Don’t Breathe director Fede Alvarez will write and direct a new Alien movie for Hulu, and original Alien director Ridley Scott is attached as a producer (via THR). No story details have been provided, but it will reportedly be unrelated to previous Alien franchise films. In fact, Alvarez apparently pitched the idea for his Alien movie to Scott years ago, and it was so good that Scott suddenly called Alvarez late last year to see if he wanted to actually make it. And yes, Alvarez did want to make it.
This new Alien movie is part of a 20th Century Studios initiative to create more than 10 films per year for Hulu. 20th Century division president Steve Asbell echoed the quality of Alvarez’s concept, saying, “It was just a really good story with a bunch of characters you haven’t seen before.” And while some may be disappointed that a new Alien movie will debut on Hulu instead of in theaters, 20th Century Studios thinks there is an upside to it: fewer concessions to make it fit for theaters.
“It’s not a film that has to be all things to all people with those gargantuan budgets,” said Asbell. “They get to be authentically what they are. And this is closer to its genre roots.”
Don’t Breathe was a critically well-received horror movie, and Fede Alvarez also directed the solid Evil Dead remake. With so much studio enthusiasm for Alvarez’s idea, maybe this will be the thing that helps people finally forget the previous film, Alien: Covenant. Plus, FX on Hulu already has an Alien TV show in development.
