While the future of the
Alien franchise on the big screen is still unclear, 2019 does mark the
40th anniversary of the iconic Ridley Scott-directed film that first introduced the world to the Xenomorph. In celebration of this anniversary, 20th Century Fox will be releasing six new horrifying live-action
Alien short films from a new generation of storytellers.
These shorts were created in partnership with Tongal, a platform that connects online filmmakers with studios to crowdsource content. More than 550 submissions were received from creators, with six projects ultimately selected to play with xenomorphs, facehuggers and other Weyland-Yutani Corporation intellectual properties. These six stories and their associated filmmakers will help expand the franchise and add to the xenomorph mythology while also being respectful to the horror elements of Ridley Scott's
Alien.
According to Tongal Co-Founder and CEO James DeJulio, this partnership with Fox is "reflective of Tongal's mission to bring creative opportunities to the next generation of talent" and to allow rising filmmakers the "chance to make their mark on an iconic franchise and extend the Alien narrative." DeJulio said they can't wait to share with fans what they have created, adding that ultimately these short films were made by fans, for the fans.
Check out the teaser below for the six
Alien short films, as well as the official synopses provided by 20th Century Fox, below.
Alien: Alone — Hope, an abandoned crew member aboard the derelict chemical hauler Otranto, has spent a year trying to keep her ship and herself alive as both slowly fall apart. After discovering hidden cargo, she risks it all to power up the broken ship in search of human life. Written and directed by Noah Miller.
Alien: Containment — Four survivors find themselves stranded aboard a small escape pod in deep space. Trying to piece together the details around the outbreak that led to their ship’s destruction, they find themselves unsure to trust whether or not one of them might be infected. Written and directed by Chris Reading.
Alien: Harvest — The surviving crew of a damaged deep-space harvester have minutes to reach the emergency evacuation shuttle. A motion sensor is their only navigation tool leading them to safety while a creature in the shadows terrorizes the crew. However, the greatest threat might have been hiding in plain sight all along. Directed by Benjamin Howdeshell.
Alien: Night Shift — When a missing space trucker is discovered hungover and disoriented, his co-worker suggests a nightcap as a remedy. Near closing time, they are reluctantly allowed inside the colony supply depot where the trucker’s condition worsens, leaving a young supply worker alone to take matters into her own hands. Written and directed by Aidan Breznick.
Alien: Ore — As a hard-working miner of a planet mining colony, Lorraine longs to make a better life for her daughter and grandchildren. When her shift uncovers the death of a fellow miner under mysterious circumstances, Lorraine is forced to choose between escape or defying management orders and facing her fears to fight for the safety of her family. Written and directed by the Spear Sisters.
Alien: Specimen — It’s the night shift in a colony greenhouse, and Julie, a botanist, does her best to contain suspicious soil samples that have triggered her sensitive lab dog. Despite her best efforts the lab unexpectedly goes into full shutdown and she is trapped inside. Little does she know, an Alien specimen has escaped the mysterious cargo, and a game of cat and mouse ensues as the creature searches for a host. Written and directed by Kelsey Taylor.
These
Alien shorts will begin to be released every week online on
IGN's website
beginning March 29, and will then be added to AlienUniverse.com and @AlienAnthology social media channels on May 5 along with some exclusive behind-the-scenes footage.
However, a selection of material from the project will be screened early to fans at the Emerald City Comic-Con in Seattle, Washington on March 15, the C2E2 in Chicago on March 23, and WonderCon in Anaheim, California on March 30.