Earlier this month, news broke that Noah Hawley’s upcoming FX series based on Ridley Scott’s sci-fi classic, with Scott serving as an executive producer, would begin filming in 2023. Now, it appears that Scott still thinks there are still more “Alien” stories to tell, as he has signed on to produce a new film written and directed by Fede Álvarez. While plot details are being kept under wraps, the film will be based on an original pitch from Álvarez, who is best known for directing the 2016 horror flick “Don’t Breathe.” Many cinephiles view “Alien” as the quintessential science-fiction horror movie, but recent films in the franchise such as “Prometheus” and “Alien: Covenant” (both directed by Scott) have leaned decidedly towards the sci-fi side. With the horror-loving Álvarez’s involvement, it is probably a safe bet to assume that will balance out. While his horror chops will likely cause some screams that no one will hear, Alvarez has also demonstrated a unique knack for revamping dormant franchises. He directed 2013’s “Evil Dead” remake, and co-wrote and produced Netflix’s latest “Texas Chainsaw Massacre” movie.
According to sources in The Hollywood Reporter, “Álvarez is a rabid fan of the franchise and casually pitched a take to Scott many years ago. The idea remained implanted in Scott’s brain until late last year when he called Alvarez out of the blue and asked him if the younger filmmaker was still up for it.” The film will stream on Disney-owned Hulu, with no theatrical plans in the cards just yet, but (also Disney-owned) 20th Century Studios says that is a feature, not a bug. 20th Century President Steve Asbell said Álvarez’s pitch “was just a really good story with a bunch of characters you haven’t seen before.” He said that the decision to release the film on Hulu is an artistic one, intended to allow Álvarez to realize his vision without box office pressure. “It’s not a film that has to be all things to all people with those gargantuan budgets,” Asbell said of the film. “They get to be authentically what they are. And this is closer to its genre roots.” There is currently no word on when the new “Alien” movie will begin filming or be released. Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.
