The 'Alien' Prequel is Dead. Long Live 'Prometheus'!
There are few films I love as much as Ridley Scott's Alien. But somehow the prospect of an Alien prequel, even from the man responsible for much of the franchise's mystique, never quite filled me with much excitement. The film, concerning the story behind the original Alien's "Space Jockey", would have likely inspired more shrugs than the back story of Darth Vader (albeit fewer chuckles). That's why today's news that Scott's plans for an Alien prequel have xenomorphed (hey, did you see what I did there?) into something else, something called Prometheus, holds more hope for me than it does disapointment. More after the jump.
Deadline reports that the Alien prequel has turned into a "more original" sci-fi epic.
"Noomi Rapace is the first actor signed to star (as "Elizabeth Shaw"), and we hear that Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron are both circling the other big female lead ("Vickers")."
Lost creator Damon Lindelof and Scott have been working on the project, "which has expanded the story into new directions."
"We hear they were instructed to 'go off and come up with what they want' using the 'Alien DNA'. Though story details are being closely guarded, Ridley explained the outlines of the film and its genesis [in a Fox press release] as follows: 'While Alien was indeed the jumping off point for this project, out of the creative process evolved a new, grand mythology and universe in which this original story takes place. The keen fan will recognize strands of Alien's DNA, so to speak, but the ideas tackled in this film are unique, large and provocative. I couldn't be more pleased to have found the singular tale I'd been searching for, and finally return to this genre that's so close to my heart.'"
Prometheus is set for release on March 9, 2012.
