Story Arc - Prometheus trilogy to Alien (1979)

[Backburster]

Sorry if this has been discussed elsewhere, but I'm wondering what your thoughts are on how Scott will bridge this current trilogy with the original Alien.  I'm following the latest rumors, screenshots, etc., and quite a few people think that Weyland-Yutani is made aware of Paradise either because of a transmission or because of what happens with (to?) the Covenant crew there.  If Alien: Covenant and the final installment of the prequel trilogy bring us full circle regarding evolution of the Xenomorph, wouldn't Weyland-Yutani have been well aware of the species and its whereabouts on LV223 long before the Nostromo is detoured from its shipping lanes to investigate LV426?

I have rewatched Alien twice in the past month, and have of course seen Aliens a bunch.  There is very little indication I could see that the Company had previously run up against Xenos.  I guess that assumes that what comes out of the Company executives' mouths is truthful, when ridiculing Ripley for claiming to have battled an alien species never previously encountered.

The story is fascinating to me, but I'm curious what people think about where this is going, knowing where things (apparently) stand at the beginning of Alien (1979).

[Infected]

I, think its time they make a movie about a team or large group that is aware of the xeno's and the jockeys and the terrible black goo,
and that they go in prepared, and not instantly landing on a dangerous planet but secretly observing them and gathering knowledge.
And then do something different, but then again the ship will probably be rammed out of orbit by a jockey ship and eventually we end up being massacred on a planet

[Protozoid]

Sorry if this has been discussed elsewhere, but I'm wondering what your thoughts are on how Scott will bridge this current trilogy with the original Alien.  I'm following the latest rumors, screenshots, etc., and quite a few people think that Weyland-Yutani is made aware of Paradise either because of a transmission or because of what happens with (to?) the Covenant crew there.  If Alien: Covenant and the final installment of the prequel trilogy bring us full circle regarding evolution of the Xenomorph, wouldn't Weyland-Yutani have been well aware of the species and its whereabouts on LV223 long before the Nostromo is detoured from its shipping lanes to investigate LV426?

I have rewatched Alien twice in the past month, and have of course seen Aliens a bunch.  There is very little indication I could see that the Company had previously run up against Xenos.  I guess that assumes that what comes out of the Company executives' mouths is truthful, when ridiculing Ripley for claiming to have battled an alien species never previously encountered.

The story is fascinating to me, but I'm curious what people think about where this is going, knowing where things (apparently) stand at the beginning of Alien (1979).

A lot depends on whether Weyland-Yutani listened to Shaw's advice and never revisited LV-223. They would learn a lot from a more successful, long-term study of those ruins. By the time Alien happened, there was probably very little the Company didn't already know about the organism. Come to think of it, perhaps that is why the Company disregards Ripley's warnings about LV-426: the Company knows that the Engineers already seeded all of the habitable planets in the area, so they have no choice.

[Corporal Hicks]

A lot depends on whether Weyland-Yutani listened to Shaw's advice and never revisited LV-223. They would learn a lot from a more successful, long-term study of those ruins. By the time Alien happened, there was probably very little the Company didn't already know about the organism. Come to think of it, perhaps that is why the Company disregards Ripley's warnings about LV-426: the Company knows that the Engineers already seeded all of the habitable planets in the area, so they have no choice.

If they knew all that, what would be the point in the laborious attempts throughout the Alien films to actually get hold of the Alien? I don't think anything of these films can get back to W-Y and I don't think they'll be too much attention put towards it. I think all the prequels are going to revolve around David.

The most obvious way of tying it up (and I hate this idea and hope it never comes to fruition) is that something in the prequels leads to the crash of the Derelict on LV-426 and that's how it ties in.

[echobbase79]

A lot depends on whether Weyland-Yutani listened to Shaw's advice and never revisited LV-223. They would learn a lot from a more successful, long-term study of those ruins. By the time Alien happened, there was probably very little the Company didn't already know about the organism. Come to think of it, perhaps that is why the Company disregards Ripley's warnings about LV-426: the Company knows that the Engineers already seeded all of the habitable planets in the area, so they have no choice.

If they knew all that, what would be the point in the laborious attempts throughout the Alien films to actually get hold of the Alien? I don't think anything of these films can get back to W-Y and I don't think they'll be too much attention put towards it. I think all the prequels are going to revolve around David.

The most obvious way of tying it up (and I hate this idea and hope it never comes to fruition) is that something in the prequels leads to the crash of the Derelict on LV-426 and that's how it ties in.

Yeah, I agree that's pretty lazy storytelling. That's probably the way they'll do it.

I want the juggernaut and space jockey from Alien to remain a mystery.

[Corporal Hicks]

As much as I prefer the original Spaihts scripts, I was so glad they set Prometheus on a completely different moon. I hated that attempt to tie it into Alien.

