do you think this will find a mainstream audience

It doesn't really matter to me as long as the movie is good. I would like to see it do well since I think it could mean more Alien-related movies. It also depends on the rating. If it's rated PG-13, I can see it doing solid business, especially with the first weekend being in IMAX 3D. Beyond that, it all depends on whether it's any good or not.

Well your mainstream average Joe has no idea what this movie is about and I'd bet a lot of them don't even know it exists yet. If Fox handles marketing correctly, then there will be a mainstream audience because your average Joe will know what the movie is about and want to see it. If the movie is genuinely good, but there's not much marketing for it, then the box office will probably be meager at the start and shoot up the following weekend or two before losing traction.

Wasn't some of the makers (or Sir Scott himself) implying that the plot might represent some view on the creation of mankind and earth? I can't remember exactly who it was (and I'm too tired to dig it up), but if this is true, it could resonate really bad among certain groups of people (Bible Belt). We can rest in peace though. The movie is made by FOX, so I don't see FOX going all demagogue against it's own movie, even if there are some radical ideas about God there.

I agree with Sean, my paramount concern is the quality of the film.....I pray it's as fantastic as I hope it is and while I want people to see in it what all of us do, if it isn't the film we hope it is, then there's no point in it finding that audience. What we all have to worry about though is letting our expectations get the best of us. 'Alien' is a classic....some, myself included, would call it one of science fiction's masterpieces.....but no one was expecting that of the film when it was released. Other fans of the franchise feel the same way about its sequels. Regardless, we sit here, all of us, every single day, devouring this community and imbuing it with our childlike wonder, excitement and anticipation of a movie we HOPE meets our expectations and lives up to dreams it can't possibly fulfill. Since my childhood, the idea of Ridley Scott making another Alien film was this impossible dream that just seemed like such a stupid nerdy wish that was ridiculous to even entertain. Now that's it's happening, I must temper that kid in me that's brimming with glee and utter shock at the fact of the existance of 'Prometheus'. This film could turn out to be far better than I could hope.....but I have to let that happen on its own, without that expectation and remember, it will be what it will be...and I, along with all of you, will be there with bells on, ready to accept it. God only knows.....but maybe, if we're lucky, it'll surprise us and amaze us.......should that happen - audiences will follow.

I'm a believer Ghorgul and I can't wait..........believers who are comfortable in their faith will not let it get to them and those who aren't....well, I hope they can take the time to remember, it's just a movie.

This movie is buzzing harder than Avatar. Depending on its rating, I imagine the flick should do well.

I think it might flop in North America and make up the loss overseas. Scifi that isn't complete eye candy seems to fair poorly in North America. Honestly, have their been any good, mainstream scifi movies made in the last few years? It seems like a huge risk for Fox to invest this sort of money into something "new" [meaning not adapted from a book, not a direct sequel, and probably more challenging then most summer movie fair]. People have banked on Ridley Scott's name quite a few times and quite a few times he has release great films that did nothing at the box office.

It'll be an amazing achievement if they get that balance between 'profound' and 'entertaining' JUST right.

I think that's the problem with a lot of science fiction is that it ends up being either boring for the mainstream or really goofy/stupid. Is this movie really buzzing harder than Avatar? I talk about this movie with my friends who don't spend all their time on the internet and they have no idea about this movie. When you start seeing ads on TV, that's when public awareness will increase for Prometheus. Hopefully, by then, they'll have more tantalizing images to show other than Kuato.

This film is going to be huge!!!!

Michael Jackson spent most of his adult life trying to remake Thriller, only to realize - that he couldn´t! My fascination and anticipation for Prometheus emerged from a subconscious (more or less) need to bring back the past, to bring back the atmosphere, the horror and the excitement of watching "Alien" for the first time. Now I am wiser, and I'm anticipating something completely different, so mainstream is actually my worst nightmare in this context.

True Shane, but in reference to your point about sci-fi "eye candy", let's remember that Ridley Scott is one of the most revered Directors in cinema for his visual style and based on everything we know about the film's production design, eye candy is something I don't think we have to worry about.

visualizer, I don't see mainstream being 'Prometheus'. Different would seem to be the point all together.....

Let's not be so quick to bow down at the altar of Ridley Scott. Let's not forget that he's coming back to a movie he hasn't touched in 30 years and [url=http://www.rottentomatoes.com/celebrity/director-ridley-scott/]some of his movies recently haven't been so great.[/url]

[quote]People have banked on Ridley Scott's name quite a few times and quite a few times he has release great films that did nothing at the box office.[/quote] That's my biggest fear about the rating. His best sci-fi's weren't designed for the lowest common denominator. It's all new ground now and Ridley hasn't handled the ropes for decades. Hopefully he can pull it off.

