It looks like Sir Ridley Scott is doing everything he can to win back Alien fans who may have been less than thrilled by his recent prequel effort Prometheus. Plus, in today’s Movie Morsels, we have the latest on Resident Evil: The Final Chapter, Trainspotting 2, Fast & Furious 8, and more!
Note: Alien and Prometheus photos above and below copyright 20th Century Fox.
Alien: Paradise Lost
Wondering why Prometheus 2‘s name has been changed to Alien: Paradise Lost? Director Ridley Scott explains at the premiere of The Martian: “Well, because we’re heading back to why and how and when the beast was invented. We’ll go back into the back door of the very first Alien that I did thirty years ago.” As Coming Soon helpfully points out, in addition to referencing Milton’s epic poem Paradise Lost, the film’s new name also echoes a piece of dialogue in Prometheus…
Shaw’s Father: Everyone has their own word; heaven, paradise. Whatever it’s called, it’s someplace beautiful.
Young Shaw: How do you know it’s beautiful?
Scott goes on to explain in Empire that the film will find a way to tie in with Ellen Ripley’s story…
“In a way it is Prometheus 2, it’s exactly the same story. But it was always in the works to be called [Alien: Paradise Lost]. Is Prometheus actually taking us off course from where I’m going, which is actually backing into the first Alien… I’ve even got connections with Ripley, but I’m not telling you what.”
But the best news of all is that Scott confirms that rather than feature the xenomorph we met in Prometheus, Paradise Lost will see the return of the H.R. Giger-designed original Alien beastie…
“I think I have to go again. We will see who made it, and why. That’s what’s interesting.”
Alien: Paradise Lost begins production in February, with stars Noomi Rapace and Michael Fassbender.
Furious 8
Good news, Fast & Furious fans… Star Vin Diesel has confirmed via Facebook that there will be a new trilogy of films produced within Universal’s highly lucrative gearhead franchise, and that it will represent the final films in the saga. He also explains that a director will soon be announced for Fast & Furious 8…
“The fans of the Fast & Furious SAGA are the best fans in the world… Since I became the Producer in 2008, you have been with me every step of the way… literally giving me feedback that proved invaluable. Thank you.
“My producing partner Neal would love for me to just sign off on a director, but this is too special a franchise, so these matters have to be very carefully handled. To be clear, NO ONE has been offered to helm Fast 8 yet… let alone seen a script.
“Universal has been so good to me and so trusting of the vision… they have been like family… I promised the studio I would deliver one last Trilogy to end the saga.
“I will announce the directors on my next post…”
Stay tuned, folks!
Trainspotting 2
Danny Boyle has confirmed that his plans for the Trainspotting sequel are indeed moving forward and that all four of the film’s returning stars have signed on…
“It’s May and June next year we shoot and we’ve got a terrific script. We’ve got the four main actors all eager and willing to do it. I’m very happy because my only (concern) was that the script would be good for two of them and not so great for the other two, and they’d feel obliged to come back, but they’ve all got good stuff, and it’s a very interesting look at them again. Hopefully, we can get it finished in time to release it in 2016 which is the 20th Anniversary year, so yes, we’re on it, and it’s looking good.”
Boyle further confirmed that the film will not be called Porno, the name of Trainspotting author Irvine Welsh’s follow-up novel.
Resident Evil: The Final Chapter
Actress Milla Jovovich has just shared the first look at her returning Resident Evil franchise co-star Ali Larter from the set of the saga’s next chapter, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter…
Yes, that is a heckuva lot of blue-eyed girl power in that photo… Directed by Paul W.S. Anderson, and featuring Wentworth Miller, Bingbing Li, Sienna Guillory, and Johann Urb, Resident Evil: The Final Chapter opens on January 27, 2017.
LBJ
Wondering what Woody Harrelson will look like when he takes on the title role in director Rob Reiner’s biopic about the thirty-sixth President of the United States, LBJ? Entertainment Weekly has our first look at the actor in full makeup, and he’s a dead ringer for the late Prez…
Co-starring Richard Jenkins, Bill Pullman, Jeffrey Donovan, Kim Allen, and Jennifer Jason Leigh as Lady Bird Johnson, LBJ began production last week. It’s expected to open in theaters in 2016.
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