Official: Ridley Scott to direct new 'Alien' movie
Scott returns to where it all began, as the new 'Alien' prequel finally takes off...
After thirty years of talking about it, it's finally been announced that original Alien director Ridley Scott will helm the new entry in the franchise.
Reports back in April mooted Scott for the new film, a prequel to the 1979 blockbuster, though later indications suggested that commercials director Carl Rinsch would lead the project. Fox weren't happy about that. Even though the company has done pretty well over the last three decades by choosing new or non-obvious talent to inject fresh blood into the franchise (including James Cameron, David Fincher and Jean-Pierre Jeunet), it seems the pressure for Scott to revisit xenomorph territory has combined with Hollywood's increasingly 'zero-risk' philosophy to tip the decision.
Nothing is known about the set-up of the new movie, except that chronologically it precedes the plight of the Nostromo. Since it's obviously going to involve the human race, I saw a few problems in deriving a credible plot that could predate Alien, but Hollywood has written its way past stickier obstacles than that.
Writer Jon Spaihts successfully pitched to Fox and Scott Free Productions, and is working on the script. Spaihts' other credits include Passengers and St. George and the Dragon.
Barely a fortnight seems to pass without Ridley Scott announcing a new movie - with the likes of Brave New World and The Forever War also slated or mooted for the 71 year-old director, not to mention Stones, The Kind One and Child 44, it looks like the ginseng has really kicked in.