Ridley Scott is developing an Alien: Covenant sequel, one that will pick up with Michael Fassbender’s android David creating “a brave new world for himself”. The 88-year-old director confirmed the long-stalled project in an interview with the Los Angeles Times, reported by IGN, while promoting his new film, The Dog Stars.
The third Alien prequel has been in the works for years, and it returns to the character who has fascinated Scott since 2012’s Prometheus. He is drawn to David as “a malfunctioning AI”.
“AIs can go off. And if they do, it’s like a bomb.”
Ridley Scott, on David
Covenant ended with David presiding over an embryo lab, still in command of the colony ship, his story unfinished. A decade of false starts followed: the film underperformed at the box office, Fox was absorbed by Disney, and Scott kept talking about a sequel without one materialising. Since then the franchise has moved on without him, through 2024’s hit Alien: Romulus and FX’s Alien: Earth series, which Scott has called “pretty damn good”.
What we know about the Alien: Covenant sequel
More than a year ago, Scott told Screen Rant he was done with the franchise — “I’ve done enough” — but the new interview confirms the about-face. The Hollywood Reporter notes the project could still compete for a green light with the Romulus sequel in development at 20th Century Studios, and there is no release date, cast announcement or studio confirmation beyond Scott’s own words.
Scott has long said his prequels were building towards the original Alien, and a Covenant follow-up would sit at the end of that chain. Where it lands in the wider franchise picture — against the Romulus sequel, the Alien: Isolation 2 game and the Alien: Earth series — has not been said.
Scott turns 88 this year and shows no sign of slowing. His next film, The Dog Stars, opens this week, a Treasure Island adaptation begins filming in November, and he receives an honorary Oscar in the autumn.
Who is David in the Alien films?
David is an android played by Michael Fassbender, introduced in 2012’s Prometheus. He becomes the central figure of the prequel storyline, and his experiments create the creatures that appear in Alien: Covenant.
Could the Alien: Covenant sequel connect to Alien: Romulus?
The Hollywood Reporter notes some have speculated a future film could tie up threads from both films. Ridley Scott has not confirmed any such connection, and no plot details are public beyond David’s return.
