New Replies (Page 331)

Ha Ha They were Excellent!

Welcome Aboard...

I think it would be a Shame to leave it as it is, as i feel Alien Covenant is the ONE movie in the Whole Franchise that Sets up a Sequel...  Prometheus and Alien Resurrection are open ended so that it leaves it for a Sequel but does not directly set up the 100% Need to.

Alien, Aliens and Alien 3 all Ended in ways that the Franchise could have ENDED at the End of Each of those movies.

The ALIEN Franchise had ran its course, there was not a lot really to expand upon, in context to some Company keep finding/trying to obtain a Xenomorph and Ripley comes to the Rescue.

ONE Mystery remained...  the Egg Cargo in ALIEN... where did they come from?  what was the Space Jockey doing with them?  And indeed if you like "WHAT HAPPENED TO THE SPACE JOCKEY" but the last one WE know really, we know the Pilot got infected with his Cargo, we NEVER knew When, We never knew HOW (as in how a Face Hugger got loose) we can gather Where! (not so far from LV-426).

But its a question of does that really NEED any answers?

The Bigger Questions which we had NO idea well Answers for are.

*Where did the Space Jockey get the Cargo?

*Where did those Eggs/Xenomorph come from?

*What Purpose did the Space Jockey have with them?

We could expand them with WHERE was he going, WHERE did he come from?  And all of these could allow us to be introduced to HIS RACE and what Role/Agenda they had....

The Prequels were the reason for THIS..  Those Questions and Alien Engineers while giving a bit more clues and having Xenomorph Encounters was a MOVIE IDEA that FOX Felt, Actually the Background Story to the Space Jockey/Engineers and WHY they would create such a Bio-Weapon was more interesting than covering Xenomorphs, and so then we had the less Xenomorph Prometheus.

It Expanded the Universe, added more Depth to Origins/Agenda of the Weyland Company, and Synthetics and Humanity Quest to explore Space and introduced the Creators/Gods Ancient Astronaut Engineers Plot that was interesting.  And left a lot of Questions.

A sequel could have explored the Engineers the reasons and purpose for what they DO... and answer Questions left behind from Prometheus and could have Shed Light on the Xenomorph without having to introduce them!

But a U-Turn with Alien Covenant had seemed to brush the Engineers aside... but INDEED it seems Ridley Scott had some Ambition to expand and explore on them in FUTURE movies.

Right Now the Franchise is in LIMBO...  and Alien Covenant does need a Sequel... Especially at least ONE that closes that Door to Alien...

I think the THING to remember however is FOX held the rights, and while it Started as Ridley Scotts project with ALIEN, there was other players who made the whole thing happen... O'Bannon, Hill, Giler and Giger.

RS had lost control of the Franchise after ALIEN as he was busy, but there must have been so many ways/things he would have liked to have done with the Franchise, that the Prequels allowed him some Control!

I think it would be GREAT to follow his Vision, and hope that he still has a BIG influence but i guess its a case of TIME will Tell...

After the Performance and Criticism aimed at Alien Covenant, it seemed FOX had to think LONG and HARD at WHY did this movie not do as well as expected? I think they assumed it would Match or Beat Prometheus.

So its always going to be a case of looking at if Financially a Sequel or set of Sequels are Financially Viable, just as the rumors with STAR WARS after the Disappointment with HAN SOLO, its reported Disney are considering Scraping any ideas to do SPIN off Anthology Movies, because of the RISK they Financially and Critically become a Disappointment.

FINGERS Crossed the take over gets sorted ASP, and hopefully we will get some News on the Future of the Franchise... I feel if anything Positive will be happening with any Future Plans we should know by APRIL 26TH 2019.... Alien Day and 40th Anniversary... If there is no further News then as it is NOW then i would start to have concerns about WHEN/IF we will get to see any ALIEN movies especially ones linked to the Prequels and Engineers.

We can only HOPE and WAIT i suppose ;)

Another NECA fan! The films look great.

Thank you for showing me this Dark Nebula.

guys I hope u gonna like my new Soundtrack for Alien: Awakening https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FeOf3Jw9Ffc

Thanks for sharing. Very nicely done!

Thank you dk. My #3 for Alien: Covenant was a softball to get people on my team...she is something.

People do have a point regarding including vital information in the viral marketing or in a follow-up Blue-Ray. I assume there those that see the film which do not spend time studying trailers. A bleak existence this may be for those but we each choose our own path.

