Sounds even better

Blomkamp's 'Alien' Had to Be Tweaked to Avoid Overlap With 'Prometheus 2'
23 March 2015



Neil Blomkamp shared a couple more hints about where his movie fits into the 'Alien' movie universe.

"I changed the one thing [Ridley Scott] felt was bumping [the] 'Prometheus' [sequel] a little bit", Blomkamp said. And oh yeah, there is an official title it would seem, but you're not going to hear it for a while because "...it’s kinda quite bold, but it gives away too much if I say the title."

So speculate away and remember, Blomkamp has said his movie links to 'Alien' and 'Aliens' but pretty much ignores (but doesn't undo) whatever happened in 'Alien 3' and 'Alien Resurrection'.

But can Blomkamp deliver the goods? It's arguable that he hasn't lived up to the expectation put on his shoulders after 'District 9' and this is one of the crown jewels of all sci-fi franchises.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/ ... 2-20150323

Sigourney Weaver Says Ridley Scott Dropped 'Alien 3' After Learning 'Alien vs. Predator' Was Developing
20 July 2015



The 'Alien' franchise is in state of flux at the moment. Ridley Scott went the prequel-ish route with 'Prometheus', while Neill Blomkamp is somewhat retconning the series with his upcoming installment set between 'Aliens' and 'Alien 3'. As fans know, Sigourney Weaver's Ripley dies at the end of the David Fincher directed 'Alien 3', but what is less well known is that it was the actresses' idea. As the script was developing for the franchise's third movie, Weaver made it clear she wanted a minimal role for Ripley, and eventually landed on wanting her character to pass away. But besides giving Ripley a heroic exit, there was another reason Weaver has revealed for her character's demise.

"...I heard that Fox was gonna do 'Alien vs Predator.' Which really depressed me, because I was very proud of the movies", she told the Radio Times. "I’ve nothing against building a movie on a video game but at the time, it was, as ['Aliens' director] Jim Cameron said (I think) publically, ‘Why would you want to do that? It’s like making Alien meets the Wolfman.' "

The script for AVP began development in 1991, about a year before 'Alien 3' would be released, but Weaver reveals that Scott would've returned to the director's chair for "Alien 3" as well if that other movie wasn't happening. "In fact, Ridley Scott was about to direct a third one, until ['AVP] was announced, and he dropped out, because he also wanted to do an 'Alien' sequel", Weaver says. In the early days of 'Alien 3', the plan was in the works for Scott to helm the picture, which would kick off a new trilogy, but as we know, he left, and Fincher took over what wound up being a troubled production.

Meanwhile, in the early aughts, Cameron returned to work on the franchise, penning what would've been the fifth "Alien" movie that Scott would've directed, but the "Aliens" director also exited the movie after learning Fox was continuing to work on "Alien vs. Predator" (the movie, directed by Paul W. S. Anderson, was released in 2004). Eventually, Scott has found a way back into the franchise with "Prometheus," the kernels of which began with origin story ideas he initially shared with Cameron.

While Weaver is not officially booked yet for the Blomkamp's film, she is certainly excited by the prospect. "I love the fact that’s Neill’s fulfilling his childhood dream of what he hopes will be the popcorn movie, the 'Alien' popcorn movie that he wanted as a kid to see", she said.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/ ... g-20150720

Ridley Scott May Be Shooting 'Prometheus 2' In Early 2016
3 August 2015



Ever since Prometheus hit the big screen in 2012 there has been desire by many to see where 'Prometheus 2' would take the story.

At one time we thought an untitled Ridley Scott film set for a March 2016 release was going to be 'Prometheus 2', but it ended up being 'The Martian'. That was bumped up to a theatrical debut this fall. Since then we haven’t heard when we might see the Prometheus sequel come together, especially with 'Blade Runner 2' in the works. Now word has surfaced on when production will get underway.

In the latest print edition of Total Film, there’s a small tidbit in a profile about 'The Martian' that says Ridley Scott will shoot 'Prometheus 2' in January of 2016, with the director saying, "I’ve got back into the sci-fi thing, I kind of adore it".

Scott has teased that he wants to introduce a new alien in the sequel, and was looking to stray away from Xenomorphs, despite the final scene at the end of Prometheus (above) that hinted otherwise.

