A new day dawns on sci-fi's most iconic franchise
Another installment in the cult-classic Alien series is bound for theaters. On May 19, 2017, Alien: Covenant will be released in North America. Directed by Ridley Scott and starring such big names as Michael Fassbender, Katherine Waterston, and James Franco, the new movie promises to be as heart-poundingly terrifying as its infamous predecessors.
According to plotlines released by Twentieth Century Fox, the film follows the crew of the colony ship Covenant, which consists entirely of couples hoping to start a new life on a distant planet. The crew stumbles upon a lush planet that appears to be a lost paradise. However, upon further exploration, they discover that this beautiful planet is actually a dangerous world inhabited by David, the lone survivor of the expedition depicted in the 2012 film Prometheus. Trapped on the hostile surface, the crew must mount a daring escape… or perish.
Ridley Scott welcomes 'Prometheus' back into the Alien universe
In a bold move, director Ridley Scott announced in November 2015 that Alien: Covenant is meant to be the second in a new Alien trilogy that acts as a prequel to the first film. Despite the 2012 film’s substandard performance and disassociation from the franchise, Scott seems to have allowed Prometheus to reclaim its seat in the Alien universe as the first installment of this new trilogy.
Concerns continue to mount that Covenant will be a repeat of Prometheus, and some fans have sworn off the film altogether for fear of another disappointment. However, long-time fans of the franchise are willing to give Scott, and Alien, another chance.
A return to legendary status?
Many fans hope that the new sequel will help mend some of the hard times that have befallen the franchise in recent years and return the films to their rightful place as compulsive viewing in the sci-fi genre. However, many critics are skeptical of the film’s potential success, considering its closeness to what may be considered a major flop.
Some rumors suggest that the film embodies features from the 1979 film, and that the original xenomorph will be glimpsed on-screen for the first time since Alien: Resurrection (1997). Other rumors suggest that Alien: Covenant will feature a whole new type of xenomorph, and may attempt to differentiate itself from the other films in style and plotline.
However, none of these claims have been substantiated by 20th Century Fox or any of the other companies involved in the film’s production, so it seems that we’ll have to wait until May for the real answers.
All in all, no one is really sure what this new movie will bring to the franchise. Whether it will be a new jewel in the Alien crown or another dent in the franchise’s image remains to be seen. You can get the scoop on the film from the Official Alien Facebook page, or the official Twitter or Instagram.
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