'Alien: Earth' Streaming Next Summer, Series Spinoff Is Set Two Years Before Original 'Alien'

‘Alien: Earth’ Streaming Next Summer, Series Spinoff Is Set Two Years Before Original ‘Alien’

Most recently, we finally got some new footage from Noah Hawley‘s (“Fargo,” “Legion”) “Alien” series spinoff “Alien: Earth” from a Disney+ promotional video from earlier in the month, and a “new teaser” from this week has confirmed a summer 2025 debut on Hulu and Disney+. Sadly, this teaser (See below) doesn’t exactly include any new footage, just the previous look at a xenomorph we got over the summer.

If you weren’t already aware, the show’s cast includes Sydney Chandler, Alex Lawther, Timothy Olyphant, Essie Davis, Samuel Blenkin, Babou Ceesay, David Rysdahl, Adrian Edmondson, Adarsh Gourav, Jonathan Ajayi, Erana James, Lily Newmark, Diem Camille, and Moe Bar-El.

Olyphant is reportedly playing a new android in the show, and we’re still trying to figure out if the show is indeed going to be regarded as hard canon like “Alien: Romulus” or simply a standalone project that won’t impact past or future stories.

Illuminating the Empty Spaces of 'Alien' | by Nat Brehmer | Medium

From a timeline perspective, “Alien: Earth” takes place in 2120, which directly places it two years before the events of the original “Alien” by Ridley Scott and set much after his more recent prequels, “Prometheus” (27 years) and “Alien: Covenant” (16 years).

“Alien: Romulus” took place between “Alien” and “Aliens,” adding brand new characters and establishing that Weyland-Yutanti tinkered with the Big Chap and had a cloning program before Carter Burke doomed the colonists of Hadley’s Hope or the cloning plot of “Alien: Resurrection.” Until we get official confirmation from Hawley, there is wiggle room for them to retroactively add these new show events to the main franchise timeline in the same way without retconning anything in a major way (Neill Blomkamp’s never-made “Alien 5” would have retconned the films after “Aliens” and explored the company’s experiments with the xenomorphs including bio-suits).

In theory, xenomorphs could have overrun a city or island on Earth only to be nuked into dust and covered up by the company to hide active weapons programs using alien bio-technology. This would explain this hint of previous knowledge of the xenomorphs from Ash and Carter Burke, an established database on them from the occurences of “Alien: Earth” or previous attempts to experiment even before “Romulus.”

Check out the show’s official logline from FX/Disney:

When a mysterious space vessel crash-lands on Earth, a young woman (Sydney Chandler) and a ragtag group of tactical soldiers make a fateful discovery that puts them face-to-face with the planet’s greatest threat in FX’s highly anticipated TV series ‘Alien: Earth’ from creator Noah Hawley.

Elsewhere in the franchise, writer/director Fede Alvarez is said to be developing a follow-up sequel to “Alien: Romulus” (Cailee Spaeny and David Jonsson are confirmed to reprise their roles) potentially with Ridley Scott (had once been developing a third David-centric prequel called “Alien: Awakening“) returning as producer via Scott Free, and the next live-action “Predator” film “Predator: Badlands” is set to hit the big screen next November. There is some hope that with the two film franchises now being set in the distant future and off-world, 20th Century Studios could eventually attempt an organic and authentic new adaptation of “Alien vs Predator.” By ignoring the previous two films and giving fans something closer to what the original comic books and video games were doing with the crossover.

Time will tell if The Colonial Marines (who haven’t officially appeared since James Cameron’s “Aliens”) will be the third splinter group to their own series or spinoff before an off-world clash between the two deadly alien species.