As for whether or not Scott will end up actually shooting 'Prometheus 2' in January of next year, we’ll just have to play the waiting game. The director was just recently attached to an adaptation of 'The Cartel' with Leonardo DiCaprio circling a lead role. That story chronicles ten years’ worth of the diverging paths of two former friends, one in the DEA and the other in a drug cartel, based in part on the story of Cartel boss Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán, who has made global headlines since escaping from a Mexican prison very recently.

It will likely take a little while to get all the pieces of 'The Cartel' together, so Scott could potentially shoot 'Prometheus 2' and then move on to the crime drama. But that’s assuming that 'The Cartel' actually ends up being a project that comes together quickly.

In addition, keep in mind that Fox is already developing another Alien movie with Neill Blomkamp at the helm. Would the studio really be working on 'Prometheus 2' and 'Alien 5' at the same time? We do know that Blomkamp had to tweak his movie a bit so as not to clash with Scott’s plans for Prometheus, so maybe that’s Fox’s plan. They’re not likely to intersect at all, but there’s no reason the studio wouldn’t want to double up on their sci-fi fare, especially with Scott having his hands in both.

http://www.slashfilm.com/prometheus-2-production/

I hope Blomkamp wont ignore Alien 3 which was very good.Not as good as the 2 first but the tragic story/ending and the mood was a fitting end for a trilogy of serious movies.

On the other hand who does not want to see Sigourney and Biehn together again? It is like you are 90 years old and you are offered to fuck a young version of your wife for one last time.

As for Prometheus...was not bad but was not amazing either.A small part of me wanted the Space Jockey to remain something mysterious in my mind.Something tells me that the sequel will not be so scary.
Maybe they will visit the Homeworld of the S.J. and there is going to be again an outbreak or something again.


*Doesnt Colette Hiller look a lot like Gaga?

Ridley Scott Confirms 'Prometheus 2' Is His Next Movie
27 August 2015



It’s been known for a while now that Ridley Scott wants to make a 'Prometheus 2'. The question has been when he’ll do it. He’s got several projects brewing currently including 'The Cartel', which he picked up just a few weeks ago. And on top of that there are all the projects he’s producing, like 'Blade Runner 2' and 'Alien 5'.

But Scott has now confirmed, once and for all, that 'Prometheus 2' will indeed be his next movie.

Scott let the 'Prometheus 2' news slip in a chat with Empire about 'The Martian'. You may recall that for a while, 'Prometheus 2' was rumored to open in spring 2016. But it eventually emerged that that date was being reserved for 'The Martian', which then moved up to fall 2015. ('The Martian' later got pulled up even closer, and is now set to open October 2 of this year.)

According to 'The Martian' star Matt Damon, the release date change was no problem for Scott. “Ridley was done with the movie about two weeks after we shot!” he told the magazine. Scott responded, “I was already on to my next movie! I was starting to look for locations for my next movie, which is 'Prometheus 2'.”

So far, 20th Century Fox has yet to announce any sort of timeline for 'Prometheus 2', and Scott didn’t give any details of the sort either. However, recent reports have pegged the 'Prometheus 2' start date around January 2016.

Plot details are being kept scarce, but the director has previously said the sequel will pull back from the Xenomorphs, and introduce a new alien instead.

'Prometheus 2' doesn’t have a release date, but we can probably expect it out in 2017.

http://www.slashfilm.com/ridley-scott-c ... metheus-2/

Official title:

Alien: Paradise Lost



“In a way it is ‘Prometheus 2,’ it’s exactly the same story,” Scott confirmed. “But it was always in the works to be called that [‘Alien: Paradise Lost’]. Is ‘Prometheus’ actually taking us off course from where I’m going, which is actually backing into the first ‘Alien’… I’ve even got connections with Ripley, but I’m not telling you what.”

Despite publicly frowning on the idea of using the seemingly played out H.R. Giger designs from the original Alien, Scott now seems to be changing his tune, hinting that we will see the iconic face-hugging beastie in all its glory in his new film.

“I think I have to go again,” he said of re-approaching the Xenomorph. “We will see who made it, and why. That’s what’s interesting.”

