There seems to be a multitude of misinformation circulating the internet and social media as of late concerning the future fate of the Alien franchise. This is likely due to the recent boost in talks about the new Predator movie which is supposed to begin filming this summer. It appears certain outlets are using this opportunity to churn out as much click-bait as possible to reap the benefits of confusing and misleading people eager to know more about the state and future of the Alien franchise. This article aims to help reign in expectations and fact-check the current slate of "news" being promoted across the net and social media.
We won't be linking to any of these "outlets" but the screenshot below is a good example of some of the most recent articles being published and shared around (many of which posted within hours or days of each other). These articles are causing confusion among some lesser-invested fans and those unfamilair with the real facts keep sharing these articles to various pages, forums and groups - leading a lot of people to become discouraged to the idea of another Alien film.
To set the record straight, for one, no plot details have been revealed for the next Alien movie. Disney have also not released any specific schedule for upcoming Alien films and the current projects in development for the franchise remain very tightly guarded and those involved very tight-lipped. No release date has yet been set for the next Alien film and as much as we have heard Ridley Scott discuss plans of another Alien film, we don't even know if he'll be attached to direct the next one or not.
To clarify, we've outlined what is actually, officially in development and upcoming for the Alien franchise below. We urge you to avoid sharing content from outlets suggesting otherwise until official updates are released by legitimate sources.
So what is actually happening with the Alien franchise?
Currently, official outlets have confirmed that a new Alien TV series is in development for FX on Hulu. This series is being helmed by Fargo and Legion creator Noah Hawley and will be set on Earth and in the near future. The near future setting means it will take place well before Prometheus and so, a prequel series set within the Alien universe. Whether it takes into account the Alien vs. Predator and Predator movies we're uncertain of at this moment. If it does, it would mean Weyland-Yutani already exists. However in Prometheus the Weyland corp had not yet merged with Yutani, so this series could be focused heavily on the Weyland corporation and its plans to exploit the galaxy for monetary gain but that's pure speculation by us right now. Official plot details have not yet been provided.
The other legitimate entry in the Alien franchise is Cold Iron Studios' new survival horror game - Aliens: Fireteam, which takes place 23 years after the events of Aliens and Alien 3. We're unsure if elements of the game will reference elements of the TV series in development, but we do know the game will be using Prometheus and Alien: Covenant as references.
There also WAS another Alien game in development before Disney bought Fox, where gamers would get to play as a grown up Newt, but the merger deal killed all hopes of that game ever being released.
What is the status of Alien: Covenant 2 / Ridley Scott's next sequel then?
The first instance of Alien: Covenant 2 being a topic of conversation was 2 years ago, in May, 2019 on the 40th anniversary of the Alien franchise. In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Scott confirmed that he and Disney had entered talks about the next Alien movie and where it was going to go. Ridley added to that interview that the story would not focus on the Xenomorph anymore - commenting that "the joke gets old". Since then, most recently in September of 2020, Scott confirmed a new Alien movie was in development but that it would not be continuing the Prometheus or Alien: Covenant story arc... Prior to that update, the last we heard from director Ridley Scott, he acknowledge that the story for the Alien prequels needed to evolve. Beyond that - we know absolutely nothing! All we can do right now is speculate and discuss the possible directions Disney might take with the series next.
The articles circulating right now suggesting the Alien franchise will include a "loyal Xenomorph" or whatever else gains the most clicks from unknowing readers, are simply false. We encourage you to stick with us and official outlets for legitimate updates on the future of the Alien franchise and avoid sites like WeGotThisCovered. We hope this article helps summarize the current state of the Alien franchise and clears up any confusion about where the story will go next - the truth being - nobody knows for sure, unless they're in the know.
More Alien Movie Universe News & Articles
Now that Alien: Romulus is out, discuss the film with other Alien fans in the Alien: Romulus forums here.
Visit the Alien: Earth TV Series forums to browse topics about the upcoming TV series by Noah Hawley as well! Got news for the Alien: Earth TV series? You can share that, here!
