Ridley Scott Says a Third Alien Prequel Is in Development

Ridley Scott says a third Alien prequel is in development, with the story returning to David, the synthetic portrayed by Michael Fassbender. Scott told the Los Angeles Times that the project would follow David as he builds what the filmmaker described as a “brave new world for himself.” That is the extent of the current confirmation. The film has not been announced as greenlit, and there is no release date or production start. Scott’s comments also do not confirm that Fassbender has formally signed on to reprise the role. The potential sequel would continue a storyline left unresolved by 2017’s Alien: Covenant. That film ended with David taking Walter’s appearance and boarding a colony ship carrying 2,000 sleeping colonists. He also had facehugger embryos hidden in storage, leaving the character in control of the ship and its vulnerable passengers when the story concluded. Scott has previously characterized Prometheus and Alien: Covenant as the first two chapters of a planned three-part arc. A third entry was once reported under the title Alien: Awakening, with earlier plans said to involve connecting the prequel stories to the 1979 original. However, that title has not been confirmed for the current project, and Scott’s latest comments do not establish whether the new film would still follow that proposed direction. The Alien franchise has also changed considerably since Covenant. Fede Alvarez’s Alien: Romulus arrived in 2024, while Noah Hawley’s Alien: Earth received a second-season order from FX. A follow-up to Romulus has been in development with Alvarez no longer attached to direct it, according to the report. For now, Scott has identified the project as a third prequel centered on David and said the character is pursuing the creation of his own world. Details including the title, director, filming plans, release timing, and the film’s connection to the original Alien remain unannounced.