind for quite some time. Scott has always said that if he ever returned to the ALIEN series he'd do a story about the 'space jockey' and its origins. Not to mention an inside look at the Company prior to rerouting the commercial starship Nostromo. If memory serves I think Scott stated that an ALIEN prequel/ALIEN 5 would not be a horror film as such. Rather it would be a political thriller and space opera. So forget the Dark Horse comic books and novels that made use of the 'space jockey' species. Scott is going to give us the real story. Oh and Scott may have a grand plan. His story about the 'space jockey' species may also include an ALIEN 5. In other words Scott will give us a prequel and a sequel. Thus bookending the entire ALIEN series. I would not be surprised if Scott does the prequel and James Cameron does ALIEN 5. The two directors were planning to do this prior to 20th Century Fox making Alien Vs. Predator. When AVP was greenlit the ALIEN prequel/ALIEN 5 plan was put on hold. Had AVP not happened Scott was going to only produce and Cameron was going to direct.


P.S.

I'm not sure how this official move on Scott's part affects the separate ALIEN reboot project. Remember sometime back that whispers of an ALIEN reboot project were underway. Perhaps Scott's move will freeze production of the whispered reboot. Or maybe this reboot was a misunderstanding. The classic 1979 film needs no reboot. It still holds up.

Hmmm, if they go the political thriller/space opera route and focus on the space jockey and the company - I'd think it'd be great.

I hadn't heard the info about the Alien 5 sequel thing- I did hear the Sigourney Weaver said she won't be in the prequel, which, as much as I like Ripley and Weaver - it'd be a stretch to put her in it.

You are correct - Ripley is not in the prequel. Scott said as much in a long ago interview. The prequel will involve the backstory of the 'space jockey' and its biomechanical spacecraft. If memory serves - I think Scott suggested that the 'space jockey' and its biomechanical spacecraft were akin to a WWII bomber mission gone wrong. The xenomorph eggs are the payload. The 'space jockey' culture at some point will fight humanity. Remember the Company knew about the wreck that the Nostromo was sent to investigate. Another thing suggested about the new film is furthering the android sub-plot. I would not be surprised if actor Ian Holm is used as Ash's human creator. Oh and Weaver has suggested that ALIEN 5 would have Ripley's clone developing into Earth's queen. In other words Weaver will likely become the antagonist - not in the prequel, but in an ALIEN 5 beyond the prequel. Again Scott, Cameron and Weaver have a grand plan. Scott has stated he wants to bookend the ALIEN series. The prequel is part one.

That's pretty much what I've heard as well. I can get on board with all that.

Yeah I'm cool with Scott taking charge of the series he helped to spawn. This is one prequel (and possible sequel) that needs to be seen. Imagine a fleet of human military starships facing off against the 'space jockey' biomechanical fleet. The human military starships being designed by Ron Cobb and thus having that tech noir look (see the Nostromo and Sulaco). While the 'space jockey' ships are functioning versions of that wreck seen on Archeron. The fight will likely be in space and on the surface of some planet (perhaps Earth if an ALIEN 5 is made following the release of Scott's prequel).

The 'space jockey' species is a tall species. If you review the film ALIEN you'll notice that the 'space jockey' sitting in that biomechanical chair looks to be 10-15 feet tall! So imagine Company supplied troops fighting these high-tech giants en masse. Kinda reminds me of Robotech/Macross's Zentradi species fighting the 'Microns'.

If Scott does follow-up his prequel with a bookending ALIEN 5 we are likely to see an exercise in poetic justice. The Company screwed Ripley and others for greed. The Company was willing to risk Earth itself for xenomorph derived profits. So it would be interesting if Ripley's clone does give in to her xenomorph DNA. She becomes the leader of a xenomorph hive that sets up shop on Earth. The Company reaps whats sows. How the surviving humans, androids, and 'space jockeys' act/react/counteract/interact will provide the social and personal drama.

If indeed this is Scott's grand plan then ALIEN, ALIENS, ALIEN 3, ALIEN RESURRECTION are merely footnotes between the ALIEN prequel and ALIEN 5.

P.S.

