20th Century is still in search of a director for the next ‘Alien,’ but The InSneider is hearing that the process has been difficult. Sources say that producer Ridley Scott is not making it easy on anyone because he actually wants to direct it himself.
Last year, Fede Álvarez, who helmed “Alien: Romulus,” was in pre-production on the sequel when he suddenly exited the project. Did Álvarez step aside voluntarily, or was there friction behind the scenes with 20th Century—or even Ridley Scott? Some are pointing to the latter.
According to Sneider, 20th Century then approached Álvarez’s fellow ‘Evil Dead’ alum, Sebastien Vanicek, the director of the upcoming “Evil Dead Burn,” but talks eventually fell apart. Maybe Scott interfered again—who knows.
“Alien: Romulus,” a back-to-basics revival that practically replicated the structure of Scott’s 1979 original, was a surprise hit, grossing $350 million worldwide on a relatively modest $80 million budget. Cailee Spaeny’s performance as Rain, a modern-day Ripley of sorts, was the standout element, and she is expected to return for the sequel alongside David Jonsson.
For years, Scott has repeatedly said that he wanted to continue the story begun in “Prometheus” (2012) and “Alien: Covenant” (2017). He talked about making another prequel that would continue the storyline of Michael Fassbender’s David.
A previous The Hot Mic report claimed that Álvarez wanted to use David in his ‘Romulus’ sequel, but Scott denied him that privilege because he “might want to come back to the series,” and if so, “I want to be the one who brings him back and uses him.”
Obviously, if there was a clash between the two, Ridley was always going to win. It appears to have been a case of creative differences, and that may have been the dealbreaker that ultimately sealed Álvarez’s fate.