Hopefully we will learn why the Engineers were responsible for the conception of human life on Earth and why they would then create bioweapons (the Xenomorphs) with the aim to wipe that life out. When last we saw Elizabeth Shaw (Noomi Rapace) and David (Michael Fassbender), they were piloting a ship to the engineer home world dubbed “Paradise.” Scott confirmed that “Paradise” was the original working title of Prometheus 2, and as it turns out, the title resonates (beyond the John Milton poem “Paradise Lost”) all the way back to the director’s original sequel ideas that predate even James Cameron’s Aliens.

“Years ago, I kept mulling over what ‘Alien 2′ could be, I was fiddling around with some ideas,” said Scott. “I was always fascinated with why this thing [the xenomorph] would be made, by whom, and for what purpose? The planet it was on – and I was looking at the dark side of the moon – would be called Paradise. Paradise is a very ominous word…”

Finally, Scott laid to rest tiresome rumors that Alien: Paradise Lost is somehow getting in the way of Neill Blomkamp’s Alien 5.

“I’m producing it,” he reiterated on his role in Blomkamp’s proper sequel. “The design is for it to go out next, after this. This will go out first. It’s more associated with Ripley, it’s a completely different angle, it’s more of a sequel. I’m coming in from the back end.”

Alien: Paradise Lost will go before cameras in February with Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender set to reprise their roles of Shaw and the android David, respectively. A 2017 release date is expected, with Blomkamp’s currently-untitled Alien sequel likely coming out the following year with Sigourney Weaver and Michael Biehn returning as Ripley and Hicks.

Ridley Scott Planning Many More 'Prometheus' Sequels
23 September 2015



If Ridley Scott has his way there could be two more Prometheuses on the way. Scott has said the Prometheus films will link up with the Alien movies eventually, but not for another several installments. Read the Ridley Scott Prometheus sequels comment after the jump.

German movie site Filmfutter asked Scott whether Prometheus would ever directly connect to Alien. Here’s his reply:

“Yes, but it won’t be in the next one. It will be in the one after this one or maybe even a fourth film before we get back into the ‘Alien’ franchise… The whole point of it is to explain the Alien franchise and to explain the how and why of the creation of the Alien itself. I always thought of the Alien as kind of a piece of bacterial warfare. I always thought that that original ship, which I call the Croissant, was a battleship, holding these biomechanoid creatures that were all about destruction.”

Keep in mind that the comments above were translated from English to German and then back into English, so there’s always a chance something got lost or misinterpreted along the way. But it sure sounds like Scott’s plans for his burgeoning Prometheus series include another three films at least.

And Scott seems eager to get started. He’s already confirmed his next film will be Prometheus 2, scheduled to shoot next year with Michael Fassbender and Noomi Rapace‘s characters returning. However, there’s been no official announcement of a third or fourth Prometheus movie.

http://www.slashfilm.com/ridley-scott-p ... s-sequels/

Ridley Scott Talks 'Alien: Paradise Lost'
25 September 2015

Exclusive: "I’ve even got connections with Ripley in this one..."



As Sir Ridley Scott prepares for the launch of his enormously satisfying sci-fi flick, 'The Martian', he’s been talking, mostly to HeyUGuys, about his next movie: the sequel to Prometheus. Yesterday, he revealed that the title of the film was actually 'Alien: Paradise Lost', linking it directly to the franchise he started back in 1979.

But it also set tongues wagging: what did this title mean? How do things tie into the Alien world? What does this mean for Neill Blomkamp’s mooted Alien sequel? And what the heck is going to happen to the disembodied head of Michael Fassbender’s David?

Well, we spoke to Sir Ridley this afternoon (hear the full interview on next week’s Empire Podcast) and got some answers to those burning questions.

On the title change, Sir Ridley said it had been a long time coming. At one point, Paradise was a possible title for Prometheus, but its origins stretch back further than that: "Years ago, I kept mulling over what Alien 2 could be. I was fiddling around with some ideas. I was always fascinated with why this thing [the xenomorph] would be made, by whom, and for what purpose? The planet it was on – and I was looking at the dark side of the moon – would be called Paradise. Paradise is a very ominous word..."

