Alien: Covenant (2017)

[greg_achen]

Originally Posted by Thomas Guycott

Do we really need an actual prequel to Alien? I think the original film starts its story well enough on its own without needing any additional, redundant setup.

And I always took the bit with the Deacon at the very end to be nothing more than a stinger; just something to make the audience go "oh shit!"

Do we need a prequel to Alien? No. But I did enjoy the original script for Prometheus and still ultimately enjoy what became of the final film.

And that last shot of the Deacon was more than just an "oh shit moment," it follows the main theme of the film: the unintended, unpredictable side effect of creation. Engineers created humans, humans created robots, and the actions of a robot ultimately created a new bastardized species. Storywise, the whole point of David infecting Holloway... the whole point of Shaw being infertile... the whole point of Shaw then being impregnated... the whole point of the Trilobite... was the buildup to the creation and birth of the Deacon. Taking away that last shot pretty much makes those aforementioned plot points irrelevant to the film. If you are going to remove the Deacon, you might as well remove David infecting Holloway and the resulting consequences of that action (which takes up a huge chunk of the film). Though David didn't infect Holloway with the intent to create the Deacon, an obviously unforeseen consequence, the payoff to that particular subplot was always designed to be the Deacon and wasn't just a mere afterthought tacked on.

[duggie walker]

Scott is full of shit. The alien design is worn out but the "squid" design isn't? Or the "tall blue men" design? I was honestly shocked how unoriginal those concepts were.

And if the Giger Alien's so worn out, why revive it for the climax of the film? And now tell people they won't be seeing it again? This whole saga has been a creative clusterf**k.

I'm still calling it like I've called it all this thread: IF a sequel happens - and that won't be opening in early 2016 - Scott won't direct. After EXODUS, he's doing THE MARTIAN. After that - if it comes down to a choice (and he doesn't do something else entirely) - he'll do BLADE RUNNER 2 () before PROMETHEUS 2. No way he's going to do three science-fiction movies in a row; and no way Fox will wait that long either.

And nobody can crack the PROMETHEUS 2 screenplay. The first film was nonsensical and fundamentally undramatic. It's a narrative cul-de-sac. There's no appetite in the general public to see a sequel anyway, only to see another ALIEN movie, and Scott just ruled that out.

[aiman04]

I just hope they completely detach this from Alien universe.

And get somebody who can actually write.

[levcore]

Originally Posted by duggie walker

Scott is full of shit. The alien design is worn out but the "squid" design isn't? Or the "tall blue men" design? I was honestly shocked how unoriginal those concepts were.

And if the Giger Alien's so worn out, why revive it for the climax of the film? And now tell people they won't be seeing it again? This whole saga has been a creative clusterf**k.

I'm still calling it like I've called it all this thread: IF a sequel happens - and that won't be opening in early 2016 - Scott won't direct. After EXODUS, he's doing THE MARTIAN. After that - if it comes down to a choice (and he doesn't do something else entirely) - he'll do BLADE RUNNER 2 () before PROMETHEUS 2. No way he's going to do three science-fiction movies in a row; and no way Fox will wait that long either.

And nobody can crack the PROMETHEUS 2 screenplay. The first film was nonsensical and fundamentally undramatic. It's a narrative cul-de-sac. There's no appetite in the general public to see a sequel anyway, only to see another ALIEN movie, and Scott just ruled that out.

This. I love Prometheus despite all of its faults but it really paints itself into a bit of a corner by the end. Unless the next movie features new characters (probably the best thing they could do) i can't see how the story can really progress.

[JimDiGriz]

Originally Posted by levcore

This. I love Prometheus despite all of its faults but it really paints itself into a bit of a corner by the end. Unless the next movie features new characters (probably the best thing they could do) i can't see how the story can really progress.

Im not entirely sure a sequel is needed even though I liked Prometheus a lot.

[SirMontyPython]

Originally Posted by JimDiGriz

Im not entirely sure a sequel is needed even though I liked Prometheus a lot.

