20th Century Studios' and The Walt Disney Company announced today that the new Alien film is to begin production in Budapest, Hungary on March 9, 2023. This will be the ninth entry in the horror franchise.
Per The Walt Disney Company press release, 20th Century Studios' new Alien film starring Cailee Spaeny (Mare of Easttown) will begin production in Budapest on March 9. Joining Spaeny in the cast are David Jonsson (Industry), Archie Renaux (Shadow and Bone), Isabela Merced (Rosaline), Spike Fearn (The Batman), and Aileen Wu (Away from Home). Fede Alvarez (Evil Dead, The Girl in the Spider’s Web, Don’t Breathe) directs from a screenplay he wrote with his frequent collaborator Rodo Sayagues. Ridley Scott, who directed the original Alien and produced and directed the series' entries Prometheus and Alien: Covenant, and Michael Pruss, of the upcoming Boston Strangler film, also from 20th Century Studios, are producing under their Scott Free banner, with Brent O’Connor (Bullet Train), Elizabeth Cantillon (Persuasion), and Tom Moran (The Donut King) serving as executive producers.
In this ninth entry in the immensely popular and enduring film series, a group of young people on a distant world find themselves in a confrontation with the most terrifying life form in the universe. The first Alien film, written by Dan O'Bannon and based on a story by O'Bannon and Ronald Shusett, follows the crew of the Nostromo, who, after coming across a mysterious vessel, find themselves up against a deadly species of xenomorphs. As an allegory for rape, the science fiction horror film spoke to audiences of all genders and has had a lasting impact on the culture. Not only has 20th Century Fox turned it into a highly profitable franchise, but it has also impacted the science fiction and horror genres at large. For example, Nintendo's long-running Metroid game, created in 1986, was heavily influenced by Alien, both thematically and stylistically, and one of the major antagonists of the series is even named Ridley.
The Alien Movie Is Separate from the FX Series
There will also be a new Alien series on FX that is set to start production this year. The series "takes place before Ripley," according to FX Boss John Landgraf. "It's the first story in the Alien franchise that takes place on Earth. It takes place on our planet, near the end of this century we're currently in — 70-odd years from now. All I can tell you is Ripley won't be a part of it, and neither will any other characters — other than the alien itself."
In addition, the FX series will be separate from the new film.