There are quite a few rumors swirling around the ALIEN franchise the past few weeks and months. Admittedly it’s difficult to decipher what is true and what isn’t. The state of uncertainty that’s been confounding the Alien franchise fan community finds its beginnings in early 2015 when Neill Blomkamp announced his ALIENS revival project. For several months it was an on again off again scenario that continues to rear its head. From then it’s been one rumor or unsubstantiated claim after the next, leaving fans reeling.

What Is True?

What we know is that the people in charge of the Alien franchise at Fox have gone on record clarifying the road ahead, putting to rest any notion of an upcoming film or a live action series in the short term. Those quotes can be found here. Is it possible there are very secret negotiations re: a new live action series on Hulu? Sure. Likely? Not really.

Having personally met with an executive at Fox, on the lot in Los Angeles, I can confirm that there are no plans for a live action series or a film. More importantly, 20th Century Fox is in the last stages of a merger. They’re not in the position to allocate millions of dollars for a new Alien series or a film at this point, especially in light of the series of financial failures that have been produced. The acquisition of Fox by Disney is one of the biggest in history.

What can be assured is that, for the time being those in charge of the Alien franchise want it to grow and succeed and hope the best for its future. In terms of rumors, the latest from HN Entertainment that Fox is developing a live action series to air on Hulu, which Fox has a large stake in is categorically untrue no matter how plausible it might seem.

We’ve witnessed these unverified rumors picked up by major and minor entertainment news outlets raising the hopes of waiting fans over and over again, just to be let down by the uncertainty of it all. Don’t believe it. Being a fan of the Alien series has been a continued lesson in patience and endurance. With the divisiveness of the prequels and the uncertainty of the future, we (the fans) exist in a state of suspended animation.

A Thriving Colony

One place where the Alien legacy thrives is within its bold and passionate fandom. As Alien Day 2019 approaches (April 26th, named after the planet LV426) fans will converge on social media to commemorate and celebrate the 40 years since the 1979 original, and to get a sneak peak at what’s on offer from toy outlets and more. Alien Day is also traditionally a time where notable Alien fan sites, podcasts, and blogs offer up their own content.

From the Alien versus Predator Galaxy, Perfect Organism: The Alien Saga Podcast, to Yutani Corporation, Xenomorphing, Ash: A Fan Fiction, and Oletheros (and more) each Alien Day is akin to a social media convention, with exclusive merchandise, podcast episodes, original content and more. 2019 marks the 40th anniversary of Ridley Scott’s Alien. 20th Century Fox, in partnership with Tongal will unveil several Alien-inspired short fan films as a part of their larger celebration of such a seminal year along with Perfect Organism Podcast’s soon-to-be-announced web series that will premiere exclusively on their YouTube channel.

While the future may be uncertain, the fan community that surrounds and supports the Alien legacy shows no signs of stopping.

JM Prater

@soundgoasunder

perfectorganismpodcast@gmail.com