Whether you're sure or not a sequel's needed, a sequel is confirmed, and I'm looking forward to this movie. I'm curious how the Deacon's going to be involved in the 2nd movie, if at all (maybe he finds the black goo or the worm and the Deacon gets impregnated, I don't know...would that planet be revisited by the Engineers again...who knows?), and what Shaw is going to find at the Engineer's home planet (maybe they'll experiment on her if she's captured? Again, speculation...). Seriously, there's so much that can be done based on the setup of Prometheus, I'm giddy just thinking about it!

[JimDiGriz]

Originally Posted by SirMontyPython

Whether you're sure or not a sequel's needed, a sequel is confirmed, and I'm looking forward to this movie. I'm curious how the Deacon's going to be involved in the 2nd movie, if at all (maybe he finds the black goo or the worm and the Deacon gets impregnated, I don't know...would that planet be revisited by the Engineers again...who knows?), and what Shaw is going to find at the Engineer's home planet (maybe they'll experiment on her if she's captured? Again, speculation...). Seriously, there's so much that can be done based on the setup of Prometheus, I'm giddy just thinking about it!

Dont get me wrong, I want to see a sequel too. Im not one of those Prometheus-haters by any means (there's enough of those!)

[The Debts]

Originally Posted by JimDiGriz

Dont get me wrong, I want to see a sequel too. Im not one of those Prometheus-haters by any means (there's enough of those!)

The IMDB boards.....OH GOD the boards.....

[Johnny Blu]

I thought Prometheus answered the question of the Xenomorph's origin perfectly, especially to the tie in to Alien. However, I'm very curious as to the possibilities to what the next movie can bring. Elizabeth and David are searching for the Engineers, by using a ship that possibly contains as many containers of black liquid as the one they destroyed. Then again, maybe the ship their flying has a different substance that the Engineers banned from their on planet too. If the combination of the black liquid and a human can make a Xenomorph, then what can the combination of the same liquid do with an Engineer? I'm sure the Engineers already know the danger, which is why it was sent to another planet.

On a side note, this would have been an interesting tie in to the creation of the Predators, especially considering the AVP franchise. However, in no way do I even remotely believe Ridley Scott has this in mind.

[duggie walker]

Originally Posted by aiman04

I just hope they completely detach this from Alien universe.

And get somebody who can actually write.

But as I've said before, I don't think Lindelof can shoulder all the blame here, or even most of it: No writer - with the possible exception of Cormac McCarthy, whom Scott venerates - gets final say on a Ridley Scott screenplay.

When Ridley Scott gets a boner for seeing the alien ship roll after the two protagonists, then you have to write that, no matter how nonsensical it is or how contrived the screenplay has to be to allow it. If you refuse, you're gone, simple as that. And Scott's right in a way - it's a cool visual and it made for an exciting trailer - but audiences found it ludicrous in context and Lindelof gets the blame: The reviews say "great visuals but terrible screenplay".

Listen to the commentary on the PROMETHEUS disc or watch the extras - Lindelof is diplomatic but you can see his frustration at some of the creative decisions he was forced to work around just because Ridley had come up with some random idea in the limo to work. He could've walked but that's not easy to do: He really admires Scott, for his legacy and visual sense, for a start; and walking off a film like that is worse for your career than getting fired.

What I'm saying is that Scott's the problem, not the writers, and as long as he's involved, you're not out of the woods. And it doesn't bode well for BLADE RUNNER 2. Scott saying a screenplay is "terrific" has zero currency, imo.

[Chaotic]

It would be nice if Scott used the xenomorph like he did in Alien. They xenos were constantly on screen in the sequels and AVP. so thats probably why he feels this way.

[bluearth]

The alien design is like Godzilla or zombies. Its enduring. For some they may be played out because of the countless bad films made starring those creatures. But theres always room for different, exciting new takes on them.

I cant condemn Scott's belief that the design is finished. To him, it is. Only problem is he had a chance in Prometheus to show us something newer and exciting and he failed miserably. The alien design was still so much better and interesting then anything seen in that movie.

To me the whole concept of the Engineers is silly and I have no interest in seeing any future films about them. Prometheus or its sequels are not part of the Alien universe in my book.

[X400]

I dont think a sequel is needed either but I WANT a sequel!

