What would some sci-fi movie classics look like as pulp novels? Here are some answers from illustrator Timothy Anderson, who made these awesomely-convincing mock-ups of Blade Runner, Alien, and The Matrix as trashy book covers. Books: check 'em out.
Horse: not that scary. Mostly-naked man in a rubber horse mask, moving around like a maniac while video game music plays? Confirmed to be super fucking terrifying. Alien from the original Alien: already pretty scary. Mostly-naked man in a rubber alien mask, moving around like a maniac while video game music plays? You can probably guess.
Those of you familiar with the Alien franchise will likely recognize the name "Weyland-Yutani." Set up in the first film through logo only and implicitly referred to as "the company," and later fleshed out some by Paul Reiser and co., Weyland-Yutani played the Alien series' stock role as greedy corporate entity that values profit and alien egg acquisition over human life. (Reiser is the 1%, occupy planetoid LV-426, etc.) In Ridley Scott's Alien sort-of-prequel, Prometheus, Guy Pearce plays Peter Weyland, head of a pre-Yutani-merger Weyland Corporation. So, as a viral stunt, here's Pearce giving an in-character TED talk from the future, telling the titular story of Prometheus and describing his ambitions to create synthetic life. Compared to the usual TED talk, it comes across as pretty ominous. Weyland probably should have kept it a bit lighter by not saying man had become God, and maybe by wearing some casual jeans.
Back when Ridley Scott was tossing around the idea of Prometheus, long before it was going by such a demigodly title, the idea was for the film to be a prequel to Alien, finally explaining why there's that so-called "space jockey" character reclining in a weird chair in the first film. At some point, though, that seemed to change, and Scott and writer Damon Lindelof repeated insisted, no no, this is definitely not an Alien prequel--it's an original film with "strands of Alien DNA" connecting it to the Alien series like an Arby's employee's thin black hair creating a tenuous link between your beef & cheddar and curly fries.
Well, now that's a trailer for this thing is here, you can judge for yourself if this is an Alien movie or not. Sure, there are shots of suited, female-led space explorers examining a field of strange pods; and yeah, something seems to latch onto the face of one of these people; and there is a foreign, android crew member; and okay, I think that's a shot of the space jockey's chair thing at :39, sandwiched between shots of Charlize Theron doing a Leeloo impression; and man, isn't that even the same title treatment as Alien? BUT, this movie also has a giant horseshoe thing rolling around crushing shit. And, as was pointed out in the comments, that giant horseshoe thing is obviously just the derelict ship from Alien. But still, who are we to say there are definitely more than Alien strands in this?
[Updated with HD version]
Fox must have sorted out the issue of Michael Fassbender wanting too much scratch to be in Ridley Scott's Alien prequel, because the actor is now reportedly signed on to star opposite Noomi Rapace in the movie, titled Prometheus now that Ridley Scott decided it's not officially an Alien prequel anymore. Fassbender, who we'll soon see wearing a plastic cap and straps in X-Men: First Class, will play an android in the film--a character described as an early-model Lance Henriksen-bot back when this was still a proper prequel. Now that the plot is free from the constraints of prequel-dom, perhaps he'll be free of any comparisons to future models--a real independent android. An android can always dream, right? Or can they? I don't remember Philip K. Dick's ruling on that.
That Alien prequel we've been hearing Ridley Scott talk about for so long? No longer an Alien prequel! According to Deadline, the film--previously called Paradise--is now going by the title Prometheus, and scarcely resembles a prequel, containing only "strands of Alien’s DNA, so to speak," according to Scott.
The whole thing apparently took on a new direction after writer Damon Lindelof--whom you may recall also took Lost in directions you didn't expect/want--came on to help with the script. He of course wouldn't give away anything regarding what he's done with the plot, but he did tout the originality of Scott's premise, saying, "In a world flooded with prequels, sequels and reboots, I was incredibly struck by just how original Ridley's vision was for this movie." Because it's fine to talk shit on prequels now that this suddenly isn't quite one, right?
Despite the title change and removal of "prequel" status, at least one earlier casting rumor still stands: Noomi Rapace has officially been cast as one of the leads, Elizabeth Shaw. Angelina Jolie and Charlize Theron, meanwhile, are reportedly both in contention to play the other female lead--a character that sounds like a brand of whiskey that would come in a plastic jug, "Vickers." They'd better get that figured out soon, because Fox also announced a March 9th, 2012 release date for this Alien-inspired not-a-prequel that might not even have aliens in it at all.