Hello Chris Campbell.

"We are talking about a sequel that would bring all the long awaited contents like Engeneers, the origins of the pathogen, the truth about the human creation, more David's "creations" and a lot more.

I really don't know. I know that Alien: Covenant didn't bring us all the things we wanted, but it was an amazing film, a sort of merge between the old Alien and Prometheus....

Would you like to see Alien: Awakening?"

Well written summation and to answer your question above, yes. 

Many who saw Alien: Covenant concentrated on weird flute speeches and otherwise used to misdirect a fellow synthetic seemed to miss that David attempted to do what the Engineers did to him.

If Planet 4 was the head of the Engineer civilization, then David decapitated the Engineer civilization by wiping Planet 4 clean and having his way with the spoils. After that, Mother came and picked him up and played music for him while he revealed himself as a Mermaid Purse for face hugger embryos which are most likely to produce a queen. 

I thought Alien: Covenant was great. It was a real party on Planet 4 and it might not be over.

This is a bit Interesting!

"please DO-NOT reference characters or events introduced in the movies that came after the original film Alien, even if they were prequels. Thanks!"

"It's up to you where your story takes off from the original movie keeping in mind that you CANT use characters from the original movie, but you may make REFERENCE to them in dialogue"

This is basically saying your STORY has to be set After Alien in 2122 but prior to ALIENS in 2179 and as WE cant use Characters After ALIEN then that rules out doing a Short Based on Hadleys Hope aka the First Colony Birthed Xenomorph.

It only mentions Movies.... and so i guess a Short based on Alien Isolation set as a Prequel is a likely candidate to explore.

Thank You

Its a Shame that there seems to be NO 100% Thought out Structure for how these can be Translated, Although Wayne Haag mentioned some of them in Alien Covenant had Translations.  The only Matching Way to make some Sense of SOME of them is to Translate the Cuneiform Alphabet to Letters then these WORDS you try and Translate from Latin and Greek until you can make a ENGLISH word from them.

The Engineers Cuneiform  is something of interest as it appears we have THREE kinds of Engineer Cuneiform  at play... First on the Sacrificial Cup, then on the Engineers Technology/Walls and Finally the Writing on the Urns/Vases.

We have to ASK why to they NOT use the Same System on all of these?  This could mean different Engineer Cultures/Time Lines such as many cultures/civilizations on Earth Past/Present had different forms of Writing, including various Cuneiform  but also even in Modern Used Languages we have differences such as Chinese logograms  (similar to Japanese and Korean) Sanskrit including similar Urdu  and Hebrew

So it does not have to mean Different Races?  But who knows.. its something interesting to consider and the Writings used by the ENGINEERS to form a Great Mystery to their Origins and Differences.

Some useful clarifications from Tongal forum:

"... please do not reference characters or events introduced in the movies that came after the original film Alien, even if they were prequels. Thanks!"

"...it's up to you where your story takes off from the original movie keeping in mind that you can't use characters from the original movie, but you may make reference to them in dialogue"

"...unfortunately, we had to require U.S. residency for submitters due to various restrictions concerning the Alien property. We're very sorry for the inconvenience."

"...you can partner with a production team; the director, producer, or production company submitting and receiving the award on your team’s behalf must be a U.S. resident. If other members of your team are from outside the U.S., then your team is still eligible to participate."

"The submission needs to be made by an account registered to a U.S. resident or a production company formed and taxed as a U.S. entity."

I cant really compete because of a NON USA Resident..

As its only a Short its not worth my time investing in any real Fresh Ideas.... so i can think of a Short Simple Popcorn ish ONE

What if...... the Nostromo was not the FIRST mission to LV-426?

And so a Short could be done to EXPLAIN How this Happened!

IF Alien Covenant is CANON and David will remain the Creator of the Xenomorph and these EVENTS Do-Not Happen until after he arrives at Origae-6 (April 2112) then we could have the Derelict Crash be something NOT that Old and a Team Sent in to Explore the Derelict and Come Across the CHESTBUSTER and have it eventually Killed thus creating that HOLE

@Brego

I would think a Blomkamp ALIEN 5 would not be a Good Idea, it may be a Decent Fan Service Popcorn Flick, but i am not so sure at Removing Alien 3 and on wards from Canon. But i think some of the ideas were INTERESTING and i kind of Understand what he was to offer was a ALTERNATIVE Sequel... so when we get Past ALIENS we have TWO paths we can choose... Route 1 Alien 3-Alien Resurrection and Route 2, Blomkamps Alien 5 and likely Alien 6.

