Director Ridley Scott has confirmed that he is actively developing a sequel to the 2017 film Alien: Covenant. The new movie is set to focus on the android character David, portrayed by Michael Fassbender, and explore his journey in creating a "brave new world for himself" while also delving into the theme of artificial intelligence going awry. David, who was first introduced in Scott's 2012 prequel Prometheus, played a central role in Alien: Covenant and his narrative arc was left open-ended.
Despite Alien: Covenant's underperformance at the box office and the subsequent acquisition of 20th Century Fox by Disney, which likely complicated development, the Alien franchise remains active. Current and upcoming projects include FX's television series Alien: Earth and the 2024 film Alien: Romulus, which has been met with positive reception. Additionally, a sequel to the popular video game Alien: Isolation is reportedly in development.
Scott has previously expressed his ambition to create a series of prequel films that would bridge the narrative gap to the original 1979 Alien film. The planned sequel to Covenant would be one of several entries intended to build towards that overarching continuity. The exact timeline for this new installment remains uncertain, as Scott, who is 88, has a packed production schedule. His recent release, The Dog Stars, is already out, and he has a Treasure Planet adaptation and a Bee Gees biopic in various stages of production. Meanwhile, a sequel to Alien: Romulus is also in development, though no release window has been provided for that project either.