While “Prey” was a Hulu-exclusive film, “Alien: Romulus” was gifted a traditional theatrical release and earned an impressive $350.8 million for the studio at the worldwide box office. Making it the second highest-grossing installment. “Romulus” has proved there is still gas left in the tank despite mixed reactions to Ridley’s two prequels. We’re curious to see how “Alien: Earth” impacts things next summer and what new ideas Halwey has cooked up beyond expanding on the company trying to weaponize the xenomorph (an over-arching theme of the franchise and briefly touched upon in “Alien: Romulus” and “Alien: Resurrection” via cloning technology.

SOURCE: FX

James Gunn Debunks Rumblings Of A 'Joker' Series With Barry Keoghan In Development

James Gunn Debunks Rumblings Of A ‘Joker’ Series With Barry Keoghan In Development

Not too long ago, there was a buzzy rumor about a “Mr. Freeze” movie being in development. Well, it didn’t take long for DC Studios‘ co-head James Gunn to take to the internet and pour cold water all over that one. Another project is being rumored that would see Barry Keoghan (“Saltburn”) reprise the Joker role from “The Batman” in a new series (not unlike “The Penguin“).

Gunn has now also disputed that tidbit as well on his official social media account.

“Turn on threads, and everyone is asking me about this. No, there is absolutely no truth to this. A Joker series is not being discussed, nor has [it] even come up at this time. Sorry,” Gunn announced on Threads.

Fake DC Comics project rumors will have a much harder time these days because Gunn will be asked about them directly by fans and will quickly denounce the bogus ones. Waiting until Gunn has chimed in before getting too excited as well could help ease the disappointment.

Keoghan’s return as the Joker has yet to be made official, although, given he’s currently residing in Arkham Asylum (a series was once in development in that setting) alongside The Riddler, a potential appearance in the next two films from writer/director Matt Reeves wouldn’t be entirely surprising. Even more interesting is the existing relationship between Barry and Colin Farrell (Oz Cobb, aka The Penguin), as the two Irish actors have previously worked together on “Killing of A Sacred Deer,” and “The Banshees of Inisherin” (the two had been living together during that shoot). In theory, having them work off each other as two Batman rogues would be something I’m sure many fans of their acting would like to see down the road (wishful thinking, it may be).

“The Penguin” is about to wrap up its first season on HBO/Max, and “The Batman: Part II” is set for release in theaters on October 2, 2026. Fans will just have to be patient to see if more series are indeed on their way to expand Reeves’ Gotham and Batman universe further.

SOURCE: JAMES GUNN VIA THREADS

Amazon's 'Fallout' Season 2 Adds Macaulay Culkin To The Post-Apocalypse Frey

‘Fallout’ Season 2 Adds Macaulay Culkin To The Post-Apocalypse Frey

One of the biggest surprises of 2024 was how fun and entertaining Amazon‘s “Fallout” series was, along with being able to properly adapt the satirical sci-fi video game world, which led it to become one of the more popular originals on the streaming service. “Fallout” season two has now added a familiar face to the call sheet as Macaulay Culkin has nabbed an unnamed part on the show.

While details of his character are limited, they did describe him as a “crazy genius,” which could mean more experiments gone wrong and wasteland creatures. Without spoiling the last season, the second one is expected to move from the Los Angeles area to New Vegas, the setting of an established video game.

Culkin now joins Ella Purnell, Aaron Moten, Walton Goggins, Kyle MacLachlan, Moisés Arias, Sarita Choudhury, Michael Emerson, Leslie Uggams, Frances Turner, Dave Register, Zach Cherry, Johnny Pemberton, Rodrigo Luzzi, Annabel O’Hagan, and Xelia Mendes-Jones.

Macaulay Culkin, Walton Goggins | Pressroom

The former child actor and sibling of Kieran Culkin (“Succession”) has been getting back into the acting world more frequently lately, showing up on TV projects recently like “American Horror Story” and “Righteous Gemstones.” Funny enough, in the latter, he plays the estranged son of Walton Goggins’ goofy televangelist character, Baby Billy Freeman, which could be a strong reason he’s been added to the new season of “Fallout,” given that Goggins plays a significant lead in the series after nabbing an Emmy nomination (one of 16 the show earned for season one) thanks to his portrayal of the Ghoul.

