What if Guillermo Del Toro directed Paradise?

Oh my this is quite a stretch haha. Though I love the prospect, I don't feel Guillermo's style necessary meshes well with that required of an Alien movie. Guillermo's films tend to be very colorful and relatively light-hearted. Alien is the exact opposite. It's the primary reason Neill Blomkamp was considered - his style of film are very gritty, dark and raw. As much as I love Del Toro as a director, Alien just isn't his element.

What I'd be up for is Cameron directing Alien 5, Ridley producing. That would get me on board for Alien 5. Then again, Cameron wanted to fit Schwarzenegger into the Alien universe so maybe forget I said that!

I love Del Toro's films but agree his busy visual style and tendency toward camp are not necessarily a fit, either. I would love to see his take on ATMOM, though, if someone could reign in his over the top art direction.

Gavin, I know you're dismayed by Ridley's involvement in the Alien universe moving forward but it sounds like, no matter what happens, between him and Blomkamp or whomever else there will be something for everybody!

I have feared, ever since the release of Prometheus, that the outrage against it would sour Ridley or at least Fox from pursuing this new thread. Glad to see I was at least half wrong.

Who knows how much longer we have Ridley for? Let's be thankful he's still here taking chances and shaking things up. Many, if not most directors less than half his age shy from daring, and go or the dollar. Until further notice, that's Neill in a nutshell. 

I know that the alien universe has many parallels to love craft literature, however I am not a fan of the aliens being a slave race. It would be more fascinating if the aliens were the ancient or elders and that the engineers were a race who mistakes them as gods, but in fact they were Devils. 

@ Aorta, Not sure where you get the impression from that I dismay at Ridley Scotts involvement in the Alien franchise. If it wasn't for Scott, O'Bannon and Giger there wouldn't be an Alien franchise. Occasionally, as with all directors, Scott makes mistakes and with Prometheus he made mistakes. Yes, he opened up some questions and Alien Covenant should be a return to form for Scott, it's just a shame that the grand mythos we thought we were going to get seems to be no more.

@ The First Child, that's what I'm talking about, extending the parallels between Giger and Lovecraft ever further.

Agreed with Chris i dont think he would suited a Dark Tale Side of things, he would be more suitable for a Alien Covenant or Alien 5.

We dont know yet how dark Covenant will be or its sequels and quite how far they have gone from the ideas of where it seemed they was going.

Will we see a Paradise as in ideas that seemed to have been going around?  Who knows.... i certainly think the door is open after the Alien Prequels are done for them to make another Spin off that goes in deeper to the Engineers, their Creators and what else they get upto in the Galaxy... or Universe.

As far as the Canceled Adaption of Mountains of Madness, well depending where Alien Prequels are going i think a Movie based of the Love Craft Novel for the 21st century could work..

It would have to try and be different to Prometheus though.

@Gavin

With respect, from: WTF, Has Ridley Scott sold out with Alien:Covenant?

" Ridley Scott: let James Cameron fix things, again, before you damage the whole series irrecoverably or let Blomkamp explore his ideas. You had your turn, move along!"

This gave me the impression you were dismayed.

"Alien Covenant should be a return to form for Scott, it's just a shame that the grand mythos we thought we were going to get seems to be no more"

Fully understandable, no soon as they opened the Door/Can of Worms that the Engineers are creators of Mankind in some way... It left a massive potential for scope...

Maybe its a Plot they could never do justice, a Poisoned Chalice... something that get it right and  you hit the Big Time.... but something that could be hard to get right.

Its a shame as the Franchise was more than Xenomorph and Ripley.... Weyland-Yutani surely have more to offer than chasing after the Xenomorph as a Bio-Weapon.

The idea of the Engineers then gave us a MASSIVE potential expansion to explore...

I hope they are merely going to tone down these to concentrate on the Xeno and Creation for now, and come back to the Engineers at some point in future.

"This gave me the impression you were dismayed."

i think Gavin meant as i covered above...  Prometheus offered us a expansion on the Franchise, it gave more depth to the Company.... especially with David.

By going the route of Engineers/Space Jockey creators of Mankind.. it opened the door for a whole manner of things.. Spaights draft started this, and it even tried to cover more types of Xenomorphs..... Fox decided to go more for the back story behind the Space Jockey and tone down the Xeno.

I think Gavin is just worried that now, they are trying to back track as if maybe they in hindsight should have stuck more with Spaights draft in a way, and maybe not have gone the route of Space Jockey being a Godlike being..

That would have been more simple... but by going the route they did they opened a DOOR to a massive World/Universe... that has so much potential that now i hope we dont seem them trying to close it and think the Franchise is not about evolution of Weyland Company or Engineers Agenda..

But a matter of Xeno Eggs, and Ripley.... and to get back on track to the Xeno..

We dont know who is to blame... but have to remember FOX owns the Franchise..

They could have it that Ripley is actually a Ancient Goddess who is reincarnated throughout history.

The Engineers stole the Goo from the Predators.

The Xeno is from David becoming more Human and getting Shaw Pregnant...

And all Directed by Adam Sandler  (or JJ lol)

if thats what FOX wanted to do, Ridley cant say nothing, they can go what ever route Fox want, and make it less O'Bannon, less Giger if they wanted.

But Fox are going by what they feel will Please Most Fans and Make the Most Money.... and Yes that means Xenomorphs, Eggs, Face Huggers and Chest Busters are more important than big Bald Angry God Smirfs..

And if they feel Ripley is important then expect her to be linked in too.

