Director Ridley Scott told the French entertainment website AlloCine that he has resumed work on a sequel to his 2017 film Alien: Covenant, stating that the science fiction franchise needs his help.
The veteran filmmaker said he returned to the project following the release of Alien: Romulus in 2024. Scott described director Fede Alvarez's recent science fiction horror film as not bad, but added that he felt compelled to step back in and assist the series.
Continuing the prequel story
Scott said he suddenly began working on the Covenant sequel again and already has a plan for the next film in place. He noted that they made Prometheus and then Covenant, so the new project will pick up exactly where Covenant left off.
The story will continue to follow the character played by Michael Fassbender. According to Scott, Fassbender's character now views himself as Ozymandias, referencing the titular king from Percy Bysshe Shelley's classic poem about the inevitable collapse of arrogant rulers and their empires.
Fassbender plays the android David in the prequel series, which began with the 2012 film Prometheus. Scott previously said the third film in this prequel arc will focus on the rogue android as he descends into madness and attempts to create a brave new world.
Franchise reception and future
Alien: Covenant debuted in 2017 to a mixed reception from both critics and audiences. The film currently holds an approval rating of 65 percent from reviewers and 55 percent from general users on the review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes.
The Alien franchise began with Scott's seminal 1979 film of the same name, which introduced audiences to the deadly Xenomorph creature. The series has since expanded to include numerous sequels, prequels and spinoffs directed by various filmmakers.
A release date for the upcoming Alien: Covenant sequel has not yet been announced.