"The planet was perfect.... a paradise. But for what?" That's my bet for the Alien prequel tagline, because according to Vulture, Ridley Scott's belated next film in the franchise will be titled: Paradise. Sounds vaguely familiar, Rids, but at least catchier than Alien³.
Additionally, the director is working on getting casting finished for a March shoot date. The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo's Noomi Rapace, whose name came up for the lead months ago, is reportedly now the front-runner to play tough-but-sexy protagonist Elizabeth Shaw. The character of Vickers--the slightly older, "fortysomething, tough-but-sexy woman"--meanwhile, is being offered to tough-but-sexy Michelle Yeoh, while Michael Fassbender is in talks to play David--an android precursor to Ian Holm/Lance Henriksen. Talks with him seem to be stalled, however, with Fassbender's manager saying, "Do you not realize this dude's going to be Magneto? Give us a lot of money," and Scott and Fox responding with, "Come on, we know Brent Spiner can do it if you're going to be a dick about this."
Other parts still left to be cast include "an older businessman along for the ride" (Richard Branson?) and a character called Engineer 1, "to be 'played' by a six-foot-five-inch actor, but will actually be entirely CGI, à la Gollum in The Lord of the Rings films." Jar Jar Binks was a fairly tall guy, too, wasn't he?
Remember how Ridley Scott's original Alien film felt so haunting and believable in part because of the naturalism of its "trucker" cast--a group of realistically working-class humans, with varying degrees of physical flaw and all? Well, looks like that's not going to be so much the case for the prequel. Bloody Disgusting has learned Anne Hathaway and James Franco are now in talks to join Scott's sci-fi backstory, joining a list of candidates that already includes Natalie Portman, Noomi Rapace, and Carey Mulligan--so you can see which way the wind is blowing. The era of the Harry Dean Stanton type has ended. Sorry, Harry Dean Stanton types.
It's been a while since we heard anything about that Alien prequel, but don't start thinking we'll be spared an extra-terrestrial addition to Ridley Scott's uneven track record. Vulture has news Lost co-creator Damon Lindelof has just turned in his draft of the script, and Fox is flipping their shit for it. The reason: it's cheap and teen-accessible! Apparently the studio's excitement over the rewrite has a lot to do with its lack of expensive setpieces and strong chance of getting a PG-13 rating, so we may finally get to see what a calm, discreet chest-burster alien looks like. And now that a script is nearing completion, Fox and Scott have been moving into casting, with Natalie Portman--who just turned down Pride and Prejudice and Zombies and the sci fi film Gravity--at the top of the list to become just a darling little alien killer. Noomi Rapace, star of the Swedish adaptation of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, is also in the running, though the studio is obviously still pushing for someone whose name won't scare mom so much. Things would be so much easier if you were a woman, Russell Crowe.
Alright, everyone, time for some Alien news. Collider recently had the chance to talk to Ridley Scott about his plans for a prequel to the sci-fi franchise, and the director revealed a couple things.
1. It will be in 3D, because of course it will be in 3D, because everything is in 3D.
2. All this time he's been saying "an Alien prequel," what Ridley Scott meant was "two Alien prequels."
Collider: There has been a lot of talk about you doing [the prequel] in 3D.Ridley Scott: Of course, it’ll be 3D.
Collider: I’ve always heard you want as much light as possible [when shooting 3D].
Scott: That’s the downside.
Collider: But isn’t Alien almost the antithesis of that because the movies have always been about shadow and darkness and hiding things.
Scott: That’s what Jim [Cameron] said. The problem is you’ll have to grade it later. You’ll have to grit your teeth and light it not the way you’d like it. And then later, you’re gonna have to regrade it. Repaint it. In fact, Avatar, when you think about it, is almost a completely animated movie.
Collider: You’re developing the Alien prequel, are you developing it as a series of films or a longer storyline?
Scott: It’ll be two. It’ll be prequel one and two. Then Alien 1.
Hopefully the second one will get into the Alien's childhood friendship with Predator, making it all the more tragic knowing that they one day will versus each other twice.
What's going on with that ol' Alien prequel? Here's what: Speaking recently to MTV, Ridley Scott elaborated on how he'll probably further dilute the franchise with an explanation for that beautifully cryptic hole-in-his-chest alien guy from the first film:
Scott: [The prequel is] set in 2085, about 30 years before Sigourney [Weaver's character Ellen Ripley]. It's fundamentally about going out to find out 'Who the hell was that Space Jockey?' The guy who was sitting in the chair in the alien vehicle — there was a giant fellow sitting in a seat on what looked to be either a piece of technology or an astronomer's chair. Remember that?... I'm basically explaining who that Space Jockey — we call him the Space Jockey— I'm explaining who the space jockeys were.
