(Left) Peter Dinklage stars in ‘Roofman’. Photo: Paramount Pictures. (Right) FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Photo: FX and Hulu.
Preview:
Peter Dinklage will be part of the cast for ‘Alien: Earth’s second season.
Noah Hawley created the show.
The new season will start shooting next month in London.
With ‘Alien: Earth’, the TV spin-off of the xenomorph-heavy sci-fi movie franchise, Noah Hawley proved he has a knack for creating shows based on movies, following his work on ‘Fargo’.
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Sydney Chandler as Wendy. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
The first season kicked off with the mysterious deep space research vessel USCSS Maginot crash-landing on Earth, and introduced us to Wendy (Chandler), among the first group of a new breed of synthetic humans who make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat.
As the finale dawned, Wendy was more in control of her abilities, but the wider story included the various powerful corporations battling it out for control of the new species that the ship brought to our world.
Hawley and co. will kick off filming the new season next month at London’s Pinewood Studios (where the 1979 original ‘Alien’ was shot), a switch from the first run of episodes’ Thailand locations.
Where else can we see Peter Dinklage?
Dinklage has roles in the movies ‘Wicker’ (which has yet to lock in a release date) and ‘Idiots’, which will be on cinema screens on August 28.
Peter Dinklage at the San Diego Comic-Con panel for ‘The Toxic Avenger’, in July 2025.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Dan Trachtenberg about his work on ‘Predator: Badlands’, coming up with the new story, connecting it to the larger ‘Alien vs. Predator’ series, making the Predator the protagonist, creating the Predator language, casting Elle Fanning in her dual roles, and what fans can expect from future installments of the franchise.
(L to R) Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi, director Dan Trachtenberg, and Elle Fanning at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for ‘Predator: Badlands’. Photo: Disney.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Director Dan Trachtenberg at San Diego Comic-Con 2025 Hall H panel for ‘Predator: Badlands’. Photo: Disney.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about breaking the story for this film, and was it something that you were thinking about while you were making ‘Prey’?
Dan Trachtenberg: It came at the tail end of ‘Prey’. I just started thinking about, what would we do next if we were to do another one? I really felt like, if the next thing is just part two of what we just did, then the movie doesn’t get to stand on its own merits. Sometimes, you make a special thing and then part two is just the sequel to the special thing, not a special thing in and of itself. So, it was like, what would be another idea if I was making a first Predator movie again? There was this fan sentiment about the Predator of like, “Why does he always lose?” So that sparked the idea of, “Okay, if the Predator wins, what would be a story in which I could be rooting for the Predator? That led to the Predator as the protagonist and being thrust into the gauntlet like Dutch (Arnold Schwarzenegger), Naru (Amber Midthunder), and Mike Harrigan (Danny Glover). You know, like all the protagonists go through. What if the Predator was going through that gauntlet? Then really wanting to find a story where you could emotionally connect with this monster and have a great time with. I did not want to put any humans in the movie because if we put in a human, then it would just become a two-hander again and the human would feel like a protagonist so that’s why it became a robot. The idea of a broken robot, like Chewbacca and C-3PO, and then Weyland-Yutani and Synths, so it all spiraled from thinking of “what hasn’t been done” in Predator movies and what hasn’t been done in sci-fi.
MF: The film has several references to other Predator movies but also contains Easter Eggs for the ‘Alien’ series and the larger ‘Alien vs. Predator’ franchise. Can you talk about the choice to include those references in this movie?
DT: With ‘Alien’ and ‘Predator’, it’s not taking the big action figures and throwing them together, but instead, taking a little portion from one franchise and have that interwoven into the other, to say that’s another way of universe unifying and building it. That felt exciting to me. Frankly, it was born out of what the story wanted anyway. If the ‘Alien’ franchise was at another studio, we still would have made this movie. It just wouldn’t have been Weyland-Yutani as the company, but because it could be Wayland, it meant that then we could include MU/TH/UR and have it reflected in the father dynamic that Dek has. So, all of that made the movie richer but it wasn’t like, “We need to do ‘Alien vs. Predator’ How are we going to do that?” It didn’t come from that; it came from the narrative needs.
MF: Can you also talk about the choice to make the Predator the protagonist of this movie and show his home planet for the first time?
DT: It was incredibly challenging. The language, obviously had to be developed whole cloth, both written and spoken. His face, which was deliciously designed by Stan Winston with James Cameron‘s input to include the mandibles back in the 80s, is so cool for being a frightening and intimidating creature. But not at all conducive to having a wide range of emotion like we needed in the film. So, it was a great challenge to have to translate what Demetrius was performing into a face that has no nose, no lips, and teeth that don’t even let the mouth close. There was a temptation to cover his face up more and have him wear the mask. But I really didn’t want to soften our attempt at saying, “It’s a monster and you’re going to care.” So, we faced the challenge head on.
MF: Can you also talk about the challenges of creating the Predator’s language for this movie?
DT: We worked with a language expert, Britton Watkins, who’s both a language expert and sci-fi fan and really developed an entire grammar structure and dictionary, all based off of the physiology of the Yautja from ‘Predator’. So, it all comes from the way that we assume the throat works and the mandibles and all of that. It was an entirely custom-made language for the movie that Demetrius and Elle had to learn. I had a script that I could look at, but I really paid more attention to rhythm and emotion, and that things felt authentic rather than needing to know the pronunciations.
