We’ve been eagerly anticipating the Alien prequel series from Noah Hawley for a long time.
The long-gestating project has had several bumps in the road, but thankfully, it’s finally beginning to take shape.
As a result, we’ve rounded up everything there is to know about the series that will take us into the universe before Sigourney Weaver made her mark as Ripley.
Alien: Will the FX Series Feature Sigourney Weaver as Ripley?
Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley was the main attraction of the countless movies, but don’t expect Ripley to be a part of this story.
According to FX, the new series takes place long before Ripley is in space.
“Alien takes place before Ripley. It’s the first story that takes place in the Alien franchise on Earth,” said FX exec John Landgraf to Deadline in 2022.
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“So, it takes place on our planet. Right near the end of this century we’re in — so 70-odd years from now.”
“Ripley won’t be a part of it or any of the other characters of Alien other than the alien itself.”
“Noah has this incredible ability, and I think you’ve seen it with Fargo, to both find a way of being faithful, showing fidelity to an original creation like a Coen brothers’ movie, or in this case, Ridley Scott’s and James Cameron’s follow-up, Aliens, but also to bring something new to the table that represents extension and reinvention of a franchise at the same time.”
It’s not a surprise we won’t be meeting a younger iteration of Ripley because this story is supposed to kickstart a whole new chapter in the Alien universe.
Bringing Ripley in would detract from the other new characters because people would probably tune in for the iconic character.
However, we wouldn’t mind an appearance from Ripley down the line, possibly a cameo if the series stands the test of time.
Many new series don’t survive their first season, but the hope here is that the creatives manage to craft a compelling chapter that will stand the test of time.
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Do I Need to Watch the Alien Movies to Watch the Series?
No. Thanks to how the series is designed, it will be accessible to new and old viewers.
This doesn’t mean there won’t be ties to the movies, but they should serve as easter eggs more than anything else.
FX’s Alien Cast: Who’s In?
Now that we know who isn’t in the cast, it’s time to look at who will be on the show.
– Essie Davis as Dame Silvia
– Alex Lawther as CJ
– Samuel Blenkin as Boy Kavalier
– Sydney Chandler as Wendy
– Adarsh Gourav as Slightly
– Kit Young as Tootles
– Timothy Olyphant as Kirsh
We’re sure this cast will grow, so bookmark this page for all the latest casting news.
Alien: Where is it Set?
While plot details are being kept well under wraps until closer to transmission, we know the series adaptation will take us to Earth.
That doesn’t sound too out of this world, but it means there’s a good chance we’ll be watching some form of alien crash-landing on Earth and unleashing plenty of drama.
Naturally, that leads to many narrative possibilities as we see an Earth in the not-too-distant future coming to grips with aliens.
Apple TV+’s polarizing drama series Invasion has that covered, so we’re hopeful that FX’s Alien is a nice change of pace.
Noah Hawley consistently delivers stellar TV series, so we’re inclined to believe this will be an alien series unlike any other.
Beyond the setting, we don’t know how the incredible cast of characters fits into this world, which is interesting.
Knowing so little makes us want to know more, so we hope plenty of answers are on the horizon when the promotional train gets underway.
Is Filming Underway on FX’s Alien?
Production on the first season got underway earlier this year, but it was halted quickly due to the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strikes.
With the strikes resolved, filming is expected to resume in Thailand early next year, meaning the series is probably still a pretty long way off.
When Will Alien Premiere?
With production of the series being halted due to the strikes and it yet to get back underway, there’s a good chance we won’t see the series in 2024.
There are a couple of reasons for that, but the most important is that there will likely be a lengthy post-production process due to the VFX required to tell the story.
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For that reason alone, we shouldn’t expect the series to premiere before 2025.
Where Can I Watch Alien?
The series will be marked as an FX original series but will air on Hulu.
It follows in the footsteps of shows like The Bear and A Murder at the End of the World in that they don’t air on the linear cable network.
This doesn’t mean FX has any less faith in the project; it’s just another sign of the deep ties between Disney and Hulu.
Is There a Trailer for FX’s Alien?
Alien had barely started filming before being shut down due to the strikes, so there is no material for FX to market the show.
We probably won’t get any footage from the series for a long time.
We’ll update this page when the first footage is released.
What are your thoughts on the first details for Alien?
Hit the comments.
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Paul Dailly is the Associate Editor for TV Fanatic. Follow him on X.
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