ALIEN Director Sir Ridley Scott Says Noah Hawley's TV Series Will "Never Be As Good As The First [Film]"

ALIEN Director Sir Ridley Scott Says Noah Hawley's TV Series Will "Never Be As Good As The First [Film]"

The Alien franchise is heading to the small screen courtesy of Disney, and filmmaker Sir Ridley Scott has now shared his thoughts on those plans and where things went wrong with the last two movies...

By JoshWilding - Oct 13, 2021 04:10 AM EST
Filed Under: Alien
Source: The Independent

When Alien: Covenant bombed at the box office in 2017, Sir Ridley Scott's plans for a series of prequels were derailed. Of course, the Disney/Fox merger also factored into that, and Disney has since decided to commit to Noah Hawley's vision for a TV series that will seemingly reinvent the franchise in new and familiar ways.

The Independent recently sat down with Scott to discuss his upcoming projects and got his thoughts on where things when wrong with the Alien franchise on the big screen. 

Talking about 2012's Prometheus, a movie that grossed over $400 million at the box office, he said: "I never showed an alien in it...and the studio said, 'See, it didn’t do so well!' Really?" With Alien: Covenant, he "put the aliens back in there," but the sequel made only $240 million. "When you’ve got a marvellous beast, it does wear out and you have to actually think again."

As for that TV series, Scott chose his words carefully, but did make a tongue in cheek comment about his expectations for the Fargo and Legion showrunner's small screen Alien plans. 

"It’ll never be as good as the first one," he said with a grin. "That’s what I’ll say."

It's possible the filmmaker isn't best pleased with the franchise moving on without him, of course, but he makes a fair point. Alien is rightly considered a classic, as is Aliens, and topping either one of them is likely to be nigh on impossible. Hawley doesn't have to, though, and anything that adds to this franchise in a meaningful way is sure to be welcomed by fans. 

Just don't bank on Scott being among them...

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L0RDbuckethead
L0RDbuckethead - 10/13/2021, 1:51 AM
FinnishDude
FinnishDude - 10/13/2021, 4:38 AM
It will, however, easily be better than the two prequels you made, Scott.
sixthsense
sixthsense - 10/13/2021, 4:41 AM
Aliens is the only one I like, the rest are not so good....why is he so defensive over this franchise after he ruined it
Origame
Origame - 10/13/2021, 4:42 AM
Wow! And a big old middle finger right back at ya scott.
Blergh
Blergh - 10/13/2021, 4:44 AM
Jesus Ridley, wtf?
That's incredibly mean towards a fellow filmmaker. You didn't even make the best Alien film
ElvenKingSlayer
ElvenKingSlayer - 10/13/2021, 9:57 PM
@Blergh - Well he did! IMHO
Blergh
Blergh - 10/14/2021, 2:35 AM
@ElvenKingSlayer - obviously depends of preference, I love the original Alien but it's hard to deny that Cameron's sequel had a bigger impact on the overall genre and cinematic landscape.
The ammount of arrogance on display in his comments here seems be oblivious to that
TanukiTrooper
TanukiTrooper - 10/14/2021, 4:14 AM
@Blergh - I mean, it was in playful jest, not a malicious attack. I think his point is that the Xeno is overcooked, it's done, hence it will never be good as the first time. He has been saying this for years though, even in regards to his own work. He and Dan O'Bannon originally envisioned the Alien franchise focusing on a different type of monster with each movie. So in reality, Prometheus is more of a true sequel to the original idea of Alien than Aliens. Especially when you consider Cameron only made Aliens because he couldn't get the rights to Starship Troopers. Which is why the dragon became more bug like and dumbed down, and the colonial marines were introduced.

And I mean, yes it is down to preference. But the original Alien was a sci-fi horror masterpiece. Aliens was a simplistic fun adventure with big guns and catch phrases. It's like comparing Shawshank Redemption to Thor Ragnarok. They are both good, if I was asked which I enjoy more, it would depend on my mood. If I was asked which was the better film, it's not really a competition.
ElvenKingSlayer
ElvenKingSlayer - 10/14/2021, 4:21 AM
@Blergh - Yeah it depends if you like the horror or the action(which includes the silly american marines)..
But im not so sure you are right about impact.. The style Giger brought can be seen even outside of the cinematic landscape.
manofillintent1
manofillintent1 - 10/13/2021, 4:45 AM
I mean he’s right but alien resurrection was better than covenant for gods sake how did that happen?
Origame
Origame - 10/13/2021, 4:48 AM
@manofillintent1 - idk about him being right. People were probably saying something similar when aliens was announced, and it's arguably the best in the franchise. I'm at least open to the possibility that it can be good.
manofillintent1
manofillintent1 - 10/13/2021, 5:02 AM
@Origame - Aliens is my personal favourite however they’re are many who’d disagree it’s the best in the franchise due to Cameron taking away the mystique of the alien and essentially making them bugs, I understand this point of view but the movie is so damn good that it’s never been an issue for me
GhostDog
GhostDog - 10/13/2021, 4:48 AM
jerryblake
jerryblake - 10/13/2021, 4:52 AM
I liked all Aliens movies. Beside Resurrection.
Prometheus was actually my favourite one. I know. Kill me now.

Prometheus 7/10
Aliens DC - 7/10
Alien DC - 6,5/10
Alien 3 DC -6,5/10
Covenant - 6/10
Resurrection - 5/10
Blergh
Blergh - 10/13/2021, 5:01 AM
@jerryblake -
Alien - 8/10
Aliens - 8/10
Alien 3 - 7/10
Alien: Ressurection - 5/10
Prometheus - 6/10
Alien: Covenant - 5/10

Alien vs Predator - 4/10
Aliens vs Predator: Requiem - 3/10
jerryblake
jerryblake - 10/13/2021, 5:09 AM
@Blergh - Oh yeah. I forgot about AVP movies.
I give both of them 6/10.
Although Requiem is pretty dark in some scenes as i recall.
LittleSween
LittleSween - 10/13/2021, 4:53 AM
I mean, even Ridley couldn't make a Aliens film as good as the first one.
bkmeijer2
bkmeijer2 - 10/13/2021, 4:54 AM
So that why Neill Blomkamp never got to make his Alien project, because that would
MosquitoFarmer
MosquitoFarmer - 10/13/2021, 4:56 AM
I enjoyed both prequels.
Don't know why so many people are taking his comments immediately as hostile, instead of as cheeky, but have fun with your vitriol.
HeavyMetal4Life
HeavyMetal4Life - 10/13/2021, 4:58 AM
What a childish thing to say, Sir Scott. After that shitfest of a movie you made titled Covenant, I don't think you should be speaking much about how good an Alien project will be...
nmasterofnaught
nmasterofnaught - 10/13/2021, 5:00 AM
I think this quote is being taken out of context. Apparently grinning as he said it? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯



Maybe he was referring to critical analysis of his prometheus prequels?
CaptainScotland
CaptainScotland - 10/13/2021, 5:11 AM
What a bitter old man
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