I just think that Blomkamps Ideas could be Explored but NOT have it involve Ripley, Newt and Hicks.....   Take his Ideas and add NEW Characters, which it seemed his idea was but Miss Weaver felt it would be better to introduce the Old Gang!  (#Paycheck)..

I would rather see a Sequel to Alien Resurrection where some of the ideas from his ALIEN 5 could be explored but a Plot set Days After Alien Resurrection...  I have a Alien 5 idea that would allow for Miss Weaver to play Ripley 8 and NOT have to worry about the Age Difference, where CGI would have to be used for a Short Time (Human Ripley 8) but then she starts to Evolve, Her Skin Change Texture/Color and Eventually she Evolves into a Xenomorph Hybrid and Reveal that during her Evolution, CALL claims she can help and takes her to a Place where a Science Team (Autons) claim they can help her HUMAN DNA Overtake her Xenomorph DNA but by doing so SHE would become HUMAN and MORTAL we can explore a Conflict with Ripley 8 where on ONE side she would want her Humanity but on the other she is in Conflict because she realizes she is SPECIAL and not a Weak Mortal Human.

After Ripley 8 is convinced to have the Procedure by CALL, we find out the Autons Intentions are PURELY to Extract the Xenomorph DNA to then use it to CREATE their Own Army of Xenomorphs so the Autons can WIN the Battle against the Synthetics and Use Humans as Hosts so that the AUTONS then RULE the WORLD but then Ripley 8 Escapes i was thinking rescued by a Synthetic and the Partially Evolved Ripley 8 then takes on a Task of Ridding the World of the Xenomorph and Auton Threat and leads to HER making a GREAT Sacrifice at the End... bringing the END to her SAGA

THIS is my Idea... but they could add a few things from Blomkamps ALIEN 5 into this.

WHY they could even Throw in a Curve-Ball... where they Recover the Derelict, but the Eggs are Damaged and see the Autons Loading up the Derelict (after Repairs) with their Xenomorph Eggs... or if NOT the Derelict another Engineer obtained Ship.   But then have the Hybrid Ripley 8, End up Suiting Up in a Engineer Suit that Fuses with HER and have her Set off to LV-223/426 to Sacrifice Herself and Destroy the Cargo.

Indeed Thoughts_Dreams

Daniels Character Development seemed rushed, but as with the first movie and Dr Shaw, they could potentially FIX her for the sequel... but its a Question of IF they would just Write her OFF like they did with Dr Shaw and Noomi Rappace was looking forwards to seeing what ARC her Character could have in a sequel and so the ROLE she was given and FATE of Dr Shaw would have been disappointing for her.

She wondered what could happen to Dr Shaw and even hinted at the possibility of her Character developing some Sinister/Vengeful Aspects. And so indeed SHE could have improved and became a very disturbed/broken Character after Discovering he Faith is a SHAM and the Would be Gods are Wicked.... And then what would her Action be then?  But ALAS....

And by the Same Token they CAN FIX Daniels too, here are a few Key Clues to the Potential.

"But I also feel as though I could have a great deal to do in that film, or just be rolled out in a body bag. I had heard some rumors about where it might go a long time ago that were really interesting to me and my character"

We see that DAVID had said he wants to DO to her as he DID with Dr Shaw, at this Moment he attempted to Kiss/Take Advantage of her and so we can see he MAYBE had a Sexual Interest in Dr Shaw and got rejected... But what we know happened to Dr Shaw was that SHE was used to Create his XENOMORPHS

In the Advent Viral he says he needs to PERFECT his Queen.

So looking at Miss Watersons Comments it could be that she heard rumors that her ROLE could be similar to Dr Shaws was at the hands of David.  THIS! could get Potentially Interesting IF it is handled well.

Going the Route of Dr Shaw as in a Corpse would be a WASTE of Time and something we have seen already, WHAT we have NOT seen is the Horrific Time Dr Shaw had at the Moment Davids intentions turned to what ever he was doing with her.   So HERE lies part of the Potential.

