Image Credit: Everett CollectionMTV has up an interview with Ridley Scott that reveals some tasty nuggets about the director’s planned prequel to his classic 1979 thriller Alien. He’s still nailing down the screenplay, but the story is set 30 years before the original, and will attempt to explain what the “space jockey” aliens were from the first movie. Alien star Sigourney Weaver won’t be involved as yet — her character wasn’t even born when the new story takes place — but Scott does drop the tantalizing hint that the prequel, at least at this early point, will star a woman.
I hope this holds true as the project moves towards production. I frankly couldn’t picture an Alien movie that starred a man. Part of Alien‘s and its equally-excellent sequel Aliens’ undeniable appeal was the experience of having such superior thrillers so casually headlined by a woman. It’s true not many actresses can summon Sigourney Weaver’s authority and all-around badass-ness, but I really think any future Alien endeavors would lose something for me if they didn’t star a woman. Am I wrong on this? Being too knee-jerk? And…am I setting the bar too high for Scott? Because I’ll be honest: I’m having a hard time coming up with a twentysomething actress working today who might have the chops for it. Can you think of one?
I can think of MICHELLE RODRIGUEZ. Now she is badass and she can pull it off.
Michelle Rodriguez was my first thought. Though she might be too old. (Fast and the Furious was a full 10 years ago!!!!)
What about Her castmate from LOST, Evangeline Lilly?
Or VERONICA MARS star, Kristen Stewart?
Kirsten Stewart starred in Veronica Mars? Too bad Kirsten Bell was busy with Twilight, right?
Your a little mixed up, bro.
Hmmmm…Kristen Bell…that would be interesting…
Kristen Bell is too sweet and Michelle is too stereotypical. I think someone like Jessica Biel, Anne Hathaway, Emily Blunt, Evan Rachel Wood, Ellen Page, Zoe Saldana, Evangeline Lily, ABBIE CORNISH, Diane Kruger, or Summer Glau! There are a lot of possible choices!
I like most of your choices, Celia.
Biel: Iffy
Hathaway: Too sweet
Blunt: Good
Wood: Could work
Page: Ehhh
Saldana: Good but it could make her typecast in sci-fi
Lily: Good
Cornish: Good
Krueger: Good
Glau: Good, but again, typecasting
Honestly, I’m liking Blunt!
Michelle Rodriguez is only 30. I don’t think that’s too old at all.
I think Blunt is my favorite too. That would be awesome. I also love Abbie Cornish.
I don’t mind.
Megan Fox as the new star. Heck she could be perfect for Wonder Woman too.
excuse me – M. Rodriguez is too OLD? Woman’s in her prime – you don’t know what you’re talking about.
Why is no one besides me thinkging Amanda Seyfried, Maggie Gyllenhal, Olivia Wilde, Anna Kendrick, Rumer Willis, or Emma Stone? All would be great choices and all have the acting chops to do this. For some reason these are getting overlooked.
Forgot one Mia Wachowliska would be amazing too
Michelle Rodriguez was my first thought, too. But I’m not a huge fan, so I’d vote no. I’m thinking an unknown could fill the shoes, that’s my second thought.
Lindsay Lohan. This would be a dazzling and triumphant return of the “Queen of the younger actresses”.
@AcaseofGeo – Please tell me you wrote that in sarcastic font.
I need to think about this more, but right now M. Rodriguez is leading my list. I absolutely don’t understand why actress has to be 20-something. Well into 30′s would work fine – and better. I want someone who has gravitas – 20-somethings have a hard time conveying that, in my opinion – and Ridley, if you’re listening, I’m a fan who’s seen Aliens, no lie, about 80 times if I’ve seen it once. This subject doesn’t need a hottie, and if you go in that direction I’m going to be pissed. Don’t screw this up.
I would love to see Carrie Mulligan in this role for some reason… that’d be fun!
definitely michelle!!! she would ROCK in this kind of role!!
she was my first thought as well.
I grew up speaking English, but I can’t figure out what that headline means: “Ridley Scott says ‘Alien’ prequel to a woman: Who would you cast” Huh?
It says: “Ridley Scott says ‘Alien’ prequel to STAR a woman: Who would you cast?”
What’s so difficult about that? It means that Ridley Scott, the director is going to have a woman be the main star in the Alien prequel. Who would be a good choice if you were choosing?
Ah, “to star a woman.” Never mind.
Why are there no editors/proof readers anymore!?
Companies don’t want to pay for them because their low opinions of their readers make them believe they don’t mind mistakes.
