2012’s ‘Prometheus’.
Following the past few years where it felt like only Ridley Scott was allowed to make an ‘Alien’ film, Fede Álvarez finally managed to convince him that someone else deserved a chance in March, with his own concept.
Little was known what it was, but when the news first broke, 20th Century Studios boss Steve Asbell commented that Scott and the studio had been convinced by the director’s tone, which would include “a bunch of characters like you’ve never seen before. ”.
And now it appears that one of those groups will be played by Cailee Spaeny. The actor who has appeared in films such as ‘Pacific Rim: Uprising’, ‘On the Basis of Sex’ and ‘Bad Times at the El Royale’, is now in talks for an unknown role in the film.
With Álvarez having sent a draft of his latest script to Scott and the studio, momentum is building for this one, and shooting is set to begin next year. While the rest of the cast was put together through auditions and test screenings, Spaeny had been the favorite for the lead role after meeting Álvarez and the producers.
The new film will not directly follow the original horror/space action film series that began with Scott’s ‘Alien’ in 1979, nor will it continue the story in the directorial prequel ‘Prometheus’ (Scott continues to say he’ll make others themselves). Instead, it will be set in the same universe following a series of new characters dealing with facehugger/xenomorph terror.
Kristen Stewart arrives on the 94th Oscars® red carpet at the Dolby Theater at Ovation Hollywood in Los Angeles, CA, on Sunday, March 27, 2022. Photo: Michael Baker / AMPAS
In related Scott Free news, there are new details about a film that we don’t believe will feature a slave creature with acid for blood or a chest bursting open in a torrent of bodily fluids.
Kristen Stewart, who cut her directing teeth on short films for the company, has now sealed a deal to make her feature directorial debut with ‘The Chronology of Water’, which will star Imogen Poots.
Stewart also worked with Andy Mingo on the script, which adapted Lidia Yuknavitch’s memoir.
The tome is described as a lyrical journey through a life saved by art. A young woman finds her voice through the written word and her survival as a swimmer – eventually becoming a triumphant modern teacher, mother and writer.
“Lydia’s memoir honors physical experience, in a radical way,” Stewart said in a statement carried by Deadline. “To make that physical experience feel important to me and what this urge means… is that it absolutely has to be a film. This project has been cooking for five years with the help of Scott Free, whom I am very fortunate to have as a partner and friend. Imogen Poots will carry this film and Lidia’s surprising weight to life. He can hold it. I am very lucky to have him.”
Ridley Scott on the set of ‘Alien’ in 1979.
