PROMETHEUS Sequel Titled PARADISE?
So it’s been all around success for Ridley Scott’s Prometheus as the film will eventually reach $400 million plus in the worldwide box office. Almost cementing it’s sequel possibly titled Paradise to happen as the VOD and home video sales should help make up for it’s slow opening numbers. That said, it looks like the Blu Ray release with seven hours of content will be answering questions the film seemed to scale over or ignore completely. As it’s first ad “Questions Will Be Answered” seemingly does just that for audiences.
Apparently the name David gives to the Engineers’ home world is Paradise (working title for the second film) which Shaw is now heading. Not to mention that LV426 was originally the main location of Prometheus in original drafts of the script. I assume that Paradise could eventually become the planet that started the whole Alien franchise by the end of the sequel.
Joss Whedon Deserves Another Shot At The ‘ALIEN’ Franchise With ‘PROMETHEUS’ Sequel
It’s a little more than month before Prometheus finally hits theaters answering questions raised by the original Alien film. Ridley Scott is back in the sci-fi genre after a 30 year absence. Blade Runner being his last movie in the genre that released back in 1982. The trailers and footage have wowed diehard fans (including myself) and even have created new ones in the process. While the outcome of these films usually don’t leave much room for more than one or two cast members to return there is already talk of another film.
Originally, Fox and Ridley had planned a two-part Alien prequel before the studio quickly severed ties to Alien. This gave the impression the second film had been scrapped and this was going to be an original concept set in the Alien universe. I assume this stance was appease the fanbase before the trailers were released. As it’s clear that the xenomorphs do play a small role in the latter part of the movie and it’s indeed a prequel. There has been zero official announcements pertaining to this second film but it’s expected an outline from screenwriter Damon Lindelof (Star Trek 2) could have been included with his rewrite duties.
While Damon Lindelof should return I’d love to see Joss Whedon also involved. Whedon had been brought in by 20th Century Fox to write the fourth film in the franchise Alien Resurrection. The studio hounded him to make several changes to the script leading to many scenes being created, cut and dismantled. Notes from studio executives apparently butchered his original visions for the film and many scenes he didn’t even write were eventually added to the final draft. Things like the new born alien and underwater scene were studio/director creations. Whedon’s aborted scenes had apparently been compiled into a new script for Alien 5 as a direct sequel. However, Sigourney Weaver was opposed to the idea of an Alien film set on Earth so the fifth film never saw the light of day.
I believe that Joss deserves another shot at the series since he is a true fan and has the goods. Two films that he wrote are gaining critical praise this year which includes the horror comedy hybrid Cabin In The Woods and the more commercial blockbuster Avengers. He’s able to write witty banter just as well as thrilling action scenes and not to mention an ability to collaborate with other writers.
If Prometheus Performs Well There Could Be Sequels
When the Alien Prequel was originally announced it was pitched as a two part project. Later on when Damon Lindelof signed on for rewrites the film’s connection to the franchise was almost severed. Leaving a few bits of franchise DNA in the newly titled Prometheus which seemed it would focus more on the origins of the company and the space jockey. Along with being very android focused perhaps telling the story from the prospective of David (Fassbender). There is now word from HollywoodReporter that if Prometheus does well at the box office which is very likely Fox will pursue more installments.
His directing wishes could be altered by how well his sci-fi epic Prometheus, which stars Charlize Theron and Noomi Rapace and opens June 8, 2012, performs at the box office. Insiders at Fox say the studio is already exploring sequel options“
It was stated that this film would be set thirty years before the events of Alien so there is a little wiggle room for more movies in the Alien universe. It’s unknown how many if any crew members will come out of the film alive to reprise their roles. I believe it’s box office success might end up coming down to it’s rating while an R rating will appease fans of the franchise in the minds of the studio. A PG-13 rating is domestic gold and helps sell the movie overseas. However, all four of the original films were rated R and have been nothing but profitable for Fox. The Matrix trilogy being one the biggest successful R rated franchise it might be hard to get those kind of numbers.
Ridley also was expecting to make a bunch of sequels for Robin Hood before the Universal Pictures project went over budget and did very poorly at the box office. The film was an origin story rebooting the legend of Robin Hood which was setting up sequels along the way. Scott might be itching for franchise security since he’s never really done one besides creating the Alien franchise. Only to hand it off to directors like James Cameron and newcomer David Fincher which cemented both of their careers. When he visited the set of Avatar it was said he felt the gauntlet was thrown down by Cameron. It’s unknown if Ridley will return to the director’s chair as he has many projects in development which includes a new Blade Runner film currently in the script phase.
My take is that I believe this world is rich enough to explore a lot of different avenues and I believe there are many stories that could be tapped in new films. Maybe developing the origins/exploring off-world colonies and even the united systems military. I feel the space marines are an important aspect of the franchise since they’re eventually an arm of the company. It could be interesting to see Fox focus a movie on them establishing the bug-stompers. It was hinted in Aliens they’ve been up against similar hostile organisms before. While xenomorphs are tempting I wouldn’t mind seeing other creatures or threats. Of course a completely new take could be just as exciting.
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SPOILERS: Ridley Scott Talks Prometheus
I’ve used the heading SPOILERS to point out this whole article could ruin Prometheus if you read it so you’ve been warned. Ridley Scott while speaking with The Wallstreet Journal’s blog Speakeasy he gave a small tidbits of details on Prometheus. Confirming that the Alien DNA is in the film stating “The last eight minutes of the “Prometheus” story evolve into “a pretty good DNA of the ‘Alien’ one”.
This news leads me to believe there is a possiblity that Ridley and Fox could be considering a sequel which had been in the original plan. While setting up the alien world with Prometheus the next installment very well could end up being the Alien prequel that was originally intended. When the Alien prequel was originally announced there had been plans for two movies that would explain where the eggs, ship and Space Jockey came from. It’s unknown how much of Prometheus will actually explain if anything of the mythology/origin of the aliens. I wouldn’t be shocked if the film ended with a cliff hanger leading into the second film, if that plan still exists.
I had my doubts how they could make one origin story into two movies but establishing the human world, androids, the company’s motives and colonies would be the first step, the second explaining the origins of the aliens. This of course is all speculation but it’s going to be a massive treat for Alien fans like myself it does turn out this way. There has also been talk that Prometheus very well could be told from the prospective of David (Fassbender), one of the androids in the film.
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