Does this indicate that Paradise will be the name of the Engineers’ planet in 'Alien: Paradise Lost'? Could be. Sir Ridley said that the title change has not affected the story of The Artist Formerly Known As Prometheus 2. "In a way it is Prometheus 2. It’s exactly the same story. But it was always in the works to be called that [Alien: Paradise Lost]. Is Prometheus actually taking us off course from where I’m going, which is actually backing into the first Alien... I’ve even got connections with Ripley [in this], but I’m not telling you what."

Connections with Ripley? Space cat. Space pigeons.

So what does this mean for Neill Blomkamp’s sequel? There had been speculation that 'Alien: Paradise Lost' might mean that it wouldn’t get made, but Sir Ridley has scotched those rumours. "I’m producing it", he reiterated. "The design is for it to go out next, after this. This will go out first. It’s more associated with Ripley, it’s a completely different angle, it’s more of a sequel. I’m coming in from the back end."

The main story of Alien: Paradise Lost will see Noomi Rapace’s Elizabeth Shaw and the head of Fassbender’s android, David, travel to the planet of the enigmatic space arseholes, The Engineers, to find out, once and for all, their part in the birth of mankind. Will this mean that we can expect to see, at some point, the alien? Scott has previously said that going back to the design of the classic H.R. Giger xenomorph didn’t excite him. Good news – he’s changed his mind.

"I think I have to go again,” he said. “We will see who made it, and why. That’s what’s interesting". Whether that happens in this movie, or in the other two planned Promethalien movies, remains to be seen.

But onto the big question: can we really expect Michael Fassbender to spend an entire movie as a disembodied head? "It’s going to be better than that,” chuckled Scott. “It’s a very nice big idea I’ve got. It’s really great. You’re going to have to wait..."

You’ll have to wait until 2017 for 'Alien: Paradise Lost', but not too much longer for the full Empire Podcast interview with Sir Ridley Scott. That’s due next Friday.

http://www.empireonline.com/news/story.asp?NID=45507

Ridley Scott Says Neil Blomkamp’s 'Alien' Film Is a "Kinda Sequel"
2 October 2015



So what’s going on with Neil Blomkamp’s 'Alien 5' now that Ridley Scott is making 'Alien: Paradise Lost' aka 'Prometheus 2' and possibly planning two more films that connect to the original 'Alien' film? Well, while there’s been rumors that Scott was none too pleased when he first learned about Blomkamp’s pitch – especially since he’s still in the middle of his 'Prometheus' spin-offs – he’s clearly come to Jesus with Fox and Blomkamp, will act as a producer on the film, and apparently the younger filmmaker’s movie will come sometime after what 'Alien: Paradise Lost'.

But what is the de facto 'Alien 5' exactly? Blomkamp has said it picks up after the events of James Cameron's 'Aliens' so many have speculated that it acts as a kind of wedged in retcon that basically denies the existence of 'Alien 3' and 'Alien Resurrection' in the timeline. Essentially, it seems like they’re rewriting franchise history right in that sweet spot after the two most adored films. Great, but it remains to be seen how they'll continue the narrative given all the principal players are much, much older.

We still don’t know, but in an Empire podcast today, Ridley Scott teased a few elements and also revealed he once toyed with the idea of making 'Aliens' before James Cameron signed on.

"I’m producing [Blomkamp’s movie]. It’s designed to go next after ['Alien: Paradise Lost']", Scott said of Blomkamp’s version. "[His version] is more associated with Ripley. It’s coming from a completely different angle. It’s kind of more of a sequel… after, after after. I’m coming at it from the back end."

Are we to take "after, after, after" that 'Alien 5' takes place maybe thirty-forty years after the events of Cameron’s 'Aliens' and that Sigourney Weaver can play the role as her 65-year-old self? Time will tell.

Scott also says said the 'Prometheus' sequels could wind up forming a trilogy. "If there’s one next, I think there will be one [or] two more before I explain why that ship landed [on the planet featured in 'Alien'] and how Sigourney Weaver[’s character] arrived".

Scott says he wants to try and make two films a year going forward and says he’s basically already starting that— noting that 'Exodus: Gods And Kings' was completed eleven months ago. Scott also suggested he’d like to make a smaller film after “Prometheus 2” like in the same way he followed 'Prometheus' with 'The Counselor' which he shot in a down and dirty seven weeks.

