The screams of the dreaded Xenomorphs are about to get a lot louder. That’s because production has recently wrapped on FX and Noah Hawley‘s highly anticipated Alien series. Even better, the sci-fi horror prequel has a very intriguing title – Alien: Earth. “In 1979, we discovered in space, no one can hear you scream. In 1992, we will discover, on Earth, everyone can hear you scream.” This was the promise made in the marketing for a contentious little film called Alien 3, which, bizarrely enough, does not take place on Earth at all. Instead, Ellen Ripley’s (Sigourney Weaver) third (and technically final if you don’t count her clone in Alien: Resurrection) takes place on a strange prison planet. The broken promise of an Alien film set on a futuristic Earth is something fans of the franchise have dreamed of, and if the title of Noah Hawley‘s new series is any indication, the show could be paying off a 32-year-old promise.
Plot details for Alien: Earth clearly indicate that the new series will be a prequel to the 1979 classic, about three decades before the crew of the Nostromo stumbled upon a Xenomorph nest. Taking place on Earth and primarily following the infamous Weyland-Yutani corporation, the new franchise protagonist is a human-android hybrid named Wendy (Sydney Chandler), who becomes an instrumental part in Wyland-Yutani’s interests in scientific exploration and life creation. For those confused as to how Ridley Scott‘s prequels fit into the equation, it’s been heavily implied that Prometheus and Alien: Covenant are not considered canon in the world of Alien: Earth.
Alien: Earth is created by Fargo mastermind Noah Hawley and is produced by FX. The Disney-owned prestigious network recently made Emmy awards history in multiple respects, such as The Bear becoming the most nominated comedy series of all time. Other members of Alien: Earth‘s ensemble cast are Timothy Olyphant (Justified), Alex Lawther (Andor) and Essie Davis (The Babadook).
What Other ‘Alien’ Projects Are in Development?
Alien: Earth may not have a release date, but we’ll be returning to the horrific world of Alien very soon. A brand-new film in the Alien universe is on the horizon with Alien: Romulus, directed by Fede Alvarez. Set two decades after the film that started it all (presumably setting it between the events of Alien and Aliens), the latest installment is a true return to the sci-fi franchise’s horror roots. An unwitting crew on a spaceship soon become the prey of the galaxy’s deadliest predator, and they’ll have to use everything at their disposal to keep the infamous Xenomorph (or Xenomorphs) at bay.
Alien: Romulus hits theaters on August 16.
via Collider