Number 12

*** SPOILER ***

I'll agree with you insofar as they need to string this story along into a third film, so I wouldn't put it past Sir Ridley Scott to do as you describe. Don't forget, Daniels is rumored to be Ripley's mommy, so maybe Branson is inevitably her daddy.

By the way, if any of this turns out to be true, I will have to start cutting myself again.

If Daniels is Ripley's mother, this can't be the case. I also don't think people could survive any kind of long term on the surface with Xenos and Neos around, and scorched earth is the only sure way to eradicate a xeno threat, it makes two people living on the planet in the aftermath less likely

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I'd be surprised if there are any survivors in Covenant.  According to the history, the Company knows about a signal and a life form, but they do not know the scope of it to assume an android could bring back a live specimen.  In ALIENS the Company says Ripley has described a creature that has never been reported on over 300 surveyed worlds.  To me that says no one ever went out to find what happened to the Prometheus or the Covenant.  

What if Franco will not be the member of the crew of the Covenant.

We doesn't know too much about his role.

@Ati

So we are saying that Ellen Ripley was born before the Covenant mission. How about her husband is a house husband and remains behind to look after the child. According to Muther, who I just asked, she was born at the Olympia settlement on Luna. Presumably that might be a target for terra forming which would explain Daniels being there. 

Maybe after Daniels wake up from the cryo she will watch a video message from her husband and her little daughter.

And that's all about Franco.

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Ati....

We have to remember.... they tried to give us a straight up ish (with Plot Holes) Alien Prequel in Alien Engineers... Fox felt this was too Alieny and got Lindeloff in to make something different....

This movie did not do to well in a number of Alien Fans eyes.. and many seemed to be more interesting in Blomkamps Alien 5 than Prometheus 2 and Shaws mission to find out more about the Engineers, and our creation and why those Bio-Weapons than give us the Xenomorph and answers..

Fox again seemed to feel Fans was more up for Alien 5 than Prometheus 2 and so we got ALIEN COVENANT...

Ridley then changed the Beast is Cooked Attitude to a we can maybe go One or Two more Rounds and brought up Star Wars..

And so its not UNLIKELY that FOX will Milk the Xeno and Ripley connection if they feel this is what will make them $$$$$$$$$$$

Back to Ripley as i mentioned before and not long ago....

If Daniels and Branson Characters are Ripleys mother its a bit to on the nose... like the teaser of the Juggernaught being Derelict... all the Xenomorph clues that Fox are pushing... even a different Synthetic David thats Walter which could lead us to one of those becomes the Xeno's Bio-Mechanical roots..

Its all a bit to predictable... but then so was SW EP7 plot.. hell that and 8 is more predictable that Rogue One and we knew that was a direct prequel lol.

Maybe they will go this route with AC....

But as i said on other post...  would a Mother and Father set off on a distant colony mission and leave their 11-12 year old Child Home Alone?

So unless a Young Ripley is in one of the Cryo-pods on the Covenant... i think Ripley connection is only as far as Character Arc goes...

And so basically the same as every Chuck Norris movie... his arc is always the same as every Stephen Segal movie..

NOW ONTO THIS IMAGE....

If we ASSUME... this is not a Promotional Piece.

And its actually a shot that would be a part of a scene... so we get Daniels right in front of that Engineer Temple/Ziggurat next to that Male back to back, with the Terror on their Faces as they are watching out for something that is out there... that is Dangerous...

Then this is a absolutely very telling IMAGE....

If so then let me tackle the clues.. which seem to show the 4Chan Leak everyone was believing as being well... flawed very flawed as i suspected even prior to Trailers.

*Its Dark... this scene is thus set after the Drop Ship is destroyed, after we see Cloaked David/Walter (unless different day).  

*Unless its a different Day its set after the Covenant Crew stumble through the Wooded Terrain to find the Juggernaught.

*The look on Daniels Face, and position of them both shows that what ever Hell has been unleashed and Horrors, have already been unleashed... they are in Peril as they are trapped at this point on this World with such Dangers.

*The Timing of this Shot... and look of the Actor rules out... due to differences in height and appearance and death...

1) The other Females...

2) Uli Latukefu, Nathaniel Dean, Alexander England despite these Character being part of the Drop Ship and its 10-12 Crew (includes Walter).

3) McBride and Smollett (Covenant Bridge) and Matt Scaletti (gets killed in Shower Scene).

4) David or Walter...

Which leaves us with.....

a) Billy Crudup but clothing us different and Hair.... (plus he gets Face Hugged but it could be after this shot).

b) Benjamin Rigby.. looks similar from behind.. (But he gets infected in the day, and no doubt his Neomorph Burst scene happens prior to Dark and Drop Ship explosion.

This leaves just Demián Bichir who is not as clean shaven and also has slightly different body proportions and height.. and he or England are the 2nd Neomorph Victim.

This shot has to be if its not-Promotional...

Daniels and a somewhat main Character.. which if we exclude Fassbender and McBride.....    The only other Main big names are Bichir or Crudup  but then the Character is hidden....

And so James Franco (Branson) could fit the bill, he was a surprise late cast member.... rumors then was he played a small role and died in Cryo-sleep.... which the 4chan leak confirmed at the beginning....