Will the disembodied head of Michael Fassbender get his body back in 'Prometheus 2'? "He’s gonna better than that, you’ll have to wait", he said. "It’s really great, it’s a very nice big idea I’ve got [for Fassbender’s character]. It’s fantastic".

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/ ... l-20151002

Neill Blomkamp Reveals a New 'Alien 5' Pulse Rifle
16 October 2015



There are a handful of science fiction movies that arrived at just the right time and place to dig their hooks into an entire generation and dictate the look of countless future movies. Soon, all dystopias looked like 'Blade Runner'. All spaceships started to look battered and personal, like in 'Star Wars'. The influence of James Cameron’s 'Aliens' may not ring quite as loud, but you can feel its sticky, razor-sharp tendrils in countless movies and even more video games. Cameron’s Colonial Marines have become the template for the science fiction military hero.

Which brings us to the point we’re trying to make here – everyone remembers the pulse rifle. The weapon of choice for most of the brave, doomed soldiers who lost their lives on LV-426. So when director Neill Blomkamp shows off a new version of this famous movie weapon as part of that new Alien movie he’s supposedly making, we have to sit up and take notice.

Blomkamp shared the picture on Instagram and as you can see for yourself, it’s fairly close to what we saw in the original film. There are changes for sure, like the scope on the top and a few cosmetic differences, but it’s close enough. It’s enough to send a wave of warm, gooey, caramel-flavored nostalgia oozing into your brain. Blomkamp is betting on you looking at this thing and remembering how you wore out that copy of 'Aliens' on VHS back in day. Or just spun the DVD a bunch. Or accessed that digital file last year. You know how old you are. Pick one.



Of course, we still don’t have any idea what Blomkamp’s new movie actually is. We’ve been calling it 'Alien 5', but it appears to be a direct sequel to 'Aliens' that ignores the events of 'Alien 3' and 'Alien: Resurrection'. Sure, Blomkamp claims that he doesn’t intend to wipe half of the franchise out of existence to make his movie, but how does he explain a very-much-alive Hicks in that concept art he posted?

And then there’s the fact that Ridley Scott has been throwing his weight around, using 'Alien: Paradise Lost' (formerly 'Prometheus 2') to force Blomkamp to tweak his concept before forcing a full-on delay.

In any case, Blomkamp kinda needs this. 'District 9' was a revelation, but 'Elysium' and 'Chappie' were, uh, let’s just be polite and say that they weren’t 'District 9'. The guy’s got talent. He shoots a nice looking movie and has an eye for action. Maybe having some fun in someone else’s sandbox is what he needs. With access to toys created for one of the best genre movies of the ’80s, he may find relocate the spark that was missing from his last two movies. In any case, we know one thing: he sure knows how to rebuild those toys.

http://www.slashfilm.com/neill-blomkamp ... lse-rifle/

'Alien: Paradise Lost' Eyeing Rebecca Ferguson for a Role In the 'Prometheus' Sequel
14 October 2015



Up until this moment, the only confirmed cast to have roles in the 'Prometheus' sequel are returning stars Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender. This roster may be expanding with the inclusion of 'Mission Impossible 5: Rogue Nation's Rebecca Ferguson.

The actress is in the mix for the 'Prometheus' sequel that Ridley Scott, buoyed by his critical and commercial success with 'The Martian', is prepping at Fox to go into production in the latter half of next year. No concrete talks have been held about that one yet but Deadline understands that the latest draft was delivered to Scott and Fox execs recently and it is, by all accounts, very strong with a peach of a major female role. Ferguson has a lot of fans at Fox, who had courted her to take the female lead in 'Gambit', only for the actress to go with 'The Girl on a Train' instead.

There's no doubt, she could kick some xeno-butt...

https://deadline.com/2015/10/rebecca-fe ... 201581418/

Neill Blomkamp’s 'Alien' Sequel On Hold Indefinitely
29 October 2015



After all that fuss, it looks like the only Alien sequel we’ll be getting in the foreseeable future is Ridley Scott‘s. Director Neill Blomkamp has confirmed that his Alien movie has been put on hold indefinitely, and that he’ll be moving on to other projects.