MF: Can you talk about casting Elle Fanning as both Thia and Tessa, and her specific and separate performances?
DT: That was the exciting thing. We’ve seen a lot of twin portrayals in movies throughout the years and characters doing dual roles, but being the funny sidekick, as well as the villain, typically requires two different actors. What Elle did is tremendous, and I got a lot of inspiration in watching ‘The Great’, where she was funny and there was an innocence to her character when it starts, then she must get really intense and that’s what clicked a nerve for me in casting her.
MF: Finally, have you started thinking about ideas for another installment yet? If so, would it be another original story, or would it include returning characters from ‘Prey’ or ‘Badlands’?
DT: I’m really developing both. I’m in this moment now where I was after ‘Prey’, where I was just trying to get excited about a path to take. I came up with a bunch of different paths and in that case, making both at the same time with ‘Predator: Killer of Killers’ and ‘Badlands’. So, now we are figuring out what the next step of some of the characters are. We’re also figuring out and have been quite stoked about some other ways into the franchise that we haven’t seen before So, all things are being developed.
‘Predator: Badlands’ will be available February 12th on Hulu and on 4K UHD, Blu-ray and DVD February 17th.
Cast out from his clan, a young Predator (Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi) finds an unlikely ally in a damaged android (Elle Fanning) and embarks on a treacherous journey in search of the ultimate adversary.
Who is in the cast of ‘Predator: Badlands’?
Elle Fanning as Thia and Tessa
Dimitrius Schuster-Koloamatangi as Dek and as the voice of Njohrr
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Sydney Chandler as Wendy. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
Preview:
‘Alien: Earth’ will return for a second season.
Creator Noah Hawley has signed a new deal with FX.
The new season will start shooting next year.
As one of the biggest, buzziest TV hits of the year, you might have expected an announcement about a second season of Noah Hawley’s ‘Alien: Earth’ to happen a little sooner.
Still, cable channel FX is making sure that Hawley and his show is not left in limbo long, locking the creator down to a rich new development deal and flashing the greenlight for a new season of the series.
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Here’s what Hawley had to say on the new development:
“I’m thrilled that this expanded deal opens the door to new opportunities across all of Disney Entertainment Television. FX has always supported bold, character-driven storytelling. From the very beginning with ‘Fargo,’ they’ve encouraged me to take creative risks and follow the story wherever it leads. I’m grateful to continue exploring the world of ‘Alien: Earth’ alongside our partners, cast, and crew as we begin the next chapter.”
Related Article: TV Review: ‘Alien: Earth’
What’s the story of ‘Alien: Earth’?
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Babou Ceesay as Morrow. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
Set before the events of the original 1979 ‘Alien’ movie, ‘Alien: Earth’ follows what happens when a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, putting a mysterious young woman (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers into a situation and a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat.
As for what will happen in the second season? Unlike ‘Fargo’, which tends to be an anthology series with loose connections, Hawley has said that ‘Alien: Earth’ will continue to follow the story of Chandler’s Wendy who (spoiler alert in case you’ve yet to watch the first run of episodes) ended up overtaking the Prodigy facility where her hybrid body was created, and bonding with one of the Xenomorphs.
The season left plenty of dangling questions to be answered about the situation, so we’re happy Hawley and his team will get the chance to answer them.
When can we expect the second season of ‘Alien: Earth’?
That’s the disappointing part of the news: the new season doesn’t kick off shooting until next year –– with production moving to London after the first shot in Thailand –– so we wouldn’t expect to see the show return to our screens until 2027 at the earliest.
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Sydney Chandler as Wendy. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
Sam Neill in ‘Event Horizon’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
In 2047, a group of astronauts are sent to investigate and salvage the starship ‘Event Horizon’ which disappeared mysteriously 7 years before on its maiden voyage. With its return, the crew of the ‘Lewis and Clark’ discovers the real truth behind the disappearance of the ‘Event Horizon’ – and something even more terrifying.
A family discovers that dark spirits have invaded their home after their son (Ty Simpkins) inexplicably falls into an endless sleep. When they reach out to a professional for help, they learn things are a lot more personal than they thought.
One night per year, the government sanctions a 12-hour period in which citizens can commit any crime they wish — including murder — without fear of punishment or imprisonment. Leo (Frank Grillo), a sergeant who lost his son, plans a vigilante mission of revenge during the mayhem. However, instead of a death-dealing avenger, he becomes the unexpected protector of four innocent strangers who desperately need his help if they are to survive the night.
Five years after surviving Art the Clown’s (David Howard Thorton) Halloween massacre, Sienna (Lauren LaVera) and Jonathan (Elliott Fullam) are still struggling to rebuild their shattered lives. As the holiday season approaches, they try to embrace the Christmas spirit and leave the horrors of the past behind. But just when they think they’re safe, Art returns, determined to turn their holiday cheer into a new nightmare. The festive season quickly unravels as Art unleashes his twisted brand of terror, proving that no holiday is safe.
Set in 1982 in the suburb of Blackeberg, Stockholm, twelve-year-old Oskar (Kåre Hedebrant) is a lonely outsider, bullied at school by his classmates; at home, Oskar dreams of revenge against a trio of bullies. He befriends his twelve-year-old, next-door neighbor Eli (Lina Leandersson), who only appears at night in the snow-covered playground outside their building.
Cillian Murphy in 2002’s ’28 Days Later.’ Photo: Fox Searchlight Pictures.
