Prometheusis the highest-grossing entry in theAlienfranchise - but there’s one story it set up that was never properly concluded.The originalAlienmoviesare unique from a modern standard, in that none of the Ripley-era stories ever set up a direct sequel. Each entry had a conclusive ending, withAlien 3going so far as to kill off Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley. When Ridley Scott returned to the property withPrometheus, he wanted to launch a whole new sci-fi saga for himself, with both the 2012 prequel and follow-upAlien: Covenantendingon major cliffhangers.
Response to Scott’s duology was mixed overall, with the screenplays for both being critiqued for their illogical character choices and lack of focus on the titular creatures. Scott’s vision for the franchise was thus abandoned, with 2024’s sequelRomulussoft rebooting the series and taking it in a new direction.Alien: Romulus' endingsuggests possible future adventures for new leads Rain (Cailee Spaeny) and Andy (David Jonsson) and a sequel appears to be in the work - this also meansthe series won’t be resolving Scott’sPrometheusstory anytime soon.
It’s Sad That Alien Has 3 Upcoming Movies & TV Shows, But None Of Them Can Sensibly Bring Back Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley
Alien’s upcoming movies and TV shows have no opportunities for Sigourney Weaver to return as Ripley, but her character could return in other ways.
Prometheus Is The Highest-Grossing Alien Movie, But Its Story Was Never Concluded
Anticipation was sky-high for Scott’s 2012 Alien prequel
Scott had been absent from theAlienseries and the sci-genre for close to 30 years whenPrometheushit theaters. The trailers and previews had done a masterful job building up hype, and it featured an incredible cast, including Charlize Theron, Idris Elba and Guy Pearce in supporting roles.The hype propelledPrometheusto a $400 million worldwide gross(viaBox Office Mojo); adjusted for inflation, the prequel is only behind the originalAlien.
Prometheus' cliffhanger ending also set up the Engineer saga, where android David (Michael Fassbender) and Noomi Rapace’s Dr. Shaw flew off to meet mankind’s makers.Covenantchanged the protagonist of that story, with Shaw being killed offscreen and Fassbender’s David being driven by his quest to wipe out mankind with his “perfect” creation, the Xenomorph.The sequel ended with an even bigger sequel tease, with David planning to use the colonists lying in suspended animation for his continuing experimentswith the black goo.
This third Alien prequel would have turned Michael Fassbender’s character into an android Dr Moreau, and it was also set to replace the Xenomorph with David…
This, of course, was setting up a thirdAlienprequel, which was reportedly dubbedAwakening. Plot details have been teased about how this entry would play out, including the vengeful Engineers chasing after David.This third film would have turned Fassbender’s character into an android Dr Moreau, and it was also set to replace the Xenomorph with David as the franchise’s new villain.
Alien: Covenant’s Disappointing Box Office Explains Why A Third Prequel Never Happened
Covenant’s box office tally was way down from Prometheus
During promotion forAlien: Covenant, Scott was actively talking up his plans for future entries; even suggesting there were at least two more movies on the way.Covenant’sbox-office gross killed Scott’s plan quickly, with the critically divisive outing pulling in just over $240 million. While not exactly disastrous, it was a significant comedown fromPrometheusand signaled audiences were not onboard for where Scott planned to go next.
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Alien: Romulus
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This is a shame in one sense since even those who dislikedCovenanttend to admit it ends with a real exciting cliffhanger. One more installment to wrap up the David arc would have been ideal, with theAlienprequels featuring some of Fassbender’s best work as a performer. The studio didn’t see it that way, and likely questioned the logic of greenlighting another Scott prequel when critical and audience response to the previous two was lukewarm at best.
Alien: Romulus’ $350 Million Success Means Disney Made The Right Call With The Franchise
Alien: Awakening could still happen someday
While no classic,Alien: Romulusrestored audience faith in the sci-fi property. It went a little overboard with easter eggs and callbacks, but it was also a stripped-back and scary ride that featured a stellar turn from David Jonsson.Romulusworked in exactly the way it was intended to, by soft rebooting a series that had stalledand reminding audiences why they lovedAlienin the first place. It was also confirmation, if any was needed, that producers were right to scrap plans forAlien: Awakening.
Where the franchise goes next is the big question.Romulusfeatures Ripley easter eggs that suggest some type of midquel could be on the way, though that could go horribly wrong unless it’s approached with extreme caution. It would probably be best to move on from Ripley altogether - especially if Weaver isn’t going to return. It should be noted thatAlien: Romulusdidn’t entirely abandon thePrometheusstory, with the Engineers' DNA rewriting black goo playing a part in the narrative.
Since he is still a producer on the series,Scott’s unused plans forAwakeningcould find their way intoAlien: Romulus 2. It would be great to get some resolution to the David story, but the 2024 sequel was right to steer away from Scott’s original plans. The prequels told an ambitious story and featured great concepts and visuals, but the story substance was often lacking. The movies needed to get their groove back - andAlien: Romulusachieved that very task.
Prometheus
Cast
Prometheus, released in 2012, is a science fiction film directed by Ridley Scott. It follows a team of explorers as they uncover clues about humanity’s origins, embarking on a perilous interstellar expedition where they confront formidable challenges to secure the future of mankind.
