If you’re wondering what’s going on with Noah Hawley’s “Alien: Earth” series, which was greenlit more than five years ago, well, a trailer was just released.
The simple premise of the show is given to us—a ship containing a xenomorph crash-lands on Earth. A group of soldiers then have to investigate. This is a prequel to Ridley Scott‘s 1979 film, and set 40 years before the events in that film.
The trailer has quick flashes of characters visibly rattled, the sound design oozing with unsettling squelches. Just when you think it’s leveling out, the chaos erupts — rapid-fire glimpses of frantic screams, flickering sparks, and eerie, inhuman figures leaping into frame. It all builds to a final few seconds involving a Xenomorph looming over its next terrified target, saliva dripping.
“Alien: Earth” will premiere August 12, on FX/Hulu. There have been constant delays to production, mostly due to COVID, recasting and the SAG-AFTRA strikes. Much like “Alien: Romulus,” Hawley has decided not to cast big names; Sydney Chandler is said to be playing the lead role. Timothy Olyphant plays Chandler’s mentor.
According to FX Chairman John Landgraf, the story unfolds “near the end of this century,” which aligns it just a few years ahead of “Prometheus.” However, Hawley has confirmed the show won’t directly reference “Prometheus,” and the actual year is set in 2120, just before the timeline of “Alien.”
The most promising aspect of this latest take on ‘Alien’ is Hawley; the creator of FX’s “Fargo”, not to mention the acclaimed “Legion,” is overseeing the series as its showrunner; He’s also credited as writer and director.