Ridley Scott, the Director. New Movie, Prometheus, 2012
Sir Ridley Scott (born 30 November 1937) is an English film director and producer. His films include
The Duellists (1977),
Alien (1979),
Blade Runner (1982),
Legend (1985),
Thelma & Louise (1991),
Gladiator (2000),
Black Hawk Down (2001),
Hannibal (2001),
Kingdom of Heaven (2005),
American Gangster (2007),
Body of Lies (2008), and
Robin Hood (2010).
Ridley Scott is currently Directing,
Prometheus (2012)
Scott is to receive a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame in 2011.
He is the older brother of film director Tony Scott.
What do we know about the movie Prometheus?
Around the release of
Alien Resurrection Joss Whedon wrote an Earth-set script for
Alien 5, which Sigourney Weaver disliked.
Before 20th Century Fox greenlit
Alien vs. Predator, James Cameron had been working on a story for a fifth
Alien film.
Alien director Ridley Scott had talked with Cameron and stated that he thought "it would be a lot of fun, but the most important thing [was] to get the story right."
In a 2002 interview, Scott's concept for a story was "to go back to where the alien creatures were first found and explain how they were created", however he at first had not shown interest in pursuing the project.
On learning that Fox intended to pursue
Alien vs. Predator, Cameron believed the film would "kill the validity of the franchise" and ceased work on his story, because to him "it was
Frankenstein Meets Werewolf. It was Universal just taking their assets and starting to play them off against each other. […] Milking it."
On December 5, 2008, Sigourney Weaver hinted in an interview with MTV that she and Ridley Scott were working on an Alien spinoff film which would focus on the chronicles of Ellen Ripley rather than on the Aliens.
Prometheus
Former commercial director
Carl Rinsch had originally signed on in May 2009 to direct a prequel film to
Alien. Ridley Scott and Tony Scott had decided to function only as producers, with filming to begin in 2009;
however, Fox was hesitant about making the film without Ridley Scott's direction.
In July 2009 it was confirmed that Ridley Scott would be returning to direct the Alien prequel. In June 2010 Scott stated during a Q&A that the story will be developed and produced as two separate prequel films, and that the project was being prepped. In October 2010, it was reported the production had been put on indefinite hold. It was said Scott wanted a $250 million budget along with an R rating, but 20th Century Fox was reluctant to invest so much money in a film that is not PG-13.
On November 10, 2010, a tweet by Henry South, a visual FX designer working on the Alien prequel, indicated the film had gone into production.
It has been reported that Natalie Portman and Noomi Rapace are on the shortlist to star in the film, with Rapace as Scott's favorite, while the studio prefers Portman. Some reports have said that films' release would be delayed until 2013 or 2014. However, more recent reports indicate that the first film will be released on June 8, 2012. Production is slated to begin in March 2011, and the film will reportedly have an R rating, and it will be released only in the 3D format. It was also reported that Michael Fassbender was being sought for a role as an android named "David", while Michelle Yeoh has been tapped for a role as Vickers, "a fortysomething, tough-but-sexy woman", as well as a character referred to only as
"Engineer 1" who will be portrayed by a 6'5" actor in entirely CGI. Noomi Rapace is still Scott's choice for the main female lead, "Elizabeth Shaw." However, these title and casting claims were later refuted, and Scott confirmed that only the first film was in development at this time.
The first drafts of the screenplays were written by newcomer screenwriter Jon Spaihts, and Damon Lindelof is rewriting at least the script of the first prequel. Ridley Scott stated that the story will take place in 2085, approximately three decades prior to the events of the first
Alien film,
before the birth of Ellen Ripley. The story, which originally went through several drafts, features a female lead character and will present a "technologically feasible" view on the early stages of "near faster-than light" travel. It will also focus on terraforming and Weyland Industries before its merger with the Yutani Corporation.
The films will explore the nature and origin of the unknown extraterrestrial race, who only had a brief appearance in the first
Alien as the derelict spaceship's pilot. Scott stated that the films would be about "gods and […] engineers of space" and hinted at the possibility that the Xenomorph Alien was designed either as a biological weapon or as a means to "clean up" planets.
Scott also announced that the original Zeta II Reticuli planetary system will be part of the prequel story.
Roger Christian, art director on the first
Alien, speculated that the films will be shot in 3-D,
which was eventually confirmed by Ridley Scott. Since 3-D films need high lighting levels on set, the hallmark atmosphere of the
Alien films with darkness and shadows will be added in post-production through grading processes, while the 3-D equipment will be based on post-
Avatar technology.
Production design has commenced, and Arthur Max is heading a small Pinewood Studios art department, whose task is to deconstruct the first
Alien and reverse-design the prequels from the original art and visuals.
The Alien itself will be reenvisioned as a progenitor of the received form of the Xenomorph, and Scott reported that he had planned to contact H. R. Giger for possible artistic collaboration. Despite rumors that the movie would be released under the title of "Paradise", these rumors was later debunked by 20th Century Fox & Devin Faraci, formerly of CHUD.com.
On January 14, 2011, an interview with Scott referred to the film as having evolved into its own 'grand mythology and universe', and had been renamed
Prometheus, with a release date of March 9, 2012 with Noomi Rapace starring as one of five main characters in the film. Scott acknowledged the film's roots in the original film, noting it as being a 'jumping-off point', leaving the film's function as a film set in the Alien universe or an entirely stand-alone film ambiguous.
On February 11, 2011 it was reported that Charlize Theron was cast in the film.
Speaking to MTV on February 12, 2011, Fassbender stated the film was still an Alien prequel, saying, "
Prometheus is absolutely connected to
Alien... There's a definite connecting vein."
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