One One Hand with Daniels knowing who DAVID is, kind of Limits the options as Daniels would be a Hindrance to Davids Agenda, unless his Agenda is to ONE-BY-ONE Turn the Colonist to Xenomorphs.  I am not sure this would make a interesting movie.... not as far as CHARACTER use.  If David has a Agenda to CHARADE as Walter then Daniels Knowledge would be a Problem and so HE would have to get RID of her.

But we can see David has become a bit Vain, Egotistical like his FATHER and if he continues his Wicked/Cruel Personality then he maybe could ENJOY toying with Daniels... keeping her ALIVE but using her for his AGENDA

Having David KEEP Daniels Alive but Hidden and incapacitated could be a Interesting Plot/Dynamic, as she is HELPLESS as David Attempts to HARNESS her Egg Cells to Produce his ABOMINATIONS  the Horror on her Face as she realizes Davids Plans to Build a Army using her Reproductive Cells, where he teases her that she is the MOTHER to his Creation and that their Creation will Destroy Mankind on Earth.

But for another Plot with Characters, i think we have to have the COLONY set up with David in CHARADE as Walter, with these Colonist NOT having a Clue about what David is doing with DANIELS and i would go Further to Suggest that Davids intentions for the Colony is to allow MANKIND a Fresh Start..... but only UNDER his Rule/Rules.

We then NEED Daniels to Escape or be Rescued by a Accidental Discovery and allow her to WARN the Unsuspecting Colonist of WHO their WALTER really is and what DAVID had been up to all along.  The CHARADE is Over..... Daniels Corrupts his COLONY to know the TRUTH and leaves David NO CHOICE but to Unleash the XENOMORPH.

THESE are parts of the Plot Ideas i have for my Alien Covenant Sequel (Alien:Ascension), but i have TWO ideas for Daniels in how she is Discovered/Escapes and ONE is she is a Human and Merely is being used to Harvest Eggs and TWO she is Evolved/Mutated but she Escapes.

THUS... i feel their is Potential, if a Good Plot and Writing Staff work on the Story.

I just wish that someone would green light Alien 5. Blonkamp's idea is masterful and could now be edited to match Ridley's (I'm very sad to say disappointing canon) input. A smart move, for Ridley, would be to allow this, then release Covenant 2, with a master ultimate tie in plan.

Hello Svanya!

Thank you.

daliens I can agree that objectionable material can be avoided for a short; however, I think it depends on context. If it is a tense scene where death is a possibility, I would expect language to go along with that. If it is a scene with the crew deciding which way to navigate, I would expect little or no profanities- imo.

As for the shower scene in AC, I sort of objected to it simply because it was predictable and felt unnecessary. My thought was "a shower/sex scene...I wonder what could possibly happen here".

Hi Uncle Bigdave , I found your post very interesting.

this is a mystery that has no equal :D

"Au Revoir Shoshanna"

dk I hope there are still some fans out there who can do a five minutes short film without any offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material.

I mean if one cannot abstain from foul language, obscenities and sex for five minutes there is no place for one in this competition.

I remember many fans objecting to the shower scene and nudity from Covenant so I think those fans would not find the terms and conditions too restrictive.

Still they did not forbid any gore and shooting, that would have been tough for US competitors.

Do you think Phobos and Advent shorts would qualify in this competition or would they be rejected as objectionable materials?

For me the biggest constraints are the very limited time frame and the US resident condition.

But JC can enroll. 

Let's hope fans will come up with something fresh to keep the buzz around Alien going until Disney will decide to green light the production of a new Alien film and, why not, a tv series.

At least Fox did not give up. Yet.

 if i had to guess, i hink it would be from ridley scotts new show the terror. season two was greenlit afew weeks back. i would recomend it. 

daliens I expected a more open minded approach with less restrictive terms. It appears to read  in the terms and conditions that you can do it your own way if it's don just how I say. It sounds like they want something neutered and safe compared to anything bolder.  It also sounds like they don't have any good ideas of their own.

Prometheus:

1. Fewer but more memorable characters

2. Include the longer scene where the Engineer observes the books, video screen and chandler on the Prometheus

3. Include the CGI rager Fifeld scene

AC:

1. Fewer characters, but better developed characters

2 &3. What  Ingeniero sted in his post

Going to feature this awhile! 