What about the ALIEN Vs. PREDATOR films? How do the Predators fit into the 'big picture'? Perhaps the 'space jockeys' are at war with them when the 'space jockey' starship crashed on Archeron. The humans are 'jonny-come-latelys' in the galaxy-spanning struggle.

I think it would be cool if the prequel didn't involve humans at all.

Ridley Scott already said in interviews that the Company would be featured in an ALIEN prequel (and/or ALIEN 5). So humanity will be involved. I strongly suspect actor Ian Holm will show up as a Company man (no not the android seen on the Nostromo - but Ash's human creator).

Like I said in an earlier note - Scott and Cameron were talking to one another about the idea of doing a prequel or an ALIEN 5 (perhaps both) together as a team. With Scott producing and Cameron directing. This was prior to the first ALIEN VS. Predator film.

It is difficult to know for sure what the structure of the new films will be. After all we are not able to read Scott's mind. However I think the film Tora! Tora! Tora! might be of help. Tora! Tora! Tora! is a film about WWII - more specifically the battles between the Americans and Japanese. Can you see where I'm going with this?

The prequel and ALIEN 5 are bookends. The prequel is part one. ALIEN 5 is part two. ALIEN, ALIENS, ALIEN 3, ALIEN RESURRECTION exist in that 200 year gap between part one (prequel) and part two (ALIEN 5). Part one and part two are the 'bigger picture'. While ALIEN, ALIENS, ALIEN 3, ALIEN RESURRECTION are the 'smaller picture' (Ripley's story - the 'blue collar' worker's struggle). The prequel details what the upper elite (the 'white collar' perspective) of the Company do after finding out about the 'space jockeys'. The prequel's Company will likely be comparable to X-File's shadow government (cancer man's round table). So the prequel is likely to be chock full of 'cloak and dagger' conspiracy. It is likely to be mostly exposition and rising tension. The prequel will likely end with a long term cliff-hanger. For the next 200 years the Company and the military will prepare for war with the 'space jockey' culture. That's why the xenomorph was wanted so badly by the upper elite of the Company. Part two/ALIEN 5 is the pay off. Ready or not the 'space jockeys' come calling.

Hi Guru; first time, long time:

So, (and maybe just in your opinion) what does Alien 3 and Alien Resurrection have to do with Ridley Scott's version of the Alien Universe?

I ask, as I recently say down and watched all of them back to back. I was amazed at how fantasticly good Alien still is, how good aliens is, and how good aweful the other 2 are.

Joss or no Joss, Resurrection was just a big ol turd.

Thanks, and I will hang up and listen to your comments.
Jammies

Well first let us clear one thing...

I am a franchise 'completist.' That means ALIEN 3 and ALIEN RES. did indeed happen. They are not Ripley's 'bad dreams' as some fans would like to think. And really judging ALIEN 3 and ALIEN RES. in that way is rather shortsighted.

ALIEN 3 had the nads to be a nihilistic downer. That the 'good guys' do not always survive the events of the film. The only gripe I had back in 1992 was that the film killed off Hicks and Newt. I did agree with Ripley's heroic demise - the symbology is neato. But the producers should have paid more attention to the Dark Horse comic book line from 1988. DH gave Hicks and Newt a better character arc.

ALIEN RES. has much to like. Particularly the 200 year jump from ALIEN 3. The idea that Ripley's death has become a growing focal point of a android religion is interesting. But what adds fuel to the theory that Ridley Scott will follow-up his new prequel with a bookending ALIEN 5 is ALIEN RES's claim that the human colonies of the first three films have become the United Systems. Why would a bunch of fairly indepedent colonies UNITE under the same flag? Could it be that those colonies realize something far more dangerous is about to pounce on all human held planets?

That something being the 'space jockey' culture. The xenomorphs are merely the preceding biological weapon. So ironically the Company was trying to save humanity by obtaining specimens. Yes the Company is a greed driven network - BUT they were trying to find defenses against 'space jockey' aggression. Does that cheapen Ripley's fight? No because she was right too. The Company went about mobilization all wrong. It ignored basic human rights. It was willing to kill the patient to kill the disease.

UPDATE ON ALIEN PREQUEL -

Ridley Scott and his art director are strongly thinking the ALIEN prequel will be in 3D. So prepare to see the 'space jocky' species up close and personal.