Ridley Scott returned to Prometheus et Alien : Covenantthe prequels ofAlien that he achieved. And he has a big regret.
The non-success ofAlien : Covenant in 2017 then the takeover of the 20th Century Fox studio by Disney in 2019 may have put an end to Ridley Scott's plans, but it will take more to overcome the xenos. In 2024, Alien : Romulus set the stage again with more than 350 million at the box office for an official budget of 80 million, i.e. one of the biggest successes of the saga for a while – Prometheus passed the 400 million mark, but with a budget of at least 120 million.
And while the series Alien : Earth will arrive in early 2025to explore a new part of the mythology on Earth this time, the sequel toAlien : Romulus is in preparation. Mickey has indeed revived the saga Alien.
Ridley Scott is no longer a director, but he keeps an eye on things from afar. He's staying producer via his company Scott Free Productionsand at least symbolic advisor for the new artisans of the saga. And in full promotion of Gladiator 2the director returned to one thing he regrets about the prequels Prometheus et Alien : Covenant.
“THEY ARE FUCKING EVERYTHING UP”
This is in a long interview with Deadlinereleased on November 13, 2024, which Ridley Scott was asked about Prometheus et Alien : Covenant. He first returned to the reasons which pushed him to set foot again in a saga which he had abandoned, because consequences that he found more and more problematic.
At least after Aliens, the return by James Cameron, the only one to find favor in his eyes:
“Jim told me, I can't make it that scary because you've shown the beast enough that it's not new anymore. But it still works. He told me, I'm going to make it a military thing. (…) Jim’s was a very good sequel. 3 and 4 became more and more difficult. As it went on, I said to myself, 'my god, they're screwing this up.' And after that, honestly, I said to myself ok, it's over. »
It is by falling back later on Alien that he finally changed his mind, years later:
“That's why I sat down with the great screenwriter Damon Lindelof, and we reconstructed a resurrection of that era, with Prometheus, and how it had evolved since Alien. But we weren't vigilant enough. »
What's the problem then? Behind the scenes, at the franchise business level. Because he left Alien escape him, once again.
“I BLAME MYSELF PARTLY FOR THAT”
Ridley Scott and his partners did not do what was necessary to truly take ownership of this new saga, and they did not maintain control ofAlien with these prequels. Result: it escaped them.
“My advisors, who frankly are no longer with me, were not vigilant enough, without a doubt. And I partly blame myself for that, except I was busy making other films. So it was abandoned and it shouldn't have been. When you resurrect something, it's better to protect your back at all costs. »
It's all the more surprising since Ridley Scott has already spoken several times about a great regret in his career: having missed the opportunity to make the sequels…Alien et Blade Runnerat the very beginning of his career. He explained to Vanity Fair in July 2024:
“I was slow at the start. I mean, I should have done the Alien and Blade Runner sequels. I am the author of two franchises. (…) Most directors in Hollywood – at least, let’s say, at my level – don’t let this kind of opportunity pass them by. But Alien was my second film, so I didn't really have a choice. And Blade Runner was my third film. I had no choice because I had very tough partners. It was a bit like saying, “Welcome to Hollywood.” I've never really been asked. You can imagine I wasn't happy. »
In any case, Ridley Scott has not lost his place at the discussion table. After all, it was he who had apparently worked at Fox to torpedo the project Alien 5 by Neill Blomkamp with Sigourney Weaver, in order to protect his prequels and plans.
When Disney bought the franchise Alien with Fox in 2019, he was one of the first to be consulted. And in addition to being credited as producer on Alien : RomulusRidley Scott was consulted, at least in principle, by Fede Álvarez – who had the courtesy not to erase Prometheus et Alien : Covenant in history.
All that remains to be seen is whether Disney will want to pick up the pieces between all these recent prequels, and why. not bring back Michael Fassbender in order to connect the sequelAlien : Romulus has Prometheus et Covenant.
