FX Chief John Landgraf provided an update at the network’s TCA winter tour panel today on Noah Hawley’s Alien series.
“There are some big surprises in store for the audience,” exclaimed the network boss. But when asked by Deadline, he said Sigourney Weaver’s Ripley won’t be starring.
FX Networks @ TCA: Deadline’s Complete Coverage
“Alien takes place before Ripley. It’s the first story that takes place in the Alien franchise on Earth,” said Landgraf. “So, it takes place on our planet. Right near the end of this century we’re in — so 70-odd years from now.”
He added, “Ripley won’t be a part of it or any of the other characters of Alien other than the alien itself.”
The exec also said: “Noah has this incredible ability, and I think you’ve seen it with Fargo, to both find a way of being faithful, showing fidelity to an original creation like a Coen brothers’ movie, or in this case, Ridley Scott’s and James Cameron’s follow-up, Aliens, but also to bring something new to the table that represents extension and reinvention of a franchise at the same time.”
Despite five scripts already being in for Aliens, and Fargo only one, Hawley will shoot the latter series first as it needs to go into production this winter given its Midwest setting.