Ridley Scott's Alien Prequel Not an Alien Movie After All; Now Titled Prometheus with Noomi Rapace Confirmed in a Leading Role
Posted 01.15.11 by BrentJS
Forget everything you've heard about Ridley Scott's Alien Prequel, which was supposedly going to tell the story behind the mysterious "Space Jockey" corpse glimpsed in Alien. According to a recent press release from Fox, Scott is working on a new sci-fi movie that began as a prequel to Alien, but the project has morphed into a totally new movie called Prometheus that will have no direct ties to the face-hugging franchise.
In the release, Scott said that the idea that he originally conceived, which became the Alien prequel script by Jon Spaihts, "evolved" beyond the bounds of the Alien universe after he and writer Damon Lindelof began to refine the concept.
While Alien was indeed the jumping off point for this project, out of the creative process evolved a new, grand mythology and universe in which this original story takes place. The keen fan will recognize strands of Alien’s DNA, so to speak, but the ideas tackled in this film are unique, large and provocative. I couldn't be more pleased to have found the singular tale I'd been searching for, and finally return to this genre that's so close to my heart.
Lindelof said that working with Scott is "a dream come true" and that Prometheus will surprise people.
In a world flooded with prequels, sequels and reboots. I was incredibly struck by just how original Ridley's vision was for this movie. It's daring, visceral and hopefully, the last thing anyone expects. When I sat in a movie theater as a kid, feet raised off the floor for fear that something might grab my ankles, I never dreamed in my wildest imagination I would one day get to collaborate with the man responsible for it.
The release also offered official confirmation that Noomi Rapace (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo) will star in one of the "five major roles" in the movie as a scientist named Elizabeth Shaw. No other names were mentioned in connection with the other four roles, but Deadline is reporting that Charlize Theron and Angelina Jolie are both "circling" the other big female lead role of "Vickers."
No date was given for the start of production, but Fox has slated Prometheus for release on March 9, 2012.