Ridley Scott might be done with the franchise, but there’s clearly a missing chapter in the series that bridgesAlien: Covenantto the 1979 original. Counting the franchise’s crossovers with thePredatorseries, there are a total of nine entries in theAlienmovie franchise. There is a surprising amount of variety among them, too; there’s the “Haunted House in Space” chills ofAlien, the shoot-em-up action ofAliens, the goofy comedy ofResurrectionand so forth. Each new instalment adds to the lore of the saga too, introducing new wrinkles to the lifecycle or wider universe.
After 30 years away from the series, Ridley Scott returned to theAlienfranchise with 2012’sPrometheus. This was originally pitched as a prequel that would explain the Derelict spacecraft found on LV-426 in the first film, but it later evolved into something else. Scott had grand plans for his prequel series, with 2017 sequelCovenantseeing David (Michael Fassbender) further his plans to wipe out mankind with these “perfect” creatures. Despite ending on a major cliffhanger,Covenantis unlikely to get a direct sequel, even though it leaves a major gap intheAlientimeline.
Watching The Alien Movies In Timeline Order, There Is Clearly A Missing Chapter
Alien: Awakening should slot right in there
Scott’s somewhat controversial retconning of the series suggested that David created the Xenomorphs himself through tinkering with the black goo. AsAlien: Covenantended, he had a whole colony ship filled with human test subjects to experiment on. Scott had plans for a third and even a fourth prequel, withthe unmadeAlien: Awakeningseeing David becoming a Dr Moreau-like figure creating Xenomorph variants. The critical and commercial letdown ofCovenantkilled those notions, and the property was given a soft reboot with 2024’sAlien: Romulus.
Without a third movie to wrap up David’s arc, the prequels failed in their mission to fill in what happened betweenCovenantand the firstAlien. It could be argued this is the better option; after all, part of what made the Space Jockey and the Derelict so creepy involvednotknowing where they came from. Still,it’s frustrating to see two movies build towards an answer - and then fizzle out before delivering on it.
… Alien: Covenant’s cliffhanger looks set to remain unanswered.
Flawed as the prequels were, they are also ambitious and mature slices of sci-fi cinema, and David himself is an amazing character. It’s a genuine shame if his storyline is left hanging, though with aRomulussequel on the horizon, there’s always a chance this plot could get some payoff. In the same wayResurrectionorAliens vs Predator: Requiemhad sequel teases that never paid off (thankfully, inAvPR’scase),Covenant’scliffhanger looks set to remain hanging on that cliff.
Will Ridley Scott Ever Make An Alien Covenant Sequel?
Scott might be “done” with the franchise
When it became clear a directAlien: Covenantsequel was a non-starter, Scott later selected Fede Álvarez (Don’t Breathe) to helmRomulus. That midquel proved a solid success and reminded viewers why they loved the series so much. Despite reports that he might return to helm another installment,Scott toldScreen Rant"Where it’s going now, I think I’ve done enough, and I just hope it goes further.“This suggests he might be done with the property as a filmmaker, though he could still be involved as a producer.
Scott had a bold vision for theAlienseries and how he wanted it to evolve beyond slimy monsters chasing people through vents. Sadly, neither of his prequels fully hit the mark, and viewers longed to return to a more stripped-back version. Now, it’s not out of the question thatanother Ridley ScottAliensequelcouldhappen, but with Álvarez hard at work on the next film and Scott busy with other projects, it probably won’t.
The next entry in the franchise will be the TV spinoffAlien: Earth, which will debut on FX in August 2025.
Even if Scott himself doesn’t wrap up David’s story, the evil android’s final chapter feels too juicy to ignore. Be it an animated movie, a graphic novel or audiobook, there’s a golden opportunity to wrap up David’s journey and explain how it leads into the start of 1979’sAlien. Some director or creator will inevitably tackle this unresolved question someday, but for now, the saga is moving in a different direction.
Alien
The Alien franchise, which began with Ridley Scott’s 1979 film, is a Sci-Fi series comprised of several horror films, games, and comic books centered on humanity’s encounters with a hostile extraterrestrial species known as Xenomorphs. Characterized by their lethal prowess and capability to reproduce at an alarming rate, these creatures pose a profound threat to human existence. The primary series protagonist, Ellen Ripley, acts as the voice of reason as she seeks to keep the creatures out of the hands of greed-driven corporate scientists.
Cast
Alien, directed by Ridley Scott, is a science fiction horror film that follows the crew of the commercial spacecraft Nostromo. Upon investigating a distress signal on a distant moon, they discover a deadly extraterrestrial lifeform. The film stars Sigourney Weaver as Ripley and became a seminal work in both the sci-fi and horror genres, known for its atmospheric tension and groundbreaking visual effects.
Alien: Covenant
Alien: Covenant, directed by Ridley Scott, follows the crew of the colony ship Covenant as they discover an uncharted planet. Initially seeming like a paradise, the planet soon reveals dark secrets. Katherine Waterston, Michael Fassbender, and Billy Crudup lead the cast in this science fiction horror film, which serves as a direct sequel to Prometheus and continues to explore the origins of the Alien species.
