Noah Hawley says that the upcoming FX Alien series will not be a Ripley story.
The Alien franchise is one that has not had the wind in its sails in a long time. While Alien 3 has its fans, it is generally considered to be the lesser of the original three films. Its follow-up, Alien: Resurrection also failed to measure up to its predecessors before the franchise took a long break.
Since then the xenomorphs were featured in the Alien vs. Predator films and hinted at in the 2012 film, Prometheus. The xenomorphs made a full return in Alien: Covenant which was not well received by audiences and critics. While director Ridley Scott had follow-ups to the film planned, its underperformance at the box-office and the acquisition of Fox by Disney made those in charge of the franchise rethink its direction.
Last December, Disney officially revealed that Fargo and Legion creator Noah Hawley would be developing an Alien series for FX. While speaking to Vanity Fair Noah Hawley talked a bit about the upcoming series, revealing that the series’ iconic protagonist, Ellen Ripley, would not be returning to the franchise:
It’s not a Ripley story. She’s one of the great characters of all time, and I think the story has been told pretty perfectly, and I don’t want to mess with it. It’s a story that’s set on Earth also. The alien stories are always trapped… Trapped in a prison, trapped in a space ship. I thought it would be interesting to open it up a little bit so that the stakes of “What happens if you can’t contain it?” are more immediate.
Noah Hawley also revealed what kind of themes would be explored within the FX series:
On some level it’s also a story about inequality. You know, one of the things that I love about the first movie is how ’70s a movie it is, and how it’s really this blue collar space-trucker world in which Yaphet Kotto and Harry Dean Stanton are basically Waiting for Godot. They’re like Samuel Beckett characters, ordered to go to a place by a faceless nameless corporation. The second movie is such an ’80s movie, but it’s still about grunts. Paul Reiser is middle management at best. So, it is the story of the people you send to do the dirty work.
What do you all make of Noah Hawley’s words? Are you sad to hear that Ripley will not be in the upcoming Alien FX series? Let us know what you think in the comments below!
Here is the plot synopsis for the latest film in the franchise, Alien: Covenant:
Ridley Scott returns to the universe he created, with ALIEN: COVENANT, a new chapter in his groundbreaking ALIEN franchise. The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world. When they uncover a threat beyond their imagination, they must attempt a harrowing escape.
Directed by Ridley Scott from a script written by John Logan and Dante Harper, the film stars Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, Billy Crudup, Danny McBride, Demián Bichir, Carmen Ejogo, Amy Seimetz, Jussie Smollett, Callie Hernandez, Nathaniel Dean, Alexander England, and Benjamin Rigby.
Alien: Covenant is now available on Blu-Ray, DVD, and Digital HD. Stay tuned for all the latest information on the future of the Alien franchise and be sure to subscribe to Heroic Hollywood’s YouTube channel for more original video content.
Source: Vanity Fair
