Michael Fassbender Discusses Prometheus and X-Men: First Class
Posted 02.27.11 by BrentJS
Is it or isn't it? Is acclaimed director Ridley Scott's new sci-fi movie, Prometheus, part of the Alien universe that Scott helped launch as the director of the 1979 classic movie or is it something altogether different? That's the big question.
Originally written by Jon Spaihts, Prometheus started off as a prequel to Alien, but Scott began distancing it from the face-hugging movies early on, most likely because of the downward spiral the franchise took after Aliens. Then, last month, Scott announced the new title of the movie—the word "alien" being notably absent—and said that the script had "evolved" into "a new, grand mythology and universe in which this original story takes place" after he and Damon Lindelof began tinkering with it.
An unconfirmed source supposedly close to the project has since come out and said that it definitely takes place in the same world as Alien, but without confirmation of the source's identity there's no telling how valid the information is. However, Michael Fassbender, who was the second actor to join the production after Noomi Rapace, recently discussed Prometheus with EW and made it pretty clear that, yes, Prometheus is connected to the Alien franchise.
It’s a different story, but it’s also got the traditional roots. Alien fans will recognize things in it. It’s not ignoring Alien, there’s still a link to that world. But it’s a different story. It’s definitely connected, though.
Fassbender said that he is a huge fan of the early Alien movies, as well as Scott's 1982 adaptation of Philip K. Dick's Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?
[I'm a fan of] Alien and Aliens, both of them. And Blade Runner, which I recently watched again. I’m really looking forward to stepping into a Ridley sci-fi world. And the script is really intelligent and has a nice pace to it. Plus, if I’m honest with you, I sort of approach my work as a fan. I’m a massive movie fan and I like to go on an adventure ride as much as I like to see something that has a bit of social commentary to it.
And, speaking of androids, Fassbender is rumored to be playing an android named David in Prometheus, but would not go so far as to confirm this, at least not verbally. According to EW's Chris Nashawaty, Fassbender did confirm the role by nodding "affirmatively" while saying the following:
I don’t know what I can say! I don’t want to get into trouble…
Before appearing in Prometheus, Fassbender will be headlining another major movie franchise as Erik Lehnsherr, aka Magneto, in Matthew Vaughn's X-Men franchise prequel, X-Men: First Class. In an earlier interview, Fassbender said that the chance to reunite with James McAvoy, who he previously worked with on Band of Brothers and who will be playing Magneto's friend-turned-enemy, Charles "Prof. X" Xavier, in the movie, was a big draw for him to sign on to First Class. In the interview with EW, Fassbender said appearing in First Class is also a good move for him career-wise.
I’m in a certain place in my career where a movie like X-Men is sort of the next natural step. It’s not like I’m thinking, Oh, this will raise my IMDB rating or whatever it is. The fact is, I want to have more control over my career and something like X-Men opens me up to a wider audience. Plus, a big movie like that (and Prometheus) scares the piss out of me. And if you’re not getting scared then you’re not succeeding.
X-Men: First Class is currently in post-production, slated to open June 3rd. Prometheus has not yet gone into production, but a release date of June 8, 2012 has been set for the movie.