@craigamore That´s the premise of the movie, but not necessarily the end result

True visualizer...just sayin'....it doesn't feel like it.

I don't actually care how this movie does at Box Office or how it gets reviewed. If the movie is good, then it'll get all the Glory it deserves, sooner or later. Though it's early success might affect possible sequel. When talking about Sequel we should remember that Sir Scott really isnt a sequel-man. Kubricks The Shining didn't do too well in box office or in reviews. But it did gather cult following and now it's revered, in mainstream too. One of my favourite horror movies, by far. I have a feeling this movie will open with mixed reviews, sad to say :(

@craigamore No, it doesn´t - let´s hope that holds true

yeah but avatar marketed itself as a romance, as an action movie, as a political movie etc etc and also used hype about brand new technology to sell..this movie will no way be as big as avatar fans of sci fi may be buzzing about this film but thats just a demographic that the film appeals to directly...

although i do thnk this will be a better film than avatar

although i do thnk this will be a better film than avatar

although i do thnk this will be a better film than avatar

I think this film will be big in the box office, if they continue to show the audience so little in the previews. People who arent fans of the Alien series wont know that it has anything to do with it, but will see it because the trailer is bad ass! That is my prediction.

The best science fiction personally that I have witnessed over the past few years would have to be MOON and SOLARIS ... And I suppose I liked AVATAR too although it's good it does not leave a such a psychological impression as the first 2 this is only my personal opinion but I am hoping that Prometheus can bring the likes of what the first 2 movies had more prominently with the whole ancient aliens god and Creation ties with a bit of action and horror too... Alien like somone else said was an unexpected classic... ALthough the concepts were there to always be an outstanding film the way it was directed really added to the concepts... But if you strip it back it's really quite a simple movie but complex in what it does not answer and leaves to the imagination. Films of today using CGI think it's better to try and show everything and leave your brain at home when you go to the movies.... Solaris and Moon Broke that Mold and hit the right notes even though mainstream but AVATAR took the technology further and was enjoyable popcorn flick... Prometheus Mainstream I hope so but I hope it has popcorn elements but it's not just a popcorn flick either.... I hope people realise that AVATAR was like a plush tech demo of sorts now we really do need to use the technology a bit more seriously and a bit more thought provokingly to tell stories and a bit more grittier dirtier and grungier and although fantasy matches well with sci-fi it does not mean it has to be all really colourfull.... I am a big sci-fi horror fan and hope prometheus can give us story equal to the likes of MOON / SOLARIS but deliver horror tension and some realistic action but not cameron style... Theres definatley a gap to bridge between the thought provoking and the blockbuster CGI movies of today and i'm rooting for prometheus to be the key to unlocking many other projects like The Dark Tower movie and series and At the mountains of Madness both of which got ditched over fear when they are probably safer bets IMO rather than other stuff that gets green lit which are thoughtless moronic trash but if the masses gobble that stuff up then that is what the studios will give to us.

I think most epic films these days end up having a theatrical version to put on at the box office and a directors cut. The theatrical versions tend to be edited down so that they are more accessible and acceptable to the mainstream, and probably sit well with the studios. After the initial money making exercise comes the directors cut, which in a lot of cases puts more meat on the bones of what a lot of hardcore fans want to see. I think there will be two versions of this movie, and I will see them both should that be the case. I suspect there may be a little disappointment in some quarters, as you can only get so much into the running time of a movie aimed at theatres.

@Ronster Moon is amazing. Easily in top5 of best science fiction movies ever made. It's a very touching movie.. I'd very much like to hear your opinion about Event Horizon if you are scifi horror fan.. You also mentioned At the mountains of madness. It's a horrible shame they did not greenlight it, I was looking forward to it much more than Prometheus. Though Del Toro's visual style with monsters is too childish for me.

in my opinion avatar was trash

@Chorgul Event Horizon = Scary... I like it and I don't like it too but it's a good movie and I own a copy in my collection... Yep Avatar needed to be made though to showcase the new tech.... Now let's take a new direction if prometheus scores then It will mean perhaps more films I likw will be considered a lower risk to those risk shy meddling accountants who are not artists

the new tech was hardly impressive..the movie was meant for teenagers and kids because overall i found it cartoonish and stupid