Comic-Con audiences were left astounded by the debut of 'Alien: Earth' at the event
In the world of science fiction, three beloved franchises are gearing up for new releases, while the future of another, Doctor Who, remains uncertain. Meanwhile, the upcoming FX series, Alien: Earth, is set to offer a fresh take on the Alien universe.
At San Diego Comic-Con, showrunner Noah Hawley and actor Timothy Olyphant discussed the key differences between Alien: Earth and the typical Alien movie. The show, set in the year 2120, is the first in the franchise to be set on Earth itself. Unlike the films, which mostly take place in deep space or on distant planets, Alien: Earth brings the iconic alien threats home to our planet, adding new stakes and contexts for the story.
Hawley emphasized that Alien: Earth tells a parallel story rather than trying to directly connect or fill in gaps between the films. It is set roughly simultaneously with the timeline of the original Alien movie but focuses on different characters and events, particularly corporate power struggles among several powerful corporations, including Weyland-Yutani, Prodigy, Lynch, Dynamic, and Threshold.
The show expands the franchise’s limited mythology by exploring the larger corporate race to create new android life and control alien technology, rather than focusing solely on the Xenomorph as the primary threat. Alien: Earth introduces several new predatory alien species and human-synthetic hybrids, broadening the franchise’s biological scope.
Alien: Earth remains visually faithful to the original aesthetic while innovating narratively. The show's production design closely recreates and augments iconic visual elements from the original Alien film, creating a familiar yet expanded aesthetic grounded in the original series’ analog sci-fi design.
Hawley is interested in expanding the franchise’s appeal beyond core sci-fi fans by telling compelling dramatic stories about characters and their environment, not just focusing on horror or the alien threat. The narrative is intended to be a "scary thrill ride" with complex character drama.
The first episode of Alien: Earth will air on FX on August 12. The cast, including Sydney Chandler, Timothy Olyphant, Alex Lawther, Samuel Blenkin, and Babou Ceesay, are excited to be part of the Alien franchise. The show centers on Wendy, played by Sydney Chandler, who is a child with her consciousness in an adult robot body.
Each hour of Alien: Earth is designed to build and include horror elements. Scenes between two people are expected to be riveting. The episode starts in a familiar way for Alien fans before taking a different turn. Wendy and several other beings decide to investigate a mysterious crash by a Weyland-Yutani ship.
Creator Noah Hawley knows what fans want from an Alien show and aims to give them something new. The show battles a war to monetize immortality, and the ship houses several new creatures that will creep and crawl into nightmares. The drama and character study in Alien: Earth, according to Timothy Olyphant, is phenomenal.
As for the DC Universe, its future on film and TV is anticipated with eager anticipation. The episode received positive reactions from the near 7,000-person crowd at San Diego Comic-Con. Alien: Earth aims to work as a drama before incorporating genre elements, making it a compelling addition to the science fiction genre.
- Noah Hawley, the showrunner of Alien: Earth, discussed its key differences from typical Alien movies at San Diego Comic-Con, stating that the series is the first in the franchise to be set on Earth itself.
- Alien: Earth is set in the year 2120 and focuses on corporate power struggles among several powerful corporations, including Weyland-Yutani, Prodigy, Lynch, Dynamic, and Threshold, rather than solely on the Xenomorph as the primary threat.
- Gizmodo and io9, technology and entertainment websites, reported that Alien: Earth introduces several new predatory alien species and human-synthetic hybrids, broadening the franchise’s biological scope.
- In the world of science fiction and fantasy, the DC Universe's future on film and TV is anticipated with eager anticipation, while fans of the Alien franchise eagerly await the August 12 premiere of the FX series Alien: Earth.
