Are the new shorts Canon?

Considering our debates over the years regarding canon, I would say they CAN be on an individual basis. Will they be considered by FOX/Disney? Good question. I think we will have to wait for the conclusion of the shorts on 4/26 with any new announcements. So far I don't see any direct connection between the first two shorts.

As far as I am concerned, they are NOT canon. They are a celebratory initiative by fans and aspiring filmmakers. I don't think we should consider them canonical within the Alien universe.

I think it'd be great to see these built upon.Containment depicts what seems to be a mission gone wrong, and Speciman looks to be on another LV designated planet.

Personally, I will consider them canon so far because I can. To me, they take the series in a direction I prefer over the last two movies. 

I remember when RS mentioned low budgets ultimately yielded the best results. That is what I see happening with the shorts. I cannot say the same for the last two full length movies. Maybe RS should revisit that mentality.

As much as I enjoy Covenant and Prometheus,I agree Scott should either get back in the mindset of Alien,or step away from Alien altogether. Between these and the high school play,It shows there is no shortage of imagination out there when it comes to Alien.

I have no problem with them being canon. The Alienverse is a big place, over a big time period. There are literally hundreds of years between Prometheus and Alien Resurrection that these events could have occurred in. 

How is the xenomorph in these shorts?

Is the biomechanical kind or not?

daliens For the Xeno thus far, as CPL Hudson said, "Zippo". They have only been heard at best.

dk so in the three shorts there is no xenomorph seen? 

Interesting.

I figure you save the big guns for last. Honestly, the shorts are really good on their own and I don't even miss the Xeno's absense. That tells me there is plenty of gas in the tank for the franchise without the Xeno as a major player.

A couple of slithering shots of facehuggers and chestbusters, some off-screen chest-bursting but no, no Xenos yet.

They are well made shorts, but dont have the props or budget (or perhaps rights?) for the Big Chap. 

I feel they are saving the big guns for Alien Day though

Edit: Ditto what dk said lol

That's refreshing, today I saw again Aliens and I was overwhelmed by so many xenomorphs jumping from everywhere.

So actually a live-action series might work, with an intelligent script and even without interfering with the timeline.

Disney can do it.

They could do a six episode exploratory season- maybe the 1st episode could have a big chap or queen with clever editing to keep costs down and mystique up. Fanboys like us don't need it, but newbs might need a motivator. After that, I don't need to see a xeno- I know what they are about. It should be about story and characters at that point.  

I'm in!