Blomkamp confirmed the news on Twitter.

"Alien is kinda holding/ pending Prometheus 2. So I shall be working on other things… as much as I love the xeno- and Lt Ripley."

The news shouldn’t come as a huge shock. We heard a couple of months ago that studio 20th Century Fox was hitting pause on Blomkamp’s Alien sequel until after Scott’s Prometheus sequel, at Scott’s insistence. Then a few weeks back Scott, revealed his Prometheus sequel was now going by the title 'Alien: Paradise Lost', suggesting a more direct connection to Alien than previously assumed.

At the time, we noted that the new name undermined the notion that Blomkamp’s movie would be the “real” Alien sequel, while Scott’s would carry on the torch for the Prometheus spinoff. Scott’s new plan may have put him too close to Blomkamp’s, making the latter unnecessary. Blomkamp’s tweet does refer to his project as being in “holding,” so it’s not out of the realm of possibility that he’ll be back to work on it after Alien: Paradise Lost. But maybe don’t hold your breath.

In January, Blomkamp unveiled a trove of concept art from an Alien project he said he’d been working on. The designs got the fandom buzzing, and in February 20th Century Fox officially announced that it had set Blomkamp to direct an Alien movie with Scott producing. Some overlap between Blomkamp’s project and Scott’s was probably inevitable, and indeed, Blomkamp let slip in March that he’d had to tweak his concept a bit to get out of Scott’s way.

With Scott’s 'Alien: Paradise Lost' gearing up for an early 2016 shoot, it would’ve been 2017 at the earliest before cameras rolled on Blomkamp’s Alien sequel. And even then, things could’ve gotten complicated with Scott’s plans for further Prometheus sequels. Earlier, the idea was for Blomkamp to keep working on the Alien script while Scott finished up his movie, but clearly it’s been decided that even that’s not worth it anymore.

So with Blomkamp off Alien, where’s he headed next? He hasn’t said, but maybe now would be a good time to return to his long-promised 'District 10'. 'District 9' was the movie that put him on the map, and so far he hasn’t had much luck outside that world; he’s coming off of two duds in a row ('Elysium' and 'Chappie'). Whatever he does next, here’s hoping he stays far away from the script. Ideas, world-building, unique visuals — those are his strengths. Screenwriting, not so much.

http://www.slashfilm.com/neill-blomkamp-alien-on-hold/

Writer John Logan Tasked with Rewriting 'Alien: Paradise Lost'
11 November 2015



Three-time Academy Award nominee Spectre writer John Logan has reportedly been brought on board to rewrite the screenplay.

The news about Logan joining the project is buried in a much larger Variety article about Scott receiving a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. Here’s what we know: Scott and Logan are currently revising the 'Alien: Paradise Lost' screenplay, beating things into shape for the film’s February start date. Beyond that, all is speculation.

Logan is an interesting writer with a huge range. He received Oscar nods for writing and co-writing 'Gladiator', 'The Aviator', and 'Hugo', but his credits include other critical favorites like 'The Last Samurai', 'Sweeney Todd', and 'Rango'. He’s also the mastermind behind Showtime’s 'Penny Dreadful', which has grown to be one of television’s most giddily entertaining shows. Reactions to his recent contributions to the James Bond mythos with 'Skyfall' and 'Spectre' have been thoroughly mixed.

'Alien: Paradise Lost' remains shrouded in mystery. We know that it will be a direct sequel to 'Prometheus', following Noomi Rapace‘s Elizabeth Shaw and Michael Fassbender‘s David as they continue their quest into the darkest, weirdest corners of outer space. We also know that they will meet up with a new batch of human meat sacks who will probably meet unpleasant ends. And that Scott used his considerable influence to all-but-kill director Neill Blomkamp’s proposed 'Aliens' sequel. Whatever he plans to do with the Alien series, Scott means business. No one else is allowed in his playground.

Logan carries an air of respectability with him. He’s a strong writer with a mostly strong body of work. We have no idea what he’ll bring to something as unique as the Alien series, but that only makes us more curious to find out.

'Alien: Paradise Lost' is set for a May 30, 2017 release date.

http://www.slashfilm.com/alien-paradise ... ohn-logan/

Too bad we don't get to have 2 alien movies.