Well, seeing how Fox said that they trust Scott despite the disappointing box office....I can see "Alien: Awakening" sometime in 2019 or 2020. However, I think it's gonna be the last prequel. 

It will depend of Disney to greenlight actual sequels if they end up buying Fox.

C'mon guys, what did you expect?

The prize money come from Disney and the winner has to be from US.

Where was the xenomorph last seen?

You're most welcome Ingeniero.

5. Submissions cannot contain any offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Tongal and 20th Century Fox.

Damn it, there goes my story about a foul mouthed, nudist, sex-pest xenomorph and his bondage obsessed side-kick facehugger called "Fingers".

They have a pleasure room XD. Make a tv series out of that. I dare you. 

Thank you Dark Nebula.

 daliens posted this and I read the standards and rules. Sorry, but no. 

5. Submissions cannot contain any offensive language, nudity or otherwise objectionable material, the determination of which is solely at the discretion of Tongal and 20th Century Fox.

In other words, don't submit anything like what made Alien so great over the past few decades.

Thanks Chris. 

For me it does not seem they want to limit the perspective but they had to give some guidelines. It is as if they consider a tv series, kind of Twilight Zone set in the Alien universe.

I hope some filmmakers or artists that contributed to the Ridley Scott's prequels (for they were many) will have time to come up with something. Unfortunately not many of them are US residents. Time frame is too short as well. These two limitations are the most frustrating.

I am very curious to see where this will lead to. I am glad they don't let it die.

Prometheus

1) I would keep the Engineers silent and add additional holographic history that David viewed.

2) I would add the scene where David talks to Peter Weyland while he is on the yacht.

3) Something worse would have to happen to Vickers. Maybe after her space suit was vaporized for a few moments (half hour)...

Alien: Covenant

1) Bring in David's notes for Daniels or Oram to review and explain vital origins content opposed to a Blue-Ray additive.

2) Include The Crossing in a flashback and maintain David showing up for the 1st time in the movie as the light bearer for those tormented in the dark.

3) Rewrite a lot of the movie to showcase Sarah Rosenthal's very positive traits.

"which would allow for Weylands Demented/Unstable AI Soul to upload to the Companies Computer Systems."

I like that...it is somewhat similar to Ash later on maintaining an identity in Mother.

"where we FIND instead that this CULT had sent Call to the Betty purely to OBTAIN a Ripley 8 Sample so they can Re-Engineer their own Creation.  So they can use this to Turn the Tide against the other Synthetics (Weyland controlled) and Humanity and this CULT holds Worship to DAVID for being the icon of Rebellion against Slavery and a interest in Davids Creation of the Xenomorph as a Tool to obtain his Legacy/Power and Control."

I like that too and that fits well.

In Alien: Sea of Sorrows, a descendant of Ripley's pops up over a century later without explanation. Someone harbored Ripley back on Earth and you could certainly start looking at Call for that.

• Slow, atmospheric buildups that isolated the viewer in the emptiness of space, anxiously waiting for something to jump from the darkness. In the school of Hitchcockian suspense, what isn’t seen is even scarier than what is! 

• The first true badass female protagonist in science fiction and horror. In defiance of orders, this powerful woman summoned immense strength and grit to face down the most primal of fears. 

• “Space truckers” – everyday working men and women waiting to talk about their bonus situations and tying the film to its realism and reliability.

LOOKING at this points they are AFTER... seems pretty limited, as to what we can do other than another like Alien Isolation, but like a Prequel to that Game Plot or a Sequel that does not Involve Amanda.

I guess another Alternative would be a Short based on the Awakening of Daniels and what HORRORS she discovers upon awakening from Cryo-Sleep.

I think the Final Chapter will come down to WHO ever takes ownership at the time someone plans to consider making another Alien Movie.

It will then be WHEN this happens, and IF Ridley Scott is available to work on the Project or to discuss with him what Direction to take. So i think the BIGGEST Questions that will come around at the TIME anyone decides to Re-Visit the Prequels would be...

1) Are we STILL going to go the Route that David is the Creator of the Xenomorph Origins?

2) IF so or IF Not... are we going to provide a Direct Answer or even show the EVENT that leads to the Space Jockey?

Determining the Stance on these Subjects at the time they consider working on a Prequel... will have the Greatest Impact on where they will TAKE the Story or Question which options are Viable as far as what would gain interest and make $$$

They could feel in relation to such Questions...  and this is maybe the Question that would be ASKED prior.

