While Prometheus 2 is not due to hit the theaters until May of 2017, buzz on pre-production alone have been bursting out across the newsfeeds faster than even a Xenomorph chestbuster.
First, the name. Prometheus 2 is actually called Alien: Paradise Lost. Finally the movie ties back to the original Alien franchise! Wait, scratch that. Apparently someone over at the studio had an issue with the new name. Maybe it offended someone’s religious sensibilities (google Milton Paradise Lost). Or – more likely – the name didn’t rank well in SEO results. Whatever the reason, the movie’s now officially called Alien: Covenant. That’s according to Twentieth Century Fox, the studio producing the film. Very Halo-esque. Oh, and the release date’s been moved several months to October of 2017.
So how do these changes affect Neill Blomkamp’s Alien movie? Remember that Blomkamp, who had directed the thought-provoking District 9 and special effects-laden Elysium, had planned to do his own sequels to the Alien franchise. Well, nix that. Fox Studios has given all the story elements, directing rights, and its blessing back to Alien / Prometheus creator Ridley Scott.
https://twitter.com/NeillBlomkamp/status/659897245353951236?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
Joining Scott is writer John Logan of Skyfall and Spectre fame. With filming scheduled to start in February next year, both men are going to be very busy during the year’s holiday season!
So what’s known about the second movie? According to a release below by Fox, the sequel is not only more tied into the Alien franchise than Prometheus, but there seems to be a new cast as well.
Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created in ALIEN with ALIEN: COVENANT, the second chapter in a prequel trilogy that began with PROMETHEUS — and connects directly to Scott’s 1979 seminal work of science fiction. Bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, the crew of the colony ship Covenant discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world — whose sole inhabitant is the “synthetic” David (Michael Fassbender), survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition.
It was also noted that while Fassbender is reprising his role, actress Noomi Rapace, who played the lead character Elizabeth Shaw, is not mentioned. Actress Rebecca Ferguson, who was not the first movie, is rumored to be attached to the project. Could she be part of the new crew?
Also new are the Xenomorphs themselves. [SPOILER ALERT]: As implied in Prometheus, the Xenomorphs are linked to the Engineers, most likely a creation as biological weapon. More of that relationship will be explored in the second movie where never-before-seen versions of the acid-blooded nightmares will rip out.
The movie will have 2 Monsters, one is new and both are different yet similar to the Xeno DNA. The NEW Monster is a New Event, so it’s nothing created before the Events of the end of the First movie…. it’s created by an event in the movie… and this New Monster is going to be based off of the Original Concept that Alien drew influence from, and this idea is something they had planned with Spaights’ Ultramorph and so Gigers Necomonicon 4 is the starting point. This Monster will be transparent like a Jelly Fish to a degree…. and it’s hinted that David plays a part in its creation.
“The movie won’t be going the route of an Alien movie, just we will see more clues and things that we can relate and make connection to the Xeno DNA and Bio-Mechanics of the Engineers. The movie will loosely touch up on themes that can connect to the Prometheus Mythos and the Bible but more in respect to the Paradise Lost version of events but again loosely.
“They won’t be going a full blown Ancient Aliens in detail on us, just we can make subtle links to themes, such as Rebellion, Order of Creation (that has multiple layers that does not start with the Engineers and does not end with David). Stealing of Forbiden Knowledge and Fire and how playing God and going against God always has dire consequences.
So what do you think about this latest update on Alien: Covenant formerly known as Alien: Paradise Lost? Are you looking forward to finding out where the Xenomorphs truly came from? Speaking of the Xenomorphs, here are six terrifying hybrids that make the originals ones look like cuddly puppies. A Xeno gorilla hybrid? A Xeno T-Rex crossbreed? Run away! Run away!
Images: 20th Century Fox, Paramount Pictures
Sources: GeekTyrant, SciFied
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