Ahead of its release next year, showrunner Noah Hawley’s Alien TV show now has a title – Alien: Neverland. There are also new plot details.
We’ve waited a long time for showrunner Noah Hawley’s Alien TV show to materialise, and given that it isn’t due to arrive next year, we’ve still a way to go.
Pandemics, strikes and recasting have all taken a toll on the pace of the production, but thankfully we’re finally starting to learn a few details about what to expect.
Thanks to World Of Reel, we now know the title: Alien: Neverland. As previously reported, it will function as a prequel to 1979’s Alien. Here’s a brief synopsis posted by the outlet:
‘In Alien: Neverland we are introduced to the characters on Earth set 30 years prior to Ridley Scott’s 1979 Alien film. Characters are caught in a conflict with the beginning of AI intelligence and the competition among developers and users.’
The synopsis confirms plot elements that Hawley has discussed before, with the creator previously saying, “It’s the story of humanity trapped between its primordial parasitic past and its AI future, and they’re both trying to kill us. So, there’s nowhere to go. It’s really a story of does humanity deserve to survive? Does humanity’s arrogance in thinking that we’re no longer food and its arrogance in creating these AI beings who we think will do what we tell them – but ultimately might lose their mind – is there a way out?”
This also chimes with a report from April, when Foundation actor Sandra Yi Sencindiver joined the cast. Back then, it was said that Alien: Neverland (which was untitled at the time) would be about the ’emergence’ of Weyland-Yutani and “the race between corporations to create new android life.”
Where the titular aliens figure in all this – or why it’s even called Neverland – is currently unclear.
At any rate, the world described by that plot description certainly sounds close to the one we’re living in now. The relationship between humans and AI has also been one of the many fascinating aspects of the Alien universe’s rich lore and we’re keen to see where Hawley, the creator of the celebrated small screen version of Fargo, is going to take things.
Given that some of his past comments have been rather dismissive regarding some aspects of the series’ mythology, this show could well retcon some aspects of existing Alien worldbuilding. We’ve talked about that here, and with the release of Fede Alvarez’s Alien: Romulus fast approaching, it’s good to see the franchise return following the tepid reception to 2017’s Alien: Covenant.
Timothy Olyphant and Sydney Chandler star in the series, heading up a cast which includes Alex Lawther, Samuel Blenkin, Essie Davis and Kit Young. Production in Thailand is ongoing. When we hear more on this one, we’ll let you know.
Read more: Alien | What does Noah Hawley’s upcoming TV series mean for Prometheus and Alien: Covenant?
