Ridley Scott’s ALIEN Prequel Is Dead And PROMETHEUS Has Risen From The Ashes!

Remember that ALIEN prequel that Ridley Scott has been working on with LOST scribe Damon Lindelof? And remember how it was supposed to be two films, then shrunk to one, then changed into something called PARADISE and then reverted back to two films? Well, forget all that, because the ALIEN prequel is officially dead…sort of.

Turns out that what did start as a prequel to Scott’s own ALIEN has actually turned into something else. Something that Fox is actually putting the money up to finance. Shocker, right? According to Deadline, while Scott and Lindelof were working on the prequel script, the idea became bigger than just a mere ALIEN prequel and they were instructed to pursue it by the higher ups at Fox. From that, PROMETHEUS was born.

But wait, there’s more! Not only does the new script have a title, but it has also nabbed a star in the form of Noomi Rapace (THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATTOO) and apparently both Charlize Theron and Angelina Jolie are circling the second lead in the film. Oh, and the flick has also landed a release date: March 9th, 2012.

Here’s a little bit more about the project from the mouths of Scott and Lindelof:

Ridley explained the outlines of the film and its genesis as follows: “While Alien was indeed the jumping off point for this project, out of the creative process evolved a new, grand mythology and universe in which this original story takes place. The keen fan will recognize strands of Alien’s DNA, so to speak, but the ideas tackled in this film are unique, large and provocative. I couldn't be more pleased to have found the singular tale I'd been searching for, and finally return to this genre that's so close to my heart.”

Says Lindelof: "In a world flooded with prequels, sequels and reboots, I was incredibly struck by just how original Ridley's vision was for this movie. It's daring, visceral and hopefully, the last thing anyone expects. When I sat in a movie theater as a kid, feet raised off the floor for fear that something might grab my ankles, I never dreamed in my wildest imagination I would one day get to collaborate with the man responsible for it. Working alongside him has been nothing short of a dream come true."

I guess I’m psyched to see Scott going with something more original than an ALIEN prequel, but I’m worried about that “strands of Alien’s DNA” statement. Does this mean that PROMETHEUS takes place in ALIEN universe, but just that isn’t a prequel? Or is it a prequel and they aren’t calling it one? Maybe the ALIEN moniker will be slapped on it before release? Who knows?

The only reason that I think this is still an ALIEN prequel (or even, dare I say, a reboot of the franchise) and that Scott might be cleverly wording his statements is because Fox is financing this thing. And Fox, sorry to say, has a nasty tendency to lie about their films.

Consider the fact that X-MEN: FIRST CLASS isn’t being called a reboot even though it is clearly one because it is set in the 60s (nearly 30 years before the first X-MEN film) and features a teen version of Cyclops (who was already shown as a teen, in the 70s, in WOLVERINE which was an official prequel to the original X-Trilogy). Or consider that CAESAR: RISE OF THE APES (set to hit theaters later this year) isn’t being called a prequel to PLANET OF THE APES despite the fact that it clearly is. Both Fox films, both coming out this year, both shrouded in cleverly worded lies.

Hmmm…sidetracked a bit there, didn’t I? Facts are, PROMETHEUS is the ALIEN prequel. They may not title it as such and Fox might try to keep that little factoid in the dark until release, but considering Scott’s statements, I think it’s safe to say that the two films are one in the same. And by that I mean, Scott is being given a little more free reign to go crazy with this idea and then Fox will package it as they see fit.

Anyone care to see the official press release? Well, if you do, check below. If you don’t, feel free to move along.

Los Angeles (January 14, 2011) Twentieth Century Fox announced today that Ridley Scott will direct PROMETHEUS, an original science fiction epic, for worldwide release on March 9, 2012. The initial draft of the script was written by Jon Spaihts (The Darkest Hour) from Scott’s idea. Damon Lindelof (Lost, Star Trek) and Scott have since been working together on the current version which has expanded the story into new directions.

Story details are being closely guarded so as not to spoil surprises for moviegoers, but Scott explained the outlines of the film and its genesis as follows: “While Alien was indeed the jumping off point for this project, out of the creative process evolved a new, grand mythology and universe in which this original story takes place. The keen fan will recognize strands of Alien’s DNA, so to speak, but the ideas tackled in this film are unique, large and provocative. I couldn’t be more pleased to have found the singular tale I’d been searching for, and finally return to this genre that’s so close to my heart.”

“In a world flooded with prequels, sequels and reboots,” said Lindelof. “I was incredibly struck by just how original Ridley’s vision was for this movie. It’s daring, visceral and hopefully, the last thing anyone expects. When I sat in a movie theater as a kid, feet raised off the floor for fear that something might grab my ankles, I never dreamed in my wildest imagination I would one day get to collaborate with the man responsible for it. Working alongside him has been nothing short of a dream come true.”

Of the five major roles to be cast, Noomi Rapace is the first actor signed to star in the film. The young Swedish actress landed the role of scientist Elizabeth Shaw after Scott saw her portrayal of fictional Lisbeth Salander in the film The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo, for which she was lauded by Time magazine as a 2010 Performance of the Year. Rapace starred in all three entries of the breakout global franchise based on Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy of books (The Girl Who Played with Fire and The Girl Who Kicked the Hornet’s Nest are the other two entries), which have collectively grossed more than $212 million worldwide.

[via Deadline]