It’s like this : Nobody knows what’s happening with the “Alien” prequel – not even the Alien. It’s on, It’s off, it’s on-again, it’s delayed, it’s back-on-track, it’s being re-written, it’s now an animated film with singing ‘*****’… it’s like a morning jog, something we tend to every morning here. Heck, I would not be surprised if someone announces that Joss Whedon were writing a direct sequel to “Alien Resurrection”, fixing on Winona Ryder’s kindly android, in the coming days. That’s how convoluted this elongated game of Chinese Whispers has gotten. Anything is possible, but solid info is seemingly impossible to snag.
So, anyway, yesterday Vulture ran an article, addressing a report over at ScriptFlags that suggested the “Alien” prequel hadn’t been delayed for a year, and in fact was still on track to film in 2011, whilst revealing some insider info of their own.
The gang reported the two new proposed “Alien” films – both prequels to Ridley Scott’s 1979 movie – have not been pushed back. They say the schedule did change, yes, but only because Leonardo Di Caprio was Scott’s first choice for the lead, and he wasn’t available for a while, so they held off on painting the backdrop black. As it turns out, Di Caprio won’t be able to do the film anyway. So.. they’re back on track.The site also said that not only does the film have a title now – “Paradise” (yes, ‘Paradise’, like the Melanie Griffith/Don Johnson movie)- but it’s already got Noomi Rapace, Michelle Yeoh (“Tomorrow Never Dies”) and Michael Fassbender (“Inglourious Basterds”) circling roles in it.
Thing is, now Fox are denying those claims – well, everything but the “movie is not delayed” one.Says Chris Petrikin, the senior vice president of corporate communications at Twentieth Century Fox, “I don’t know where to begin to correct what is being written about a certain Ridley Scott project…” continuing, “it’s not called Paradise” and “it’s not two films“.
Great to have rumours cleared up, but I do wonder whether Petrikin shouldn’t have just left the rumours be? After all, doesn’t “None of those cool actors are onboard our movie!” and “We’re not letting Ridley do his two Alien films now, just one!” scare the fans even more? I know it does me. What it means is we’re back to… knowing nothing.So, Tom Rothman, tell us : is it delayed? Is it still the ‘Space Jockey’ story? Why and where have Vulture heard that it’s titled ‘Paradise’? And is the AlienHorndogOnHeat.com’s report suggesting Sigourney Weaver will actually playing the Alien this time around correct?
Call me when you’ve got something solid… or when the Pizza arrives. Whatever comes first.