Twenty-eight days after a killer virus was accidentally unleashed from a British research facility, a small group of London survivors are caught in a desperate struggle to protect themselves from the infected. Carried by animals and humans, the virus turns those it infects into homicidal maniacs — and it’s absolutely impossible to contain.
Obsessed with teaching his victims the value of life, a deranged, sadistic serial killer abducts the morally wayward. Once captured, they must face impossible choices in a horrific game of survival. The victims must fight to win their lives back, or die trying…
Rachel Keller (Naomi Watts) is a journalist investigating a videotape that may have killed four teenagers. There is an urban legend about this tape: the viewer will die seven days after watching it. Rachel tracks down the video… and watches it. Now she has just seven days to unravel the mystery of the Ring so she can save herself and her son.
In October of 1994 three student filmmakers disappeared in the woods near Burkittsville, Maryland, while shooting a documentary. A year later their footage was found.
When twin brothers (Theo James) find a mysterious wind-up monkey, a series of outrageous deaths tear their family apart. Twenty-five years later, the monkey begins a new killing spree forcing the estranged brothers to confront the cursed toy.
Drew Barrymore in ‘Scream’. Photo: Dimension Films.
A killer known as Ghostface begins killing off teenagers, and as the body count begins rising, one girl (Neve Campbell) and her friends find themselves contemplating the ‘rules’ of horror films as they try to survive a real-life one.
Several friends travel to Sweden to study as anthropologists a summer festival that is held every ninety years in the remote hometown of one of them. What begins as a dream vacation in a place where the sun never sets, gradually turns into a dark nightmare as the mysterious inhabitants invite them to participate in their disturbing festive activities.
When carefree teenager Jay (Maika Monroe) sleeps with her older boyfriend for the first time, she learns that she is the latest recipient of a fatal curse that is passed from victim to victim via sexual intercourse. Death, Jay learns, will creep inexorably toward her as either a friend or a stranger. Jay’s friends don’t believe her seemingly paranoid ravings, until they too begin to see the phantom assassins and band together to help her defend herself.
After a tragic accident, six friends reunite for a caving expedition. Their adventure soon goes horribly wrong when a collapse traps them deep underground and they find themselves pursued by bloodthirsty creatures. As their friendships deteriorate, they find themselves in a desperate struggle to survive the creatures and each other.
Finney Blake (Mason Thames), a shy but clever 13-year-old boy, is abducted by a sadistic killer (Ethan Hawke) and trapped in a soundproof basement where screaming is of little use. When a disconnected phone on the wall begins to ring, Finney discovers that he can hear the voices of the killer’s previous victims. And they are dead set on making sure that what happened to them doesn’t happen to Finney.
A brilliant toy company roboticist (Allison Williams) uses artificial intelligence to develop M3GAN, a life-like doll programmed to emotionally bond with her newly orphaned niece (Violet McGraw). But when the doll’s programming works too well, she becomes overprotective of her new friend with terrifying results.
After returning from a wedding reception, a couple (Liv Tyler and Scott Speedman) staying in an isolated vacation house receive a knock on the door in the mid-hours of the night. What ensues is a violent invasion by three strangers, their faces hidden behind masks. The couple find themselves in a violent struggle, in which they go beyond what either of them thought capable in order to survive.
Paranormal investigators Ed (Patrick Wilson) and Lorraine Warren (Vera Farmiga) work to help a family terrorized by a dark presence in their farmhouse. Forced to confront a powerful entity, the Warrens find themselves caught in the most terrifying case of their lives.
Steve Freeling (Craig T. Nelson) lives with his wife, Diane (JoBeth Williams), and their three children, Dana (Dominique Dunne), Robbie (Oliver Robins), and Carol Anne (Heather O’Rourke), in Southern California where he sells houses for the company that built the neighborhood. It starts with just a few odd occurrences, such as broken dishes and furniture moving around by itself. However, when he realizes that something truly evil haunts his home, Steve calls in a team of parapsychologists led by Dr. Lesh to help before it’s too late.
When Ellen, the matriarch of the Graham family, passes away, her daughter’s family begins to unravel cryptic and increasingly terrifying secrets about their ancestry.
Two young missionaries (Sophie Thatcher and Chloe East) are forced to prove their faith when they knock on the wrong door and are greeted by a diabolical Mr. Reed (Hugh Grant), becoming ensnared in his deadly game of cat-and-mouse.
Immediately after their miscarriage, the US diplomat Robert Thorn (Gregory Peck) adopts the newborn Damien (Harvey Stephens) without the knowledge of his wife (Lee Remick). Yet what he doesn’t know is that their new son is the son of the devil.
When larcenous real estate clerk Marion Crane (Janet Leigh) goes on the lam with a wad of cash and hopes of starting a new life, she ends up at the notorious Bates Motel, where manager Norman Bates (Anthony Perkins) cares for his housebound mother.
A young couple, Rosemary (Mia Farrow) and Guy (John Cassavetes), moves into an infamous New York apartment building, known by frightening legends and mysterious events, with the purpose of starting a family.
During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.
A fading celebrity (Demi Moore) decides to use a black market drug, a cell-replicating substance that temporarily creates a younger, better version of herself (Margaret Qualley).
Members of an American scientific research outpost in Antarctica find themselves battling a parasitic alien organism capable of perfectly imitating its victims. They soon discover that this task will be harder than they thought, as they don’t know which members of the team have already been assimilated and their paranoia threatens to tear them apart.