“Based on one of the greatest video game series of all time, Fallout is the story of haves and have-nots in a world in which there’s almost nothing left to have. 200 years after the apocalypse, the gentle denizens of luxury fallout shelters are forced to return to the irradiated hellscape their ancestors left behind — and are shocked to discover an incredibly complex, gleefully weird and highly violent universe waiting for them.”

SOURCE: DEADLINE

'Lanterns': Aaron Pierre Officially Lands John Stewart Role

‘Lanterns’: Aaron Pierre Officially Lands John Stewart Role

DC Studios co-head James Gunn has officially confirmed multiple trade reports that British actor Aaron Pierre (“Rebel Ridge”) has landed the role of John Stewart in the upcoming “Green Lantern” reboot series “Lanterns.” Pierre joins previously announced co-star Kyle Chandler, who will play the infamous Hal Jordan. A cosmic DC Comics hero who was played by Ryan Reynolds in the ill-fated live-action film directed by Martin Campbell.

This wasn’t the actor’s first brush with the comic book genre as Pierre had been once attached for a co-starring role in Marvel Studios’ “Blade” reboot before ultimately exiting the film. He also appeared in the “Superman” prequel series “Krypton” that was developed by David S. Goyer.

The new series set to air on HBO is said to be directly part of the new DCU that will be launched with “Creature Commandos,” “Peacemaker” season two, and Gunn’s “Superman.” There is an expectation that Pierre’s version of Stewart will eventually crossover into feature films and possibly a new “Justice League” incarnation down the road.

SOURCE: JAMES GUNN

'Lanterns': Aaron Pierre & Stephan James Are Reportedly Finalists To Play John Stewart In DC Comics Series

‘Lanterns’: Aaron Pierre & Stephan James Are Reportedly Finalists To Play John Stewart In DC Comics Series

We have our Hal Jordan, and now it looks like HBO and DC Studios are zeroing in on who will play fellow Earthling Geen Lantern, John Stewart. A new report from Deadline reveals that actors Aaron Pierre (“Rebel Ridge”) and Stephan James (“Race”) are being positioned as the two finalists to take the John Stewart part in the upcoming DCU series, “Lanterns.”

I’ve been personally campaigning on Twitter all month for Pierre to get the role of Stewart and even suggested him recently when the news broke earlier in the week that Kyle Chandler (“Bloodline”) was in talks to play Hal Jordan. The British actor isn’t a stranger to comic book projects as he appeared in the short-lived “Superman” prequel series “Krypton” before being tapped by Marvel Studios to join the cast of “Blade” in a supporting role, only for him to exit the reboot.

James is a Canadian actor, most notably playing US Olympic athlete Jesse Owens in the biopic “Race” and the Chadwick Boseman NYC thriller “21 Bridges.”

“Snowfall” actor Damson Idris, a talented young actor on the rise, was also in the mix but is no longer in the running.

It won’t be long before we find out who has nabbed the Green Lantern role that is assumed to be also part of the new “Justice League” lineup once DC Studio figures out when they want to make that DCU event film. Possibly in a couple of years to give the audience time to reset from the previous incarnation.

SOURCE: DEADLINE

'Laterns': Kyle Chandler Reportedly In Talks To Play Hal Jordan In New DCU Series

‘Lanterns’: Kyle Chandler Reportedly In Talks To Play Hal Jordan In New DCU Series

After many rumored and reported names being linked to the role of Hal Jordan in “Laterns,” a new DC Comics series focusing on the pairing of Jordan and new recruit John Stewart as DC Studios attempts to reboot the “Green Lantern” franchise set within the newly formed DCU.

Deadline is reporting that veteran actor Kyle Chandler is currently in talks with DC Studios/HBO for the Jordan part. Chandler is a well-known actor with a string of popular credits that include roles in things like “The Wolf of Wall Street,” “Friday Night Lights,” “Manchester By The Sea,” and the “Godzilla” franchise.

