Alicia Malone
Well, it’s the best anwser we’ll likely get – atleast before the marketing campaign kicks in (featuring a giant alien egg and the unmistakable score from “Aliens” playing over the trailer). Damon Lindelof, writer of “Prometheus”, says the film does indeed take place in the same universe as the “Alien” films; he describes the film as more of a spin-off of the Ridley Scott-directed original than a straight-up prequel though.
Lindelof (“Lost”) was on Kevin Pollak’s chat show when he was asked about the movie, which started out as a straight-up “Alien” prequel but morphed into something else.
/Film transcribed the “Prometheus” related Question and Answers.
“It started as an Alien prequel. That is what everybody wanted it to be. Obviously, Ridley Scott has not made a science fiction movie in 25 years, since Blade Runner, so the idea that he’s returning to this genre is huge. But there is a real issue which is — what is the state of the Alien franchise at this point in our lives? There has been Alien vs. Predator and all these things, and its been completely and totally diluted. I’ve always felt that really good prequels should be original movies. And the sequels to those prequels should not be the movie which already exists because, with all due respect to anyone who makes a prequel, but why would you ruin the greatest twist in the history of cinema, “Luke, I am your father”, by showing me three movies which basically spoil that surprise. You can do movies which take place before Star Wars, but I don’t need to see the story of the Skywalker clan. Show me something else which I can’t guess the possible outcome of. There is no suspense in inevitability. So a true prequel should essentially proceed the events of the original film, but be about something entirely different, feature different characters , have an entirely different theme, although it takes place in that same world. That was my fundamental feeling about what this movie wanted to be.”
Lindelof says this is the movie he, as an “Alien” fan, would want to see (which is comforting) :
I also do feel that this movie is the movie I would want to see as a fanboy, take place in that Alien universe, which precedes the events of the original Alien, but is not necessarily burdened by all the tropes of that franchise with Facehuggers and Chestbursters, and all that stuff that I love…but its sorta like, we’ve seen it before, can we do something different this time? And thats the movie that Ridley wanted to make. And when you’re working with an auteur, you basically just shut your mouth and listen and try to transcribe and channel the vision of that person, and get out of the way.”
In addition, The Hollywood Reporter says Michael Fassbender’s character in the film may be a version of the android character that’s been present in all the “Alien” films, while Ridley Scott (attending CineEurope with Fassbender and co-star Noomi Rapace) confirms the “Alien” connection still exists.