Jack Torrance (Jack Nicholson) accepts a caretaker job at the Overlook Hotel, where he, along with his wife Wendy (Shelley Duvall) and their son Danny (Danny Lloyd), must live isolated from the rest of the world for the winter. But they aren’t prepared for the madness that lurks within.
Anthony Hopkins as Dr. Hannibal Lecter in ‘The Silence of the Lambs’. Photo: Orion Pictures.
Clarice Starling (Jodie Foster) is a top student at the FBI’s training academy. Jack Crawford (Scott Glenn) wants Clarice to interview Dr. Hannibal Lecter (Anthony Hopkins), a brilliant psychiatrist who is also a violent psychopath, serving life behind bars for various acts of murder and cannibalism. Crawford believes that Lecter may have insight into a case and that Starling, as an attractive young woman, may be just the bait to draw him out.
Teenagers in a small town are dropping like flies, apparently in the grip of mass hysteria causing their suicides. A cop’s daughter, Nancy Thompson (Heather Langenkamp), traces the cause to child molester Fred Krueger (Robert Englund), who was burned alive by angry parents many years before. Krueger has now come back in the dreams of his killers’ children, claiming their lives as his revenge. Nancy and her boyfriend, Glen (Johnny Depp), must devise a plan to lure the monster out of the realm of nightmares and into the real world…
When Sally (Marilyn Burns) hears that her grandfather’s grave may have been vandalized, she and her paraplegic brother, Franklin (Paul A. Partain), set out with their friends to investigate. After a detour to their family’s old farmhouse, they discover a group of crazed, murderous outcasts living next door. As the group is attacked one by one by the chainsaw-wielding Leatherface (Gunnar Hansen), who wears a mask of human skin, the survivors must do everything they can to escape.
12-year-old Regan MacNeil (Linda Blair) begins to adapt an explicit new personality as strange events befall the local area of Georgetown. Her mother (Ellen Burstyn) becomes torn between science and superstition in a desperate bid to save her daughter, and ultimately turns to her last hope: Father Damien Karras (Jason Miller), a troubled priest who is struggling with his own faith.
A scene from 1978’s ‘Halloween’. Photo: Compass International Pictures.
Fifteen years after murdering his sister on Halloween Night 1963, Michael Myers escapes from a mental hospital and returns to the small town of Haddonfield, Illinois to kill again.
Director Fede Álvarez at the San Diego Comic-Con 2024 ‘Alien: Romulus’ panel. Photo: Disney.
Preview:
Director Fede Álvarez is stepping away from the ‘Alien: Romulus’ sequel.
But he will produce the movie with franchise overseer Ridley Scott.
The hunt is on for a new director.
The ‘Alien’ franchise is enjoying a real resurgence of late –– ‘Alien: Earth’ is getting good reviews and solid viewing figures on Hulu, while last year’s ‘Alien: Romulus’ did more than $350 million at the worldwide box office.
You might think, then, that ‘Romulus’ co-writer/director Fede Álvarez would be eager to jump back in for the sequel to that movie. Yet despite previously indicating so, and talking up kicking off pre-production, he’s now stepping away, moving to simply produce the next outing.
“We just finished the script, actually, for a sequel for ‘Romulus’. But I’m gonna pass the torch on this one as director. I’m going to produce it, with Ridley Scott, we’re gonna produce it together and we’re right now trying to find a new filmmaker to come in. I think that’s usually what has happened, except for Ridley, filmmakers come, you make one and you pass the baton to the next one. But we wrote the story because we really love what we started with ‘Romulus’ and we want to continue the story. We love the story and now we just want to find a director that really wants to go for the jugular.”
‘Romulus’ was the story of a group of young space colonists who are looking for a way off the mining colony moon they call home.
While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, they come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
As for the sequel’s story, those details are being kept inside a Facehugger’s egg for now. But talking to The Hollywood Reporter in October last year, 20th Century Studios boss Steve Asbell had this to say:
“We know there’s going to be aliens. We know there’s going to be great horror set pieces. But I fell in love with both of them [Álvarez and co-writer Rodo Sayagues, who have crafted the story for the next movie] and I want to see what their story is.”
What else is Fede Álvarez working on?
(Right) Director Fede Álvarez at the San Diego Comic-Con 2024 ‘Alien: Romulus’ panel. Photo: Disney.
Álvarez is one of those filmmakers who always has something in development. Right now, he has the likes of video game adaptation ‘Dante’s Inferno’ bubbling away alongside ‘Incognito’, about a super-villain in the witness protection programme.
He admitted to TooFab that he had something in mind to make next, but is keeping specifics close to his chest:
“I want to work on a personal project that me and my co-writer, we’ve been keeping on the back burner for a while and we feel it’s the right time to go and work on an original. But I can’t tell you anything about it.”
Spoilsport!
When will the ‘Alien: Romulus’ sequel be on screens?
Since it’s now in a holding pattern awaiting a new director, don’t expect to learn a release date for the currently untitled sequel until a team is in place.
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Sydney Chandler as Wendy. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
‘Alien: Earth’ receives 9 out of 10 stars.
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Launching on FX and Hulu on August 12 with the first two episodes (six more debut once per week after that), ‘Alien: Earth’ is the latest attempt to get more mileage out of the venerable sci-fi/horror franchise birthed by writers Dan O’Bannon and Ronald Shusett, alongside director Ridley Scott back in 1979 with ‘Alien’.