However, “in talks” doesn’t mean he’s 100% in the role just yet.

We’re still waiting for information on who could be possibly playing Stewart, we’ll keep our fingers crossed they try to approach “Rebel Ridge” breakout actor Aaron Pierre.

The creative team behind “Lanterns” consists of Chris Mundy (“Ozark”), Damon Lindelof (“Watchmen”), and comic book writer Tom King.

“Green Lantern” follows human heroes that are selected by a group of cosmic-powered space cops, The Green Lantern Corps, who use power rings to defeat evil within the galaxy and are assigned to certain sectors. There is an expectation that Jordan is going to be the mentor of Stewart in this new series.

A synopsis provided by Deadline’s report reads as follows:

“New recruit John Stewart and Lantern legend Hal Jordan (Chandler), two intergalactic cops drawn into a dark, Earth-based mystery as they investigate a murder in the American heartland.”

The series, which will air on HBO, previously got an eight-episode order back in June. THR adds that filming on the show is expected to take place from January to June in Atlanta, Georgia.

Stay tuned for further updates on “Lanterns.”

SOURCE: DEADLINE

Marvel Television Suggests ‘Nova’ Series Isn’t Exactly A Guarantee, Despite Still Being In Active Development

We’ve been hearing for ages that Marvel Studios has been trying to put together a live-action “Nova” project featuring their cosmic superhero (Nova Corps. being first introduced in James Gunn’s “Guardians of The Galaxy”), and more recently was confirmed to be a television series in development at Disney+, as part of their string of MCU shows. However, a new quote from Marvel Television‘s Brad Winderbaum (via Comic Book) suggests the “Nova” series isn’t exactly a guarantee that it will happen and will depend on a strong pilot that everyone is happy with.

“So Nova’s in development right now. We are. But I will say we’re developing more than we make. This is part of the new Marvel,” Winderbaum told Comic Book. “But we should talk about this because at Marvel, everything has a spotlight on it, and everyone gets super excited, and we love Nova. And we want to get it right. But it’s in development. We got a few things in development and we’re not going to go on a show until we are happy with a pilot. Happy with the bible. So it is in development right now.”

When asked about their approach for cosmic material on the streaming service Winderbaum said, “I mean, I’ve been really inspired by what [‘Star Trek’] has been doing over the last few years. I think their shows are incredible. That’s why we hired Terry [Matalas] to do ‘Vision Quest’ with us. But the ‘Nova’ that’s being developed right now, it’s an amazing ensemble piece. I shouldn’t say too much.”

A bit of a promising thread in there from Winderbaum. Even if it doesn’t sound like Marvel is exactly ready to pounce on a pilot anytime soon. We previously heard from Marvel at San Diego Comic-Con back in July that they had been aiming to have “Nova” ready for Disney+ by around 2027-2028, which likely means it might not even begin shooting until 2026 at the earliest. While we’re still waiting on more concrete details, but there have been suggestions that both Richard Rider and Sam Alexander versions of Nova will be featured in whatever materializes.

Fan Casting Nathan Fillion as Monstrous Inmate in Guardians of the Galaxy  on myCast

After the destruction of the Nova Corps. by Thanos, off-screen events leading up to the opening scene of “Avengers: Infinity War,” a new Nova Prime emerges and happens to be a human named Richard Rider and ends up being a new protector of the galaxy.

Hopefully, they are likely going the off-world route with the character potentially taking more cues from things like the first two “Guardians of The Galaxy” films and the recent string of live-action “Star Wars” shows from a production design/VFX perspective, given we’d really like to see more MCU aliens and planets explored in this new show.

