Watch out because invading Earth soon (ish) is the upcoming Alien TV show. Following on from the success of the Predator prequel movie "Prey" back in 2022, Disney have started developing more projects based on the Alien and Predator franchises for both TV and cinema.
Before we get the Alien TV series, the next on-screen release in the Alien franchise will be the standalone movie "Alien: Romulus" (tentative title) in August 2024.
While the next theatrical launch in the Alien franchise is said to happen in between the first and second original movies, in the far future and away from Earth, director and writer Noah Hawley's Alien TV series will bring the Xenomorph home. This idea was almost the basis for Alien 3, and the two Alien vs. Predator movies explored it, but the goal here is to honor the DNA of the Alien franchise in a different setting while continuing some of the commentary on AI that was already started by Ridley Scott's divisive prequels. However, there will be no connections between both upcoming projects beyond the fact they both take place in the same universe.
To prepare for the Alien TV show, you should consider watching all the Alien movies in order. If you're still after a Xenomorph fix, then the best Alien video games of all time are not to be missed.
Alien TV series Release date
The currently untitled Alien TV show was expected to arrive in 2024, but production was affected due to strikes and the scripts needing extra work. Now we're anticipating a release mid-2025 instead.
Series creator, showrunner, writer, and director Noah Hawley ("Legion," "Fargo") recently confirmed the new Alien TV series production plans. After waiting for the SAG-AFTRA (Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists) strike to end, the team is back at work, but filming won't be resumed until January-February. If all goes well, main photography should be finished around July.
How to watch the Alien TV series online
The original announcement from Disney confirmed that the Alien TV series was being developed as an FX original, also coming to Hulu in the United States. For international territories, we're expecting it to arrive through Star, the Disney+ solution to distribute the more mature content under Disney's umbrella in countries where FX/Hulu aren't a thing.
What is the plot of the Alien TV series?
Plot details, beyond the near-future Earth setting, are being kept under wraps, but trusty unofficial sources and leaked character details have been painting an interesting picture.
Above everything, it appears the show will explore the Alien universe's synths in depth, tackling the matter of AI and the increasingly blurred lines between artificial and human life. Of course, being set in the not-so-far future and on Earth, it could be tricky to make the Xenomorph element work without blowing up the canon continuity (the AvP flicks are traditionally ignored). Still, Hawley has stated that he wants to "open up" the usual Alien premise: "I thought it would be interesting to open it up a little bit so that the stakes of 'What happens if you can't contain it?' are more immediate."
The acclaimed writer-director is also bringing the dark future of the movies closer to our world, exploring the difficult relationship between the working class and corporations looking to maximize profits and control over the population no matter what. This has been a constant in the mainline Alien movies, but it wasn't always the main point. It's reasonable to expect a deeper exploration of these themes thanks to all the extra runtime the TV format allows.
Potential spoilers in paragraph ahead.
If you want the scoop on the potential character details of the Alien TV series, then read on below.
The series' protagonist is said to be Wendy, a new type of hybrid "meta-human" who is the combination of an adult with a child's brain and consciousness. The description also mentions she learns to control her now body under the tutelage of Kirsh, a synth, and a human scientist. Another major character is 'Hermit' (maybe a nickname), a young human medic part of the private military of a large corporation.
Alien TV series trailers
No trailers nor small teasers have been released yet. It'll be a while before we get any, as the series had barely started shooting when it had to shut down production.
Considering the current "first half of 2025" release window, we're not expecting to see any official footage from the long-anticipated sci-fi series before fall 2024. When the marketing campaign kicks off, we'll update this article with all the new material and previews.
Alien TV series Cast
Most of the main cast has been revealed, though late additions could still happen before the January-February restart date for the Thailand-based shoot. The cast includes (but isn't limited to) Sydney Chandler ("Don't Worry Darling"), Alex Lawther ("Star Wars: Andor"), Essie Davis ("The Babadook"), Timothy Olyphant ("The Mandalorian"), Samuel Blenkin ("Black Mirror"), Kit Young ("Shadow and Bone"), Adarsh Gourav ("Guns & Gulaabs"), Erana James ("The Wilds"), and David Rysdahl ("No Exit").
Alien TV series directors, writers, & crew
Noah Hawley, of "Fargo" and "Legion" fame, serves as creator, showrunner, director, and writer on the series. However, it remains to be seen whether he's written the entire first season and will direct all episodes, which would be quite the undertaking. He's also executive producing alongside original Alien director Ridley Scott (who's overseeing the Fede Álvarez-directed Alien movie too). 20th Television, FX, and Scott Free Productions are the production companies involved.
Hawley is reuniting with Dana Gonzales for the cinematography after working together on "Fargo" as well as "Legion." As for the (surely striking and complex) production design, it's led by Andy Nicholson ("Gravity," "Captain Marvel").
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