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Alex Lawther as Hermit. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
The ‘Alien’ franchise is one that can be truly hard to get a handle on. Following Ridley Scott’s genre-busting mash-up of sci-fi and haunted house movies in 1979, James Cameron blew the doors off the movie series with the superlative ‘Aliens’ in 1986, but since then it has been on something of a slippery slope –– David Fincher’s divisive ‘Alien³’ has its defenders, but even Scott’s more recent revisitation of the xenomorph universe headed into ponderous pretension.
Fede Alvarez’ 2024 effort ‘Alien: Romulus’ had better luck, but even that was derided for one or two choices (not the least of which was the dreadful application of a classic ‘Aliens’ line).
Now, here comes Noah Hawley, who has worked wonders mining established source material for new TV output, including Marvel’s ‘Legion’ and especially ‘Fargo’, which has evoked the Coen brothers’ movie while existing as its own beast.
He pulls off a similar trick here, respecting what has come before (or, er since this is a prequel, what will come after) with intensity, style and a healthy dose of humanity amongst the creature chaos.
Script and Direction
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Timothy Olyphant as Kirsh. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
Hawley, leading an accomplished writing team that has worked on shows including ‘WandaVision’ and his own ‘Fargo’, treads the line between evoking what has gone before –– including thematically –– and invention, deepening and layering the story.
The ‘Alien’ franchise is ripe with subtext beyond the xenomorphs, and Hawley and his team take full advantage of the stories’ exploration of artificial intelligence and giant corporations (both could not be timelier).
And TV running times mean there is much more scope to take time with the characters, the initial beats of the first episode graceful and almost operatic, fully tuned into the working class “space-trucker” vibe of the original movie. It’s always compelling and never dull, interspersed with dynamic moments of horror as a deep-space vessel’s crew discovers that transporting weird creatures never works out in humanity’s favor.
There is also a welcome, skillful approach to exposition, bringing those who might not be familiar with the storylines up to speed.
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Adarsh Gourav as Slightly. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
Hawley also directs the first episode (Dana Gonzales handles the second and the lion’s share of the season), kicking things off with real style and epic feel for when the space ship comes roaring back to Earth, out of control.
The horror sequences of people being stalked by creatures (xenomorphs and some lethal new friends) really work well, delivering intensity while not losing focus on the performances.
Cast and Performances
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Essie Davis as Dame Sylvia. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
Sydney Chandler, as Wendy a “Hybrid” (a human consciousness transferred into a synthetic body) is our main way in as the show starts, and Chandler brings a healthy blend of emotion and levity to the show. She’s compelling and watchable, and leads her ragtag band of fellow “Lost Boys” (and girls –– ‘Peter Pan’ is another thematic touchstone here) as they are drawn into the wider story, including a link to her past.
Alex Lawther as Hermit, a military medic working off his contract with the sprawling, powerful Prodigy corporation (one of franchise stalwart Weyland-Yutani’s big competitors and the funding/science behind the programme that created Wendy), gives a soulful, nuanced performance.
On the Prodigy front, company founder and resident genius/trillionaire Boy Kavalier (Samuel Blenkin) is also good value, a sort of Mark Zuckerberg type who is endlessly frustrated that no-one is on his level.
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured: Babou Ceesay as Morrow. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
Elsewhere, Babou Ceesay is great as Morrow, the cyborg security chief of the crashing spaceship, whose concerns once things get out of hand are certainly not the safety of his crewmates, and he puts you in mind of Ian Holm‘s Ash from the original movie.
While what the production has done to Timothy Olyphant’s normally lustrous locks might be more horrifying than being stalked by a slavering beast, he’s typically excellent as the synth scientist at Prodigy who has become a father figure to Wendy.
Final Thoughts
FX’s ‘Alien: Earth’. Pictured (L to R): Samuel Blenkin as Boy Kavalier, Ade Edmondson as Atom Eins. Photo: Patrick Brown/FX.
Chalk another win up to Hawley’s list of TV shows you thought might not work, as ‘Alien: Earth’, at least on the basis of its initial episodes, is a triumph. Dread drips into emotion, the effects are top notch and the writer/director has mined something special here.
It’s not hyperbolic to suggest that this is a better extension of the ‘Alien’ universe than many previous attempts. Perhaps the xenomorphs are better off on the small screen for now.
Be careful watching it with friends, though –– everyone will hear you scream.
What’s the plot of ‘Alien: Earth’?
When the mysterious deep space research vessel USCSS Maginot crash-lands on Earth, Wendy (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat.
The director’s latest, ‘Gladiator II‘, opens in theaters on November 22nd and stars Paul Mescal in the title role. In honor of the new sequel, Moviefone is counting down every film Ridley Scott has ever made.
In 1800, as Napoleon Bonaparte rises to power in France, a rivalry erupts between Armand (Keith Carradine) and Gabriel (Harvey Keitel), two lieutenants in the French Army, over a perceived insult. For over a decade, they engage in a series of duels amidst larger conflicts, including the failed French invasion of Russia in 1812, and shifts in the political and social systems of Europe.
The story of the kidnapping of 16-year-old John Paul Getty III (Charlie Plummer) and the desperate attempt by his devoted mother (Michelle Williams) to convince his billionaire grandfather Jean Paul Getty (Christopher Plummer) to pay the ransom.