Pretty much bang on there Big Dave, a lot of fans (myself included) are worried about the shift from Paradise which was sold to fans as following Shaw and David on their epic journey, to Alien: Covenant which so far is being sold as traditional monster in the shadows 'Alien' movie with only David and the crew of a ship called Covenant.

Ridley Scotts strengths are building suspense and creating epic visuals, which is why his work on Alien worked out so well. Paradise directed by Scott would have been a tour-de-force, a dark 2001: A Space Odyessy, but for reasons we can all speculate at it seems as though Ridley is doing something he has already done, in 1979. I doubt he'll top that movie and would rather prefer he spent his energies on what he promised for four years.

Unless there is something epic in store, Alien: Covenant seems more suited for a newcomer to the franchise, like Aliens was for Cameron and 3 was for Fincher.

For me the best sequels and prequels add something new to the core material, expanding the universe. Sequels that just repeat what has gone before are always inferior to their predecessors, and I fear Alien: Covenant may just be exactly that, a repeat of what has gone before.

Okay, so maybe I'm missing something, but I like to come here for news, so unless there is some actually truth to this, it doesn't seem like it belongs on the front page "news" section of the Prometheus site. I guess I don't understand why this hypothetical meandering is considered news.

I am sorry, not to rile anybody, but I'm going to go off topic.

Gavin, I'm sorry if I misunderstood, the content of the WTF thread was my last look at your opinion, and it seemed clear that you felt Ridley's place in the alien universe was done. On second reading, it still does.

The position being put forth now is in contrast to that. Even as one of the "mindless fans" characterized in the aforementioned WTF thread, I respect your right to state your opinion and I was trying to be polite and inclusive, but I guess we're having none of that. So:

If we are to understand now that that thread didn't represent an authentic opinion then some clarity about it would be helpful so that one doesn't embarrass themselves quoting a post that meant nothing.

Okay! Goodnight from Chicago!

Guillermo should not direct Paradise. Not because he is not good but because Ridley should be doing it. 

Alien (prequels and sequels) are razor sharp teeth movies with ultra strong fans and need a razor sharp teeth director and that is Ridley.

And especialy now when we have to get explanation for how the creature (xenomorph) was created.

For me Ridley is the best director for these movies for 3 reasons

1) He is a director psychologist

2) He has laser sharp eye for the camera and how the scene should look

3) Looks and finds out the best crew (actors to to do movie) and camera people for that part. In this movie he has a lady from Inherent vice I think the movie is called. She totally owns her role in that movie. Total inhabitation of character.

The only man who could come close to this on this planet is James Cameron.

Ridley is first and best choice.

This topic is very bizzare.....

The whole point of Prometheus and it's sequels is to have Ridley Scott return to the ALIEN universe, he, Dan O'Bannon and HR Giger created!

Why the hell should anyone else be brought in?

No offence to Guillermo Del Toro, he is one of my favourite directors, but I think it would irritate him on many levels if Fox were to offer him directorial duties, given that he had to abort At The Mountains of Madness due to Prometheus! 

If something happened to Ridley (god forbid), then I would suggest David Cronenberg.

Of course Cronenberg wouldn't touch the ALIEN Universe with a bargepole, and Fox wouldn't have a clue about how to deal with him!

That is simply a fantasy of mine, as somewhere in the dark recesses of my brain there has always been a Cronenberg-Giger nightmare waiting to be unleashed. *SIGH*

I think a At The Mountains of Madness remake could still work, especially as the Franchise is now going towards more Alieny outcome... then Del Toro
could still produce such a movie....

It may be similar but can be different in ways too, a lot of movies are similar...  I-Robot, Matrix and Terminator are similar yet different.

Nightmare on Elm Street, Halloween and Friday the 13th even Chucky movies are all similar yet different.

Pacific Rim, Godzilla and Cloverfield likewise.

But as far as Fox making a movie more close to ideas of where they was going with Paradise aka Paradise Lost maybe.... then why?

I think elements will be covered in the next 2 Alien Prequel movies and it would leave the door open to do a Engineer movie... and when it came to doing something like that then who knows... maybe Del Toro could get the Nod?

I hope Del Toro does return to ATMOM sometime in the future. That's a movie I would love to see!

There are two very important factors, which no other Alien Universe director has or will have, and I think they will both have a direct bearing on the coming sequels. 

1. Ridley has worked with O'Bannon.

2. Ridley has worked with Giger.

Ridley also has respect for their contributions, something lacking in Cameron et al!

I've actually been on a big del Toro kick lately, have really enjoyed his Mimic Director's Cut and the Hellboy movies. Also The Strain on FX, very cool show. I'd rather have Ridley direct the Prometheus timeline, but I would MUCH prefer to have Guillermo del Toro do the next Alien film instead of Blomkomp (sp?). The series doesn't need shaky cam and del Toro is great at atmosphere. He's a very savvy filmmaker and more in line with Ridley Scott's style, in my opinion.

PL- 

Much agreed I can't even pretend to be excited about Blomkamp's movie, if it has to happen I'd much rather see it in the hands of a different director, GDT would be a very interesting choice.

On that note I read somewhere that Pacific Rim 2 has been green lit, with a different director? Anyone know about this?

Aorta, 

I haven't done much research on Pacific Rim, but there is rumor of Hellboy 3, which would probably be big reason for del Toro to abandon Pacific Rim to finish that trilogy. That being said, I've also read that Hellboy 3 was not likely to get greenlit for needing too big of a budget and I also read that Hellboy 3 might be dependent upon the success of a Pacific Rim 2 (don't know how that would work, but I read it somewhere).

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt2274648/?ref_=nm_flmg_dr_2