FilmmakerRidley Scottis currently on the press tour for his supremely entertaining sci-fi picThe Martian, but he can’t stop talking about hisnextmovie,thePrometheussequel. Granted, he’s being asked plenty of questions about the follow-up—which he recently revealedis titledAlien: Paradise Lost—but the director appears more than happy to spill the beans on what’s in store forNoomi RapaceandMichael Fassbender’s characters. It’s not altogether too surprising since he basicallyspilled the plot of bothPrometheussequelsbeforePrometheuseven hit theaters, but regardless, if you want info onPrometheus 2, Scott is more than happy to share.
Which brings us to today’s bit of news. Speaking withEmpire, Scott was simultaneously cagey and tantalizing in discussing howAlien: Paradise Lostconnects to the originalAlienfranchise:
“In a way it isPrometheus 2. It’s exactly the same story. But it was always in the works to be called that [Alien: Paradise Lost]. IsPrometheusactually taking us off course from where I’m going, which is actually backing into the first Alien… I’ve even got connections with Ripley [in this], but I’m not telling you what.”
Speaking of Ripley,District 9helmerNeill Blomkampis set to direct anAlienfilm of his own, one that is intended to be more of a direct sequel to that franchise than the kind of offshoot that Scott is toying with. WhenPrometheus 2ratcheted up to start production first, many wondered if this meant Scott was displeased with Blomkamp stealing hisAlienthunder, so to speak, but the filmmaker says he’s still involved in Blomkamp’s movie as a producer:
“I’m producing it. The design is for it to go out next, after this. This will go out first. It’s more associated with Ripley, it’s a completely different angle, it’s more of a sequel. I’m coming in from the back end.”
This is a bit antithetical to what Scott originally said about thePrometheusfranchise, which he intended to move further awayfromAlien. Now, however, it looks as though he wants to bring it back around toAlienafter all.But Scott isn’t only focused onAlien: Paradise Lost; he tellsDen of Geekthat he plans to direct further sequels:
“Definitely. Last time I should have done it."
It’s strange to think that back whenPrometheuswas made, it marked a long-heralded return to the sci-fi genre for the filmmaker. Now he appears to be on a bit of a sci-fi kick withThe Martian,Paradise Lost, and further sequels (should those actually come to fruition). Regardless, I’m very eager to see what thisPrometheusfollow-up has in store for us. With the story focusing on Rapace and Fassbender visiting the home planet of the Engineers, at least we can (hopefully) avoid more “bad scientist” drama.