But can we take these as FACT?

From behind only Rigby and Franco seem to match... Rigby 100% bites the dust from Spore Infection before day break (unless the Trailers order is deceptive and the 4chan leak thus suffers another nail in the coffin).

The only other options are then Crudrup... and Bichir but appearances seem different... (Hair and also Heights)

Frano was supposed to be Captain but Daniels calls Crudrups Character Captain and her Character does not seem to be as though she has just lost her Partner..

And so indeed its highly likely this Image is Daniels and Branson (Waterston and Franco).

Other Clue we can draw from this image.. is unless its a different Temple or Part of a Temple...

There are no Mummified Engineers or signs of Urns of Goo (maybe Urns melt away?)  another nail in the 4chan leak... which means this event (Engineers Disaster) is set long before... but maybe still be David... or maybe not... (leave this for the Derelict/Juggernaught post.).

Have to agree with Ati. For me it would be really cheap if its gonna be rypleys family saga. One of perfect thing on ripley's charakter is She put into this mess with alien accidetally. Or at least with no by her own decition. I think Franco will be some spy of Yutani. Maybe even Davids "mind" is hacked by them to spy and possibly kill Wayland...hmm sounds a bít weird acctualy 

Definitelly its some tourist who stopped ther for cup of nice warm black goo coffee. Unfortunately Daniels told him its sold out and get gun ready for those who drunk it cos seem like they are pist off

As far as the Adam and Eve.... its a interesting notion but if this is James Franco they kept him under wraps....

He was rumoured to die in Cryo-sleep but this is just hersay.... James Franco when questioned let on he is in the movie.. he said well i guess the secret is out...

But they would be hard pushed to keep him a secret unless its a BIG role with maybe Small Screen Time.... like Rappace.

It thus has to be significant...

The rumor was he dies off screen and appears as Flash Backs from the past as a Dream of Daniels like Shaw had of her father...

If this shot is from Alien Covenant as far as a actual scene...

Then looking at the Plot Synopsis, Comments by Cast members and Wayne Haags comments and shots and trailer.

If this is Waterston and Franco....

Looking at a possible time of events...

I Assume... POTENTIAL SPOILER (As i have good guess work)

*Drop Ship Lands...

*People get infected taken back to Ship

*Ship Blows up.... after infection and trying to contain Organism by killing it.

*Crew are stranded....

*Survivors find Juggernaught (David.. maybe?)

*David shows them around makes them feel at ease... maybe he rescues them?

*Find out David is up to no good (Captain Crudrup gets Face Hugged).

*Ignoring Warnings of Covenant Crew .. Franco goes Sods this im getting my Partner... he rushes down in another Drop Ship (Smaller One)...

*Rescues Daniels... they escape from the Temple, but are faced by Dangers....

*They escape to get to the Shuttle....

*David appears and Blows the Ship up.... Branson, then  either fends of David... or he dies prior allowing Daniels to try and Escape...

This is what i have pieced together so far..

According photo is Waterson a lot higher than those man. I checked inet for actor's height:

Waterson- 1,82

Franco- 1,78(somewhere 1,79)

Bichir- 1,78

Crudup- 1,74

So I think it has to be Crudup

Waterston is nearly 5ft11"  Franco is about the same...

Crudrup is 5ft7 odd

Bichir is 5ft 10...

And looking at the photo both have knees bent but i would say they are both about the 5ft10" to 5ft11" Mark...

It looks most likely that this is James Franco.

The Hair and Ears also look more like Franco or Rigbys...

I would say She has bended knees a lot more but but... She has much more tight clothes than that guy.  Could be that guy is closer to her diamethers than it seems.

But anyway my opinion is Crudup

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@ATI

Happy New Year to you and thanks for your always charming and polite exchanges.

I must say I am completely not in need of any connection with Ellen Ripley and I am at a loss as to how it is a story driver.

Daniels the terraformer with a surviving husband would get us to the next movie and might prove fertile territory with out her proving her fertility.

Reverse Engineering is a tricky business but after Prometheus Ridley's all in. John Logan as I said last spring is great at threading themes so if anyone can make a story out of the Ripley connection he can.   

I think unless this is a Promotional Poster...

The Character with Daniels has to be somewhat a main Character and not throw away one... this rules out Rigby who gets infected during the day and dies on the Drop Ship before Dark... (but we dont know how many days the scenes are set).

The hair is not like Crudrups.... his is longer at the back and more volume... the person in this photo, has short Top and Sides and sides to a grade 3-4 clipper size....

could it be Bichir Character? clothing looks lighter, and no signs of grey hair but its a low resolution... i will when i am not busy edit that photo proportions to make them straight and gauge the size... But Bichir  is within the same ball park as Waterston...

But so too is Franco..... the only thing that puts doubt on it being James Franco is the rumor he dies off screen.. and only appears in flash backs... (Cop out really)... But nothing officially or from the Actor has hinted at his role...

The only supporting evidence to this rumor is the Cryo-Pod Scene where we see one has no lights on and looks failed..

It could be Walter...?  who knows..

I think it has to be one of  Crudup, Bichir, Franco or Fassbenders Characters... or its someone we have not seen on the cast list so far.