(L to R) Danny McBride and Katherine Waterston in ‘Alien: Covenant’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, the crew of the colony ship ‘Covenant’ discovers what is thought to be an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world—which has a sole inhabitant: the ‘synthetic’, David (Michael Fassbender), survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition.
King Charles VI (Alex Lawther) declares that Knight Jean de Carrouges (Matt Damon) settle his dispute with his squire, Jacques Le Gris (Adam Driver), by challenging him to a duel.
The CIA’s hunt is on for the mastermind of a wave of terrorist attacks. Roger Ferris (Leonardo DiCaprio) is the agency’s man on the ground, moving from place to place, scrambling to stay ahead of ever-shifting events. An eye in the sky – a satellite link – watches Ferris. At the other end of that real-time link is the CIA’s Ed Hoffman (Russell Crowe), strategizing events from thousands of miles away. And as Ferris nears the target, he discovers trust can be just as dangerous as it is necessary for survival.
Set in a timeless mythical forest inhabited by fairies, goblins, unicorns and mortals, this fantastic story follows a mystical forest dweller (Tom Cruise), chosen by fate, to undertake a heroic quest. He must save the beautiful Princess Lili (Mia Sara) and defeat the demonic Lord of Darkness (Tim Curry), or the world will be plunged into a never-ending ice age.
A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.
Russell Crowe in ‘A Good Year’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Failed London banker Max Skinner (Russell Crowe) inherits his uncle’s (Albert Finney) vineyard in Provence, where he spent many childhood holidays. Upon his arrival, he meets a woman from California (Abbie Cornish) who tells Max she is his long-lost cousin and that the property is hers.
When soldier Robin (Russell Crowe) happens upon the dying Robert of Loxley (Douglas Hodge), he promises to return the man’s sword to his family in Nottingham. There, he assumes Robert’s identity; romances his widow, Marion (Cate Blanchett); and draws the ire of the town’s sheriff (Matthew Macfadyen) and King John’s henchman, Godfrey (Mark Strong).
The defiant leader Moses (Christian Bale) rises up against the Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses (Joel Edgerton), setting 400,000 slaves on a monumental journey of escape from Egypt and its terrifying cycle of deadly plagues.
After having successfully eluded the authorities for years, Hannibal (Anthony Hopkins) peacefully lives in Italy in disguise as an art scholar. Trouble strikes again when he’s discovered leaving a deserving few dead in the process. He returns to America to make contact with now disgraced Agent Clarice Starling (Julianne Moore), who is suffering the wrath of a malicious FBI rival (Ray Liotta) as well as the media.
When Patrizia Reggiani (Lady Gaga), an outsider from humble beginnings, marries into the Gucci family, her unbridled ambition begins to unravel the family legacy and triggers a reckless spiral of betrayal, decadence, revenge, and ultimately… murder.
A phobic con artist (Nicolas Cage) and his protege (Sam Rockwell) are on the verge of pulling off a lucrative swindle when the con artist’s teenage daughter (Alison Lohman) arrives unexpectedly.
In 1960, a hardy group of prep school students boards an old-fashioned sailing ship. With Capt. Christopher Sheldon (Jeff Bridges) at the helm, the oceangoing voyage is intended to teach the boys fortitude and discipline. But the youthful crew are about to get some unexpected instruction in survival when they get caught in the clutches of a white squall storm.
Claire Gregory (Mimi Rogers), an upper class New York personality, witnesses a murder in a luxurious nightclub. Detective Mike Keegan (Tom Berenger), recently promoted, is assigned to protect her.
An epic that details the checkered rise and fall of French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte (Joaquin Phoenix) and his relentless journey to power through the prism of his addictive, volatile relationship with his wife, Josephine (Vanessa Kirby).
Paul Mescal plays Lucius in ‘Gladiator II’ from Paramount Pictures.
Years after witnessing the death of the revered hero Maximus (Russell Crowe) at the hands of his uncle, Lucius (Paul Mescal) is forced to enter the Colosseum after his home is conquered by the tyrannical Emperors who now lead Rome with an iron fist. With rage in his heart and the future of the Empire at stake, Lucius must look to his past to find strength and honor to return the glory of Rome to its people.
In response to political pressure from Senator Lillian DeHaven (Anne Bancroft), the U.S. Navy begins a program that would allow for the eventual integration of women into its services. The program begins with a single trial candidate, Lieutenant Jordan O’Neil (Demi Moore), who is chosen specifically for her femininity. O’Neil enters the grueling training program under the command of John James Urgayle (Viggo Mortensen), who unfairly pushes O’Neil until her determination wins his respect.
Two New York cops (Michael Douglas and Andy Garcia) get involved in a gang war between members of the Yakuza, the Japanese Mafia. They arrest one of their killers and are ordered to escort him back to Japan. However, in Japan he manages to escape, and as they try to track him down, they get deeper and deeper into the Japanese Mafia scene and they have to learn that they can only win by playing the game—the Japanese way.
Following the death of his employer and mentor, Bumpy Johnson (Clarence Williams III), Frank Lucas (Denzel Washington) establishes himself as the number one importer of heroin in the Harlem district of Manhattan. He does so by buying heroin directly from the source in South East Asia and he comes up with a unique way of importing the drugs into the United States. Partly based on a true story.