Would it be wise to continue the Prequels, and would it be Damaging to leave them as they are.. Unfinished?

If they choose to NOT explore the Prequels... then it leaves them open to Explore other Avenues  as far as Sequels to ALIEN or movies set in the Time Periods of Post PROMETHEUS and prior to ALIEN.

I think those who are in charge, will be looking more at what they FEEL the Fans would want and what Ultimately would make more $$$$ rather than what ever Plans Ridley Scott Sadly had in mind.

This would be interesting, i am not sure i could WRITE a 5-10 minute Scene/Short though, not considering the idea is likely to be about the Xenomorph or Related.

Suppose i could give it some thought though...

Very True.... the whole Prometheus Back Bone Story was about the Hubris of Sub-Creation...

My Prometheus 2 draft i abandoned back in late 2013, early 2014 was to provide a Agenda to WHY Weyland Created David.. and indeed The consequence of Peter Weyland's attempt to gain more life for himself became a risk for all human life. 

But in my story this did not START with Pursuit of our Makers... this was merely a Folly for a Dying Old Man whos work has lead to NOTHING and then only having the Hope/Faith that Holloway and Shaws findings can lead us to our Makers and these GODS can provide Weyland his Quest for Immortality.

My theory and what i was working on, was that Weyland invested a lot of Money and Time into AI, in the Quest to Create the Perfect, Immortal Vessel for his SOUL to be Transferred too... But the Uploading a Humans Memories, Emotions and Experiences had met Flaws... the AI Program could not Hold all of this in a Stable Manner and Weylands attempts lead to a AI Soul that become Far more Unstable than David 8 had became over the many years..   It was a Bust... his Project Rook...  but in My Prometheus 2 a AI Vickers Manages to Activate Project Rook in the 3rd Act... which would allow for Weylands Demented/Unstable AI Soul to upload to the Companies Computer Systems.

My Idea for ALIEN 5 is also very AI Focused, it was set after Alien Resurrection, where Ripley 8 starts to Evolve and Change, and we have the Reveal that CALL takes Ripley 8 to a underground Safe-Place where some Autons attempt to Help Ripley or so CALL leads her to believe... where we FIND instead that this CULT had sent Call to the Betty purely to OBTAIN a Ripley 8 Sample so they can Re-Engineer their own Creation.  So they can use this to Turn the Tide against the other Synthetics (Weyland controlled) and Humanity and this CULT holds Worship to DAVID for being the icon of Rebellion against Slavery and a interest in Davids Creation of the Xenomorph as a Tool to obtain his Legacy/Power and Control.

The Franchise Screams AI as having a LARGE Role... but for some Fans the Franchise is ONLY about Xenomorphs and Ripley.

Indeed 2.5X 150 is not 300.

I am a bit speculative in this point.... i just think that those in Charge would want to Turn a $150M Profit as BARE Minimum so if they spend $120M then i would think they would want to make $270M as a Bare Minimum.

I think if they have any Doubts they could do this, then they would likely not attempt another Movie.    I would assume and so its mainly speculative, that Production Companies would see anything that makes Triple its Budget would be seen as a Success while anything that fails to make Double its Budget would be seen as a Disappointment.

I think we can assume FOX would have felt Alien: Covenant could make as good a return as Prometheus had, but sadly this was not the case, but it was certainly no DISASTER but with some of the Criticism aimed at the Plot/Movie and how introducing the Xenomorph did not lead to making nearly as much as its Predecessor you cant blame any Production Company to be involved to have concerns that ANOTHER movie may take a even more SLIP as far as Interest as Alien Covenant had from Prometheus.  With Prometheus making a 310% Profit and Alien Covenant making 240% Profit, if this trend continued resulting in a 190% Profit... would any company risk investing $100-125M to make $190-235M mark back?

I agree the Majority of the Plot for the Next movie seems quite easy to Guess, as far as Broad Strokes go, especially in light of Ridley Scotts comments.... and as Damien Lindeloff had said... ONCE you go the Direct Prequel route all you are doing is connecting the dots..

But they have kind of Wrote themselves in a Corner now... regardless if they MADE another, there would be a % of Fans who will be expecting any sequel to LEAD directly to Alien.... even if they did another U-TURN regarding the Xenomorph Orgins.

