The last time we heard an update on the Alien TV series that Noah Hawley is developing for FX and the Hulu streaming service was back in February, at which time it was said that five scripts for the show had been written. It’s not clear just how many episodes the first season of Alien will have, but FX chief John Landgraf has now confirmed to Deadline that “Hawley has delivered all of the scripts for his series based on the Sigourney Weaver feature film and shooting will begin next year.”
As reported in February, start of production on Alien is being held off until Hawley is finished working on season 5 of Fargo, which stars filming this fall.
Landgraf previously revealed the timeframe the Alien TV show is set in. He told Deadline,
There are some big surprises in store for the audience. Alien takes place before Ripley. It’s the first story that takes place in the Alien franchise on Earth. So, it takes place on our planet. Right near the end of this century we’re in — so 70-odd years from now. Ripley won’t be a part of it or any of the other characters of Alien other than the alien itself.”
A late-2090s setting would place the events of this show in between the events of Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, if they’re paying attention to the franchise continuity. But it won’t be the first project to put Xenomorphs on Earth before Ripley encountered them, because the Alien vs. Predator movies already did that. (And were then ignored by Prometheus and Alien: Covenant.)
The Alien TV series is being produced by Ridley Scott through his Scott Free banner. Landgraf has said the show might premiere sometime in 2023.
This isn’t the only Alien project in the works at Hulu, as it was recently announced that Fede Alvarez will also be directing a standalone Alien feature film for the streaming service.
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