It looks like the Alien series is set to move forward beyond its parallel Prometheus arc in the hands of director and uber Xenomorph fan Neill Blomkamp. 20th Century Fox has confirmed to HitFix that the District 9 helmer will spearhead a new big screen chapter somewhere down the line in the yet to be sorted out timeline.
Sci-fi fans had their hopes raised and then quickly shattered two months ago when Blomkamp shared some stunning concept art for a new film set in the post-Aliens universe featuring Ellen Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), Corporal Hicks (Michael Biehn) and additional familiar H.R. Giger-inspired imagery, but then revealed it was visual fan fiction and not actual studio sanctioned pre-production work.
Following a post from his Instagram account today featuring the series’ iconic acid blood based creature and writing “Um… So I think it’s officially my next film. #alien,” Variety reported that 20th Century Fox has indeed tapped Blomkamp to develop and helm a new Alien installment to be set after the events of Ridley Scott’s upcoming Prometheus sequel that likely takes place BEFORE 1979’s Alien. Got that?
Um… So I think it’s officially my next film. #alien
A photo posted by Brownsnout (@neillblomkamp) on
Additionally The Wrap reported that Scott will produce Blompkamp’s film. Whether Sigourney Weaver will reprise her Oscar-nominated role remains to be seen as this entire deal was reportedly fast tracked based on the artwork Blomkamp shared on Instagram, in which Weaver was featured as an older Ripley.
So to keep things in perspective: Blomkamp will direct a new chapter in the Alien franchise produced by Ridley Scott, set after Scott’s Alien prequel Prometheus sequel.
Will it follow the events of Alien 4 and star Sigourney Weaver after the Ripley/Xenomorph hybrid returns to Earth? Will it ignore all the big screen events after James Cameron’s 1986 sci-fi masterpiece Aliens so it can also include Hicks and Newt in a quasi-reboot? Or could it somehow cleverly combine the so far parallel Alien and Prometheus story lines in one mind bending epic?
Let’s keep in mind Sigourney Weaver has a working relationship with both Scott and Blomkamp. She recently appeared in Scott’s Old Testament swords and sandals epic Exodus: Gods and Kings in addition to Blomkamp’s upcoming Chappie starring Hugh Jackman. It seems to be a given she would not make her way into any new Alien film with both film makers on board in above the line roles.
Deadline reports there is no script yet for Prometheus 2 much less Blomkamp’s eventual Alien installment. So let’s file this under “Slow Burn In Development.”
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