Cost will likely be a huge factor here given that originally, Don Cheadle’s “Armor Wars” was going to be a streaming series until Marvel pivoted and turned the show into a feature film, likely due to the huge VFX budget that would be needed to pull off that storyline and how it would essentially be a defacto “Iron Man 4.” Then again, we haven’t heard a peep from Marvel about an “Armor Wars” update in a long time despite having plenty of opportunities this summer with the studio’s big presentations at San Diego Comic-Con and D23.

There is a slim chance that “Nova” could move from the television division to the feature film team. Of course, that’s if they see more potential for a big-screen incarnation of “Nova” given that there doesn’t seem to be too many cosmic movies on the MCU docket outside of “Fantastic Four: First Steps” and the next two “Avengers” installments (“Avengers: Doomsday,” “Avengers: Secret Wars”) coming from the Russo Brothers.

I also wouldn’t be all that shocked if Marvel is simply waiting to see what DC Studios/HBO ends up doing with their “Green Lantern” series “Lanterns” before moving forward with “Nova,” as the two would likely have some similarities. That DC Comics show has Chris Mundy (“True Detective: Night Country,” “Ozark”) serving as showrunner and exec producer along with Damon Lindelof (“Prometheus,” “Watchmen”) also involved.

SOURCE: COMIC BOOK

‘Nova’ Series Update: Marvel’s Cosmic Disney+ Show Aiming To Be Ready For 2027-2028

We’re waiting on some big announcements from Marvel Studios concerning both their film and television lineups from presentations at San Deigo Comic-Con next week and D23 in August. However, Marvel’s Kevin Feige is already dishing a few tidbits during the press tour for “Deadpool & Wolverine” and confirmed that their “Nova” project is a streaming series that will air on Disney+ alongside when we could expect to see it.

Feige recently told Comic Book, “It’s happening, it’s coming together. Richard Rider, yep…A show, yeah, yeah.” He also mentioned when fans can expect the “Nova” series to be launched on Disney+, ” It’s three or four years out.”

That timeline would suggest “Nova” could be ready to go by 2027 or 2028, which gives them plenty of time to develop and find a leading actor to play Richard Rider. If you’re not familiar, after the destruction of the Nova Corps, a new Nova Prime is selected as Earthling Richard Rider takes up the mantle and would see Rider becoming yet another protector of the galaxy.

In the era of the “Star Wars” franchise mostly being done on Disney+, there is certainly a way to do a good-looking cosmic MCU series on a streaming budget. However, many of the Marvel shows don’t seem to be firing on the same level regarding sets and VFX. Hopefully, that’ll change with “Nova” since we’re talking about a character wading in the waters of “Guardians of The Galaxy” (Nova Corps. first introduced in the first installment) and “Captain Marvel” movies.

Some folks that might be a good fit for Richard Rider include Manny Jacinto (“The Acolyte”) and Timothy Olyphant (“The Mandalorian,” “Alien: Earth,” “Justified”) given their recent appearances on Disney+ via “Star Wars” playing helmeted characters they likely wouldn’t be all that opposed to returning for “Nova.”

While plot details have yet to be announced by Marvel, we do have a few crumbs to work from previous movies. Off-screen, Thanos has destroyed the Nova Corps on Xandar to get his purple mitts on one of the Infinity Stones they had been protecting after the events of the first “Guardians.” It remains to be seen if they’ll show those events in a flashback or if they’ll return to Xandar as Rider attempts to rebuild the group of space cops. At that point in the MCU timeline, The Kree Empire and Xandar have a peace treaty, and it wouldn’t be that hard to imagine that the “Nova” series includes some Kree villains that haven’t been tapped for the “Captain Marvel” films.

Keeping that 2027 (at the earliest) airdate in mind, cameras likely won’t be rolling until 2026.