During a manned mission to Mars, Astronaut Mark Watney (Matt Damon) is presumed dead after a fierce storm and left behind by his crew. But Watney has survived and finds himself stranded and alone on the hostile planet. With only meager supplies, he must draw upon his ingenuity, wit and spirit to subsist and find a way to signal to Earth that he is alive.
1982’s ‘Blade Runner’ Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.
In the smog-choked dystopian Los Angeles of 2019, blade runner Rick Deckard (Harrison Ford) is called out of retirement to terminate a quartet of replicants who have escaped to Earth seeking their creator for a way to extend their short life spans.
Whilst on a short weekend getaway, Louise (Susan Sarandon) shoots a man who had tried to rape Thelma (Geena Davis). Due to the incriminating circumstances, they make a run for it and thus a cross country chase ensues for the two fugitives. Along the way, both women rediscover the strength of their friendship and surprising aspects of their personalities and self-strengths in the trying times.
When U.S. Rangers and an elite Delta Force team attempt to kidnap two underlings of a Somali warlord, their Black Hawk helicopters are shot down, and the Americans suffer heavy casualties, facing intense fighting from the militia on the ground.
During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host is birthed.
Russell Crowe in ‘Gladiator’. Photo: Paramount Pictures.
In the year 180, the death of emperor Marcus Aurelius (Richard Harris) throws the Roman Empire into chaos. Maximus (Russell Crowe) is one of the Roman army’s most capable and trusted generals and a key advisor to the emperor. As Marcus’ devious son Commodus (Joaquin Phoenix) ascends to the throne, Maximus is set to be executed. He escapes, but is captured by slave traders. Renamed Spaniard and forced to become a gladiator, Maximus must battle to the death with other men for the amusement of paying audiences.
‘Prey’ director Dan Trachtenberg has shot both follow-up ‘Badlands’ and a new secret movie.
The other movie is likely to arrive via streaming.
20th Century boss Steve Asbell offered other updates in a new interview.
Ever since ‘10 Cloverfield Lane’ director Dan Trachtenberg brought the ‘Predator’ franchise roaring back to life with 2022’s ‘Prey’ (a prequel to the franchise entries that landed on Hulu to huge viewing figures), we’ve been waiting for more news about his follow-up.
Then, back in June this year, word arrived that Elle Fanning was in talks for the next movie to come from Trachtenberg, ‘Predator: Badlands.’ It’s a stand-alone that features no connective tissue to ‘Prey’ other than the appearance of at least one of the movies’ trademark toothy hunters.
According to Asbell, there will indeed be two ‘Predator’ movies headed our way next year.
One is ‘Badlands,’ which wrapped recently in New Zealand and, yes, features Fanning. The other? That’s more of a mystery for now.
This is what Asbell said:
“After ‘Prey’ became a success, Dan came back and said he didn’t want to do ‘Prey 2.’ And we’re like, ‘What do you want to do?’ And he rattled off a bunch of ideas that were really crazy but really cool. We’ve actually done two of them.”
He had no other real details on the second film, other than to say Trachtenberg directed it before heading out to make ‘Badlands’ and that it probably won’t be released theatrically, which is the destination for ‘Badlands.’
Little has been released about the plot for ‘Badlands,’ and indeed Asbell offers not much by way of detail, other than to say:
“It is an absolutely bonkers idea. It is a sci-fi thing, but it’s not what everybody thinks it is. And I mean, it’s awesome. It is so nuts. But in Dan, we trust.”
One of the other big 20th Century sci-fi franchises, ‘Alien,’ also saw love this year.
‘Alien: Romulus,’ directed by Fede Alvarez, was a success at the box office, and a sequel is in the works.
This is what Asbell had to say about the future of the franchise:
“We’re working on a sequel idea now. We haven’t quite closed our deal with Fede, but we are going to, and he has an idea that we’re working on. The two survivors, Rain and Andy, played by Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson, were real highlights of the film. And so I always think of it like, ‘Wow, where do people want to see them go next?’ We know there’s going to be aliens. We know there’s going to be great horror set pieces. But I fell in love with both of them and I want to see what their story is.”
That would also make people think about the times that the ‘Alien’ and ‘Predator’ franchises have crossed over –– but according to Asbell, while he and his team are thinking about it, don’t expect them to rush into the idea:
“It wouldn’t be in the way you think. That’s the thing. Not in the way that it will just be called ‘Alien vs. Predator’ or anything like the original movies. If we do this, they’ll be organically created out of these two franchises that we’ve continued with characters that we fall in love with, and those characters will combine… perhaps. But we haven’t gotten to that point.”
‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is the biggest R-rated movie worldwide.
It has overtaken ‘Joker’ at the box office.
‘Alien: Romulus’ also had a great start globally.
Disney will keep the champagne corks popping this weekend, as a one-two punch of successful movies has given it more reason to celebrate what is turning into a very good year for the company.
To start, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ has entered the record books as the most successful R-rated movie ever, dashing past ‘Joker’ on Friday to take the crown with $1.086 billion at the worldwide box office.
And though it was finally dethroned by ‘Alien: Romulus’ from the top spot at the domestic box office this weekend, Disney will still be happy, as the latest xenomorph outing is also one of theirs since it arrives via 20th Century Studios. In some ways, it’s a victory for properties the company gained by buying Fox, since the new ‘Deadpool’ is an homage to –– and features plenty of –– characters from the Fox/Marvel years.
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What are the latest milestones that ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ and Disney has passed?
Following this weekend’s earnings, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ is now at $1.142 billion worldwide.