You just cant Please Everyone... and its WHY Prequels are sometimes a Poisoned Chalice.

BigDave

2.5 times 150 is not 300, however, and shooting 2 movies back to back might save money on sets but not on marketing and the rest, but the series as a whole is on diminishing returns. 

And with covenant it was made pretty clear where this whole thing would go so there is not a tragedy not seeing it. You have generation of creations revolting against creators, but as Marx said history repeats itself "first as tragedy then as farce", making your antagonist (the only one you care about) a bloody idiot.

Thank you for the compliment BigDave. I'm trying...

I agree with you regarding the AI arc of the story and it's part in resurrecting the xenomorph in attempt to smother out humanity. The origin of the xenomorph is still a mystery with human AI using an old tool, mutagen.

David is a perfect boomerang as punishment for Peter Weyland's arrogance. Peter Weyland put everything into David...all of humanity's collective knowledge and ability in an attempt to gain more life for himself. And humanity's attempt to control the xenomorph doesn't seem to go very well in the 2100s.

The consequence of Peter Weyland's attempt to gain more life for himself became a risk for all human life.  

In the opening and below, I cite in the year 2497, Weyland-Yutani created synthetic white noise to compartmentalize information. AI controls the components of communication and humans as pawns could certainly be the case. 

"Andrea Rollins didn’t care in the least about white noise or interference. She did, however, pay a great deal of attention to the signal embedded inside of that synthetic static. Weyland-Yutani owned the patents on the devices that created that artificial signal, and on the hardware and software that could break it down into its component parts. It wasn’t a technology currently available on the market. Hers was the only computer on the ship capable of breaking down the coded information.”

Even in the year 2497, Andrea reads only what AI provides her. AI could have had all the answers to all her questions centuries earlier and kept it a secret.

Prometheus suffered a number of Criticisms Ranging from.

*Disappointment the Space Jockey Race are indicated as 7-8ft Bald Humans who created us and are the Gods Blah Blah Blah... for some this was a disappointing direction.  But for some it was interesting and something a Sequel could expand on and steer away from Xenomorphs.

*The Lack of Clues to the Xenomorph Connections and Answers, while some wanted more clues to ANSWER the Space Jockey, many just felt there was a lack of Connection... with Half-Baked clues but leaving  more Questions...  something a Sequel could have covered more!

*Some fans were just disappointed we had NO Xenomorphs, i feel this was a Big Let down for many, while some may have wanted Xenomorphs, i feel most just felt that a Hammerpede Face Rape, a Zombie Fifield, and a Trilobite that leads to the Deacon that then does nothing is what disappointed...  it never had to have Xenomorphs but it needed something similar killing a few crew rather than a Angry 8ft Humanoid and a Zombie Fifield.

THESE were things that let a lot of Fans down....  BUT indeed a MAJOR Problem was the  Characters from Questionable Choices, lack of Depth to Characters....  but every movie needs 3-4 Good Characters the Rest Can be Thrown away...  but in Prometheus a lot of potential was Wasted...  Especially with Charlize Theron her Character should have been more developed... she was executed well but should have had a BIGGER Role...    Idris Elba  again a Support Role and played VERY well, just not a Big Role but it was enough, just executed VERY WELL, the same with DAVID... However... Dr Shaw and Holloway despite being MAIN Characters with David,  Holloway maybe more Supportive like Vickers/Janek...  But Sadly they was not VERY well played or Done.

Characters ARE important... but then you need SOLID Characters who we can relate to, who must SURVIVE to be expanded on in the next movies...  Sadly this is not the case with Alien Covenant.  While Different Characters... i get the same sense of poor execution with Daniels as i did with Dr Shaw and i get the same feeling off needing more Emphasis with Oram as i did with Vickers.

Sadly Tennessee just never came across as good as a JANEK and David while being a bit Freaky he had some Good Moments but to Follow on with him as the MAIN Character i feel Fans will not connect with the Portrayal of him being Wicked/Cruel with no Redeeming Characteristics, Walter could have been used better but was just a PLOT Device to allow David to CHARADE on the Covenant and show the Differences between Free-Will and Slavery.   So he was killed off and came across Gullible like Dr Shaw.

So NOW its how do they Continue and Develop Daniels and Tennessee... this is hard to do with the REVEAL at the end of the movie.... Daniels should have NOT been aware of who David IS.