SOURCE: COMIC BOOK

'Blade Runner 2099': Amazon Cyberpunk Spinoff Series Adds 'Civil War' & 'Annihilation' Cinematographer Rob Hardy

‘Blade Runner 2099’: Amazon Cyberpunk Spinoff Series Adds ‘Civil War’ & ‘Annihilation’ Cinematographer Rob Hardy

Amazon Prime Video and Alcon are behind a new spinoff streaming series set within the world of “Blade Runner” (50 years after the events of “Blade Runner 2049”) that has Oscar-winning actress Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All At Once”) attached to star in an undisclosed role and has “Shōgun” director Jonathan van Tulleken involved on “Blade Runner 2099” as well.

The Ronin can confirm that Rob Hardy (“Mission: Impossible – Fallout”) has joined the crew of “Blade Runner 2099” as a director of photography. Hardy is likely best known as the cinematographer of a bunch of Alex Garland movies such as “Ex Machina,” “Annihilation,” the FX series “DEVS,” the folklore horror pic “Men,” and his most recent film, “Civil War.”

Based on the Philip K. Dick novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?,” the original 1982 film focused on a group of replicants who have escaped the off-world colonies to Earth, where their presence is considered illegal. Authorities have sanctioned their termination by hiring a retired Blade Runner, Deckard, to quickly silence the situation by killing them on sight once they’ve been confirmed as replicants and not the humans they’re pretending to be. After being introduced to a non-violent replicant who isn’t aware they are one, Deckard decides to whisk off with her toward the end, leading the hunter to become the hunted.

We haven’t seen the nine off-world colonies in the main two movies (they have been teased/shown in tie-in shorts), and it would be quite the jump for the franchise for events to transpire in a non-Earthbound setting.

'Blade Runner 2099': Michelle Yeoh To Star In Amazon's Cyberpunk Spinoff Series

‘Blade Runner 2099’: Oscar-Winner Michelle Yeoh To Star In Amazon’s Cyberpunk Spinoff Series

Amazon Prime Video is riding high after their latest series “Fallout” has become their second biggest viewed show on the streaming service behind “Lord of The Rings: The Rings of Power,” and one of their other ambitious projects looks to help expand the “Blade Runner” universe with “Blade Runner 2099.”

Best Actress Oscar winner Michelle Yeoh (“Everything Everywhere All At Once”) is the first actor to join the limited cyberpunk series, according to various trade reports, including one from Variety. That would suggest that Yeoh is taking a lead role, but there aren’t any concrete plot or character details about who exactly the actress is playing in “Blade Runner 2099.”

The world of “Blade Runner” hails from the Philip K. Dick novel “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?” but properly fleshed-out thanks to Ridley Scott in 1982 with the original movie and then Denis Villeneuve’s sequel “Blade Runner 2049.” As the title would suggest, there is going to be a 50-year time jump with this new streaming series, and we’ll keep our fingers crossed we’ll finally see some of these off-world colonies (nine colonies established back in 2049).

While both feature films have had a huge influence from both Japanese and Chinese atheistic, we really haven’t seen what these Asian countries look like in this universe. However, there is the assumption that various Asian countries like Japan are behind the effort to populate the off-world colonies, and Earthbound nations might be just as sparse as the United States.

One of the other impressive hirings for the spinoff series is director Jonathan van Tulleken, who most recently worked on the massive FX hit streaming series, “Shogun,” and helmed two episodes.

Yeoh has made her presence in Hollywood’s genre realm well-established going back to the 1990s when she joined the James Bond franchise with “Tomorrow Never Dies,” which nearly led to her own spinoff film but ultimately didn’t materialize. Some of those other genre projects include “Shang-Chi & The Legend of The Ten Rings,” “Star Trek: Discovery,” Danny Boyle’s sci-fi thriller “Sunshine,” “American Born Chinese,” “The Witcher: Blood Origin,” had a brief cameo in “Guardians of The Galaxy Vol.2,” “Morgan,” “The Mummy: Tomb of The Dragon Emperor,” and James Cameron’s highly-anticipated “Avatar” sequels to the two previous multi-billion dollar successes.

An exciting development on a streaming project that could help add to the “Blade Runner” mythology.

SOURCE: VARIETY