Production for "Prometheus 2" is underway and has been set for a 2017 release date. The follow-up to the 2012 box office hit is also getting a new title: "Alien: Covenant."
The change in the title might sound weird for some, but it's not exactly far out. After "Prometheus" hit theaters in 2012, it was revealed that the Michael Fassbender-starrer was actually part of a prequel trilogy to the classic "Alien" movie franchise by Ridley Scott. It seems apt, therefore, for "Prometheus 2" to go back to its roots now that the secret's out.
Aside from the fact that "Prometheus" is only the first movie in the "Alien" prequel trilogy, production for "Prometheus 2" was secured after the first film scored $404 million in ticket sales worldwide. Because of its success, it's a no brainer the movie had to get picked up for a sequel.
Digital Spy reported that Scott is returning to the director's chair for "Prometheus 2," while Fassbender is also reprising his role as David. Noom Rapace, who played the other survivor Elizabeth Shaw, is not returning for round two according to Scott. However, the actress was reportedly spotted in Australia where the movie is filming.
Katherine Waterston has been cast as the new leading lady, as per /FILM. Waterston is slated to play Daniels, who is presumed to be a crew member of Covenant.
Danny McBride, Billy Crudup and Demián Bichir are also confirmed to take part in "Alien: Covenant."
"Bound for a remote planet on the far side of the galaxy, the crew of the colony ship Covenant discovers what they think is an uncharted paradise, but is actually a dark, dangerous world - whose sole inhabitant is the 'synthetic' David (Michael Fassbender), survivor of the doomed Prometheus expedition," the official synopsis for "Alien: Covenant" reads.
It's been teased that Fassbender's David is travelling to the home planet of the Engineers to learn more about the birth of mankind and why the Xenomorphs were created.
"If Engineers are the forerunners of us, and therefore were creators of life forms in places that were possible for biology to function, who created that? Where's the big boy? You think this was all an accident? I don't know," Scott disclosed about the central conflict in the movie.
"Alien: Covenant" release date has been set on Aug. 4, 2017.
