Ridley Scott had promised it in 2017: a sequel to “Alien: Covenant”, linked to “Alien, the eighth passenger”… But in 2022, still nothing. So, what about this long-awaited sequel?
During the preview of Alien: Covenant in 2017, Ridley Scott had however clearly declared it: his plan was to continue the saga with more films. He had first talked about nearly 4 other variations to finally clarify shortly after that he could only do one or two more.
One thing, however, seemed certain: Alien: Covenant was not the end of the story. However, it has now been 5 years and fans are still waiting for another film in the saga…
THE FIRST DOUBTS
One reason for the delay could be Alien: Covenant’s disappointing commercial performance upon release. With worldwide earnings of $240 million, it can’t be said that the film was a flop, but compared to Prometheus, which raised over $400 million in 2012, it was a defeat. Did the public lose interest in the franchise then?
Ridley Scott’s plan was for John Logan to write the script and focus on the group of engineers who managed to escape from their planet after the devastation David caused at the end of Prometheus – so he would have relied on Michael again Fassbender, Katherine Waterston and Danny McBride to spearhead the project. This sequel would even have served to close the loop with Alien, the eighth passenger.
20th Century Fox
Shortly after, word got out that the movie, tentatively titled Alien: Covenant 2, had been postponed and still didn’t have a confirmed release date.
NEW DETAILS
Ridley Scott, however, did not fail to share more details about his project. First, a new title: Alien Awakening. This installment was going to prioritize androids and artificial intelligence over xenomorphs and the story would be set on the moon Acheron, formerly known as LV-426, a location described in Alien: The Eighth Passenger as hostile. and uninhabitable.
In the saga’s timeline, Acheron is considered one of the first places infested with xenomorphs. David would thus persecute the surviving engineers of his extermination on this moon.
20th Century Fox
After those interesting plot promises that ultimately didn’t materialize, Disney bought out Fox, which resulted in the cancellation of many projects. Alien: Is Covenant one of them? There is the question.
A PREQUEL, A SERIES, AN INDEPENDENT FILM?
Some time later, the subject came up again: rumor had it that Ridley Scott was preparing a prequel, but he too seemed to have been forgotten when the Alien series was announced in late 2020 – with Noah Hawley at the helm. The show, however, should be released in 2023 on Hulu.
In the summer of 2021, the sequel seemed to be confirmed yet again but delayed again. Since then, he has not given any sign of life. And a reversal of the situation: last March, a new film in the saga was announced but… totally independent from the rest!
Directed by Fede Alvarez, this feature film which would prepare even received the approval of Ridley Scott in person, very busy with other projects. Indeed, the filmmaker, who will soon celebrate his 85th birthday, recently finished filming his biopic on Napoleon Bonaparte, Napoleon, with Joaquin Phoenix, which will be released on Apple TV in 2023 and should soon start that of Gladiator 2.
So, what about this famous sequel to Alien: Covenant? Only the future will tell us if we will see it one day and if it will be directed by Ridley Scott or not.