It looks like we finally get an update on that mysterious Alien project in development for FX and Hulu. Last year in December, it was revealed that Legion‘s Noah Hawley is tackling the project that would return to the nightmarish galaxy created by Ridley Scott in 1979. Not much was known about the project or how it would approach its story, especially as the franchise was tightly connected to the family lineage of Sigourney Weaver‘s Ellen Ripley. Even the Alien: Isolation game continued the story from the perspective of a Ripley family member continuing the tradition. Well, it seems that we won’t expect Weaver‘s return as Hawley confirmed it will not be 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.
The last quote is quite interesting, as most stories try to keep the Xenomorph threat contained. Exploring their spread throughout the galaxy or even a planet would create a very new experience for long-time fans of the franchise. He also went on to say what the main focus of this story will be.
On some level, it’s also a story about inequality. In mine, you’re also going to see the people who are sending [the people who have to do the dirty work]. So you will see what happens when the inequality we’re struggling with now isn’t resolved. If we as a society can’t figure out how to prop each other up and spread the wealth, then what’s going to happen to us?
It’s a curious direction as the world-building in the Alien franchise mostly surrounded the creature rather than the humans. Yes, we know about the Weyland-Yutani Corporation and got glimpses of Earth, but it never was the focus. Utilizing the long-story format will break those restrictions and offer a truly unique experience in the claustrophobic franchise. Still, it wouldn’t be the same with some dangerous corridors.
Source: Vanity Fair