Among its achievements, ‘Deadpool & Wolverine’ had the highest-grossing global opening for an R-rated film ever, surpassing 2016’s ‘Deadpool’. It is the 31st film from The Walt Disney Studios (including three Fox films pre-acquisition) and the 11th title in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (including two for Sony) to have surpassed $1 billion at the global box office.
With ‘Inside Out 2’ and ‘Deadpool & Wolverine,’ Disney has the top two movies of the year and back-to-back $1 billion earners, becoming the only studio ever to release back-to-back $1 billion films in a given year.
‘Alien: Romulus’, directed by ‘Don’t Breathe’s Fede Álvarez, scored a healthy $41.5 million at the domestic box office this weekend, which saw it nab the top spot.
Globally, the new ‘Alien’ franchise entry has scored $108.2 million and represents the second-best start for the xenomorph-centric horror stories (not accounting for inflation).
It’s all the more encouraging given that ‘Romulus’ was originally destined to go straight to Hulu, much as with ‘Predator’ prequel ‘Prey’ but was shifted to theatrical as filming began. The decision has clearly paid off.
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What about the rest of this weekend’s box office?
Blake Lively attends the “It Ends With Us” UK Gala Screening at Odeon Luxe Leicester Square on August 08, 2024 in London, England. Photo: Jeff Spicer/Getty Images for Sony Pictures.
‘It Ends With Us’ –– adapted from the Coleen Hoover novel –– continued to do well, landing third in its second weekend. It made $24 million, declining just 52% from its huge $50 million debut.
The movie, which stars Blake Lively, has overcome potentially controversial talk of behind-the-scenes drama and remains a strong performer, earning $180 million worldwide on a $25 million budget.
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‘Twisters’ dropped to fourth place, but the disaster movie is also holding well, taking $9.8 million domestically in its fifth weekend.
And even more impressive was ‘Coraline’, with the 15th-anniversary re-release of Laika’s beloved stop-motion animation fantasy film rounding out the top five with $8.9 million domestically. It has grossed roughly $11.3 million in the U.S. since returning to theaters on Thursday.
That result is impressive given that, on its original release, it took in $16.8 million for the first weekend.
Director Ridley Scott‘s 1979 film ‘Alien,’ which featured Sigourney Weaver‘s first appearance as series hero Ripley, spawned one of the most successful and durable science-fiction franchises in cinema history.
Scott would return to the franchise to direct two prequels, ‘Prometheus‘ and ‘Alien: Covenant,’ and now is a producer on the latest installment, ‘Alien: Romulus,’ which was directed by Fede Álvarez and opens in theaters on August 16th.
In honor of the new release, Moviefone is counting down every ‘Alien’ movie ever made, including the ‘AVP’ movies and ‘Romulus’.
2007’s ‘Aliens vs. Predator: Requiem’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
After a horrifying PredAlien crash-lands near a small Colorado town, killing everyone it encounters and producing countless Alien offspring, a lone Predator arrives to “clean up” the infestation.
(L to R) Katherine Waterston and Michael Fassbender in ‘Alien: Covenant’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
The crew of the colony ship Covenant, bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise but is actually a dark, dangerous world.
Sigourney Weaver in ‘Alien³’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
After escaping with Newt (Carrie Henn) and Hicks (Michael Biehn) from the alien planet, Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) crash lands on Fiorina 161, a prison planet and host to a correctional facility. Unfortunately, although Newt and Hicks do not survive the crash, a more unwelcome visitor does. The prison does not allow weapons of any kind, and with aid being a long time away, the prisoners must simply survive in any way they can.
2004’s ‘AVP: Alien vs. Predator’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
When scientists discover something near Antarctica that appears to be a buried Pyramid, they send a research team out to investigate. Little do they know that they are about to step into a hunting ground where Aliens are grown as sport for the Predator race.
Michael Fassbender in ‘Prometheus’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
A team of explorers discover a clue to the origins of mankind on Earth, leading them on a journey to the darkest corners of the universe. There, they must fight a terrifying battle to save the future of the human race.
While scavenging the deep ends of a derelict space station, a group of young space colonizers come face to face with the most terrifying life form in the universe.
(L to R) Ron Perlman, Dominique Pinon, Sigourney Weaver and Winona Ryder in ‘Alien Resurrection’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Two hundred years after Lt. Ripley (Sigourney Weaver) died, a group of scientists clone her, hoping to breed the ultimate weapon. But the new Ripley is full of surprises … as are the new aliens. Ripley must team with a band of smugglers to keep the creatures from reaching Earth.
(L to R) Ian Holm, Sigourney Weaver, Tom Skerritt and John Hurt in ‘Alien’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
During its return to the earth, commercial spaceship Nostromo intercepts a distress signal from a distant planet. When a three-member team of the crew discovers a chamber containing thousands of eggs on the planet, a creature inside one of the eggs attacks an explorer. The entire crew is unaware of the impending nightmare set to descend upon them when the alien parasite planted inside its unfortunate host (John Hurt) is birthed.
(L to R) Sigourney Weaver and Carrie Henn in ‘Aliens’. Photo: 20th Century Fox.
Ripley (Sigourney Weaver), the sole survivor of the Nostromo’s deadly encounter with the monstrous Alien, returns to Earth after drifting through space in hypersleep for 57 years. Although her story is initially met with skepticism, she agrees to accompany a team of Colonial Marines back to LV-426.