I didn’t really see where it said that Ridley Scott wanted a twentysomething actress, but I’ll play your game: Summer Glau.
(It’s a bit obvious, but there really aren’t that many actresses in their 20s who can credibly do action.)
Summer Glaus is the perfect choice.
um yes please! Or Eliza Dushku cause she’s not working either.
and she can’t act
Eliza is 29
Eliza is 29.
I third Summer Glau!
My first thought was Summer Glau, too.
Summer Glau or Ellen Page. You don’t want a typical, generic look for the lead woman here. She needs to be strong and unique and convey power. Both of these actresses are great and have a beautiful but different look.
Why does it have to be a female actor you already know. It could be a kick ass theatre actor or an actor waiting in the wings.
Abby Cornish, Carey Mulligan, Emily Blunt or Zoe Saldana.
Abby or Emily would be great although I don’t think Zoe would fit (too skinny). Abby is terrific in everything she does. I would also add Rebecca Hall from Vicky Christina Barcelona.
Rachel McAdams
Rachel is an interesting choice.
No to Blunt.
Emily Blunt would be my choice, she would get me to go to theatres…
Actually, I would throw in Julianne Moore and Naomie Harris as well… those would be great choices as well
Hmmm! I don’t know about 20 something, but Sienna Guillroy or the obvious choice Milla Jovovich. I would actually go with an unknown. This might not be popular but Rachel McAdams would be great and I think she could pull it off. I think she could branch off and do well.
I totally agree with you on Rachel McAdams. She’s my favorite actress and I would love to see her in this movie.
Totally agree about McAdams…. she was an athlete when she was younger… I like Blunt but I can’t picture her with enough muscle tone to be convincing.
Naomie Harris is a good call, but not a likely box office draw. Rachel McAdams or Emily Blunt would be my choices. They’re quite feminine, extremely talented but could toughen up nicely for the demands of the part. They’d fare better than Winona Ryder did, anyway.
Though Harris isn’t a box office draw, Weaver wasn’t a box office draw in 1979 either.
If they are not going to get an unknown, I like Naomie Harris. Katee Sackhoff is not a bad choice either.
Kristen Stewart yo..
Here’s how Kstew would go in Alien:
Alien roars
Kstew *gapes mouth*
Alien opens mouth and slobbers
Kstew *bites lip*
Alien hisses
Kstew *stammers*
Alien roars again
Kstew *sighs dramatically*
Alien slobbers some more
Kstew *disaffected stare*
Alien goes to eat her
Kstew: I love you!
you are hilarious
I’m sure your being sarcastic, but thanks anyway
Very true and very funny.
That was the most dedication I’ve seen on this site to actual humor… and it was F**KING HILARIOUS! I’m literally choking on my laughs!
My first laugh of the day! Loved it! Thanks.
That was hilarious. Now I need to contact tech support for a new keyboard.
If Stewart got it I would cry. I’m not even kidding.
The coolest thing about the first Alien movie is that it actually wasn’t all about Sigourney Weaver’s character. The first half of the movie is all about Tom Skerritt’s character Dallas. Then he gets shockingly killed off midway in the movie and the rest of the film then focuses on Ripley. Not many films ever follow that formula.
true, not a lot of screen time for Ripley during the first half. That formula really wouldn’t work for a lot of reasons, but it works here.
No one obvious, like Milla Jovovich or Michelle Rodriguez… they’ve had their day in the kick-butt-femme hero spotlight already. Emily Blunt is an intriguing choice.
Milla needs to broaden her MO, or else this would seem like another Resident Evil, but with Aliens.
Sarah Michelle Gellar. she’s not in her 20s but who cares?
I want to see her working again so bad!
Bad enough to want a new big screen Scooby movie?!
I’ve been watching Buffy reruns on MuchMusic the past couple of months, so Sarah’s name was the first one that popped into my head when I saw this post. Yes, she’s over thirty, but she’d still be a great choice. If not her, Jessica Biel would be a good choice, too.
SMG would be great too. I love me some Buffy.
The sad thing is that there are so few roles for women like Weaver’s character in Alien in movies that there are few current well-known actresses suited to a role like this. I.e., most famous actresses are fit for the typical female movie roles: sexpot, rom-com girl next door, etc.
I say cast an unknown who’s as tough as most real women, not the pale shadows of womenhood we usually see on screen.
I vote for pretty much any woman who’s ever worked in the Whedonverse.
Natalie Portman anyone?