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In the wake of director Ridley Scott’s Alien: Covenant, there was some question about where the franchise would head next. The merger between Fox and Disney certainly didn’t do anything to clear the air around the rumors that follow-ups to the series are, at worst, totally cancelled. But that hasn’t stopped Scott from branching out with ideas for further prequels, as he’s still keen to tell the story of The Derelict found on LV-426.
Speaking with The L.A. Times about his 1979 classic, Alien, Ridley Scott gave the following thoughts on the current state of the franchise:
I still think there’s a lot of mileage in Alien, but I think you’ll have to now re-evolve. What I always thought when I was making it, the first one, why would a creature like this be made and why was it traveling in what I always thought was a kind of war-craft, which was carrying a cargo of these eggs. What was the purpose of the vehicle and what was the purpose of the eggs? That’s the thing to question — who, why, and for what purpose is the next idea, I think.
In one respect, Ridley Scott’s remarks are totally on brand with what’s been hinted at for the film to follow Alien: Covenant. With previous reports stating that a script entitled Alien: Awakening would bring the story of Michael Fassbinder’s David and the Engineers that survived his attempt to exterminate their species to LV-426’s bleak landscapes, all of those questions would easily be answered in great detail.
However, there’s a bit of a catch when it comes to this potential Alien prequel. Moving the series that much closer to the events of the first film featuring Sigourney Weaver’s Ellen Ripley would go against Ridley Scott’s previous claim that we’re roughly two films out from connecting the franchise’s past and future into a cohesive whole. It’s not that an adventure on LV-426 would be unwelcomed, but this line of thought does have us wondering if two films centered in that particular spot in the galaxy is wise.
What’s comforting either way is that Ridley Scott is still thinking about the franchise he helped make famous. There’s definitely a debate that’s raged over how Prometheus and Alien: Covenant fit into the overall Alien Anthology. But what’s not up for discussion is the fact that Disney owns the Alien series outright, and Ridley Scott is still interested in being involved. All that needs to be figured out is whether or not the studio will let Scott stay with his Xenomorph-laden baby, and if the wild direction he wants go down will be approved by those in charge.
During this time of uncertainty, fans can easily distract themselves by watching the Ellen Ripley series of Alien films on HBO Max, as Alien through Alien: Resurrection are all included in the new streamer’s line up. Should you not be a subscriber just yet, there’s a 7-day free trial offer you can very easily use to get your fill of chest bursting action.
