After hearing various unconfirmed reports on the Alien prequel; titles, cast, plot etc, its all become moot as Fox and director Ridley Scott have decided to kill the project and instead reconfigure the idea for an original sci-fi project called Prometheus.
Noomi Rapace is on board to play a scientist named Elizabeth Shaw, and the second major role of Vickers is apparently being fought over by Charlize Theron and Angelina Jolie. Plot details are non existent for now, but here is what Scott and Damon Lindelof(who has worked closely with Scott on the script) had to say..
“While Alien was indeed the jumping off point for this project, out of the creative process evolved a new, grand mythology and universe in which this original story takes place. The keen fan will recognize strands of Alien’s DNA, so to speak, but the ideas tackled in this film are unique, large and provocative. I couldn’t be more pleased to have found the singular tale I’d been searching for, and finally return to this genre that’s so close to my heart.”
Lindelof..
"In a world flooded with prequels, sequels and reboots, I was incredibly struck by just how original Ridley's vision was for this movie. It's daring, visceral and hopefully, the last thing anyone expects. When I sat in a movie theater as a kid, feet raised off the floor for fear that something might grab my ankles, I never dreamed in my wildest imagination I would one day get to collaborate with the man responsible for it. Working alongside him has been nothing short of a dream come true."
Sounds like this new project could still be set in the same world as Alien at least. More details are sure to be released soon anyway. Fox has set a March 9, 2012 release date.