MTV: And is the Weyland-Yutani company in existence at this point?
Scott: It's Weyland. Weyland hasn't joined Yutani yet, so they go and see Weyland. [The film] is about the discussion of terraforming — taking planets and planetoids and balls of earth and trying to terraform, seed them with the possibilities of future life.
I'm horribly intrigued, yet annoyed this is going to destroy all the mystery surrounding the "Space Jockey." This is totally going to discredit all the erotic fan fiction that's been written about Tom Skerritt surreptitiously going down there and fucking the hole in his chest.
Big news about Ridley Scott's Alien prequel. It's going to take place before the original! Specifically, about thirty years prior:
“It’s a brand new box of tricks,” said Sir Ridley. “We know what the road map is, and the screenplay is now being put on paper. The prequel will be a while ago. It’s very difficult to put a year on Alien, but [for example] if Alien was towards the end of this century, then the prequel story will take place thirty years prior.”
I just hope this doesn't turn into something like The Wedding Singer, where it's just a string of jokes about how funny the fashion of the 2970s were.
Ridley Scott Talks Alien Prequel [Empire]
Ridley Scott, who parted from the continually-declining Alien franchise after his first installment, is officially returning to direct that prequel people have been talking about. Says Variety:
Twentieth Century Fox is resuscitating its "Alien" franchise. The studio has hired Jon Spaihts to write a prequel that has Ridley Scott attached to return as director.Spaihts got the job after pitching the studio and Scott Free, which will produce the film.
The film is set up to be a prequel to the groundbreaking 1979 film that Scott directed. It will precede that film, in which the crew of a commercial towing ship returning to Earth is awakened and sent to respond to a distress signal from a nearby planetoid. The crew discovers too late that the signal generated by an empty ship was meant to warn them.
Of course, this assumes he'll still have a career after Monopoly: The Movie. Because Ridley Scott is making a Monopoly movie, and you'd think that would be enough of an indicator of dementia people would stop letting him use film cameras.
What came first, the Alien or the face-hugger egg? What was the Alien Queen like as a teenager? How do those guys build such complex, Swedish surrealist interiors to their cave homes? Answers may be on the way. From IESB:
[Fox co-chairman] Rothman said of the possible [Alien prequel] film, "There's been some talk. Ridley Scott, Ridley is right now working on Robin Hood, but I think he's toying with the idea and that would be great for us. I mean, it's always been a matter of, really, if you can get the originator to do it that would be the greatest thing, so I've got my fingers crossed, all of them."
My prediction: Alien Zero (the zero is represented by an alien egg), starring Christian Bale. It ends with Bale and his pregnant wife narrowly escaping from planet LV-426 in a small shuttle pod, the two vowing to never again speak of all those crazy aliens they just fought. Suddenly, the wife grabs at her stomach. An alien spawn? No--it's the standard baby. It's time. Bale smiles.
"We'll name her Sigourney Weaver."
Sigourney Weaver has been doing some chatting with MTV, during which it was revealed she's talked with Ridley Scott about the two returning to the Alien franchise. If I had to name one thing that seemed odd about their conversation about another Alien, I'd say it's that they might be eliminating the whole alien thing:
"We’d have to go back to the drawing board on [the alien],” she said. “Ridley said that right away when we first talked about [a fifth film].”And finally, the quote that’s gotten me mighty curious, “What we’re interested in is taking the character of Ripley and seeing what other science fiction story we can tell about someone who has lived several lives.”
I didn’t really process what Weaver was saying at the time I suppose but it sounds to me like we might be less looking at “Alien 5″ and more of “Chronicles of Ripley.”
The participation of original Alien director Ridley Scott makes this better than most spin-off cash-in attempts, but let's not forget that Steven Spielberg was also involved in a questionable attempt at bringing back a action hero now in their 60s back to screens, and that didn't work out that well.
Personally, I'd rather have a spin-off starring that horrible, pale human/alien hybrid from Resurrection. That thing filled my mental inbox with nightmares that I'm still sorting through. You put that guy in a suburban neighborhood with a samurai sword and you've just created a six-movie franchise. I think it works for either horror or comedy.
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I Watch Stuff is a movie and video blog dedicated to bringing you the best and worst that Hollywood and the Internet have to offer and then, more often than not, making fun of it because it sucks.