I loved Prom and would want more, I don't need them to make it anymore of an Aliens sequel than Prom was, I think that bit at the end was enough let's concentrate on the "new, old" guys

[detective392]

‘Prometheus’ Sequel to Introduce New Alien

Back in October Noomi Rapace, who plays Elizabeth Shaw in Prometheus, exclaimed that God or [the] Devil in Ridley Scott’s planned sequel.

Scott refutes this a bit in a new interview with The Australian. In it, he explains that the script, which is “written (and)…really good,” is “fresh” and “getting away from gods and dragons and shit. If I see one more dragon I’m going to shoot myself. Stop the dragons.”

Scott describes his original Alien as “the definitive dragon and he’s a motherf . . ker. The alien’s real which is why it’s probably one of the scariest monsters in film history,” Scott says. “So with Prometheus 2 what I’m trying to do is reintroduce a fresher form of alien in the third act.” The Prometheus “baby” alien was, he concedes, “awfully close to the alien” that tormented Sigourney Weaver. His next one promises to be very different.

Recapping, Rapace says we may see God and The Devil. Scott says he’s staying away from Gods and dragons, while adding that we’ll see a new alien creature. I prefer to know nothing about Prometheus 2, so hopefully they can keep the storyline shrouded in mystery as they did with the first.

Do you guys want to see anything in particular in the sequel?

[wormraper]

Originally Posted by detective392

‘Prometheus’ Sequel to Introduce New Alien

oh sweet lord... Scott's gone all Lucas on us (basically going batshit crazy)..

[Tronald Dump]

This sounds like crap.

[ZoetMB]

I don't think you can rely upon anything Scott says. Didn't he also keep claiming that Prometheus was not a prequel to Alien? I think he purposely misdirects the public either because he finds it funny or because he doesn't really know everything he's going to do as yet.

If the next film does continue the story of the engineers (which I'd actually like to know about), he's got to explain why the engineer brought back to life in the last film acted like a thug. I've got a feeling there's no real rationalization for that. One can say that they had no more feelings for humans (and androids) than we have for small bugs, but if a bug brought me out of stasis after thousands of years, I'd probably not try to kill it.

The other problem is Shaw's rationale for wanting to find the engineers. I realize she wants to know why they were supposedly planning to kill us after creating us, but if you were attacked the way they were attacked by an engineer, would you think, "I have to talk to these guys!"?

I think at the end of the next film (assuming it's not a trilogy), Shaw has to become the mother Xenomorph we saw in Alien/Aliens. There can't really be a happy ending unless Alien/Aliens didn't exist in this universe.

[detective392]

Originally Posted by ZoetMB

I don't think you can rely upon anything Scott says. Didn't he also keep claiming that Prometheus was not a prequel to Alien? I think he purposely misdirects the public either because he finds it funny or because he doesn't really know everything he's going to do as yet.

If the next film does continue the story of the engineers (which I'd actually like to know about), he's got to explain why the engineer brought back to life in the last film acted like a thug. I've got a feeling there's no real rationalization for that. One can say that they had no more feelings for humans (and androids) than we have for small bugs, but if a bug brought me out of stasis after thousands of years, I'd probably not try to kill it.

The other problem is Shaw's rationale for wanting to find the engineers. I realize she wants to know why they were supposedly planning to kill us after creating us, but if you were attacked the way they were attacked by an engineer, would you think, "I have to talk to these guys!"?

I think at the end of the next film (assuming it's not a trilogy), Shaw has to become the mother Xenomorph we saw in Alien/Aliens. There can't really be a happy ending unless Alien/Aliens didn't exist in this universe.

Prometheus was always an Alien prequel and I remember Scott saying that many times.

He did say that Prometheus 2 would get away from the Alien world and start to stand on it's own so I don't see Shaw becoming the mother Xenomorph.

[esteban²]

Nothing wrong with Prometheus, I'm in for the second part. No question about it.

[spiderfan1985]

Originally Posted by The Debts

The IMDB boards.....OH GOD the boards.....

Why I'm glad I'm not a member there. That's on every movie. There was a guy blowing up the Big Hero 6 board with thread after thread after thread just to trash the movie before it came out and say Interstellar was going to beat it. That guy was proven wrong and justice prevails. This site has its trolls, but from what I can see it's nowhere near what IMDB deals with. Good gracious alive!