An ALIEN prequel or not an ALIEN prequel. That has been the question.
Ridley Scott’s PROMETHEUS has been bathed in an atmosphere of severe secrecy ever since it was first revealed that he and Damon Lindelof had reworked the proposed ALIEN prequel (written by Jon Spaights) to such a degree that the project couldn’t even been considered a prequel anymore. Yet it’s been impossible to let go of the notion that it exists within the same universe as the ALIEN films, because no one – cast, especially – has been willing, or allowed, to set the record straight. But that all changes for certain today.
The good folks at Slashfilm got a hold of an interview Lindelof did on The Kevin Pollak Chat Show and pulled some revealing quotes regarding PROMETHEUS and its relation to ALIEN. Lindelof says some very bright things about prequels and the Alien series, which makes me optimistic for PROMETHEUS – well, even more optimistic than I already was.
“It started as an Alien prequel. That is what everybody wanted it to be. Obviously, Ridley Scott has not made a science fiction movie in 25 years, since Blade Runner, so the idea that he’s returning to this genre is huge. But there is a real issue which is — what is the state of the Alien franchise at this point in our lives? There has been Alien vs. Predator and all these things, and its been completely and totally diluted. I’ve always felt that really good prequels should be original movies. And the sequels to those prequels should not be the movie which already exists because, with all due respect to anyone who makes a prequel, but why would you ruin the greatest twist in the history of cinema, “Luke, I am your father”, by showing me three movies which basically spoil that surprise. You can do movies which take place before Star Wars, but I don’t need to see the story of the Skywalker clan. Show me something else which I can’t guess the possible outcome of. There is no suspense in inevitability. So a true prequel should essentially proceed the events of the original film, but be about something entirely different, feature different characters , have an entirely different theme, although it takes place in that same world. That was my fundamental feeling about what this movie wanted to be.”
Here’s some more: “But I also do feel that this movie is the movie I would want to see as a fanboy, take place in that Alien universe, which precedes the events of the original Alien, but is not necessarily burdened by all the tropes of that franchise with Facehuggers and Chestbursters, and all that stuff that I love… but its sorta like, we’ve seen it before, can we do something different this time? And thats the movie that Ridley wanted to make.”
So yes, it will sit alongside the other ALIEN films on your shelf when it hits DVD, but no, you’re not going to be experiencing the same old shite with this movie. Sounds like a plan to me.
To read the entire article, head on over to Slashfilm.
PROMETHEUS hits theaters on JUNE 8, 2012. It stars Noomi Rapace, Michael Fassbender, Guy Pearce, Idris Elba and Charlize Theron (pictured below).