‘The Dog Stars’ Director Ridley Scott Confirms He’s Rewriting the Next ‘Alien’ Film

The ‘Alien’ franchise has consistently thrived on transformation, with each installment reshaping the audience’s perception of the Xenomorph mythology. From Ellen Ripley’s terrifying experience aboard the Nostromo to the prequel era exploring themes of creation and artificial life, the series has rarely remained stagnant.

This dynamic has characterized Ridley Scott’s connection with the property he initiated decades ago. Even after stepping back from directing, Scott has stayed deeply engaged behind the scenes, producing spinoffs and closely monitoring the saga’s direction.

Recently, it has come to light that his involvement is more significant than fans anticipated. Scott has confirmed that he is personally rewriting the next chapter of the ‘Alien’ story, focusing on a character many believed had reached his conclusion: Michael Fassbender’s android, David.

Scott revealed that David’s return was not part of a long-term strategy but rather a spontaneous choice influenced by the outcome of the franchise’s latest entry. He shared with French outlet AlloCiné that ‘the one that just came out [Alien: Romulus] was OK,’ expressing that he felt the series ‘needs some help,’ which prompted him to return to the writing desk.

Instead of continuing directly from ‘Romulus,’ Scott is looking further back in the timeline. He explained that he has a clear vision for the next ‘Alien’ film, indicating that after ‘Prometheus’ and ‘Alien: Covenant,’ he is picking up where ‘Covenant’ left off with Fassbender, whose character now believes he embodies Ozymandias.

This reference carries significant weight for longtime fans. David’s obsession with Percy Bysshe Shelley’s poem “Ozymandias” was a recurring theme throughout ‘Prometheus’ and ‘Covenant,’ symbolizing his god-complex and belief that empires, along with their creators, are destined to fall. Reintroducing this motif suggests Scott aims to finally bring David’s arc to its conclusion.

This isn’t the first time rumors of a ‘Covenant’ sequel have emerged. Plans for a direct follow-up centered on David were developed years ago but were shelved when the studio shifted focus to what ultimately became ‘Alien: Romulus.’ Scott has consistently expressed interest in continuing the Prometheus-Covenant storyline, and reports indicate he resisted including David in Romulus specifically to maintain control over the character’s fate.

Scott’s intrigue with David seems linked to broader concerns beyond franchise mythology. The director has discussed his unease with artificial intelligence, warning of the potential dangers if AI surpasses human control, likening it to a situation that could explode “like a bomb.” Framing David’s next chapter around this anxiety could lend the film a distinctly contemporary edge, even as it concludes a narrative rooted in 2012’s ‘Prometheus.’

It remains uncertain whether Scott will direct this new installment himself or simply oversee it as a writer and producer, a role he has played in several recent ‘Alien’ projects. What is evident is that the franchise’s future is unusually busy right now, with ‘Romulus 2’ already scripted, a potential Ripley-focused project involving Sigourney Weaver, and now Scott’s own conclusion to David’s journey all reportedly in development.

For a series built on cycles of rebirth and reinvention, this kind of convergence feels almost appropriate. Whether Scott’s version becomes the definitive final statement on David or simply another branch in an increasingly complex timeline, fans will be watching closely to see how everything unfolds.

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