[CainsSon]

I think they start to back themselves into a corner. The stories they are ALREADY telling start to make it ridiculous that W-Y isn't, not just AWARE of the Alien, but we already know you can find stuff on 3 separate planet/oids that W-Y knows of, before Aliens, in the timeline. At a certain point, they have to realize, you can only keep killing off everyone who knows about these creatures, or has any link to them, so many times, before it stretches logic that it doesn't cause problems for a lot of people. If you ask me PROMETHEUS already stretched it to it's maximum.

I hope they've got some ideas written down for a long term scenario, where both the Company is included in a storyline that makes sense out of how this has all been handled and also maybe does a number on the details they understand. For instance, maybe something happens by the end of the last PREQUEL where the company has misunderstood or mistaken the discoveries and events with the Aliens, in such a way where they know there is an 'ORGANISM' of sorts but don't quite understand what they are dealing with?

Personally, I think filling any more planets and chapters of this story up with new colonies, and regular joes who all die and obliterate giant ships and colonies, before the company can find out about the Alien, is both tired and not progressive to the series. I also think it can potentially cheapen the original franchise. I dunno. I guess I think the approach should be subtle and contained, but I also want to see more of the Company's side of things.

Actually, a story about an INVESTIGATION into the company cover up could be interesting. This is why I liked the idea of Amanda in Isolation. It makes sense to investigate your mother's disappearance. The key to new story ideas is always the characters. What kind of people would need to be included in this story for ALIEN to make sense? Then pick the most interesting roles. Maybe like a Film Noir Alien film could be cool. Or even something like OUTLAND. Something really LEFT-FIELD with the Goo like a synthesized drug or technology, that side-tracks away from the Alien... They need new ideas.

[echobbase79]

As much as I prefer the original Spaihts scripts, I was so glad they set Prometheus on a completely different moon. I hated that attempt to tie it into Alien.

The problem with prequels is that you're one step ahead of the story and characters. I agree Spaihts script was good, but even so I would've known the ending.

Prometheus (which I didn't like) at least gave me something that was an experience. Not a very good one in my opinion, but at least I wasn't ahead of the characters like I would've been in a straight up prequel.

[CainsSon]

As much as I prefer the original Spaihts scripts, I was so glad they set Prometheus on a completely different moon. I hated that attempt to tie it into Alien.

The problem with prequels is that you're one step ahead of the story and characters. I agree Spaihts script was good, but even so I would've known the ending.

Prometheus (which I didn't like) at least gave me something that was an experience. Not a very good one in my opinion, but at least I wasn't ahead of the characters like I would've been in a straight up prequel.

I agree with this. From a storytelling perspective PROMETHEUS dodges a great deal of the typical Prequel pitfalls by side-stepping the stuff that links directly to Alien. I think that's the key right there - to keep the focus of the prequels on OTHER things, separate from what the later ALIEN films are focused on. Something Im worried about with COVENANT is that third act has a real xeno in it. So they kill this thing off in 15 min, and then we are supposed to be worried in ALIEN when it's so impossible to kill? Because of this, I would prefer to see everything be a PROTO-XENO of some sort. This also allows them to focus on adding new things to the creature's abilities.

[echobbase79]

As much as I prefer the original Spaihts scripts, I was so glad they set Prometheus on a completely different moon. I hated that attempt to tie it into Alien.

The problem with prequels is that you're one step ahead of the story and characters. I agree Spaihts script was good, but even so I would've known the ending.

Prometheus (which I didn't like) at least gave me something that was an experience. Not a very good one in my opinion, but at least I wasn't ahead of the characters like I would've been in a straight up prequel.

I agree with this. From a storytelling perspective PROMETHEUS dodges a great deal of the typical Prequel pitfalls by side-stepping the stuff that links directly to Alien. I think that's the key right there - to keep the focus of the prequels on OTHER things, separate from what the later ALIEN films are focused on. Something Im worried about with COVENANT is that third act has a real xeno in it. So they kill this thing off in 15 min, and then we are supposed to be worried in ALIEN when it's so impossible to kill? Because of this,I would prefer to see everything be a PROTO-XENO of some sort. This also allows them to focus on adding new things to the creature's abilities.

Depends on how its filmed and shot. Also, is it a fact that we're going to get a real xeno at the end? Well, I guess the poster pretty much confirms this.

[Pvt. Himmel]

People have to understand... You can't always get what you want... All the time.

[Ingwar]

We might have to wait another 2 or 3 years for Covenant sequel. Ridley will shoot Wraiths of the Broken Land (amazing book by the way) and then probably (who knows what Scott wants to do next) come back to Alien universe. I assume that after dark western and Covenant sequel he will make non-Alien movie and then 3rd and the last part of Alien-prequel trilogy (excluding Prometheus).

[Corporal Hicks]

I wonder how much of it's already been written.

[Ingwar]

I wonder how much of it's already been written.

You don't know that Hicks? Cannot believe it Being serious, it's very likely that they have idea(s) or even drafts regarding Covenant prequels. They plan in advance. They have to.

[thexenomorph]

I wonder if Scott is even considering Aliens when he thinks of the timeline, he might consider Alien to be the end of the timeline I wonder.